“Yesterday’s” Comic> Prototype #2

“Hey! That’s one of my favorite knees!”

Prototype #2

Malibu Comics/Ultraverse (September, 1993)

“Games Of Death”

WRITERS: Len Strazweski & Tom Mason

PENCILER: David Ammerman

INKER: James Pascoe

COLORIST: Moose Baumann

LETTERER: Dave Lanphear

EDITOR: Chris Ulm

Jimmy’s virtual test affects his real armor due to how the tests work I guess. He’s also worried about the autopsy of the dead guy from the previous issue (One flaw in the reading order I’m using is that it was long ago for me and I barely remember it having been reading mostly Prime, and his cameo is also brought up.) Stanley is worried about this coming back to hurt Ultratech, but Marjorie is convinced everything is fine, and sends a cyborg assassin named Backstabber (how 90s) to seduce and kill Bob and cut one last loose end. Thanks to his own prototype battlesuit and some help from his cat, Bob manages to stop her (though there’s some dude waiting to have a go at him as well…bet he doesn’t kiss as good), but his cybernetics are heavily damaged. So he turns to his ex-wife, Felicia, who Stanley just called trying to get her back to working for the company.

What they got right: Between Jimmy’s virtual test and Bob’s actual battle, the fights are handled well. We’re learning more about the characters and how bad Ultratech actually is. So not quite Tony Stark’s bodyguard scenario I was hoping for but still interesting.

What they got wrong: We’re learning things in bits in pieces at random. Jimmy’s backstory and goal, Bob has an ex-wife, Stanley’s future plans for the Prototype project…it all kind of shows up rather than flows into the story as well as I would like, especially meeting Felicia just as she happens to get a call from Stanley before Bob happens to show up.

What I think overall: It’s still interesting but I’m hoping they get better at delivering the backstory better.