Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Wednesday Comics: Prophet


In a first for my Wednesday comic book meditations, I'm featuring a comic I haven't even read yet--primarily because it is just being released today. Prophet: Strikefile #1 (borrowing the "strikefiles" title from 90s Image) is a who's who (and what's what) of various important characters, aliens, and world's in the Prophet Universe (which is the Extreme Comics Universe in the far future).It also gives a history of the Earth Empire:


See?

Anyway, I assume most of my readers are at least familiar with the Prophet revival series by writer Brandon Graham and several artists. If not, here's a brief  rundown: John Prophet (the Extreme Comics character from the 90s) awakens from cryosleep on an Earth dominated by strange alien species in the far future. He must trek across this exotic landscape to find the ancient tower where he can complete his mission. There, he sends a signal to revive the Earth Empire from it's slumber. That signal awakens the Empire's most implacable foe, too--who just happens to be another clone of John Prophet. 

This is all is collected in one volume. Subsequent volumes detail Old Man Prophet (the rebel) gathering allies (including a few familiar names from 90s Extreme, if not familiar faces) while the Earth Empire likewise consolidates its forces and it's power. It may be that both sides will have to join forces against an even greater menace.

Prophet is probably most comparable to science fantasy comics like Metabarons and the Incal, but has its own voice and feel. No guys in rubber masks here; the aliens of Prophets universe are most often somewhat arthropodian and always alien. Even the human cultures have an exoticness to them too, like you'd see in far future literary science fiction.

The density of the concepts and world-building may not be to everyone's taste, but if any of this sounds appealing, you should check it out.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Big fan, first issue is like Jack Kirby writes "Conan the barbarian" in an issue of "2001".