Comic Info
Comic Name: Prophet (Volume 4)
Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Brandon Graham/Giannis Milonogiannis/Simon Roy/Farel Dalrympls
Artist: Giannis Milonogiannis/Brandon Graham/Farell Dalrymple
# of Issues: 6
Release Date: 2013
Prophet (4) #28
Reprints Prophet (4) #27-31 and #33 (July 2012-January 2013). Old Man Prophet has awoken from his sleep to find the Earth Empire is once again threatening the universe. His first goal is to gather a team and he starts with Hiyonhoiagn and the quest to find the pieces of his former ally Diehard. As Old Man Prophet searches the cosmos, the threat he poses to the Earth Empire is beginning to be recognized and the Earth Empire will use the other Prophets to fight back. Meanwhile, another Prophet finds himself leading a rebellion in Ixtano Circus which could show him the danger of the Earth Empire.
Written by Brandon Graham, Giannis Milonogiannis, Simon Roy, and Farel Dalrymple, Prophet Volume 2: Brothers continues the story initiated in the relaunch of the series Prophet Volume 1: Remission. The comic has been nominated for multiple awards including an Eisner and features art by Giannis Milonogiannis, Bradon Graham, and Farel Dalrymple. The collection does not contain Prophet (4) #32 (January 2013).
I have to say Prophet has really grown on me. Prophet was a rather lame and generic Image character when he launched in the ’90s, but like many of these characters, writers have grabbed ahold of them and turned them into something new, different, and interesting (another great example is Supreme who makes a cameo here or WildC.A.T.s).
Prophet (4) #31
I am not going to pretend that I read Prophet and get everything that is going on. It generally takes two readings of an issue to understand what happened, and I still feel I’m missing some of the nuances (like it took a double take in Prophet (4) #33 when Rein-East “excused herself” for a private moment…which backfired for her). The story is not just weirdness for weirdness’ sake and really seems to have a plan and direction.
Prophet is also aided by some fun art. All three of the primary artists blend together well and it is difficult to find that they have a rotating team of artists working on the book. I have seen the art of Farel Dalrymple in Jonathan Lethem’s Omega the Unknown limited series and would have guessed he was doing all the art because they blend together so well. I always find it jarring when multiple artists work on the story but here, you wouldn’t know it.
I see Prophet as a bit of evolution of comics from things by Alan Moore and other pioneering comic writers. The story will not make sense to you right off the bat, but I’m imagining over time it will come together (it already has started to do it). It isn’t a series for kids or casual readers (even the covers are generally pretty abstract)…this is a series for those who want to be challenged. Prophet 2: Brothers is followed by Prophet 3: Empire.
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