“Yesterday’s” Comic> Prototype #5

I hope someone is cleaning up and fixing all these logos.

Prototype #5

Malibu Comics/Ultraverse (December, 1993)

“Mission: Moon”

PLOT: Steve Englehart, Tom Mason, & Len Strazewski

WRITERS: Tom Mason, & Len Strazewski

PENCILER: Roger Robinson

INKER: Jeff Whiting

COLORING: Robert Alvord & Family Fugue

LETTERER: Tim Eldred

EDITOR: Roland Mann

As the Break-Thru event continues, the Strangers swipe a new space rocket from J.D. Hunt and attempt to head for the moon, but are unable to bypass the pre-programmed course to an abandoned space station. Hunt hired Ultratech to protect it, so he interupts a meeting Leland is having with his superior, Gordon Bell (by hologram), to complain. Leland sends Prototype in another rocket with a Vietnamese Ultra named Empire -7 and a Russian Ultra going by Supra to the station. When the arrive they find the Strangers under attack from a monster, probably why the station is abandoned. While that continues in the next issue of The Strangers, Bob is released from prison because an agent of Aladdin payed his bail. But what do they want?

What they got right: If we’re going to have the heroes team-up, why not the villains? Hunt and Leland having a business arrangement makes sense. We see how the Strangers and Prototype get to the moon.

What they got wrong: I know Jimmy can be a jerk but going from zero to obnoxious with Supra seemed kind of fast. Maybe he’s just mad that he’s barely in his own comic and we probably know less about him that his predecessor and the evil company he works for. What do we know about Jimmy Ruiz five issues in? He grew up poor, has an ex-girlfriend he got pregnant, and for some reason ended up in the new armor. Bob has more supporting cast, and all he has is his own ex.

What I think overall: A decent way to get the characters into the event, but it’s helped me realize some flaws in this series that I hope get fixed after all of this is over.