Predator: The Pride at Nghasa is a three-part comic book short story that was first published by Dark Horse Comics in the company's self-titled anthology series Dark Horse Comics #10-12, from May-August 1993. It was written by Chuck Dixon, illustrated by Enrique Alcatena, colored by Chris Chalenor, lettered by Clem Robins, and edited by Bob Cooper, Jerry Prosser and Dick Hansom. Issue #12 of Dark Horse Comics also featured a Predator cover by Derek Thompson.
In Dark Horse's Predator comics line, Predator: The Pride at Nghasa was preceded by Predator: Race War (short story), published concurrently with Predator: Race War (series) and Predator: Bad Blood (short story), and was followed by Predator: The Hunted City and Predator: Bad Blood (series).
Plot[]
The Serengheti of Tanzania. Late August, 1936. During the building of a new railroad, several workers of 'Nghasa Bain' are attacked and slaughtered by an unknown assailant. Meanwhile at Kildeer station, park rangers John Copeland and Reginald Barrows, alongside their assistant Wanji, were notified by a runner that they were to accompany famous hunter Sir James Neville Ramsay to Nghasa, who has been personally hired by the crown to rid the Basin of a 'Lion', though the runner attests that it was a 'Forest Devil' that had killed the railmen.
After assembling a team of bearers, the group set out on foot to Nghasa, passing a nearby village. However, the village is devoid of men, with only women, children and the elderly present. A village elder approaches the group and warns them of a 'forest devil' that lured men from the village to be killed, every time the 'hunting star' crosses the sky. Although Sir James is sceptical of this, a village girl points them to several flayed corpses strung up on a tree.
Sir James becomes overwrought and accuses the villagers of rebellion, killing the railmen as an act of defiance against the British Empire. Suddenly, a hole is blown through James from the shot of a Plasmacaster, killing him. Chaos ensues, and Reginald, Wanji and several bearers are killed, leaving Copeland alone and in distress. Fleeing for his life, Copeland hoped to lose the creature in a marsh. When following him, the Devil is attacked by two Nile crocodiles, biting off his left arm. After killing the crocodiles, the enraged Predator emerges and continues his chase.
The blood of the Devil's wound subsequently attracts a clan of Hyenas and he is attacked by them, followed by a Lion and Lioness that joins the chaos. The Predator manages to escape the mauling with his life, and limps away to a muddy wallow, John cautiously following him. The Predator enters the wallow, a Mother Ship later emerging and taking off - the 'hunting star.' John wishes God's mercy towards the next beings that go on to encounter the hunter.
Characters[]
Reprint History[]
Predator: The Pride at Nghasa was later collected together with Predator: Rite of Passage in the Dark Horse Classics special Dark Horse Classics - Predator: Jungle Tales, published in March 1993.
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: Rite of Passage 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[]
Well-known comics writer Chuck Dixon is perhaps best known for his work with Batman during his run as writer on DC Comics' Detective Comics. He has worked extensively with various other characters for Marvel, DC and other companies throughout his career.