“Yesterday’s” Comic> Prime #6

“Time to start that diet.”

Prime #6

Malibu Comics/Ultraverse (November, 1993)

“Primal Changes”

WRITERS: Gerard Jones & Len Strazewski

ARTIST: Norm Breyfogle

COLORIST: Keith Conroy (also listed for “interior color”, Violent Hues, whatever that is)

LETTERER: Tim Eldred

EDITORS: Chris Ulm & Hank Kanalz

Samuels pushes Kevin to the limit with a series of tests designed to help Prime survive in outer space. He even gets President Clinton and his daughter to join in hiding Prime’s true origin and connecting him to the event in San Francisco that led to the Strangers and another hero we’ll get to soon. I think. Apparently this is the second “jumpstart event”, the first leading to Hardcase and the Squad, and they want to know what’s  up on the moon creating Ultras. Meanwhile, Samuels warns Kevin’s dad to stop trying to find him and that he’s “sending someone” over, which just confirms for Kevin’s mom that something is going on. Also, Kelly wants a few answers about Prime herself. Back with our confused hero, who even falls for a fake message from his dad to take part in the mission, the tests appear to be successful and with some help, Kevin is able to form the goop into something spaceworthy.

What they got right: We get a few morsels more about Prime’s history, and the idea that he can alter the goop into a different kind of body has promise.

What they got wrong: With the reading order list I’m following I have no idea who or what Alladin is or why Samuels or Clinton have issues with them. And why use President Clinton while making things awkward by Kevin gaga for Chelsea? What, you thought the comic creators having a prefered President and making no bones about their politics was new? Marvel wanted to make Nixon an alien and gave us an evil mirror universe Gerald Ford. They just used to be less blunt about it…the rest of the time and didn’t trash their fans for not sharing their worldview.

What I think overall: The comic is getting interesting but I’m glad the reading order list I’m using is going to pull us away from Prime for awhile and look at other Ultraverse comics leading up to some event that probably is way too early for a new universe to be going through. We’ll see what this “Breakout” thing is and we’ll get back to Moon Prime (still not at cool as Moon Supergirl…bet he doesn’t even get a pointy hat and fight moon criminals) in due time. Let’s see what the rest of the Ultraverse (minus Mantra and Rune) are up to for awhile.