Predator: Hunters II

Predator: Hunters II is a four-issue limited comic book series published by Dark Horse Comics from August 2018 to January 2019. It was also published simultaneously in the digital format via Dark Horse Digital. The story was written by Chris Warner, illustrated by Agustin Padilla, colored by Neeraj Menon, lettered by Michael Heisler, and edited by Randy Stradley, with cover art by Padilla. Andy Brase also provided variant cover art for the first issue.

The comic is one of the few Aliens, Predator and Aliens vs. Predator comic books to serve as a direct sequel to earlier stories. Specifically, it is a continuation of Predator: Hunters.

Predator: Hunters II serves as the second installment of a multi-arc storyline that began with Predator: Hunters.

In Dark Horse's Predator comics line, Predator: Hunters II was preceded by Predator: Hunters, and was followed by Predator: Hunters III.

Publisher's Summary[]

#1: From the islands of the South Pacific to the mountains of Afghanistan, the Hunters go wherever the Predators appear — even if it's in a war zone and into conflict with a mysterious government group hunting the same prey! Despite the casualties suffered during their first mission, the Predator Hunters are on the prowl again!

#2: A reconnaissance mission in Afghanistan turns into a deadly three-way game of cat-and-mouse as the Hunters track a Predator — and attempt to avoid a government-sponsored team after the same prey!

#3: Afghanistan is called the "Graveyard of Empires", but it may also soon be the graveyard of the Hunters when they go up against a Predator who has honed its skills fighting the jihadi and U.S. forces!

#4: A botched ambush, a futile standoff, and a desperate retreat lead to a final one-on-one battle with the Predator in the cold darkness of the Afghan night. In the aftermath, the Hunters deal with a painful parting — and an unexpected reunion!

Plot[]

Deep within Eastern Afghanistan, several Jihadis prepare to behead a CIA officer. As they are about to proceed, a Predator emerges and slaughters them, leaving only the officer to look in terror at the looming figure in front of him.

Meanwhile, within Jaya Soames' private island, Jaya is discussing leave with her clients; many of her crew have abandoned her, citing that the Amelia Islands incident garnered to many casualties. Most leave, with only Enoch Nakai, Mandy Graves, Tyler Swain and Artemis left at her side. Though Jaya and Mandy are still unconvinced of Swain staying in the group following his abandoning of the group and lying to them, Jaya forgives him and allows him to stay. Swain is repentant and determined to prove himself. Jaya subsequently pulls up a recording of the slaughtering of the Jihadis and assert that the group travel to Afghanistan for assessment.

After arriving at Jalalabad, they meet with guide Malook who drives them to the foothills of the Hindu Kush, explaining that emerging Jihadi activity in the area has been recently quelled by an unknown source, with the locals citing it as a Djinn protecting them. During talks with a local Malik, Swain is approached by a young amputee boy, Atal who wishes to go to Canada to escape the conflict that this country has suffered from for years. He later volunteers to help the group find the 'Djinn' stating that it is not a saviour like what most of his people believe, but simply a killer that indifferently hunts for fun. Swain states that in return for his help, he will take Atal to Canada.

Suddenly, the group encounter a drone. Jaya reveals that they arent the only ones seeking to find the creature and that a well-funded US Black Ops team has been tasked at hunting the creature and harvesting its technology for military purposes. Jaya proclaims that her families fortune was built on selling Predator tech, and to atone for this, she has vowed to do anything in her power to preventing further tech from falling into the wrong hands.

PHTeam2 — Atal leads the Hunters to the Djinn's lair.

The group set out towards their destination but notices a Black Ops helicopter flying past them. Atal asserts that the location is a Jihadi base and that the Djinn's true lair is elsewhere North-West. They subsequently set out on foot to the creature's lair as the Black ops team is elsewhere ambushed and wiped out by the Predator.

PHSwainvPred — Swain goads the Djinn into a melee before sacrificing himself.

Eventually, the group reach the Predator's lair, an old Taliban cave. Atal is sent home for his own safety as the group continue onwards. Inside, they find the Predator's ship and a mass of junk taken from previous skirmishes. Tyler subsequently discovers a cap of one of his fallen comrades, realizing that this was the same Predator that murdered his men as he hid. The group set charges to the cave, but before they are able to detonate, they are ambushed by the Djinn who bring the group into a brutal firefight with its Plasmacaster. Atal returns and tells Swain that they could use a nearby minefield against the creature, as Atal had marked the whereabouts of the explosives with flags. Though Tyler tries to to lure the Predator into stepping on a mine, he is unsuccessful. Noticing one right in front of him, he draws a knife and goads it into a melee. The Djinn obliges and lunges towards Swain. Inches away, the Predator steps on a mine, both obliterating it and fatally wounding Swain. Atal stays with Swain as he dies, with the latter stating that he can finally be with his old squad.

PHRaph — Raphael Herrera is revealed to be alive.

A burial is held for Swain. Jaya offers for Atal to return to her island, but he refuses, stating that he wants to stay in Afghanistan and honour Swain's sacrifice and visit him.

The group return to Jaya's island. The group are thrilled to reunite Raphael Herrera, an old crewmember from the Amelia islands incident thought to be long deceased. Raphael was revealed to be alive after a clean-up crew of US operatives began investigating the area and had found him underneath rubble.

Characters[]

Reprint History[]

Predator - Hunters II (TPB) — Cover to *Predator: Hunters II* trade paperback by Brase.

Dark Horse Comics[]

Predator: Hunters II was collected and released as a trade paperback on May 8, 2019. The collected edition was edited by Randy Stradley and Judy Khuu and reuses Andy Brase's variant cover artwork from issue 1.

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 Volume 2 collection, alongside many other early Dark Horse stories. The collection was released on May 21, 2024.

Trivia[]

Hunters II is one of only three Aliens, Predator, Aliens vs. Predator and Prometheus comics to use roman numerals in its title, the others being the short story Aliens vs. Predator II (although that comic's title was changed to the more conventional Aliens vs. Predator 2 after several installments) and its sequel Predator: Hunters III.