Predator: Rite of Passage is a two-part comic book short story that was first published by Dark Horse Comics in the company's self-titled anthology series anthology Dark Horse Comics #1-2, from August-September 1992. It was written by Ian Edginton, pencilled by Rick Leonardi, inked by Dan Panosian, colored by Gregory Wright, lettered by Steve Dutro, and edited by Jerry Prosser. Issue #1 of Dark Horse Comics also featured Predator cover art by Dave Dorman.
In Dark Horse's Predator comics line, Predator: Rite of Passage was preceded by Predator: The Bloody Sands of Time, and was followed by Predator: Blood Feud.
Plot[]
The Warrior kills the Predator.
Deep within the wilderness of Eastern Africa, a Maasai Warrior looks up to the stars and reminisces on his deadly encounter with a Yautja.
The young warrior was hunting a vicious lioness for his rite of passage to manhood. Upon encountering the beast terrorizing a herd of antelope, he manages to kill it and takes its skin as a trophy. Upon returning to his village, he is met with horror and despair as his village had slaughtered by an unknown assailant, the bodies strung up.
Desiring revenge, he notices a nearby foot trail and traces them to large rock formation. There, he is ambushed by a Predator, who rains fire on the warrior with its Plasmacaster. One shot hits, destroying the lion pelt on his back and knocking him off his feet but leaving him unharmed.
After playing dead, the warrior manages to disarm the creature with a well-placed spear-throw into the Predator's device, causing it to explode and wound the both of them.
As he prepares to kill the prone creature, it springs to life and grabs him by the neck, but releases him after he plunges his spear into its shoulder. The warrior subsequently chops the hunter's arm off and slices it repeatedly before decapitating it with his seme dagger.
The warrior collapses in exhaustion, before being approached by a second Predator from behind, instead of attacking the warrior, he recognizes his strength and takes his blade as a keepsake before leaving for its ship. The warrior is left behind, later equipping himself with the gear of his fallen adversary and planting its skull on the front of his Nguni shield.
Characters[]
Reprint History[]
Predator: Rite of Passage was first serialized and reprinted in the United Kingdom in 2 parts in Aliens magazine, Vol. 2 #10-11, from April-May 1993.
The story was later collected together with Predator: The Pride at Nghasa in the Dark Horse Classics special Dark Horse Classics - Predator: Jungle Tales, published in March 1995.
The story was collected again as part of Predator Omnibus: Volume 1 in August 2007.
The comic was released digitally through Dark Horse Digital on February 13, 2013, again collected with Predator: The Pride at Nghasa and reusing Val Mayerik's cover art from Dark Horse Classics - Predator: Jungle Tales.
Marvel Comics[]
Following Marvel Comics' acquisition of the rights to Predator comic books, the comic was collected as part of Marvel's Predator: The Original Years Omnibus Volume 1 collection, alongside many other early Dark Horse stories. The collection was released on December 27, 2022.
Behind the Scenes[]
United Kingdom-based writer Ian Edginton worked on a number of Aliens, Predator and Aliens vs. Predator comics for Dark Horse over the years, perhaps most notably Aliens: Rogue and Aliens vs. Predator: Eternal.
Artist Rick Leonardi has also worked as artist on a number of stories for the three titles, including Aliens vs. Predator: Three World War.
Trivia[]
- Dave Dorman's cover art for issue 1 of Dark Horse Comics is one of the most reused pieces of cover art in the Predator comics franchise, having also been used on Dark Horse Insider, Vol. 2 #8 and Total Carnage #5.
- Rite of Passage is the only Predator comic to feature no dialogue whatsoever.
- The comic's plot likely influenced how Royce killed the Berserker Predator in the 2010 film, which involves fire obscuring the Predator's heat vision, repeatedly hacking the Predator and a fatal strike to the neck.
