This is disappointing.

Each time a trophy-hunting alien known as a Predator has come to Earth, it has taken either Batman or Superman several issues to handle this resourceful and deadly menace. Now we have a Predator team -- a rare thing for these solitary hunters! -- coming to Earth especially prepared and super-powered to take on the entire Justice League of America ... and it's resolved with ease between the covers of a single book.

JLA vs. Predator begins promisingly. Heck, the Martian Manhunter, one of the JLA's big guns, is even decapitated by the baddies. But it turns out a Martian can survive having his head chopped off as long as someone's around to glue it back on later. As for the titanic battles between the other Justice League heroes -- Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Plastic Man and the Atom -- and their adversaries, all it takes is someone's bright idea to swap sparring partners and the fight is resolved in a heartbeat.

Pretty dull stuff from writer John Ostrander. At least Graham Nolan's art is good, with bold coloring by Randy Elliott, but that's not enough to carry a book when the story itself is a yawner.

[ by Tom Knapp ]