Posted in: Comics, Comics Publishers, Current News, Dark Horse Comics, Marvel Comics | Tagged: omnibus, predator

Marvel Removes Comics Over Racial Concerns From Predator Omnibus

Marvel Comics is making the Predator: The Original Years Omnibus Vol 2, to be published in March, returnable, after removing content.

Marvel Comics is making the Predator: The Original Years Omnibus Vol 2 to be published in March, returnable, after removing solicited content and making it smaller than advertised. The volumes, reprinting the Dark Horse Comics Predator stories over the years, have seen the removal of Predator: Hell Come A-Walkin' #1 and #2 from 1998, and a short story from Dark Horse Presents #137 from 1986. This has reduced the page count from 1048 to 992. Why? But returnability isn't cheap, especially when it comes to oversized hardcover omnibus volumes.

Looking at the stories that have been removed, one can draw certain conclusions. Predator: Hell Come A-Walkin'  by renowned horror writer Nancy Collins and Black Hammer artist Dean Ormston set in 1863 in the American Civil War. A time of racial strife, and home to a number of scenes such as these;

As the solicitations say, "During the American Civil War, Confederates and Union soldiers are united by a common enemy! "

While Dark Horse Presents #137 has a Predator story, Demon's Gold by Ron Marz and Claudio Castellini, with, as far as I can tell, Nazis.

There aren't any offensive attitudes being expressed to any racial group, you know, other than having actual Nazis in full regalia as the bad guys. We are basically talking two-dimensional Indiana Jones Nazis here.

The latter is usually done so that the book can be sold in Germany – the presence of swastikas is illegal – but usually, a version is printed in German with the images removed. The American Civil War story seems to come down to one use of "darkie" and two uses of "nigra", though not at all in a positive or defendable way, and some very… Confederate views regarding black people. Both stories would have been approved by Fox at the time, but now Disney owns Fox and Marvel, making this very Omnibus possible, different choices are being made, and at the last minute as well. Here is the original solicitation.

PREDATOR: THE ORIGINAL YEARS OMNIBUS VOL. 2 Hardcover – March 26, 2024
Complete your library of classic PREDATOR comics! It's hunting season across the Earth – and in all eras! When the crew of a Chilean fishing boat sees something fall from the sky, they ready their nets for a big catch. But just who is the prey…and who is the Predator? A forest ranger is out of her league in the Alaskan wilderness! In 19th century London, Jack the Ripper isn't the only one leaving behind a trail of blood! During the American Civil War, Confederates and Union soldiers are united by a common enemy! But why are Predators flocking to Earth? Why are they hunting each other? And after years of being victims, what are Earth's deadliest warriors going to do about it? Meet the Predator Hunters – who go wherever they are needed! Collecting Predator: Hell & Hot Water (1997) 1-3; Predator: Primal (1997) 1-2; Predator: Nemesis (1997) 1-2; Predator: Hell Come A-Walkin' (1998) 1-2; Predator: Captive (1998) 1; Predator: Homeworld (1999) 1-4; Predator: Xenogenesis (1999) 1-4; Predator (2009) 1-4; Predators (2010) 1-4; Predators: Beating the Bullet (2010) 1; Predators: Preserve the Game (2010) 1; Predator: Hunters (2017) 1-5; Predator: Hunters II (2018) 1-4; Predator: Hunters III (2020) 1-4; material from Dark Horse Presents (1986) 124, 137; Free Comic Book Day 2009: Predator.

Instead, the new version, at the same price, will contain the following stories only: Predator: Hell & Hot Water (1997) 1-3, Predator: Primal (1997) 1-2, Predator: Nemesis (1997) 1-2, Predator: Captive (1998) 1, Predator: Homeworld (1999) 1-4, Predator: Xenogenesis (1999) 1-4, Predator (2009) 1-4, Predators (2010) 1-4, Predators: Beating the Bullet (2010) 1, Predators: Preserve the Game (2010) 1, Predator: Hunters (2017) 1-5, Predator: Hunters II (2018) 1-4, Predator: Hunters III (2020) 1-4; material from Dark Horse Presents (1986) 124; Free Comic Book Day 2009: Predator

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!