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The ’90s Revisited: Starman #45

Posted on March 29, 2022 by Walt

90s_revisited

starman_0045Star Shadows part four: Starlight, StarBRIGHT!

Writer: Len Strazewski
Penciller: John Calimee
Inker: Roy Richardson
Letterer: Bob Pinaha
Colorist: Tom McCraw
Editor: Paul Kupperberg
Cover Date: April 1992
Cover Price: $1.25
Published by: DC Comics

And here we are…final chapter of this 4-part Starman adventure!

The issue opens with the proclamation of the story title, as we look over Kitty Faulkner’s shoulder to see Bruce Gordon’s jet arriving. She sees Bruce but wonders where Will is? As she greets the disembarking Gordon, she’s horrified to find that it’s Eclipso…and even as Rampage, she’s no match for the villain. Will freefalls into the bay and crawls out to a phone booth to call the JLE, but gets a voice service instead. Meanwhile, Eclipso commandeers lab equipment to put a plan in motion: STORE excess energy he drains from Will to use at his convenience. While he torments Kitty for providing him the means to this end, Starman bursts in and the two fight. Will gets the worst of it until Power Girl shows up and joins the fight. Kitty also eventually joins in, having been freed…but unable to transform back into Rampage, she uses a tech gun to blast Eclipso. The heroes immobilize the villain and Starman pops a burst of solar energy, reverting the villain to Bruce Gordon. Day saved, they mill about…as Kitty realizes there’s no way she can compete with Power Girl for Will’s affection. Clueless of her anguish, Will has to chase after her to find out why she’s reacting as she does and the two talk things out…and we end with them clear on how they feel for each other, and Will making a crack about their age difference.

It’s definitely "interesting" seeing Mignola’s work on the cover…though at this point in 2022 and eager to get from this story to the "main event" and such, more than a bit is lost on me. The cover seems rather generic and Eclipso far too bulky, taking on Starman physically. There’s a loose/lack-of-detail Power Girl off to the side almost as an afterthought; and the sun in the background–presumably setting–hardly seems appropriate even symbolically for Eclipso to have such a physical advantage "already" (if the sun is SETTING and NOT rising). It also seems much too bright for the cover callout of "ECLIPSED!". Maybe it’s just MY interpretation/assumptions with this cover but at a glance I might almost think the villain to be sun-based in power rather than the darkness/eclipse.

Story-wise things aren’t all that deep on the whole…it seems like a lot of padded-out fighting and boasts/quips/threats. And Kitty’s jealousy/reaction/over assumption about Power Girl and Will seems sudden and rather shoehorned-in; arbitrary drawma for the sake of drama. (Not that jealousy and such feelings are rational…they’re totally understandable) If this were a masterpiece of superhero fiction I’d presumably be a lot more familiar with it, so "history" seems to support that. Despite this, it comes off as a fairly typical ’90s comic, and a series itself setting…as this turns out to be THE final issue of the series. 45 issues, not QUITE 50…but hey, it sure lasted longer than many modern series that seem to be lucky to crack double-digits at all!

The art team seems a bit more consistent–matching with the previous chapter and the first chapter. Which is a far cry from modern comics where there seems to be more insistence on "integrity of the art team" than on-time shipping of a book. Having an apparently "fill-in" team on an issue may’ve kept the series "on time," which used to be important but not so much in 2022.

With Strazewski’s name on this fueling my nostalgia–the WANT to like the story–I feel almost guilty that I didn’t really "enjoy" this issue. This entire arc has been "in the way" of getting to the Eclipso: The Darkness Within event itself, though, and not a story I remember from the ’90s–I don’t think I was even aware of this series itself until a few years ago, and this story in particular until shortly after. And this has been my first time reading it, so you could say that THIS story was "eclipsed by" the event story.

Nothing about the issue in itself particularly indicates that this is a final issue. No such callout on the cover, and no particular note on the final page of the story. It’s only in wording from the editor at the end of the letters page that one would realize this isn’t JUST the conclusion of a 4-part story but the conclusion of the series itself.

While I had thought this was a prologue/lead-in to The Darkness Within, it definitely does not seem to be the case. More like this story just happened to come about not long before a big event featuring the same villain. A quirk of timing more than any plan or "synergy" or whatever.

It remains to be seen if ANY of this story carries over into the event…but unless something specifically from this story plays a key role in that, I feel it’s pretty safe to say one would not need this story to get into The Darkness Within story.

I’m not sure my $2-3/issue was truly "worth it" for this story, but for "context" and knowing this was there, I’m glad to at least have read it so that whatever part it plays is a "known quantity" for me.

We’ll see how Eclipso: The Darkness Within #1 holds up to my now-heightened expectation and such!

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Filed under: 2022 Posts, 2022 Reviews, Eclipso the Darkness Within, The '90s Revisited | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

The ’90s Revisited: Starman #44

Posted on March 24, 2022 by Walt

90s_revisited

starman_0044Star Shadows part three: Dark of the Moon!

Writer: Len Strazewski
Penciller: John Calimee
Inker: Roy Richardson
Letterer: Bob Pinaha
Colorist: Tom McCraw
Editor: Paul Kupperberg
Cover Date: March 1992
Cover Price: $1.25
Published by: DC Comics

We open with Lobo in our face (metaphorically-speaking) ready to throw a punch. The issue is basically one big fight scene, with Lobo vs. Eclipso, Eclipso vs. Starman, Lobo vs. Starman, Starman and Eclipso vs. Lobo…a bunch of posturing, tough-guy cracks, etc. Eventually Eclipso convinces Starman to help him…but after they manage to "fake" Eclipso/Bruce’s "death" and Lobo takes off to collect his bounty, Eclipso betrays Starman, uses some of his energy, and heads to Earth. As Starman realizes the danger to Kitty back on Earth–expecting Bruce and Will, not the evil Eclipso–he, too, heads back to Earth.

Well, we’re back to Calimee/Richardson on the art, as with #42, and this issue is decidedly less "cartoony" than the previous. And I’ll give credit to the page layouts–in general–for actually having multiple panels, clear gutters overall, etc. This is not a bad issue to look at visually. But it’s basically one big fight scene.

The story is ok-ish…we do glean a BIT of information, such as Eclipso specifically wanting Starman as a battery, to use the hero’s sun-energy and his own black diamond. Eclipso recognizes the hands of the Lords of Chaos in stuff, so it’s not some unknown quantity thing.

Even though it’s been years since I’ve read anything Eclipso-related, specifically anything from The Darkness Within, I feel like there’s something "off" to the character’s presentation here. Expecting this to be a set-up/prologue to that event certainly impacts my lens through which I’m seeing this Star Shadows story.

There’s not much, really, for me to say beyond that. Lobo (because ’90s and Lobo has to be everywhere); tail-end of an ongoing series, yadda yadda yadda. Despite Lobo being on the cover, this doesn’t really have much to offer the reader as a standalone issue…especially 30 years later; but as with previous issues, if you find the entire arc together and at bargain pricing, it might be worth the purchase/read.

I’m much more eager to get to the start of The Darkness Within, again assuming that this story leads into that. So far I’m not seeing any connection other than "Eclipso," so maybe that’ll be something the next/final issue of this story gets to?

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Filed under: 2022 Posts, 2022 Reviews, Eclipso the Darkness Within, The '90s Revisited | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

The ’90s Revisited: Starman #43

Posted on March 22, 2022 by Walt

90s_revisited

starman_0043Star Shadows part two: Blue Moon

Writer: Len Strazewski
Artist: Vince Giarrano
Letterer: Bob Pinaha
Colorist: Tom McCraw
Editor: Paul Kupperberg
Cover Date: February 1992
Cover Price: $1.25
Published by: DC Comics

Well, then…this is a definite change from the modern way of "Delay Delay Delay" to "preserve artistic integrity" for an "inevitable" "graphic novel"–this issue’s artist is a Vince Giarrano, the previous issue’s team of John Calimee, Andrew Smith, Roy Richardson, and Alan Kupperberg. That said, I honestly didn’t immediately notice, I just took the issue’s contents at face value, figuring "oddness" was my lack of in-depth familiarity and fondness for the title and character(s).

This issue opens on a several-page flashback starring Lobo, giving us some random–possibly "typical"–but tame–Lobo "stuff". The character in a bar, being very uncouth, rough, and fairly caricatureish overall…with some then-timely pop-culturally references before being sent on his way to fight Eclipso for a bounty. We also see that the seemingly arbitrary character putting him on the path to Eclipso is actually an avatar of the Lords of Chaos. Lobo literally crosses paths with Starman and Dr. Bruce Gordon. Starman and Lobo fight for a bit, while we see a certain evil emerging with Dr. Gordon that–sixteen pages into our issue–pretty much catches us up to where the previous left off! Eclipso lets on that he definitely had a hand in Starman’s origin before stepping in with Will’s (losing) battle with Lobo. A blast of darkness pauses the battle, reveals Eclipso’s presence, and gives us another cliffhanger as Lobo goofily recognizes his target.

I had to have noticed SOMEthing was up with the art but it didn’t stand out to me until going back through the issue for this post–it got very generic and cartoony at points. It’s far superior than anything I myself could produce, but it’s a far cry from stand-out, impressive distinct work that I’d remember significantly down the road. It gets the job done, for what story there is.

The Lords of Chaos in this issue "should" mean more to me I’m sure, but mostly just ring a distant bell in my mind. I believe something involving a retcon on the nature of Eclipso, but I’m reading along for the experience and there are plenty of sites/blurbs out there to fill in gaps if one wants to go hunting for info. My "retcon sense" is definitely tingling, certainly helped along by the "meta" nature of my read-through for this story–knowing this is THE final arc for the series, possibly the last starring presence of Will Peyton, and kinda leading into the summer 1992 Eclipso: The Darkness Within "event" in DC’s annuals. Having previously only read the issue that crossed over with the Superman: Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite, I don’t have any great knowledge of this title, its tone, and all that sorta context. This has the feel of a hastily-ending series with a "new" villain shoehorned in as "the Big Bad All Along" or such.

Even saying that, though, it’s definitely an "older" and "’90s" comic…for better and worse. Two chapters in of four and I’m beginning to "regret" my idea to start with these issues rather than diving into Eclipso: The Darkness Within #1. I feel like part of me WANTS to like and enjoy this more than I am…but that’s certainly on rose-colored-glasses/memories of enjoying Strazewski’s stuff in the past and the nostalgia the name brings to mind for me.

This is definitely another single issue that I’m not gonna recommend AS an arbitrarily contextless single-issue purchase or quest. If you’re following this classic Starman series, or going after this Eclipso story for pre-The Darkness Within context, etc, it’s worth getting to have the arc; but I feel like I at least could definitely do just fine without it.

We’ll see what the next couple chapters hold!

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Filed under: 2022 Posts, 2022 Reviews, Eclipso the Darkness Within, The '90s Revisited | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

The ’90s Revisited: Starman #42

Posted on March 17, 2022 by Walt

90s_revisited

starman_0042Star Shadows part one: Sun Spots!

Writer: Len Strazewski
Pencillers: John Calimee, Andrew Smith
Inkers: Roy Richardson, Alan Kupperberg
Letterer: Bob Pinaha
Colorist: Tom McCraw
Editor: Paul Kupperberg
Cover Date: January 1992
Cover Price: $1.25
Published by: DC Comics

The cover of this issue proclaims "Eclipso casts a shadow of DOOM over STARMAN!" and we see some weird guy lurking as the background casting a shadow over the title logo, while Starman looks on in apparent surprise while someone in a labcoat looks on, also in apparent surprise…and there’s some linework suggesting a machine of some sort. I see Mignola‘s "signature," presumably Mike Mignola–better known for Hellboy and such. Which explains the stylized nature of Eclipso on the cover. I’ve long associated Mignola with Hellboy and forget that he did work for DC!

We open on a full page piece showing a weird face partway between transformation, and someone asking Starman what’s going on…as she pieces together that this guy really IS the hero and that’s why he’s been flaking on her. His powers surge and he has to direct it to not incinerate her. He quickly heads to STAR Labs for Kitty’s help…but after crashing into Kitty’s lab, collapses. When he comes to, hours later, he’s being examined by both her and some other guy…apparently a Bruce Gordon. We get some expositional conversation, a couple of footnotes to recent back issues, and a bit of context of Kitty (she’s also Rampage), Will (a montage of sorts of his origin/career), and then Bruce and his darker half brought out by a black diamond–Eclipso. And apparently it was actually Eclipso that caused Will to get his powers! After deciding they need to get Will into outer space to better get a read on what’s going on WITH his powers, Will gets a moment with Kitty where he reveals his true face and name and they confess their love for each other. Getting into space with Bruce’s spacecraft, they’re hit by something…as they reel from it, we see that it’s Lobo! Meanwhile, Eclipso apparently re-emerges from Bruce.

Just about all I know about Starman is that his "superhero name" is Starman, star of this book; he’s got SOME sort of legacy tie that came into play in the post-Zero Hour James Robinson series; he’s got solar powers, supporting cast member Kitty is Kitty Faulkner/Rampage who had also been in some early post-Man of Steel-era Superman; and whatever I gleaned from Starman #28 that tied in to the Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite story in the Superman books in 1990-ish.

But hey, that’s enough for ME, for jumping in "cold" to a #42!

While Mignola‘s work on the cover is fairly recognizable–once I realized it was his work–I’m not terribly keen on it. My initial impression looking at the cover was some generic artist’s work, some lower-tier art for a lower-tier comic that when you look at modern DC stuff you wouldn’t even realize ever even EXISTED–both the title, and the character. The art throughout the issue’s not bad, but doesn’t blow me away…I’m really not consciously familiar with the artists. Len Strazewski I recognize from Ultraverse comics–namely as a co-creator of Prime!

The writing here isn’t bad…there’s definitely a lot of context/exposition that seems vastly out of place at this point in 2022–THIRTY YEARS after this comic was originally "new"! But for its time, it works; and it gives someone like me stuff to follow along with and to appreciate. I may not be "up" on all the subtleties of the issue, but it gets across key stuff as I learn more about Starman’s background than I could have recited prior to reading the issue; gives us some development with Will and Kitty, introduces us to this Bruce Gordon guy, and a bit about his history with/as Eclipso, while setting us up for later chapters by the end of the issue.

I can honestly say that I was surprised at Lobo’s showing up…he’s not on the cover, not mentioned, and I went into this issue figuring we’d simply have Starman ultimately encountering references to Eclipso if not the villain himself.

My introduction to Eclipso came through the summer/fall of 1992 with several of the DC Annuals that year; but those came after this issue/story…which is part of why I’m reading it now: I assume it’s THE reintroduction of Eclipso to the DC Universe, and that this story presumably sets up the Eclipso: The Darkness Within event/crossover. So I’m curious for the context and such, and look forward to getting into further chapters.

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Filed under: 2022 Posts, 2022 Reviews, Eclipso the Darkness Within, The '90s Revisited | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Ultraverse Revisited: Prime #6

Posted on April 24, 2019 by Walt

ultraverse_revisited

prime_0006Primal Changes

Written by: Gerard Jones and Len Strazewski
Art by: Norm Breyfogle
Letterer: Tim Eldred
Color Design by: Keith Conroy
Interior Color: Violent Hues
Editors: Chris Ulm & Hank Kanalz
Cover Date: November 1993
Cover Price: $1.95

For it being at least 20 years (most likely) since the last time I actually read this issue…it’s amazing to me what a sense of familiarity it has. While I have certain (what I would call) "key" memories of the series in general, some part of my mind wants to stretch or condense stuff, apparently…in an inversely-proportionate way for the way things actually unfolded!

As with many other "early" Ultraverse issues…the cover is rather "iconic" to me. Not so much in a singularly-standout way, or "this would/did make an amazing poster!" way. But for the sheer oddity of it, the way its weirdness sticks in my memory. We basically a grotesquely-bubbly Prime,either armless or with arms stretched behind his back, a look of distress on his face.

The previous issue left off with a badly-weakened Kevin being taken into government custody, their leader excited about what he’s found. We open this issue with Prime fighting a dinosaur–before suddenly finding himself in space, where he loses consciousness as he can’t breathe. We see that Prime is experiencing a simulation, as Col. Samuels insist he be kept alive. Coming out of the VR setup, Prime attacks, before being calmed down as he realizes it’s The Government and he–Kevin/Prime–can be of service. As proof of the claim, Prime is introduced to then-president Bill Clinton and his daughter Chelsea. Meanwhile, Kelly’s mother informs her of a call from Eden Blake’s mother–Kelly’s needed for babysitting (see Mantra #5). Back with Prime, Kevin/our hero has agreed to the Government’s testing/etc, in preparation for what turns out to be an astounding mission: He is bound for the moon! (literally!). Another simulation sees Prime facing off with super-agent Wrath (from Aladdin). Prime then sets off quickly for the moon…simply up, up, and away flying to the moon. Unfortunately, he’s not physically capable, and crashes back to Earth after a bad re-entry. Ready to give up, Kevin’s father encourages him to keep trying…though we find out Mr. Green is a lifelike simulation. The REAL Mr. Green and his wife argue over what’s been going on with their son Kevin…Mr. Green blaming himself for everything. Later, equipped with precautionary equipment designed to protect Kevin if the Prime body fails again, Kevin once again "Primes up," this time with a much different body. Now, Prime is READY. Now, Prime can survive in a vacuum without his body having issues. Now, he is (as he proclaims on the final story page) "…primed for outer space!"

The cover is another that both "sort of" shows something from within the issue, while being its own thing. Prime indeed goes into space, where he "bubbles up" which necessitates some modifications if Prime is to be able to survive in space. Kevin, of course, seems quite authentic! Sure, he "Primes up" into this big, buff super-hero…but he’s still "just" a 13-year-old kid. So the idea that he will–under his own (super-) power be expected to fly to the MOON is this ***really*** big deal to him! It also makes sense that he’s not yet disillusioned by "the Government" and such, and sees the Government as "the good guys" and wants to make them proud…almost as much as he wants to make his parents proud.

The art is the usual solid Breyfogle work. I like the familiarity and style, though there’s at least one panel where I’m reminded that there’s some sort of thing with Prime’s face where the actuality of it on the page somehow doesn’t match something in my memory.

Story-wise, this is very much a ’90s comic…visually and structurally, and I like it! There are multiple plot-threads being moved along, with a couple of distinct-seeming subplots: Kevin’s parents, and Kelly. Kelly’s subplot ties this title in to Mantra, where we see Kelly’s side of things prior to Lukasz/Eden returning home in Mantra #5. There’s also the use of Wrath and reference to Aladdin that continues to build on that organization’s place in the Ultraverse as it becomes more of a "thing." We also see more of the Prime-body’s development, that it isn’t just one set default, but takes on properties that the host (Kevin) need at the time or based on stuff handy. I know "Space Prime" becomes a bigger deal in the next issue, but it’s cool seeing the "setup" and development here in this issue–that Kevin doesn’t "just" spontaneously generate that body.

Unlike so many modern comics, there’s a lot to be had within this single issue. It does serve as a bit of a transition from solo title to moving Prime into a larger picture, as the next issue is part of the nearly-line-wide event Break-Thru; which I believe was really the first time many of the characters truly interact with each other.

The setup from the first five issues do mean that this issue doesn’t totally stand alone as well. In a way, it’s standalone, but one will get a lot more out of it having read the previous issues…especially (at least) THE previous issue, #5. For 25 cents this would not be a horrible purchase, but it’d likely be enjoyed with more context–#5, and likely #7 as well. I wouldn’t seek it out as an isolated single issue.

For better or worse…there’s a certain lure to this title that I have to resist, as I want to charge ahead through this series (much as with Mantra) without worrying about the larger context of the Ultraverse…but for this Ultraverse Revisited project, I’m determined to go month by month through all the titles!

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Filed under: 2019 posts, 2019 Reviews, Malibu Comics, Prime, The '90s Revisited, Ultraverse, Ultraverse Revisited | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Ultraverse Revisited: Prototype #4

Posted on April 5, 2019 by Walt

ultraverse_revisited

prototype_0004Wrathful Moon

Writers: Len Strazewski and Tom Mason
Penciller: David Ammerman
Inker: James Pascoe
Letterer: Tim Eldred
Color Designer: Robert Alvord
Interior Color: Family Fugue
Editor: Chris Ulm
Cover Date: November 1993
Cover Price: $1.95

The cover starts us off with a glimpse of what the issue contains, in telling us someone called Wrath enters this issue. Enter: Wrath. That is, this is the official debut of the character…and (25 years’ spoiler-free time gone by) I know the character winds up with his own series, so that–plus the "logoed" name on the cover–hints at the importance/significance of this character, over some run of the mill generic character that could otherwise fill a similar role. It’s also remarkably refreshing having just a single cover image to worry about, that it shows Prototype fighting the guy we can (from the cover alone) assume IS this Wrath character.

Despite the above, the ’90s were a time with loads of new characters being introduced by all publishers, so there being a "logo" for a character’s name wouldn’t necessarily mean they’d get an ongoing series or even mini-series. And some part of me remembers that the Ultraverse trading cards that were produced included a bunch of characters that only ever saw print there–though my memory and understanding of that may be faulty after all this time, clouded by "rumors" or stuff I’ve come across (but not verified) over the years. Point being–the logo AND knowing the character got his own series tipped me off here, where the logo alone wouldn’t not necessarily tell one such information.

As we open the issue itself, we find Jimmy Ruiz contemplating his latest "upgrade," an implant that should make his interfacing with the Prototype suit much better. He’s called back to bed by a woman…while outside Ultratech HQ, a woman from his past tries to find out about his whereabouts, knowing only that Jimmy works for Ultratech and lives in the building. Meanwhile, a costumed figure gains access to the Prototype suit, and sets off a stabbing pain in Jimmy–he knows from that that his suit is being messed with. The two collide–one leaving, the other going–and Jimmy winds up on the lesser end of things. Getting to the armor, Jimmy suits up…and we get a good chunk of pages with Prototype and Wrath brawling. The fight spills out of the building, where Angella is threatened…Prototype saves her from an errant blast from Wrath, who didn’t actually wish to harm an innocent–he seems to have a new, grudging respect for Prototype beyond his initial assessment. Wrath escapes, as Prototype’s armor isn’t doing well…and we find out why Angella is seeking to re-connect with Jimmy! Elsewhere, the original man of the Prototype armor, Bob Campbell, tests out his home-brew armor, but finds himself trapped by an ambush of officers–highly armed–accusing him of theft from Ultratech.

I recall–and believe I’ve touched on this previously–there being two Prototypes: "the original" (Bob Campbell) and the "new" that I "knew" (Jimmy Ruiz). For all the more I was consciously aware, though, Jimmy was the hero, and Bob was a villain. Though I also think I recall that after Black September, Bob was Prototype in Ultraforce and no one remembered Jimmy…or some such. That’ll be something to get into in quite awhile, after covering all of the pre-Black-September Ultraverse comics.

That said, I’d figured Bob Campbell to be some 2-d jaded "bad guy," and yet he’s getting a story similarly compelling (to me) as that of Jimmy’s…and maybe it’s that I’m 25 years older now, but to a certain degree, I find it easier to "get" Campbell than Ruiz. I actually find myself more interested in Campbell’s story and feeling like that’s simmering a bit too long on the "back burner." Still…this is from 1993, a time when comics had these things called "subplots" that WOULD simmer on the back burner for ages before flipping to the "A" plot. Instead of random-seeming "retcons" we’d actually SEE and "touch base" on these events happening simultaneous with the main plots, and KNOW something is coming…rather than an arc or two further in being told "oh, by the way, while all this has been going on, this guy’s been doing ____."

Visually, this is a solid issue. There were parts of it that reminded me of Prime, so I guess some of the art seems a bit Brefogle-ish…though that could also be other parts of the art process such as the inking and coloring. It reminded me of Prime‘s art, and I’d say I enjoy the similarity as it further solidifies that the titles take place in the same universe at the same time and all!

When I started this Ultraverse Revisited project, I’d hoped to blow through the line a lot faster. That real life has slowed me down to a nearly-embarrassing extent has brought a lot more "real time" back to the reading in terms of time passing between my getting to each issue.

While this title is pretty good "internally," with time and keeping it as just one title out of the 12 or so Ultraverse titles, each individual issue of this one title feels a much smaller piece of things than being "the next issue" of itself.

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Filed under: 2019 posts, 2019 Reviews, Malibu Comics, Prototype, The '90s Revisited, Ultraverse, Ultraverse Revisited | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Ultraverse Revisited: Prototype #3

Posted on June 20, 2018 by Walt

ultraverse_revisited

prototype_0003Hero and the Terror

Writers: Tom Mason & Len Strazewski
Artists: David Ammerman & James Pascoe
Letterer: Dave Lanphear
Colorist: Rob Alvord
Editor: Chris Ulm
Published by: Malibu Comics
Cover Date: October 1993
Cover Price: $2.50

Something in seeing this cover surprised me that it’s "only" #3. This also seems ripe to be the right-half of a 2-part image, with whoever is blasting Prototype on the other side…but alas, this is a Rune Month issue with a flip cover (no wraparound). On the plus side, I’m not aware of any VARIANT covers, so this is simply THE cover for #3!

We open on Jimmy (Prototype) and his handler stuck on a plane–their flight’s been delayed. As they wait, terrorists calling themselves Terrordyne, Inc. attack another plane with a baseball team on board. Jimmy’s excited at the prospect of some action; meanwhile, we get a scene with someone in shadows on the phone turning down an offer, before leaping into some sort of action, gun blazing. As another subplot, we get a page with a lab and a revelation that Glare’s body (the Ultra that apparently died at Prototype’s hands in #1) shows he’s got wetware implants, and the body will be shipped off to Aladdin for analysis. As Jimmy suits up, and reveals that he’s disabled a shutdown failsafe in his armor, we cut to Bob Campbell explaining what happened to lead him showing up at his ex’s place in such horrid condition; as she patches him up, he reminisces about their past, providing us plenty of exposition. From there we get to the "meat" of the story as Prototype stops the terrorists, only to then face their leader: someone with flame powers calling himself Heater. The Prototype armor shorts out–Jimmy suspects it might be from his tinkering–but he gets the auxiliary power going in time to survive. His handler is tossed out of the plane (when did it take off?), so Jimmy opts to save him, figuring he can catch the villain after…but by the time the get back to the ground, Heater’s vanished. In frustration, he blasts the corporate jet out of the sky (the pilot had already been killed). This, as well as the earlier scuffle and the Prime incident (see Prime #4) has Leland–Ultratech’s president–more than fed up with the young "hero." As he asks for interviews to begin on a replacement, we cut to someone called Wrath being brought in on a plan of industrial espionage and heading out after Prototype.

Starting with the end of the issue…we have a page marked as "25" but it has no captioning, dialogue, etc…and with plenty of open space at the top and bottom, looks like a cover image thrown into an issue. If it wasn’t numbered to appear to be a story page, it’d look like basically an ad for the next issue or such!

I continue to feel (mostly pleasantly) like there’s almost too much going on in a given Ultraverse comic…they’re much denser than modern 2018 comics, with a lot more story and development packed into a single issue! I’m definitely enjoying that we’re getting a story of not only the new/current Prototype, Jimmy Ruiz, but also the original–Bob Campbell. And rather than only piecing something together issues later in denouement at the end of a multi-issue arc, we get cut scenes to other characters and stuff going on simultaneous with the main story…stuff going on that we as readers get to actually see developing instead of being told (after the fact) did happen, later. Jimmy’s a hothead, and that comes off with his impetuousness at the start of the issue–eager for battle, even though it means there are people getting hurt. Still, he wants to be the hero he’s playing–for real, not just looking good for cameras.

I know Wrath as an Ultraverse title, though that title’s logo is not this initial WRATH logo on the final page with the character Wrath. I don’t think I realized that he came out of Prototype, but definitely like that the title apparently was a spinoff (though I’ll get to that in awhile when I get to the 1994 books!).

The art is solid and gets things across as any art should do. The only point I found myself not entirely clear what had happened was when Prototype blasts Heater…there’s an impact, but also an exclamation balloon of "YARGH!" nowhere hear Heater’s mouth, actually looking like he might’ve taken the worst of the blast below the belt…or that something was positioned in the wrong part of the panel…presumably definitely something with the infamous computer design stuff Malibu had going on. Otherwise, the issue looks good–especially Prototype. I still really dig the look, even if it is very ’90s!

rune_0fRune [F]: The Nectar of Life
Plotted by: Barry Windsor-Smith & Chris Ulm
Drawn & Colored by: Barry Windsor-Smith
Scripted by: Chris Ulm
Inked by: John Floyd
Computer Color by: Albert Calleros
Lettered by: Patrick Owsley
Text Pages Designed by: Jim Chadwick
Edited by: Steve Gerber

Picking up shortly after the previous chapter (in Freex #4), where we were left to assume Rune killed Edwin, here we get visual confirmation that he definitely did–with exposed rib bones and reddish coloring to suggest the gore. Edwin–briefly–was the most powerful being on the planet, according to "previously" text, but Rune killed him…and now imbued with his power, has filled out, transforming back to a younger, vital self. Moments later, though, his body reverts back to the frail, sickly creature he’s become, and he realizes that even this was not enough.

I thought Rune was a vampire…if not 100% typical, then at least using his fangs to leech life/bio-energy from his victims. Not physically consuming the bodies! A cannibalistic vampire, I guess? Whatever the case, the visuals add to the bloody violence of the thing, which seems fitting given Barry Windsor-Smith‘s other works (first in my mind being Conan and Weapon X).

This chapter works pretty well in directly following the previous, yet a bit of time has passed. That makes for something choppy going page to page, but for being a new piece of the story in a separate publication than the previous piece, it’s little worse than any other "returning from a cliffhanger but some time has passed" instance.

Though the cover seemed somewhat incomplete or generic-ish, I liked this issue. There’s a lot of story between the covers, and while there are only 25 story pages (as with the other titles, the cover proclaims the issue a 40 page special), this is still a very full issue with development and forward movement on multiple plot threads.

The Rune chapter is again not something to singularly "sell" the issue, but doesn’t detract. The segment moves that narrative forward, and I find myself looking toward getting more info about what Rune is, how he gets power from beings he consumes (does he absolutely have to consume their flesh or is that a ‘pleasure,’ for example?) and so on. I haven’t read the title in nearly two decades, so it’s like getting Rune fresh, and I don’t recall many particular details.

Yet again, this issue isn’t something I’d recommend seeking out as a single issue in isolation…you’re better off with the #1 for that. But this is definitely worth picking up as part of a run, and in that context certainly worth 25 to 50 cents. Though its original cover price is $2.50, and this IS an "early Ultraverse" issue, I frequently see these in bargain bins, so it should be able to be found for $1 or less, and I wouldn’t go much above the $1 unless you’re ‘desperate’ for the issue in some form.

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Filed under: 2018 posts, 2018 Reviews, Malibu Comics, Prototype, Rune Month (Event), The '90s Revisited, Ultraverse, Ultraverse Revisited | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Ultraverse Revisited: Prime #5

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Walt

ultraverse_revisited

prime_0005Villains

Writers: Len Strazewski & Gerard Jones
Artist: Norm Breyfogle
Letterer: Tim Eldred
Color Design: Keith Conroy
Editor: Chris Ulm
Published by: Malibu Comics
Cover Date: October 1993
Cover Price: $2.50

It’s hard to believe I’m "only" up to Prime #5 here. Nostalgia plays a large part in that, I think–part of me is itching to just fly through this series to revisit all the stuff I remember, and see what changes now that I’m a quarter-century older. But I’m hanging back, going through the entire Ultraverse one issue at a time, endeavoring to get the "full context" of stuff (though some of that detail is lost in translation as I’m providing my thoughts and RE-actions to the issues, and not panel by panel summaries/adaptations of the issues).

Picking up where the previous issue left off, we find Kevin and Kelly facing a "real life" version of Maxi-Man: a character THEY know as a cartoon, and that we as readers know is one of Boneyard’s demons trying to "prove" itself important and gain Boneyard’s favor. (Boneyard being the main villain in the Mantra title). Kevin strains to re-generate Prime, while Kelly is nearly killed. Once "Primed up," we have several pages of battle between Prime and Maxi-Man, before cutting to Kevin’s father and Colonel Samuels, discussing their past, and Green telling Samuels that Prime is his kid–Kevin! Back to the fight, Prime thinks Maxi-Man is some Ultra-human, until the demon reveals itself (apparently with disdain–it is above humans and Ultrahumans). As the two spar verbally amidst the physicality, Prime lets slip that "No one threatens my girlfriend!" referring to Kelly…which shocks the poor teenager. (Prime’s this huge adult…why would he be interested in a 13-year-old, after all?) Prime realizes that he’s running low on power, and has to put an immediate stop to Maxi-Man’s rampage…so he gathers what remains of his energy and releases it in some sort of energy-burst from his chest, and expends the rest in a quick, brutal beat-down that destroys Maxi-Man (who melts down into a puddle, as the demon disperses, vowing revenge [with a footnote referring us to Mantra #5, coming next month!]) Though Prime is victorious, it’s at a cost–Prime collapses into Kelly’s arms, and she quickly realizes he’s melting! Before anything can be done, Samuels’ men rush in and take the melting hero against the girl’s protestations. As Samuels and his crew rush off, Mr. Green’s left behind lamenting that this wasn’t supposed to happen–and he’s answerless when approached by Kelly as to what’s going to happen. Moving back to Samuels–now in a lab with techs rushing about–the melting Prime-body is stabilized…with no regard for the boy within. When questioned, Samuels declares "I don’t care about the boy! I want the ULTRA!"

One of the first things that stands out for me with this issue is Breyfogle‘s art. I love the much thicker lines and less "detail" used for Maxi-Man…giving the character that much more of a "cartoon" look, compared to the usual thinner lines and more realistic style for everyone/everything else. This entire thing is a comic book, it’s all drawings–even the thing that to the drawings (characters) is a drawing. So the different line art makes a big difference, and is pulled off quite well, to me. It’s also interesting to see from the visuals just how similar the two characters are–both are hugely over-muscled brutes–but we get dialogue to realize that Maxi-Man is a character Kevin has "grown up" on, and is clearly one of his "inspirations" for the hyper-muscled Prime body his subconscious generates.

Story-wise, we get most of our forward-movement in non-Prime characters. We see some in Kelly realizing this adult hero has a crush on her–considers her his girlfriend–which is a much different thing put to words than her schoolgirl crush on a new super-hero that she’s encountered several times. We see more in Mr. Green interacting with Samuels as we get more perspective on Prime’s "origin," as the result of these genetic experiments by the military…and that while this is Kevin’s story, Prime’s story…in a very real way, there’s a lot to be said of it being Mr. Green’s story, watching his son suffer for his sins a decade and a half earlier.

The disembodied/extra-dimensional demon provides a "convenient" means to have some giant brute slug it out with Prime. Most of the issue is a slugfest…but we get the other developments amidst it. It also adds to the interconnectedness of this universe, as the demon ties to Boneyard, who other than this has been strictly a Mantra villain. But because Boneyard exists, this demon is here…but the demon isn’t tunnel-visioned on Mantra, but on his master, and so stirs up trouble with Prime.

I feel a bit of a twofold shift in perspective on this series at present: firstly, I’ve more than flipped sides, from being the same age as Kevin–the kid–to being older than even Prime is supposed to be (assuming he’s assumed to be in his 20s). Second, the real-life stuff going on with Gerard Jones. I choose to dissociate Prime and my enjoyment of the title with what he’s pled guilty to, but just seeing things play out on the page–the idea of the adult hero with a crush on a young teenager–is that much more uncomfortable. Yet, as readers, we know darned well that this "adult" in Prime is himself truly a teenager, and so DESPITE the obvious and intended appearances and uncomfortableness built in for added drama…we have a 13-year-old interested in a 13-year-old.

rune_0bRune [B]: The Sorcerer
Plotted by: Barry Windsor-Smith & Chris Ulm
Drawn & Colored by: Barry Windsor-Smith
Scripted by: Chris Ulm
Inked by: John Floyd
Computer Color by: Albert Calleros
Lettered by: Patrick Owsley
Text Pages Designed by: Jim Chadwick
Edited by: Steve Gerber

This issue’s 3-page segment of Rune shows us the character in the distant past, being presented with an individual as a sacrifice. He feeds on her–showing/confirming to us that he’s a vampire–and see what a difference so many years makes between this and the wasted figure we saw in the first chapter. This also shows us that the younger, more vital Rune was worshipped as a god, which–again–is a far cry from the wasting creature we’d already ‘met’ and leaves us to wonder at all the events between.

Visually, this continues to clearly be Barry Windsor-Smith. The creative team is exactly the same on the entire story, so I’ll be repeating that, I’m sure–the consistency is a very welcome "given," as this is essentially "just" 3 more pages of the same issue, serialized across the 11 October Ultraverse titles.

Story-wise, this continues to be a slow-burn, or moreso, "drip" as three pages at a time is hardly room for any real story or development as a standalone piece. Presented with different core issues–this one with Prime #5, a distinctly different unit than Sludge #1–there’s "excuse" to be choppy, for 3 page segments to give us different perspectives or glimpses into Rune–what he is/was, what he means, etc. I recall the "complete issue" being rather choppy with such brief scenes…but I’ll likely re-evaluate it as an entire unit when I get to the standalone version of the issue when the ongoing series starts.

I was already getting Prime as a series, so this didn’t sell me on Prime; and all the more now 25 years later, Rune is NOT really a standalone selling point for this issue, or the month’s issues. Rune primarily serves as a time capsule or marker of sorts–an easy way to identify the October 1993 titles at a glance, despite dates not being printed on the covers.

The Prime portion of the issue feels a little padded-out with the extended fight scene. The three story-pages of Rune, plus the recap page and credits/premise page don’t truly stand on their own. But given this is an issue of Prime, the Rune stuff makes for an interesting "bonus." Of course, the proclamation on the Prime cover of this being a 40-page special dampens that–as with Sludge #1–given the 40 pages implies the story, the issue itself, but you really have to add non-story pages to the count to get to 40 pages. That would be more of a problem 25 years ago. Now, in 2018, where these are 25-cent-bin books (maybe 50 cents, but really not $1+, in my eyes!), it’s a moot point.

This is absolutely worth 25 cents or 50 cents just for the Prime portion; and if you’re particularly OCD about filing comics, worth twice that with an extra copy to file with the Rune-side forward. Given there’s a standalone Rune #0 available, and a partial-edition that was packaged with an issue of Spin magazine, I would not recommend seeking this issue out just for the Rune chapter. And as a Prime issue, there’s not MUCH to it to make it stand alone as something unique to seek out…unless you specifically want "the issue with Maxi-Man vs. Prime." Definitely seek this out if you’re putting together a run of the title, obviously. This is best read as part of several issues–ideally the first four and forward.

All that said…for 25 cents, if you’re looking for a colorful slugfest between two hyper-muscled figures and a couple pages of a colorful BWS vampire…there’s no real reason to AVOID this issue, as a whimsical one-off!

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Ultraverse Revisited: Prime #4

Posted on May 28, 2018 by Walt

ultraverse_revisited

prime_0004Heroes

Writers: Gerard Jones & Len Strazewski
Artist: Norm Breyfogle
Letterer: Tim Eldred
Color Design: Keith Conroy
Editor: Chris Ulm
Published by: Malibu Comics
Cover Date: September 1993
Cover Price: $1.95

We left off from the previous issue with Prime–Kevin–looking for Hardcase, but winding up facing an angry Prototype when he accidentally ruined a photoshoot. We pick up here with the two fighting. They do some real damage to each other before a fire breaks out, which forces them to attend to onlookers’ safety. Unfortunately, this iteration of the Prime body is rapidly destabilizing, so Kevin has to fly off, leaving rescue stuff to Prototype. Though he makes it near to his house, he crashes onto the family car instead. As he struggles to break free of the now-defunct Prime body, hands break into it from the outside, getting him out…Kevin’s father! He helps Kevin avoid his wife’s suspicions, and warns Kevin NOT to let his mother have him tested for drugs. He laments that this wasn’t supposed to happen. A brief interlude shows some demon making its way into the world, utilizing an open portal from Boneyard transporting an unconscious Mantra (with a footnote to Mantra #3!). Despite his mother trying to convince him otherwise, Kevin goes to school the next day. On the way he has a verbal fight with his friend Scott over his recent "weirdness." Brushing him off, Kevin next finds Kelly…and (rather creepily?) gets her to talk to him by telling her he knows Prime. The two soon notice a commotion nearby and rush in–Kelly thinking it could be Prime, Kevin trying to stop her…and they’re confronted by Maxi-Man…a cartoon come to life (the form the demon from earlier has taken) and threatening to teach them fear.

This is a rather complex issue in its way, and I feel like it’s certainly that modern comics seem so completely geared for collected volumes. We have numerous settings and plot points through this issue, and it’s not hard for me to imagine how this issue could easily be stretched into 2-3 issues at least, given the "decompression" of modern comics.

Story-wise, this isn’t bad. We have new developments–particularly in Kevin’s dad finding out/knowing he’s Prime. Four issues in, only the third where we’ve actually known Kevin, and already his dad knows, so it’s not gonna be JUST some kid having to hide from both his parents while doing all this…and that brings with it a different-ish (at least for the time) level of stuff. We have the fight with Prototype that seems rather fitting. It’s a natural meeting, and seems a legit misunderstanding. Of course, with both being rather hotheaded, it makes sense they’d fight first…though they don’t "get a chance" to make up or "realize" they’re both "good guys" and such, which leaves things open for development down the line…a slightly bent trope, I guess. Kevin definitely comes off as "a teen" here, and I think the authenticity of it comes partly from how ridiculous Scott is and their fighting. I’m sensitive to others thinking someone is "creepy," just for not being some image of what society sees as "normal," so I feel for Kevin. However, I can definitely see very much–especially as a late-30s adult myself–how Prime having any particular interest in Kelly is problematic.

I knew to expect the fight with Prototype in this issue, between the way the previous issue left off and the covers for this issue. Yup–two covers! I despise modern "variants" for their absolute ubiquitousness, over-hype and over-use. But in this case, for Prime #4, the "variant" is simply showing us a victorious Prototype standing over the beaten Prime…in contrast to the cover showing Prime standing victorious over a beaten Prototype. Both covers exist…so just looking at them…WHICH ONE is "real"? They’re both there…but can’t BOTH be "accurate," so you actually have to read the issue to find out! And they look so similar otherwise, it’s not like some completely different artist with a completely different style has done some completely unrelated, irrelevant generic image that has trade dress slapped on to be sold for a premium to someone already buying the issue.

prime_0004a   prime_0004b

And of course, a couple decades after initial release and easily being able to tell the covers apart and such, I don’t mind hunting the OCCASIONAL variant and seeing them as fun, where the modern counterpart is extremely annoying and off-putting. Retroactively, though, I am a bit annoyed, as I’d wound up with the Prototype-victorious cover initially, and it was years after the fact that I ever learned there were two covers.

We’re shown (and told) how others are seeing Kevin. The art, though, has something to it that just makes Kevin look odd to me. I’m sure it’s that over the years I’m so used to seeing imagery of Prime and virtually nothing with Kevin (and I can’t even think of any covers offhand that have Kevin rather than Prime) so I’ve spent 20 years with easy visuals showing Prime but not really seeing Kevin. Loathe as I am to phrase it this way, it’s the simplest way to do so: Kevin LOOKS a bit creepy at points, with the coloring and shadowing, even as that conveys mood and tone. There’s also a sort of ‘house style’ in seeing the non-Prime characters: Prototype, Boneyard, Mantra–that makes it very easy and natural to see them in this issue. The "visual sound effect" "SHAK" of Prototype blasting Prime in the face on the opening page is a bit distracting as it’s basically the same size as the title of the issue, and both seem stylistically very similar, of showing off computerized fonts that could be dropped onto the page. Very ’90s, but looking back, a bit tacky/flashy.

I’d read Prototype #2 well ahead of this issue–Prime #4…though in the reading, I learned that it takes place after this issue. Meanwhile, this issue takes place after Mantra #3, and benefits even more from it. We already had just a brief bit with Boneyard in that issue…but here we see that there’s even more to that picture. These interactions also feel organic and like what would happen when these titles and characters are all occupying the same world/city and all that.

It’s possible to read this issue without the previous issues. You won’t know/"get" everything without ’em, but then, the bare-bones context is there to follow along in this issue and pick up on Kevin/Prime, his relationship with his parents, how he is with Kelly and she with him/regarding Prime, even the fight with Prototype. Basically, if this was your first issue, there’d still be plenty for you and you could either choose to seek out the previous three or move forward learning from context. This does not feel "simply" like it’s "merely" the 4th serialized chapter of some rigidly-structured 6-part graphic novel.

If you’re at all familiar with Prime, this wouldn’t be a horrible issue to seek out as a one-shot; but as these early issues seem to be total bargain-bin material, I’d recommend spending the $2-4ish to get all four issues to read together.

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Ultraverse Revisited: Prototype #2

Posted on May 18, 2018 by Walt

ultraverse_revisited

prototype_0002Games of Death

Writers: Len Strazewski, Tom Mason
Penciller: David Ammerman
Inker: James Pascoe
Letterer: Dave Lanphear
Colorist: Moose Baumann
Editor: Chris Ulm
Published by: Malibu Comics
Cover Date: September 1993
Cover Price: $1.95

We open on Prototype in a training session. He’s prevailing, but then gets to a new "level" and finds the challenge more than expected. After a bit of confusion over the state of affairs, he kicks things into high gear and overcomes his opponents…only to find himself–his suit–on fire! As things settle, we get some exposition showing us that Jimmy still having trouble with the drugs that help him to be a more streamlined Prototype…and that he’s still recovering from his battle with Prime! [Oops…apparently the Prime issue I’ll be covering in a couple weeks takes place before this one…but I don’t recall any indicator from Prototype #1 that suggested going to Prime next, instead of this issue and THEN into Prime…] The story then shifts to Stanley Leland with some backroom deal and references to some THIRD Prototype (Prototype 2000) being his true legacy, once it’s built. Next we find Bob Campbell, also making some deal, as we come to learn that he’s building a new suit for himself. In the midst of his latest parts deal, he’s approached by a strange woman, and apparently decides he can also afford an expensive ‘date’. Back at his place, rather than an intimate night, things turn violent, as the woman turns out to not be human at all, and to have retractable daggers for fingers. Campbell’s nearly done in, but his cat joins the fray (she survives…so I’m ok with this issue!). The cat buys him enough time to quickly don his home-brewed armor-suit, and prevail. Finally, we find Bob’s ex on the phone with Leland, and after she’s rejected his advances, she goes to the door…and finds an injured Bob on her doorstep.

This is a mixed sort of issue for me. On the one hand, a lot really does happen throughout the issue, at least in giving us worldbuilding elements to the characters. On the other hand, I felt like Jimmy was given the short end of the stick in this issue.

The art’s not bad for this issue, but nothing to it blew me away. I don’t know what it was, but Bob looked a lot different than I was thinking he would in this issue…perhaps faulty memory, perhaps other elements in the time since I read Prototype #1. There was a panel where Jimmy looked a lot like Kevin Green (Prime) which seems a bit off as well–for one of them. WHICH one, I’m not actually sure. I guess that speaks to continuity and such, though. Somehow I’m just not thrilled with Jimmy’s appearance–and I feel like it somehow has something to do with seeing the Ultraforce cartoon series a few years ago, but I can’t place the exact reason…Jimmy must’ve looked different in his depiction there, or my brain managed to cross him with some other character(s). Yet another factor may simply be that this is another series I haven’t actually read in the past, so I have preconceived notions and expectations that far exceed what can be delivered.

Story-wise, I feel like for "only" a second issue, for a series that I’d thought was about Jimmy Ruiz, we’ve got an awful lot of Bob Campbell. See above about preconceived notions and such. I know from some external source(s) over the years that in post-Back September stuff, it’s Bob Campbell that serves as Prototype in that universe/in that iteration of Ultraforce, so I’m sure that impacts me a bit…future-details that I can’t shake or make my subconscious ignore as I read. That said…I find Bob’s story a bit more interesting, and can’t help but feel like he could actually BE the main protagonist. Jimmy is the shiny/new Prototype and Bob’s antagonist as a replacement that he’s gotta now measure up to somehow, as he fights his way back into the good graces of Leland and Ultratech. Outside of a comment and brief ‘footnote’ referring us to Prime #4, there’s nothing to tell us ahead of time that this issue takes place after that. Perhaps that’s something that allows for the lengthier focus on Campbell here, though–Jimmy’s "second month" sees him more active in Prime than his own book? Thankfully, despite reading this out of order, I don’t think there’s anything spoilery to reading this issue first, except that obviously we know Ruiz is: 1. injured and 2. survives.

I can’t complain about that for a shared universe that shares continuity and characters across titles. And I do like that this hits the ground running, so to speak. My primary problem is that we ended #1 with Prototype apparently killing someone, and then find him well after that event at the start of this issue, with little to go on outside of exposition. Maybe stuff’s elaborated on more as we go along…maybe it happens in Prime #4. We’ll see. Finding Bob’s story more interesting is rather gratifying, and leaves me even more curious about coming issues. Reading all the Ultraverse books in roughly publication-order, though, there are a lotta issues between this and the next issue of Prototype, so we’ll see how my interest holds or where I’m at by the time I get to #3.

As is, this is a solid enough issue, developing/continuing characters, referring to the first issue, and yet stands a bit on its own. Still, I recommend reading this along with #1, and apparently Prime #4. This is another issue that there’s no real point to seek out solely as a single issue in isolation; but nothing to say "skip" it if you have access to it.

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Filed under: 2018 posts, 2018 Reviews, Malibu Comics, Prototype, The '90s Revisited, Ultraverse, Ultraverse Revisited | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

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