“Yesterday’s” Comic> Prototype #9

My money’s on Prototype.

Prototype #9

Malibu Comics/Ultraverse (April, 1994)

“Prototype Unplugged”

WRITERS: Tom Mason & Len Strazewski

ARTISTS: Roger Robinson & Jeff Whiting

COLORING: Keith Conroy & Violet Hues

LETTERER: Tim Eldred

EDITOR: Roland Mann

A three-person armored battle is used to determine the next Prototype, and Donovan Jones wins the competition. One of the other competitors is ready to expose Ultratech, but makes the mistake of loudly stating it, so he’s killed. Meanwhile, Jimmy returns to his old neighborhood and tries to talk is old gang out of a revenge hit, promising to bring the trigger man of a recent killing by the rival gang to justice and stop a potential gang war. The rivals aren’t exactly willing to give him up, the murder having been an accident, but as Jimmy fights them he suddenly develops laser beam eyes and cuts a dude’s arm off before passing out. At the hospital, the doctor can’t figure out what happened, but between this strange power from his time at Ultratech and learning of his old girlfriend’s pregnancy, he may just have to get his job back…and Donovan doesn’t come off as the type to let that go easily.

What they got right: The battle between the Prototype nominees was pretty good. I like the armor designs, though to be honest I thought the girl had the best looking armor and Donovan got the least interesting. Jimmy finally gets to learn about Angella’s pregnancy’s (and I finally learn her name).

What they got wrong: In trying to wrap up the gang story in this issue we get a rushed series of events as Jimmy confronts each gang before his new powers reveal themselves. Apparently we never get a last name for Angella, and given her new importance in Jimmy’s story you’d think we would.

What I think overall: It’s still a good series, and I’m not just saying that as an armored hero fan. Curious to see where this all goes.