Predator: Kindred [Paperback]

Scott R. Tolson (Author), Jason Lamb (Author)

Book Description

Series: Predator | Publication Date: January 13, 1998

Fleener Creek is a sleepy old Oregon town, the kind that makes you think of Andy and Barney and Aunt Bee. But sleepy towns aren't always dreamy. Sometimes sleep brings on nightmares, the kind that begin and end with an eight-foot-tall monster wielding spears and knives. Fleener Creek may be sleepy, but most folks in this town won't sleep soundly again. And others will never wake up.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 16 and up
  
• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Dark Horse (January 13, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569712700
• ISBN-13: 978-1569712702
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 6.7 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #243,428 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Predator: Kindred is as good as it gets!, August 18, 2008

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Predator: Kindred (Paperback)

Predator: Kindred has it all. It's a very complex story by Jason R. Lamb and Scott Tolson, and believe me, they came up with a script so good, it's Oscar-material. It is, without a doubt, the best Predator comic I've read! The story centers upon a small overcome by the townsfolks personal demons. As if the townsfolk didn't have enough trouble. Also for a while there, you forget your reading a predator comic. Buddy Wilcox a husband of two. James McCutcheon, a prisoner now set free. Peggy, a wife suffering from her demented husband, Rod. Kelly Mathis, a sheiriff who wants to see more action in the line the duty. Fred, and his buddy, police officers working for Kelly. These and many other peoples lives are thrown together to help each other survive when a Predator comes to call. A complicated story full of flashbacks, action, great writing, religion, horror, death, and of course the extra-terrestrial Predator. Although actually the Predator is not in much of this story. Actually this is the least I've seen the Predator in a Predator comic, and it's still that good. This would be a flawless comic if it wasn't for the art. Though better than some stinkers I've seen, the art doesn't focus much on the detail. But don't let that stop you, this truly is a great graphic novel collection. If you want a truly great deal on this, I personally recommend getting this in the Predator Omnibus Volume 3. You get Kindred, along with my second favorite Predator graphic novel, Bad Blood, and many other Predator comics for under 25 dollars. Also recommended is the Predator one-shot comic book Strange Roux. (also in the Omnibus.) Anyway Predator: Kindred, is highly recommended. 5 stars, or, a Grade: A.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars PREDATOR - KINDRED : good comic book, January 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Predator: Kindred (Paperback)

I enjoyed reading this one, though there isnt much of predator in the beginning, but the grand finale is great... Action and art is good.. and a really good story.. nice characters and of course a mean mother****** , the predator... Get this one!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Simply "okay" (or worse), June 25, 2003

By 

"msv2" (Earth) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Predator: Kindred (Paperback)

I bought this trade paperback as my re-entry into the world of Dark Horse Predator (and Alien) comics, mostly based on the reviews here. Having been a long time fan of both franchises, I've read much of what Dark Horse has to offer, so I know what they are capable of. However, it is my opinion that Predator: Kindred falls far short of that mark.

The plot is readable, but I think it is far from riveting. As stated above, it's about a Predator in a small Oregon town that hunts the most violent persons within the community. I suppose there is a small amount of potential here, but the "boogie monster" in the small backwoods town is an overused cliché among the horror genre. There are only so many ways to present this sort of story before running out of material to make it fresh. So it is with Kindred. The Predator does not make much of an appearance before the fourth chapter, so that leaves you with the character development of the townsfolk. But these people are just as uninteresting as the plot; they too are all cliché. You have the wife in an abusive relationship, you have the man whose father tried to bully him into becoming a "man's man", and you've got the uninformed general populace who, at their leader's behest, blame an innocent scapegoat for the town's misfortunes. It all seems very rehashed.

Then there is the art, one of the most important aspects in a graphical medium such as this. To put it simply, it too left MUCH to be desired. The first thing one notices is a severe lack of detail in the pictures -- the people seem to be nothing more than outlines and many times there is not even a background drawn in a given panel. One would think they would put extra detail into the Predator, but he was just slightly more interesting than the townsfolk (and what's with the bird-like heel claw? I don't remember THAT in the movies...) His ship (which also only makes its appearance in the fourth chapter) seemed more like a white football with ridges than something deserving of a Predator. Aside from the lack of detail, the sloppy lines, and the characters' pupils which are rarely in line with the other (giving them a bizarre and unintended insane quality), the color was not well done. There is no shading given to ANY of the characters, just flat, pastel coloring. It is my opinion that if a comic just contains the "base colors", the pallet should at least be interesting. However, most of the coloring was very "soft," giving the story more the look of a Sunday "funny" than a horror story.

All in all, I have to say Predator: Kindred was not very entertaining (there is obviously a reason it is out-of-print as of 6/25/03.) The two things I can say for it is that the covers (shown in a gallery at the back) by Igor Kordey are amazing, and the design of the book (not including the actual comic), is very well done; those who are interested in Kindred will be happier looking at the cover art than actually reading it. So out of respect for Kordey and the person who had to compile this rubbish, I award Kindred a lonely one star out of five.