“Yesterday’s” Comic> Prime #12

Just because you aren’t using steroids doesn’t make it any less cheating, Kevin.

Prime #12

Malibu Comics/Ultraverse (May, 1994)

“Kutt To The Quick”

WRITERS: Gerald Jones & Len Strazewski

ARTIST: Norm Breyfogle

COLORING: Keith Conroy & Foodhammer!

LETTERER: Tim Eldred

EDITOR: Hank Kanalz

This comic was a flipbook with Ultraverse Premiere #3, which I already reviewed thanks to the old list of Ultraverse comics I was using.

Kevin tries to go back to school, but word of being taken away by the military plus the usual rumor mill has kids thinking he has AIDS or something, even one of his friends. Meanwhile, a girl named Courtney wants to know Kevin’s secret, and during the conversation he learns about Kelly being hurt and decides to check on her as Prime, hoping to show off the new form. Instead, her mom hits on Prime so he takes off, ending up at the beach he shows off and ends up taking the contract from another muscle builder on the beach. That night the actor from the nightclub, Justin Kuttner has gotten himself hands that create energy blades courtesy of a group called the Cabal and attacks Prime during festivities. Believing he killed Kuttner, Prime runs and hits the Hollywood sign, destroying his Prime body and leaving Kevin’s fate until next issue. “Kutt” is fine, but that other muscle guy has Ultra powers, too, and calls himself Planet Class. They both want to finish Prime off.

What they got right: It seems Kevin is still having trouble dealing with current events, which I thought they were going to ignore at first when we saw him at school. We have some new threats that could be a problem for Prime.

What they got wrong: I have a feeling I’m not going to like Courtney. And considering we also got an ego-driven actor who got his hands ultrafied just to take down Prime and a dude who also wants to take out Prime due to his ego and muscles (and has the lame name of “Planet Class”), the fact that she’s the character I’m planning to not like says something.

What else is there: We also have a fun comic strip about the artist leaving for another comic, at least for a while, and Prime trying to talk him into staying or at least coming back for the fans. Breyfogle wrote it himself as well as drawing it, and it’s a fun way to announce he was going to a different Malibu title in the Bravura line for a while. Scroll back up to read the review of the flipbook. When Ultraverse Premiere shows up in my list again it will be in the right spot, but I haven’t decided if I’ll make it a separate review or part of the same comic, whatever it might be.

What I think overall: I’m still curious to see where this going. It feels like a rejection of Billy Batson and similar characters but at least it’s interesting, unlike so many hero deconstructions nowadays. They’re still trying to have fun with the concept rather than destroying a fan favorite concept.