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Predator: Fire and Stone #3 - Chapter Three

4

Glago just wants to run away from danger. Unfortunately for him, he's connected to a Predator who wants to run towards it.

The Good

Even though "PREDATOR" is slapped across the top of the cover, this issue really feels like a character study of Galgo Helder. But "GALGO HELDER: FIRE AND STONE" probably wouldn't sell as many copies, would it? Don't get me wrong, the new Predator, Ahab, certainly has plenty of time in the panels, but this chapter is all about fleshing out Galgo. If you've been following Fire and Stone (if not, what gives?), you know this dude is all about self-preservation and at any cost. So, to have him literally attached to someone else brings out an interesting dynamic and it becomes even more interesting as Joshua Williamson reveals just how much of a liar this dude really is. He's done some scummy things, but the way he conducts himself makes you really dislike the guy (use of "kemosabe" aside). Not in a way that makes it painful to follow his story, but in a way that really makes you hope all of this negative karma will catch up to him. He's pretty much a guy you love to hate. Given the cliffhanger, it's safe to say this man is about to enter a very rough situation. Considering he and Ahab's mentalities couldn't be further apart -- Ahab embraces trouble while Galgo runs from it -- the last chapter of this limited series has so much potential. Oh, and not to mention a ton of fan service. This last page is given a double-page spread and it totally warrants one. My fingers are crossed the issue is pretty much one big fight and I can't wait to see how it's handled. Okay, I can wait, but I'd really prefer not to.

The world of PREDATOR: FIRE AND STONE is a tense, violent, and pretty dark place. Chris Mooneyham, John Lucas and Dan Brown's pages provide us with just the right atmosphere. The only criticism that comes to mind is the handling of shading on human eyes (the lines can sometimes seem like huge stitches instead of presenting darkness), but that minor distraction aside, they deliver the kind of gritty and brutal tone you'd expect from this kind of story and you can often feel the shock and anger in the characters' expressions. As a fan of the Predator franchise, I can't help but love the way they handle Ahab, especially his facial expressions during the close-ups. The action may not pack the kind of force that it could in this one, but the layouts and angles (e.g. the close-up of the creature and Ahab's face) do an effective job telling the story and pulling us right into what's going on. Even if I don't believe the impacts are handled as well as they could, it's still doing a great job conveying motion and these characters never seem static.

The Bad

There's a good insight into Galgo in this one and, if you're following Fire and Stone, there's a pretty satisfying confrontation he has with another survivor, but for the most part, this chapter's building and building tension until the cliffhanger. And yes, the final page is something that's sure to make fans of these franchises go crazy with excitement. That's not necessary a "bad" thing, but because of the focus on building up to the big conflict (a side dose of character study aside!), it did feel like a bit of a slower chapter. Interesting, sure, but it seems like the truly memorable stuff is being saved for the next chapter.

I can't help but feel like Ahab's being sold a bit short. In this chapter, I just don't get the impression that he's as dangerous and skilled as he's supposed to be. We're reminded of what he's endured, but little things like him not dragging Galgo when he wants to leap in the opposite direction (Predators are physically superior to humans, after all... or maybe I'm not properly understanding how this link works?) or his sloppy handling of the creature just doesn't make him seem formidable, especially when compared to some of the other memorable Predators from the franchise. Seeing as there's such a huge cliffhanger, hopefully my impression of the alien will change in the final chapter and he'll gets some jaw-dropping displays of action. Even if he gets wrecked, I'd love to see him put up more of a fight!

The Verdict

PREDATOR: FIRE AND STONE #3 provides an entertaining insight into Galgo's personality before dropping a cliffhanger that is 100% guaranteed to make fans go crazy with excitement. It's exactly what we've been waiting for and the art team did a solid job teasing the conflict. Now we just have to wait and see how it all goes down. Hopefully this final chapter will show us why Ahab should go down as one of the unforgettable Predators. Considering he's stuck to a guy who will do anything to live and can't be trusted -- a point this issue will fully make you understand -- that should make the upcoming battle very interesting. We're rooting for you, Ahab.