INTRODUCTION
In June 1987, Twentieth Century Fox launched a new science fiction thriller franchise about alien hunters coming to Earth to hunt humans—Predator was born. A vehicle for rising star Arnold Schwarzenegger, who had already starred in such iconic roles as Conan and the Terminator, the film netted six times its budget and a franchise was born. Soon a sequel was in the works as well as a comic book line from Dark Horse Comics. Eventually there would be novels, crossovers with Fox’s popular Alien franchise and more films to come, all aimed at satisfying the growing enthusiastic fanbase.
The stories in this volume are intended to celebrate the franchise’s 30th anniversary as fans anticipate future developments featuring the Predators. We have worked from prior materials, including the previous three Predator films, the Dark Horse Comics, and various novels, and sequels or prequels to those are among the stories included here. Previous contributors to the universe, such as Tim Lebbon, Kevin J. Anderson, Steve Perry, S. D. Perry, and John Shirley, have all returned with new stories for us, plus we have new stories and new authors, as well—including some great adventures that document the intergalactic hunters’ activities throughout human history, beyond even the future or our own contemporary age.
There are sixteen action-packed new adventures here stretching from future societies to the Vikings, ancient samurais, and even the American Civil War. And historical figures as well as familiar characters make appearances in many of them. The goal here was fun adventures that give fans what we have come to expect and love about Predator stories: lots of action, interesting twists and tactics, and human ingenuity vs. alien intellect and superior technology.
As a Predator fan myself, it was a blast putting this together. And so I hope my fellow fans will have an equal blast reading it. For me, one reason I love Predator is the sophisticated culture, language, strategies, and ethics the hunters choose to live by which make them far more interesting and even challenging than many alien opponents we often see. And the novels, comics, and films have all helped to expand that mythos in interesting ways. These stories do as well.
Whatever the case, this book celebrates both the past and the future of this exciting fictional universe. We hope it evokes old memories and makes new ones as we look forward to exciting new chapters in our favorite saga. If we write it, they will come.
If it bleeds, we can kill it.
Bryan Thomas Schmidt, Ottawa, KS, January 2017