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Batman versus Predator Vol 1 1A

Cover to Batman versus Predator #1 by Chris Warner and Gregory Wright.

The Aliens, Predator and Aliens vs. Predator crossover comics are an irregular line of comic books originally published by Dark Horse Comics, often in association with other publishing companies, that introduce the titular Alien and Predator species to other franchises. The line has included a number of limited series and one-shots, starting with Batman versus Predator in December 1991.

In 2019, the Aliens, Predator and Aliens vs. Predator licensed properties were purchased by the Walt Disney Company, effectively transferring all licenses to Marvel Comics.

Since the birth of the concept, Dark Horse has published or co-published a total of 30 different Aliens/Predator/Aliens vs. Predator crossovers, as well as various collected editions and reprints, while Marvel has yet to publish any crossover stories since the initial transfer.

Overview[]

Origins and development[]

In 1990, Dark Horse Comics launched the Aliens vs. Predator comic book line, a crossover between the company's existing Aliens and Predator lines, and the concept proved to be an enormous success. Inspired by this, Dark Horse teamed up with comic book powerhouse DC Comics two years later to publish another crossover, this time pitting the Predator against perennial superhero Batman in the three-issue limited series Batman versus Predator. Like AVP before it, the comic proved to be a massive success and had a huge influence on the industry, beginning a trend in comics that has seen numerous similar inter-franchise crossovers from Dark Horse, DC and other publishers since.

Inevitably, Batman versus Predator led to similar crossover comics for both the Aliens and Aliens vs. Predator lines — the Aliens first met another major comic book character in Superman/Aliens from 1995, while the Aliens vs. Predator franchise first clashed with other characters in the series Overkill: Witchblade/Aliens/Darkness/Predator from late 1999. Over the years, the Aliens and Predators have met and confronted many seminal comics characters, including Batman, Superman, Judge Dredd, the Terminator and Green Lantern. Aside from Dark Horse, nine other publishing companies have been involved in Aliens/Predator/Aliens vs. Predator crossover comic books, most frequently DC Comics.

Notably, these crossovers with outside characters are not considered to exist in the same continuity as the main Aliens, Predator and Aliens vs. Predator comics lines and are considered non-canon with regards to the Alien, Predator and Alien vs. Predator franchise. However, a select few crossovers featuring the Aliens/Predators have notably been deemed canon in their other "parent" franchise, forming an official part of that series' mythos and occasionally having major and permanent effects on the relevant universe.

Change in ownership[]

In 2019, the Walt Disney Company purchased the film studio 20th Century Fox, and with it the rights to the Alien, Predator and Alien vs. Predator franchises. As a result of the merger, Dark Horse lost the license to produce Aliens comics, which instead moved to Disney-owned Marvel Comics, who subsequently began their own line of Alien and Predator comic books.

Crossover Comics[]

Dark Horse Comics[]

Main article: Predator (Dark Horse Comics)

The vast majority of the comic books based on the Predator franchise have been published by Dark Horse Comics. These include adaptations of two of the three Predator films, as well as a large number of original stories set in the Predator universe.

Original stories[]

Collections[]

Marvel Comics[]

Main article: Predator (Marvel Comics)

In 2019, the Walt Disney Company purchased the film studio 20th Century Fox, and with it the rights to the Alien, Predator and Alien vs. Predator franchises. As a result of the merger, the license to produce Predator comics moved to Disney-owned Marvel Comics, having previously resided with Dark Horse Comics for 30 years.

Original stories[]

Trivia[]

  • Of all of the crossover comics released, only seven have been published solely by Dark Horse — Tarzan versus Predator: At the Earth's Core, Aliens versus Predator versus The Terminator, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: In Space No One Can Hear You Slay! and the four issues of the Hunting the Heroes crossover event. By far the most frequent collaborator in the crossover line is DC Comics, who have co-published 11 of the comics.
  • There is a notable trend regarding the conjunction used in the titles of the crossover comics — Predator and Aliens vs. Predator crossovers tend to use the more traditional "vs." or "versus" in the title, while Aliens comics have almost always opted for a simple slash ("/") in place of any conjunction.

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