As you can see, Stan Lee and his NHL Guardian Project had a tough time with this concept based on the Nashville Predators. The Predator is an amalgam of contradictions. Member of a fierce, untamed species, yet impeccably dressed. Lives and is dependent on nature, yet haphazardly destroys trees and shrubs. Answers to no human master, except of course Gary Bettman (see belt buckle).
The Predator also realizes that sabre-toothed cats last lived in the Early Pleistocene, so in about 10,000 years, evolution will change him into this:
Look, the point is that a wild concept and incredible powers do not a successful superhero make. Action characters need to withstand the test of time, and can’t be produced by assembly line. Stan Lee knows this better than anyone; during his time writing for and running Marvel, ten superhero comic book titles bit the dust for every one that survived.
Anyway, The Predator’s powers are described thusly: A titanium Music City Super Cat. His titanium claws rip through steel and he spits radioactive plasma. So, kind of a ripoff of Wolverine and Sabretooth from Marvel Comics. Also, expect a cease-and-desist from the movie Predator.
As you may know, Stan Lee’s SLG Entertainment has teamed with the NHL to unleash team-specific superhero characters, which began being released on Jan. 2. The Predator is No. 11 of the eventual 30 characters (a live-action presentation will be unveiled during the All-Star Game on Jan. 30). Fans are voting on Facebook to determine the order of each character’s release. I guess that means that whichever one is released last, that franchise will be eliminated.
I still can’t wait to see the Phoenix Coyote. Will he have Acme rocket skates?
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NHL’s Guardian Project superheroes are here (uh … run for your lives?) [Off the Bench]
