Borrowed Conspiracy Theories And Tired Tropes Make Prodigy #2 Disappointing

Never one to give up on a title after one issue – especially if it’s a book by Mark Millar – I thought I’d give Prodigy another go with issue #2 out this week. But, other than the top quality, kinetic artwork of Rafael Albuquerque, I was once again left feeling a bit let down.
Now, do remember that I am comparing this series to other writing by Millar, rather the necessarily comparing it all other comics out there today, but even then, it really is beginning to feels more and more like an uncharacteristic mis-step for Millar. I fear his interest in the ramblings of David Icke and Icke’s belief that a secret shape-shifting lizard-led illuminati are running the world influenced this book. When you witness the scenes in which an aristocratic family are hunting down kidnapped children (yet another tired trope that’s been done to death by now, surely?), the head of the family is entitled the Grand Dragon, and they’ve been here for thousands of years, hiding in plain sight, it all feels a bit obvious.

Meanwhile, our hero Edison Crane visits The Kremlin in Russia and once again show us how clever, intuitive and resourceful he is as he hunts down a missing ancient artefact. And, that’s about the rub of it really.
It’s already a book that feels drawn out and with the added nonsense conspiracy theory, presented here as a reality (which it can be in comics, but NOT in real life, I’m afraid) plus what feels like a little bit of plagiarism from Dan Brown, this feels like a magpie of a book, borrowing ideas from here and there if they’re shiny enough. As a result, it isn’t really saying anything fresh about this particular type of story and so, with a heavy heart, I’ll be giving the third issue a miss.
I know other sites are raving about this one, but I just don’t see it. Am I missing something here? Or, are they?
Prodigy #2 is out now from Image Comics.
Oh, and if you want to hear just how nuts David Icke is, take a look at this Vice video below.