Among much of the Multiversity staff, I have had many good things to say about the re-launch of Extreme Studios’ “Prophet.” The series is helmed by Brandon Graham, with a rotating cast of talented rising stars on art duties, including himself, Simon Roy, Farel Dalrymple, Giannis Milogiannis, and colorists Richard Ballermann and Joseph Bergin III. While we’ve only published two reviews so far (for #21 and #26), the series and Brandon Graham have made frequent appearances in “Comics Should Be Cheap” and our “2012 in Review” lists, and we interviewed both Graham and Milogiannis for our “Artist August” feature. Based on the time-travelling super-soldier created by Rob Liefeld, “Prophet” is by far the most successful of the Extreme Studios reboot, perhaps because it is content to take only the essential elements of the original series with it, building an entire new epic on only the most solid of the foundations left by its creator.
The new series is considered a direct continuation of the original series in only the most technical of terms. Yes, it continues the series’ numbering and takes place on the same timeline, but it does so far in the future and far removed from the original in nearly every way: tone, scope, narrative and artistic direction, even genre. I’ll admit, I haven’t actually read Liefeld’s original run on the character or Chuck Dixon’s short-lived second volume. I have never been a fan of Liefeld’s work; in fact, I tend to avoid it like a drunken, overly-enthusiastic uncle at a family reunion. However, I have enjoyed this new take so much that I purchased a few issues from my LCS’s quarter bins, and I am seriously considering actually reading them–although covers consisting almost entirely of muscles bulging out of other muscles’ muscles are very intimidating to me, especially when colored in purples, reds and yellows. I gather, however, that the original comic was a rather straightforward superhero tale about a super-soldier waking from cryogenic sleep with rather large muscles, high proficiency in combat techniques, and poor social skills (and taste in wardrobe) with a dark past but a good heart.
The new series is anything but straightforward. The reader has to piece together much of what’s happening from the images and passing references in the narration. We begin by following John Prophet as we awakes on an Earth so far in the future that humanity has devolved back in to ape creatures, which are herded for their meat by the strange aliens that now seem to rule the world. We soon learn, however, that this is not the original Prophet, but one of thousands of bioengineered clones scattered around the galaxy by the Earth Empire during a war it was apparently losing. By stashing these clones in cryogenic sleep, the Empire had hoped to revive them at the right time to turn the tides of war around, but something went wrong and thousands of years have passed. Despite the delay, the Prophet clones are determined to carry out their mission and restart the Earth Empire, a mission of which the original Old Man Prophet does not approve.
All of that is going on in the background, but we are only given glimpses of it, as the story is broken up between tales of the quests of different Prophet clones and the trials they face along the way. The clones are driven by instinct and controlled by what appear to be cybernetically enhanced psionic humans known as Mothers. As such, it appears the clones are capable of very little independent thought, and know nothing more than their current mission. We follow along in their shoes, as ignorant as they are to the truths behind their own existence. As they explore and learn more about the state of the universe through carrying out their missions, so do we, but we’re given very little assistance and generally have to piece things together on our own. In that way, “Prophet” can be more intellectually demanding than most books on the stands, but such background knowledge is unnecessary to enjoy the immediate stories of survival in a diverse array of futuristic habitats.
Continued below
It doesn’t even feel right to include it in the category of “Extreme Studios Re-Launch.” More appropriately, it’s a part of a new wave of stellar science fiction comics out from Image this year, and compares favorably to each of them. Like “Saga,” it’s full of creative character designs and fantastic settings, but doesn’t focus on the minutiae of interpersonal relationships. It shares “The Manhattan Projects”’ tendency towards bizarre plots and characters, but has a much more serious tone. Like “Planetoid” and “Debris,” it’s a tale of human survival in the wasteland of fallen civilizations. It has the desperate, dramatic edge of a Ray Bradbury story; the high concepts and dramatic scope of an Isaac Asimov novel; the mind-bogglingly bizarre, surrealist tone of a Jodorowsky epic; and the visceral, explicit detail of Moebius’ own science fiction shorts. Such comparisons are only skin-deep, however. “Prophet” is truly the most unique comic on the stands. Its influences are many, but as with the Extreme Studios foundation, it takes only the elements it needs from each to create a new narrative entirely of its own.
Despite the rotating group of artists, the artwork manages to keep a very cohesive feel under the watchful direction of Brandon Graham. It’s heavily influenced by European art, in that it has a massive, world-building scope while at the same time being very detail-oriented. It’s full of the little details and personal moments. It’s full of creative panel arrangements and interesting layouts, without losing clarity. In homage to Batman’s utility belt, it often stops for a panel to offer a diagram of all the equipment a particular Prophet has on his person to work with. The designs for the creatures the Prophets encounter are some of the most creative alien life-forms since…well, “Alien.” Bucking the trend for decompression and big, widescreen panels, “Prophet” pages typically have five to seven panels, cramming as much story as an entire arc of New 52 “Swamp Thing” in a single issue. Even where splash pages and double-page spreads are utilized, they often include extra panels tucked in to the corners or along the bottom of the page, focusing in on the important details most relevant to the story.
“Prophet” is not for everyone, especially the faint of heart. It’s full of bizarre alien sex, cannibalism, creatures who feed on each other’s feces, graphic violence and disturbing images. This is a comic where the words “For Mature Readers” should be taken seriously. And not just because of such graphic imagery. As I said earlier, its esoteric nature requires a nimble mind to fully understand. It’s a book that asks for a little effort on the part of its reader, but if you’re willing to give it that, the rewards can be outstanding.
The first trade paperback is already out, and, for the low introductory price of only $9.99, is a hell of a deal. With issue #32 out at the beginning of January, a new trade can’t be far away, but this is a comic that begs to be read in a monthly format. I highly encourage you to track down the earlier issues if you still can, and make sure to add the monthlies to your pull list. I, for one, can’t wait to see where it goes next!
