The idea behind Image Comics’ remastered editions is an inspired one. Take a forgotten classic from the publisher’s early days and re-print the same story with every page re-imagined and drawn by a different artist. This week sees the reintroduction of Rob Liefeld’s most famous and popular character, Prophet! Just in time for the 30th anniversary of the character’s debut, this re-mastered issue features no fewer than 23 artists, including Liefeld, lending their creativity to this seminal, iconic comic book.

If you’re a fan of ’90s comics, then this definitely is one for you. Caption boxes are peppered throughout, either providing ham-fisted narration or biblical quotes that may or may not have anything to do with the actual narrative. The characters pose defiantly with their biology-defying muscles, ludicrous outfits, and perpetually angry expressions. The story is at once mindlessly simple and simply incomprehensible. It’s everything we love and hate about ’90s comics, minus Jim Lee.

If it sounds like I’m dogging the book, I’m really not. I had a blast reading it, despite having no prior knowledge of Prophet apart from the fact that he existed. He’s apparently the Image version of Captain America, complete with a backstory that involved fighting Hitler and being cryogenically frozen for 50 years. Liefeld’s writing is pure comic-book silliness taken very, very seriously. What’s really cool about this is the fact that even the most ridiculous art was done with a love of the craft and the material. Every artist puts their own spin on Liefeld’s original layouts and delivers something that is just plain fun. Along with Liefeld himself, colorist Romulo Fajardo Jr. and letterer Rus Wooton tie everything together and bring a level of cohesiveness that would otherwise be lost among the myriad of artistic styles.

PROPHET #1 RE-MASTERED EDITION

8.8

Story

7.0/10

Art

8.0/10

Color

9.0/10

Nostalgia

10.0/10

Fun

10.0/10

Credits

Writer: Rob Liefeld
Artists: Too many to name*
Colorist: Romulo Fajardo Jr
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Image Comics

Credits (cont)

*But here they are anyway: Rob Liefeld, Thomas Hedglen, Kenneth Rocafort, Marat Mychaels, Tom Scioli, Ed Piskor
V Ken Marion, Philip Tan, Viktor Bogdanovic, Rob Willis, Clay Mann, Steven Reckseidler
Ryan Kincaid, Karl Alstaetter, Ron Williams, Raymond Leonard, Dan Panosian, Cory Hamscher
Dietrich Smith, Ale Garza, Paul Scott, Dan Fraga, Jim Rugg