Prime #2

Prime #2 (July 1993)

Writer: Gerard Jones & Len Strazewski

Pencils: Norm Breyfogle

Inks: Norm Breyfogle

Letters: Tim Eldred

Color Designer: Keith Conroy

Editor: Chris Ulm

Cover Art: Norm Breyfogle

Variants: A Polybagged version that came with a trading card.

My summary/review (Just as a note of warning, there are all kinds of spoilers in this review):

Ultraverse Trading Cards from Skybox

When the Ultraverse began publishing, there were advertisements from Skybox for Ultraverse cards from the very first issue.

The initial set was a 100 card set featuring Heroes, Villains, Origins, Titles and Culture.  There was a Checklist card as well as several chase cards in a series of harder to find collect-ability.  Rookies were 7:36, Ultimate Rookies were 1:18 and Ultra Cards were 1:36.

There were also promo cards that appeared everywhere from polybagged copiesof the books to various Comics magazines.

Example of the front of the cards

Freex #1

Freex #1 (July 1993)

Writer: Gerard Jones

Pencils: Ben Herrera

Inks: Mike Christian

Letters: Time Eldred

Color Designer: Paul Mounts

Editor: Chris Ulm

Cover Art: Walter Simonson

Variants: Ultra 5000 (same cover art as standard issue), Silver hologram (different cover art than standard issue by Herrera and Christian), Gold hologram (different cover art than standard issue by Herrera and Christian), Also a Polybagged issue that came with a trading card.

My summary/review (Just as a note of warning, there are all kinds of spoilers in this review):

Mantra #1

Mantra #1 (July 1993)

Writer: Mike W. Barr

Pencils: Terry Dodson

Inks: Al Vey

Letters: Tim Eldred

Color Designer: Paul Mounts

Editor: Chris Ulm

Cover Art: Hoang Nguyen

Variants: Ultra 5000 (same cover art as standard issue), Silver hologram (same cover art as standard issue), Gold hologram (same cover art as standard issue), Also a Polybagged issue that came with a trading card.

My summary/review (Just as a note of warning, there are all kinds of spoilers in this review):

That covers the three releases for June of 1993.  A good start to the Ultraverse.  There was also a book called Ultra Monthly, which I do not have in my possession at this time.  It was around for the first six months of the Ultraverses existence.   When I eventually do obtain copies of these books, I will post about them as well.  They were a news style magazine set in the Ultraverse featuring articles about the Ultras from the viewpoint of the 'media' within their universe.

What's in store for the next months worth of books?

Second issues of the three launch books, as well as two new titles added to the mix.


Cover dated July of 1993

Freex #1
Mantra #1
Hardcase #2
Prime #2
Strangers #2

The Strangers #1

The Strangers #1 (June 1993)

Writer: Steve Englehart
Pencils: Rick Hoberg
Inks: Tim Burgard
Letters: Tim Eldred
Color Design: Paul Mounts
Editor: Chris Ulm

Cover Art: Rick Hoberg

Variants: Ultra 5000 (same cover art as standard issue) Silver hologram (alternate cover art featuring Yrial fighting Atom Bob and Grenade), Gold hologram (alternate cover art featuring Yrial fighting Atom Bob and Grenade)

My summary/review (Just as a note of warning, there are all kinds of spoilers in this review):

Autographs and special covers for the first month of Ultraverse titles.

Well, of the first three regular titles in the Ultraverse (Prime, Hardcase and The Strangers) they each had an Ultra 5000 edition, a silver hologram edition and a gold hologram edition. 

Of those issues, I only have the Prime Ultra 5000.

I do however have several autographs for these issues.

Prime #1 I have autographed by Len Strazewski and Norm Breyfogle.

Hardcase #1 I have autographed by James Hudnall and Norm Breyfogle.

The Strangers #1 I have autographed by Steve Englehart

Met all of these creators over the years at various conventions.  Maybe I'll get some scans of these once I get the printer/scanner hooked back up.

Hardcase #1

Hardcase #1 (June 1993)

Writer: James Hudnal
Pencils: Jim Callahan
Inks: Norm Breyfogle
Letterer: Tim Eldred
Color Designer: Paul Mounts
Editor: Chris Ulm

Cover Art: Dave Gibbons

Variants: Ultra 5000 (same cover art as standard issue), Silver hologram (alternate cover art featuring Hardcase and NM-E), Gold hologram (alternate cover art featuring Hardcase and NM-E)

My summary/review (Just as a note of warning, there are all kinds of spoilers in this review):

Prime #1

Prime #1 (June 1993)

(created by Bob Jacob, Gerard Jones and Len Strazewski)

Writers Len Strazewski & Gerard Jones; Len Strazewski
Pencils: Norm Breyfogle
Inks: Norm Breyfogle
Letters: Tim Eldred
Colors: Paul Mounts
Editor: Chris Ulm

Cover Art: Norm Breyfogle

Variants: Ultra 5000 (same cover art as standard issue), Printer’s Proof with Ultraverse certificate (same cover art as standard issue), Silver hologram (alternate cover art that is an homage to Action Comics #1), Gold hologram (alternate cover art that is an homage to Action Comics #1)

My summary/review (Just as a note of warning, there are all kinds of spoilers in this review):

The Ultraverse? Why do a blog about the Ultraverse?

Good Question.  I always liked the Ultraverse.  It was rather short lived really.  Only around for just under 4 years.

In that time though, a really great collection of talented Writers and Artists created some rather good comics.  Some aged very well, and others...not so much.  A lot of the stinkers really came after Marvel Comics bought them and shoehorned Avengers and X-Men characters into the books.  While I didn't mind The Black Knight (Dane Whitman) being featured in the Ultraforce book, it was all really forced and the line folded soon after Marvel got hold of them.

I plan on reviewing every significant Ultraverse book, and most of the rest of the ashcans and side features as well in this blog.  Not sure how quickly this will go.  I'm hoping on a few issues a week, but that may go up or down depending on what else is happening at the time.  I also plan to go in as close to publication order of the books as well.  That means the books from one month, then the books released the next month and so on.

So comment if you have a memory (good or bad) about any of the issues I post about.

Dave