Comics Review: "PRODIGY: Slaves of Mars #4" Goes Into the Star Gate

PRODIGY: SLAVES OF MARS #4 (OF 5)

DARK HORSE COMICS/Netflix

STORY: Mark Millar

ART: Stefano Landini

COLORS: Michele Assarasakorn

LETTERS: Clem Robins

EDITOR: Daniel Chabon

EDITORIAL: Sarah Unwin

COVER: Stefano Landini with Michele Assarasakorn

VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Stefano Landini

32pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (November 2024)

Rated M / Mature

Prodigy created by Mark Millar at Netflix

Prodigy: Slaves of Mars is a five-issue comic book miniseries produced by writer Mark Millar.  It is the third entry in the Prodigy series, following the original 2018-19 six-issue miniseries, Prodigy, and the 2022 miniseries, Prodigy: The Icarus Society.  This new series' creative team is comprised of artist Stefano Landini; colorist Michele Assarasakorn; and letterer Clem Robins.  Prodigy focuses on the adventures of the world's smartest man, Edison Crane.

In Prodigy: Slaves of Mars, Edison returns to New York City from an adventure in the Himalayas to find his company, Crane Solutions, in disarray.  He also learns that his father, the former Senator Whitney Crane, is dead on Mars after discovering some shocking secret.  Now, a wanted man, Edison only has one person left to whom he can turn.  That would be his older, smarter brother, Elijah Crane.

Prodigy: Slaves of Mars #4 opens with a flashback to the day 15-year-old Elijah left the Crane family because he just couldn't take his father's antics any longer.  Move to the modern day, and Elijah ascertains that their father discovered a series of “star gates” on Earth.  So Edison and Elijah head to the most consequential star gate, the one in Sigiriya, Sri Lanka.  Now, it is time to get down to the mystery of their father, Whitney, and his involvement with a mission to Mars.  They're about to get more answers than they expected.

THE LOWDOWN:  This is the second time that I have been on any kind of list that provides PDF copies of titles published by Dark Horse Comics.  The latest title to mark my return is Prodigy: Slaves of Mars #4.

Of course, Prodigy: Slaves of Mars #4 is a blast to read, just as the first three issues were.  This being the penultimate issue (second-to-last), writer Mark Millar fills it with surprises.  He also continues to tease us with more of his obsessions with “Ancient Aliens” and secret space programs.  You already know about Millar's love of secrets and conspiracies if you have read Prodigy: The Icarus Society #1 or read Prodigy: The Evil Earth, the trade collection of the first miniseries.

The art team of illustrator Stefano Landini and colorist Michele Assarasakorn unveil the surprises in a steady stream of straightforward storytelling.  Throwing caution to the wind, they present graphical storytelling that races from page to page in a loose drawing style and muted coloring style that captures the weird aesthetic of this franchise.  As always, Clem Robins provides the perfect soundtrack to this chapter with his classic lettering.

We have been set up for a great ending, dear readers.  Catch up if you need to.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Mark Millar and of his comic book, Prodigy, will want to read Prodigy: Slaves of Mars.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

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