PRODIGY: SLAVES OF MARS #1, by Dark Horse Comics on 8/7/24, follows Edison Crane when he returns from a long trip to the Himalayas to find his life is in shambles. Did the perfect mind make a mistake?
Credits:
- Writer: Mark Millar
- Artist: Stefano Landini
- Colorist: Michele Assarasakorn
- Letterer: Clem Robins
- Cover Artist: Stefano Landini (cover A)
- Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
- Release Date: August 7, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 32
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of PRODIGY: SLAVES OF MARS #1:
First Impressions:
No, the perfect mind didn’t make a mistake, but who better to destroy the perfect mind than a villain who’s thought of (almost) everything? That’s the question Mark Millar asks in PRODIGY: SLAVES OF MARS #1, and the answer just might shock you… or not. It’s a good comic, so just enjoy it.
Plot Analysis:
PRODIGY: SLAVES OF MARS #1 begins with a flashback to East Africa 20 years ago. Senator Whitney Crane is held hostage by a group of paramilitary mercenaries who burned down the Senator’s research center designed to solve crucial societal problems. Before his capture, Sen. Crane puts out a call to his genius-level son, but the Senator and his easily defeated kidnappers are surprised to see his rescuer is his youngest son, Edison.
If you’re new to the character of Prodigy, Mark Millar’s opening prologue tells you everything you need to know in an expertly delivered sequence. The good Senator is a leader, cool under pressure, and focused on solving problems. Edison is, as the title suggests, a next-level genius who would give Reed Richards and Mr. Terrific a run for their money. Without saying it out loud, Edison doesn’t have a loving relationship with his father, so the entire scene gives you sci-fi-ish action, drama, and record-fast character development.
Now, we meet the adult Edison Crane, returning home from the Himalayas aboard a cruise ship. Edison catches the attention of everyday people when they see the world’s richest and smartest man, especially when he jumps overboard to prove he can outrace the cruise ship to port. Edison loses the bet due to unforeseen circumstances, but he’s all grins and whistles when he enters his company headquarters soaking wet.
Millar turns out a strange scene with Edison trying to prove his ability to mentally calculate everything from ship speed to the peak performance of his body to his ability to time a sequence of events down to the second. The scene is great for informing new readers Edison is a daredevil and occasionally wrong. It’s strange because it’s unclear what it proves if Edison succeeded other than he’s right. Maybe it’s an indicator of his ego, but it’s unclear from this introduction.
And then it all falls apart. Edison finds his access to his company’s headquarters has been revoked. When he storms into a meeting with board members, he learns the plans he left the company to keep running in his eleven-month absence have all gone wrong. The company stocks are tanking, and Edison’s cavalier absence has put everything in a bind. In effect, everything is crashing, and it’s all Edison’s fault.
Before he leaves the office, one of the board members pulls Edison aside to tell him his father died over a month ago. Later, Edison speaks to a military officer involved in his father’s secret project involving travel to Mars. The official death report lists Sen. Crane’s death as a suicide, but the officer is sure he was murdered for something he found on Mars.
In rapid-fire succession, Millar puts Edison’s life in a tailspin. His company is failing, his public image is ruined, and his estranged father is dead before the two can make amends. The speed with which it all falls apart pulls the reader into Edison’s predicament and generates a fair bit of sympathy for the guy, which helps get the reader on his side and root for his success.
Later, Edison sits in his penthouse, researching the circumstances of his father’s death. Suddenly, he receives a video call from Froth Schroeder, who claims to be the mastermind behind Edison’s troubles. For his next amazing trick, Schroeder blows up Edison’s apartment, giving our hero only ten seconds to find an escape.
We conclude the issue with explosions, damning (and manipulated) murder evidence, and a visit with another estranged relative.
Overall, Mark Millar delivers an effective thriller with a sci-fi twist to please existing Prodigy fans, serve as an excellent jumping-on point for new readers, and get everyone hooked from the first scene.
Artwork and Presentation:
Stefano Landini delivers a marvelous set of grounded, realistic set of visuals that looks like a cinematic adaptation come to life. Landini’s figurework, gestures, and movements are on point, and Michele Assarasakorn’s coloring is exceptional.Stefano Landini delivers a marvelous set of grounded, realistic set of visuals that look like a cinematic adaptation come to life. Landini’s figurework, gestures, and movements are on point, and Michele Assarasakorn’s coloring is exceptional.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
If you’re a new reader to Prodigy, you might wonder which back issues you need to read to get familiar with Edison Crane. Realistically, you don’t need any. Mark Millar does a stellar job telling you everything you need to know in this issue. However, if you want more Prodigy, check out Prodigy Volume 1: The Evil Earth.
Final Thoughts:
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PRODIGY: SLAVES OF MARS #1 is a whiz bang re-introduction to Prodigy when his perfect life is turned upside down by a villain who destroys his life with a genius stroke of sabotage. Mark Millar covers the basics with expert efficiency before kicking off a taut thriller, and Stefano Landini’s grounded art is excellent.
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