Len Strazewski – Page 2 – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at Prime #18 (1994)

January 27, 2021January 26, 2021carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, comic book collectors and fans of the Ultraverse! In this return to the Ultraverse, we will examine another mid-1990s issue of Prime who became a resident of the City of New York as a result of Kevin Green and his mother relocating there.

Last time around, a huge monster (clearly inspired by Godzilla) arrived in New York and Kevin had no choice but to change into Prime to save people. While his heroic act saved lives and spared the city from further damage, Prime still was not spared from the growing speculation that he molested children in California (which by today’s standards is a ravaged state as a result of unrestrained influence of the Left as well as economic complications).

So what will happen next to Kevin/Prime the more time he spends in New York? We can find out more in this look back at Prime #18, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Len Strazewski and Gerard Jones, and drawn by Kirk Jarvinen and Keith Conroy.

Early story

The story begins with Prime (standing behind a podium with a crowd in front of him) and the people getting surprised when Turbo Charge (note: his debut in issue #17 was overshadowed by the events of that comic book) suddenly arrived on stage holding civilian clothes and declaring he is Prime’s new partner.

Turbo Charge whispers to Prime that he arrived to help him by pretending that the clothes are his (note: the clothes actually belong to Kevin). He then speaks out to the audience stating distorted details. Just as members of the news media start asking Turbo Charge questions, Prime grabs him and flies away to leave the crowd behind.

As they got far enough, Prime tells the Turbo Charge he has no intention to accept him as a partner…

Quality

*Prime’s private life as Kevin remains hard as ever.*

As mentioned already, Turbo Charge’s debut in issue #17 was overshadowed by what happened in that comic book. That being said, the story here made up for it not only by investing more pages to emphasize Turbo Charge but also dramatize his personality which was done in a pretty satisfying fashion. Like Prime, Turbo Charge’s life has gotten complicated as a result of his ability of super speed and his personal desire to do good even though he is a teenager with so much to learn.

What I find delightfully surprising in this comic book is the presence of Manhattan Project, a powerful character whose dedication to protect New York’s people from ultras (which he wants to neutralize) leads him to a big fight with Prime which alone has to be seen. It is quite enjoyable.

As for Prime himself, there is a good amount of pages dedicated to his alter ego as Kevin still struggling to adjust to life in New York. It should be noted that key elements from issue #17’s story impacted her perception of Prime (a secret Kevin still keeps successfully). The characterization here for the protagonist is really good.

Conclusion

*The fight between Prime and Manhattan Project is a must-see.*

Prime #18 (1994) is a really good read. It has a fine balance of storytelling, characterization and spectacle from start to finish. I should also state that the New York setting is looking good as far as telling Prime’s story goes.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Prime #18 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of this comic book costs $10.

Prime #18 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

A Look Back at Prime #17 (1994)

January 21, 2021January 20, 2021carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, comic book collectors and fans of the Ultraverse! By now, many of you should be familiar with Prime who was one of the main heroes of the Ultraverse as published in the 1990s by Malibu Comics. Many times in comics, Prime fought with lots of thugs, some very notable enemies (check out Prime #5), got involved with other notable ultras as part of a team (check out UltraForce #0 and #1), got involved awkwardly with ladies like Mantra and the mother of Kelly, and more.

Surely, Prime (who is a teenage boy named Kevin under all the muscle) went through a lot. Now how about seeing the overly muscular ultra hero take on a monster about as large as Godzilla? We can all find out in this look back at Prime #17, published by Malibu Comics in 1994 with a story written by Len Strazewski and Gerard Jones, and drawn by John Statema.

Early story

The story begins somewhere on the bottom of the ocean. King Atalon raises an entire island to the surface of the sea claiming it will be new court of his and his people. Doing so, he releases a gigantic monster to the surface and immediately it encounters a ship. The monster grabs two men from the ship and eats them.

In the city of New York, Kevin Green and his mother have a meal together in a first-rate deli. His mother expresses her thoughts about how hard it was for him to move away from California at a short notice, leaving behind his school and his friends. She stressed that something had to be done in response to what happened to their family.

She recalled that Kevin’s father acted so strangely and left them. That being said, she did not want to make the situation worse by smothering him. Kevin thought to himself how could he tell her mother the truth that he and Prime are one and the same, and he went through different versions of his alter-ego each with a different attitude.

As Kevin and his mother traveled via the subway of the city, the giant monster in the Atlantic Ocean continues to create havoc moving towards New York…

Quality

*A possible Godzilla reference spotted.*

From a storytelling point of view, this comic book felt like the start of a new chapter in the life of Kevin/Prime. The sudden relocation to New York sparked Kevin to look back at the events he went through in the past year which, in my opinion, helped serve as an exposition dump to help readers – especially new ones – catch up with all the details on Prime. It was also interested to learn that Kevin’s mother is from New York and her action on having themselves relocate all the way from the West Coast was convincingly done. I also like the drama that unfolded when the mother brought Kevin to a spot to view the Statue of Liberty from a distance only to be shocked and hurt over the fact that the statue’s head is missing. Through really nice dialogue, you can feel the mother’s pain.

The highlight of this comic book is the uncanny match-up between Prime and the Godzilla-sized monster. While the battle between them was not too long, showing Prime struggle with fighting the monster while thinking a lot about strategizing, searching for weaknesses and even expressing concern for his mother all added a good layer of depth to bother the hero and the encounter.

Visually, I like the work done here by John Statema. His art on the monster was clearly Godzilla-inspired but he gave it a unique look of its own, especially with the way he drew its scaled which Prime found to be very tough. I also enjoyed Statema’s take on the events that happened in Prime’s life as seen in the exposition dump early in the comic book.

Conclusion

Prime #17 (1994) is a fun read and definitely has the look and feel of a new turning point in the life of a superhero. It has excellent dialogue, a pretty nice build-up leading to the big battle between Prime and the monster, and most notably there is a good amount of dramatizing through Kevin’s mother.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Prime #17 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $8.

Overall, Prime #17 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Prime #16 (1994)

January 15, 2021January 14, 2021carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, comic book collectors and fans of the Ultraverse! We revisit the Ultraverse yet again, only this time it will be through another issue from the Prime monthly series.

In Prime #15, an issue illustrated by the great George Perez, the overly muscular hero entered a certain Hollywood house which was believed to be the headquarters of a drug trafficking operation. What Prime found inside were not only junkies but also zombies and terrifying illusions that tested him mentally and emotionally.

So what happened next? We can find out in this look back at Prime #16, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Len Strazewski and Gerard Jones, and illustrated by Joel Thomas.

Early story

The story begins with Prime struggling with questions from the media. Journalists ask him about his involvement with teenage boys, the truth about his youth crusade, and if he was recruiting boys for gangs. Prime, who is really teenager Kevin Greene inside, bluntly states he cares about teenagers and will do justice for them.

Questions about a certain backpack he (as Kevin) dropped and the young boy’s clothing that he carried bothered him deeply, making him remember he dropped a backpack filled with clothes at the office of Baker. Realizing he screwed up, he gets violent with the reporters who ask him hard questions.

Suddenly police helicopters arrive telling Prime he is under arrest….

Quality

Set shortly after the events of UltraForce #2, the story here is pretty powerful on its own as the stakes were raised by Strazewski and Jones to develop Prime even further than before. Many times, we have seen how being Prime made life more complicated and harder for Kevin Green. In this comic book, the complications have gotten even bigger and deeper as the media has turned hostile towards Prime affecting not only Kevin but also his romantic interest Kelly and her mother. As if that was not enough, there are many fanatics of Prime called “Prime Gangs” who are so obsessed with their muscular idol, they serious believe they can do anything to honor him…even though it means harassing other people. Also notable here was the way Kevin (as Prime) tries to save his fragile friendship with Kelly. There is also the appearance of Turbo Charge here. Clearly, the writing here is really great.

I cannot say the same for the art done by Joel Thomas. His art style is too cartoony and he drew people’s bodies and faces lacking precision. Many times I had trouble recognizing Kevin, Kelly, her mother and other supporting characters. Visually, this is a letdown.

Conclusion

*Powerful talk between Prime and Kelly ruined somewhat by the weak art.*

Back by very strong writing, Prime #16 (1994) is absolutely engaging to read and it truly served as a crucial turning point in telling the continuing story of Prime. In many ways, the dramatic events here serve as the climax of all the dramatic build-up seen in the previous Prime issues. This comic book’s portrayal of the overly hostile and unrelenting media will easily remind any reader about today’s news media in which unprofessional journalism, secret agendas, political bias, conspiracy between media and political groups, malice and political activism among so-called journalists are now the norm.

The dramatic turn of events here are so powerful, Turbo Charge’s presence really got overshadowed a lot. Visually, this comic book has some of the weakest looking Prime art I’ve seen.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Prime #16 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $8.

Overall, Prime #16 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Prime #13 (1994)

December 28, 2020December 26, 2020carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, comic book collectors and fans of the Ultraverse! Did you guys and gals have a restful Christmas weekend? I sure did! Anyway, we are about to return to the Ultraverse through the eyes of Prime. The catch here is that Prime will face not one but two guys to battle with.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Prime #13, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Len Strazewski and Gerard Jones, and illustrated by Darick Robertson. This is another one of those Ultraverse 1^st anniversary comic books.

Early story

The story begins with Kevin Green hitchhiking alone by the road. A man driving a car allows him to come in and ride. Just a few moments after, the man reaches for Kevin’s left thigh which convinces him that the one driving is a pervert. Kevin hits the man’s face and gets off the car. He struggles to find a ride going home in the evening.

At home, Kevin wakes up from a nightmare as his mother tries to help him. His mom can easily tell that her son is troubled. During lunch break at school, realizes he is having trouble fitting in with the students and reminds himself that Kelly likes Prime a lot, and so does her mother. The students stare at him as he walks on. Eventually, Kevin meets some guys watching a portable TV showing news broadcast of two guys – the washed-up celebrity Kuttner and a certain bodybuilder – whom he previously encountered as Prime.

The said two guys are challenging Prime to a battle royale…

Quality

*The battle royale itself is the highlight and alone makes this comic book worth buying.*

As usual, the writing duo of Strazewski-Jones created another engaging story about Kevin and his superhero secret identity as Prime. Kevin shown struggling with his personal life? Check! Great superhero action with Prime? Check! In-depth characterization? Check!

What makes this comic book stand out is the battle royale between Prime and the two guys mention earlier, who each have very strong reasons and determination to defeat Prime. As it is indeed a very high-octane battle royale in the truest sense of the words, there was still sufficient room for readers to understand what Prime thought as he fights and dodges in the battle. Very clearly defined are the intentions of Kuttner and Planet Class, and the personalities of each plus Prime really gave their conflict a very unique flavor of its own. The battle royale is not a mindless event but rather very colorful and character-driven.

As for the art, I find Darick Robertson’s work here pretty good and many times he seemed to try to emulate the unique style and approach the late Norm Breyfogle defined the Prime series with. Although Kevin looks more like a college student, most characters were still recognizable. This one looks good!

Conclusion

*It sure is hard for any teenager to be perceived as a social outcast.*

Prime #13 (1994) is a very entertaining read. It does not use the typical good-versus-evil formula of superhero comic books but it sure is loaded with a lot of personality following Prime, Kuttner and Planet Class.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Prime #13 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $8 while the near-mint copies of the variant edition and the variant newsstand edition cost $8 and $26 respectively.

Overall, Prime #13 (1994) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Prime #7 (1993)

December 21, 2020December 18, 2020carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, comic book collectors and geeks! Today we will take another journey back into the Ultraverse touching on their first major crossover event Break-Thru but told through the exploits of Prime.

For the newcomers reading this, Break-Thru was a 2-part crossover that involved all the Ultraverse characters in multiple ways. There were Break-Thru crossover spinoff issues of Mantra, Hardcase, Prototype, The Strangers, Solitaire and The Solution to name some. This time, we will find out Break-Thru in an issue of Prime.

What exactly happened to Prime in relation to Break-Thru? We can find out together in this look back at Prime #7, published by Malibu Comics in 1993 with a story written by Gerard Jones and Len Strazewski, and drawn by the late Norm Breyfogle.

Early story

The story begins with Prime, wearing a special suit with air tanks, flying into space for a mission on the moon. Even as he is struggling with breaking through the atmosphere, he knows he cannot afford any setbacks knowing that US President Bill Clinton and military officials are counting on him. It has been some time since he was picked up by Colonel Samuels and his team after the big fight with Max-Man. As he approaches the moon, Prime expressed how much has changed over the past few days from attending science class to working secretly for the government.

After struggling long, Prime finally arrives on the moon’s surface albeit roughly. As he flies around searching for clues, a solid structure of rock suddenly rises from the surface leaving Prime no room to dodge it…

Quality

After going through lots of stories about superhero action, misadventures, intrigue and personal struggles as recorded in the first six issues of Prime, this particular story has a more unpredictable story which is refreshing to read. For one thing, this one has a whole lot of twists that actually test Prime’s sanity and keeps the narrative interesting throughout. Similar to what happened in Mantra #6, Prime encounters images of several people he knew while on the moon. This thing happens to be one of the capabilities of the entity on the moon.

As expected from the creative team of Jones and Strazewski, the writing is of high-quality. For his part, Norm Breyfogle continued to deliver striking visuals and in this issue he really showed off Prime’s modified look to the full extent.

Conclusion

*Prime and his thoughts as he travels to the moon.*

Prime #7 (1993) is a pretty good comic book to read. Ultimately it is a worthy build-up to the Break-Thru crossover and more importantly it continues to show why Prime is truly one of the major characters of the Ultraverse.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Prime #7 (1993), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $8 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $26.

Overall, Prime #7 (1993) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Prime #3 (1993)

December 15, 2020December 14, 2020carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, comic book collectors and fans of the Ultraverse! Join me on my journey to one of the early issues of the Prime monthly series. For the newcomers reading this, Prime is one of the major superheroes of the entire Ultraverse and went on to have an active part in the UV team called UltraForce.

Here we go with this look back at Prime #3, published in 1993 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Len Strazewski and Gerard Jones, and illustrated by the late Norm Breyfogle.

Early story

The story begins with Prime struggling as he could not breathe. He remembered the first time, as Kevin, when he woke up inside his own dead body. Back then, Kevin was in his bedroom suffering as he changed into his overly muscular body as Prime while his parents were just outside of his bedroom trying to figure out how to help him. Kevin remembered that the Prime body did not last too long and he broke out of it. The first time he saw the fake flesh of Prime, he got scared. Since that time, Kevin kept everything a secret and has been struggling personally.

In the present, Prime finds himself strapped on a chair surrounded by scientists. He was just captured by them and their monster. One of the scientists asked Kevin how long does his ultra bodies last. The scientist is determined to find out more from Prime and educate him, teach him his nature, his destiny and function…

Quality

As expected, the story told by Strazewski and Jones is of very high quality and the engagement is very strong. What makes this one stand out over issues #1 and #2 is its element of powerful revelations (which establish not only Prime’s heritage but also the Ultraverse’s concept of military and scientific personnel tampering with nature). Reading through the well-explained in-universe history of mad science related to Prime’s origin was very gripping and thought-provoking. This also raises a question about Prime…is he a superhero or a monster?

As the tension and pressure rise, Prime is shown to act impulsively which itself is a convincing reflection of the teenager inside him. This is something that Strazewski and Jones captured perfectly!

As expected, Norm Breyfogle really brought the script to life with his compelling artwork.

Conclusion

*The first time Kevin turned into Prime.*

Prime #3 (1993) is a great comic book to read and a worthy addition to your collection.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Prime #3 (1993), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $8 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $26.

Overall, Prime #3 (1993) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Prototype #13 (1994)

December 1, 2020November 27, 2020carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero geeks, comic book collectors and fans of the Ultraverse. In this latest Ultraverse-related retro comic book review, we will check out what happened to Prototype and his companions after the events that took place in issue #12. I personally enjoyed that particular comic book and it has been almost three months since I last reviewed an issue of Prototype.

Now we can start this look back at Prototype #13, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Len Strazewski and drawn by Dean Zachary.

Early story

The story begins with TV news coverage of an explosion that happened at one of the buildings along Wall Street. The TV newscaster reports that another battle between ultras rocked the headquarters of Ultratech in downtown Manhattan which sparks rumors of corporate infighting.

Behind the scenes at the corporate tower, Jimmy Ruiz/Prototype, Bob Campbell/Ranger and Felicia Campbell discuss matters in front of the robot Prototype 2000 (the same machine responsible for the loss of Bob’s arm) which projects an image of Ultratech chairman Gordon Bell as its head. They noticed that the robot thinks and acts like Gordon Campbell, even going as far as calling the name of a secretary who left the company some years back. Felicia believes the robot has some sort of body detachment syndrome. For Bob, it does not matter as Gordon Bell still owns a controlling interest in the corporation.

After some intense talk, Jimmy uses his Prototype armor switch off Prototype 2000 but got blasted by energy which pushed him back to Bob and Felicia. Prototype 2000 then shows the virtual Gordon Bell telling “Katie” to turn the TV on so he can see how the company stock is performing…

Quality

*How do you you deal with a machine that actually thinks and acts like a human?*

I can declare that Len Strazewski really ramped up the corporate intrigue several notches high in this particular issue. There is a lot of corporate world talk and the good news here was that nothing ended up being boring. The most notable aspect of the story was the presence of Prototype 2000 with the mind of Gordon Bell really reacting to the corporate developments. Of course, there was still sufficient focus on the protagonist Prototype piloted by Jimmy Ruiz. At this stage of the Prototype series, Jimmy has gone through not only many battles using the powered suit of armor but several setbacks in his personal life. Apart from the turmoil at Ultratech, Jimmy not only has to keep his job but also save his reputation. Not to be outdone is Bob Campbell (the original Prototype pilot) whose relationship with Felicia got developed a bit more and their exchange of dialogue was nicely written.

Within the story is a major twist that really added a whole lot of depth into the narrative. It’s a twist that I did not anticipate and I strongly recommend you discover it yourselves once you read this comic book. Oh, and there is a certain supporting character from the Mantra series who also appeared here.

As for the art, Dean Zachary did a descent job visualizing Len Strazewski’s script and capturing the typical smooth sequencing of Prototype in action scenes. There is enough scenes of spectacle here to keep you entertained.

Conclusion

*Jimmy Ruiz, Bob Campbell and Felicia discuss matters in the presence of virtual Gordon Bell.*

I can say that I had a blast reading Prototype #13 (1994). To put things in perspective, this one is just a part of the Hostile Takeover storyline that eventually connected with other characters of the Ultraverse such as the Night Man and The Solution (a heroes-for-hire team). The writing of Len Strazewski is so good, this one is worth reading all over again. It should be noted that topics like corporate intrigue or business world internal affairs got presented with a strong flavor of superhero stuff that prevented the story from turning into a bore. This is one intriguing and compelling read. Lastly, I should state that this comic book is one of those Ultraverse Premiere flipside issues, the other side of which contained short stories about Iron Clad, Pixx of UltraForce, Flood and Lady Killer of The Strangers.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Prototype #13 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $8.

Overall, Prototype #13 (1994) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Prime #15 (1994)

November 2, 2020October 31, 2020carlocarrasco

Hey Ultraverse fans and superhero comic book geeks! For those of you who read several comic book of Prime, do you enjoy his struggles on setting things right? That is a theme that will be explored in this new Prime retro comic book review.

The good news here is that the legendary George Perez is involved. Now that the details have been set, here is a look back at Prime #15, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Len Strazewski and Gerard Jones, and art done by George Perez with ink work by Dennis Jensen.

Early story

The story begins with Prime’s arrival at a creepy, old looking residence somewhere in Hollywood. He learned that inside the place is the secret headquarters of a drug trafficking operation that allegedly affected half of Los Angeles.

Previously, he beat up a man in front of several abandoned youth and left him bloody. Under intense pain, the man revealed to him where to find the drug trafficking operation leader as well as the parents of the youth. The boss was described as Papa Verite. The man told Prime he can find Papa Verite but cannot touch him.

As he walks towards the front door, Prime thought to himself: Maybe he thought I didn’t have the guts to hurt this “Papa.” Maybe he thinks Prime’s a nice boy, like he used to be! Maybe I should’ve hurt him worse to show him I’ve changed! I’m not just a freaked-out 13-year-old with an ultra-powered body anymore! I’m not just a helpless kid named Kevin whose dad ran out on him! I’m Prime! I can handle anything!

After breaking through the front door, what Prime discovers inside is very disturbing…

Quality

*A rather disturbing scene since Prime is truly a teenage boy inside all that muscle.*

Let me be clear from the start that, once again, the writing by Strazewski and Jones is very strong. To start with, the story has a theme about doing the right things (including helping others by means of getting rid of someone who made victims out of them) without consulting or informing the local authorities. In a way, Prime moved and acted like a vigilante facing criminal elements related to illegal drugs. There were also elements of military conspiracy, molestation and indecent relationship.

When it comes to characterization, it comes to no surprise that Prime (who really is a teenager inside his body) is pushed to the limits of his emotions with his ability to withstand pressure really tested by the presence of certain people from his past who haunted him. Prime is convincing when he is shown with the impulse and arrogance of a teenager who would not stop when he wants to set things right.

The art by George Perez, unsurprisingly, is great to look at. You won’t just see Prime and familiar characters drawn in high detail with the distinct art style of Perez here. What you will see is how creative the famous illustrator proved he is with the visual presentation complete with very expressive facial expressions. More on the characters, Perez also implemented horror elements to his drawings and he really succeeded in making some scary images here and there.

Conclusion

This is a very solid read. Prime #15 (1994) is actually a horror themed tale laced with crime elements and drama all molded into a superhero story. There is an element of good-versus-evil here but in my view, it’s a dramatization of Prime being pushed to the limits of his emotions and his sanity. In a way, it is a stress test for the overly muscular major Ultraverse hero that happens to be quite engaging to read.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Prime #15 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $8.

Overall, Prime #15 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Prime #12 (1994)

October 27, 2020October 26, 2020carlocarrasco

Hey Ultraverse fans and superhero comic book enthusiasts! Are you ready for another tale of Prime? What I am about to review is one of the anniversary Ultraverse issues published by Malibu Comics.

What could be new or special to justify the anniversary of the Prime monthly series? We can all find out in this look back at Prime #12, published by Malibu Comics with a story written by Len Strazweski and Gerard Jones, and drawn by the late Norm Breyfogle.

Early story

The story begins with a young guy named Kuttner who tests his deadly ability to easily cut through solid objects with his powered blades on his hands. He is driven to get revenge against Prime who broke his hand previously. Kuttner, whose career in entertainment had declined, thinks he can establish a new career for himself as a powered being and Prime is his first target.

Meanwhile at school, Kevin Green (Prime) is struggling with the stress over his parents’ separation which he is guilty of. He finds it very weird to be back in school after everything he went through such as his struggles with Colonel Samuels, the Federal Government, Break-Thru and more. After slamming his locker shut, students begin to move away from him…

Quality

*Symbolically, Prime meets Norm Breyfogle.*

To begin with, the writing by Len Strazewski and Gerard Jones is very solid as expected. That being said, the real heart of the story in this comic book is Kevin Green’s personal struggle with life not just with the difficulty of balancing himself between his personal life and being a superhero, but also his place in local society being tainted as a result of his acts as Prime. The way that the events of the previous issues affected (in negative ways) the local community’s perception of Kevin was very compelling and straight to the point.

The strong writing, unsurprisingly, worked very well with the character development. Kevin was presented to be struggling with making the right decisions and he struggles to analyze what would happen if he presents himself to others as Prime or as simply himself. As for the scene between Prime and Kelly’s mother, there was that touch of awkwardness (through Prime) that was present as the scene raised the disturbing idea of the two possibly getting involved sexually.

When it comes to the spectacle of action, there is little to be seen here but the good news is that Norm Breyfogle illustrated them to be energetic and eye-catching. The late illustrator really knew hot to ramp up the energy for the readers making the most out of what it is limited.

Conclusion

Prime #12 is a pretty engaging read. Was it worth the anniversary promotion? It is indeed! If you look back at Prime #1 and read all the succeeding issues leading to this one, you will notice how much Kevin Green changed as well as how his personal growth moved. In a way, Prime #12 symbolizes the growing-up pains Kevin keeps on having.

It should be stated that being 64-pages, Prime #12 is actually one of Malibu’s flip issues. The other side of this comic book is Ultraverse Premiere #3 which contains standalone short stories of Prime, War Strike and a certain villain. This comic book also has “A Primo Farewell” which is a nice tribute (by today’s standards) to Norm Breyfogle. For the newcomers reading this, Breyfogle was one of outstanding comic book artists in America and before joining Malibu Comics, he worked for other publishers like Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Eclipse Comics and First Comics. At DC Comics, his work on their icon Batman is widely remembered. Breyfogle passed away in 2018.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Prime #12 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $8.

Overall, Prime #12 (1994) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Prime #8 (1994)

October 21, 2020October 18, 2020carlocarrasco

Is Prime your favorite caped hero among the many heroes of the Ultraverse? For the newcomers reading this, Prime is an overly muscular hero of the Ultraverse who is actually a kid deep inside his fake flesh. Prime was one of the major heroes of the Ultraverse and was part of UltraForce alongside Hardcase and Prototype (two other major heroes).

In late 1993, a 2-part Ultraverse crossover was published titled Break-Thru and, with the art of the legendary George Perez, it was a big mix of characters from the UV. Prime had a role in Break-Thru and we can see what happened to him after the end of the said crossover in this look back at Prime #8 published in 1994 by Malibu Comics and written by Len Strazewski and Gerard Jones with art done by the late Norm Breyfogle.

Early story

The story begins in outer space with Prime and Prototype re-entering planet Earth. With the heat intensifying, Prime is worried that he won’t be able to make it safely on earth. Prototype, who is flying behind him, wonders if Prime knows what he is doing by leading the way. Prototype’s life is at stake as he relies on Prime to be his flying front shield (note: for the way the flight turned out in Prototype’s perspective, read Prototype #6).

Due to the instability and intense heat, the two ultras got separated flying down. Remembering the strip of Mantra’s cape, Prime uses it and manages to receive faint communication with Mantra. Prime eventually crashes into a swimming pool. With Prime’s flesh quickly dissolving, teenage Kevin Green is exposed naked underwater and struggles. Suddenly, water pushes him up several feet and finds himself being assisted by Mantra.

The naked Kevin is carried by Mantra who transform herself into Eden Blake…

Quality

Storywise, this one is a solid follow-up to the Break-Thru crossover and it succeeds in developing Prime further thanks to the combined efforts of Len Strazewski and Gerard Jones. With the narrative shifted away from Break-Thru, the story emphasizes the actions of the covert operations led by Colonel Samuels who simply won’t let Prime go free given the US government’s interests. What Samuels does not know is that someone sinister and hidden is spying on their operations. That someone is also interested in Prime and this alone added a lot of intrigue into the story.

As usual, the character development is very solid. I love the way Strazewski and Jones raise the stakes on the parents of Kevin and made them more troubled knowing their son’s involvement with the military. Kevin’s father, meanwhile, is living with the guilt of keeping the big secrets of the past.

When it comes to crossovers and interactions, the exchange between Kevin/Prime and Eden/Mantra is very compelling to read. Mantra, who knows Prime’s secret, tries to keep her identity secret. Already working for Aladdin under her Eden Blake identity, she sees an opportunity to learn more about Colonel Samuels through Kevin. For his part, Kevin wants to go home instead of getting involved again with the colonel. As their dialogue goes on, the tension really strengthened and added to the plot.

Without revealing too much, I should state that the introduction of a new character really shook the story and the big fight that followed was a great payoff to all the build-up.

Conclusion

Prime #8 is an excellent superhero comic book! The creative team of Strazewski-Jones-Breyfogle really crafted a post-Break-Thru story that did not slowed down and kept raising the stakes and the intrigue. Suspense, excitement, drama and intrigue made a great mix here.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Prime #8 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $8 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $26.

Overall, Prime #8 (1994) is highly recommended!

+++++

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