Rob Liefeld’s ‘Last Blood’ #2: Teasing More Treasures in the Toy Box

This fall, Rob Liefeld released the second issue of his self-published series ‘Last Blood’. The latest issue (of what ComicBook.com reported to be a planned four-issue series) went up for sale in his Whatnot store on 10/8/2024. A ‘Manga Edition’, featuring re-colored art, went on sale a few weeks later on 11/4/2024.

**************************WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD**************************

‘Last Blood’ #2 picks-up right where issue #1 left-off.

(If you didn’t read issue #1 you can get up-to-speed by reading my write-up here.)

Prophet has arrived and he has a message/warning/plan for Battlestone and the “Brigade”. Battlestone is not impressed and asks Prophet to step aside. Prophet responds, “This is about more than you and your freedom. This is about the empire that imprisoned you and the destruction that is imminent, unless you open your mind to the truth.”

Prophet flashes-back and tells a story about tracking a signal with his daughter, Joanna. The signal is from Prophet’s D.O.C. (Direct Orbital Command) satellite which has crashed. D.O.C. is “the battery that powers and fuels” Prophet’s “every thought and action”.

Entering the crashed satellite, Prophet and Joanna are met with intruders. Sensing Prophet, D.O.C. “awakens” and starts communicating. D.O.C. crashed himself (Prophet refers to D.O.C. as “he”) as a measure of last resort and intends to teleport Prophet away to safety, leaving Joanna behind with the crashed satellite. When asked where he is going, D.O.C. tells Prophet, “Coordinates are set for a rendezvous with allies that will help you connect with resistance forces.”

Note the use of the specific word “allies”. The Allies are a superhero team in the Extreme Universe whose members have included Supreme, Glory, Diehard, Fighting American, and Erik Larsen characters Mighty Man and SuperPatriot.

Also, note the reference to “resistance forces”. The repeated mention of a collected “resistance” in Extreme Universe books from the past decade was detailed in my write-up for Last Blood #1.

As Prophet arrives “on Earth 4292”, a message from D.O.C. is activated, telling him that he has been placed “beyond the tracking capabilities of the enemy”. [“Earth 4292” appears to be a reference to April 2, 1992, the day Youngblood (1992) #1 was released, starting ALL of this.]

Prophet immediately runs into a local group of armed fighters. They carry swords and they are wearing metal helmets. D.O.C. warns, “you are known to these people. You are NOT, however, well regarded.”

An unnamed warrior threatens/goads Prophet saying, “We will slaughter you as we did your feckless sons and daughters.”

Prophet is ready to fight but D.O.C. tries to explain that this is not Prophet’s world and he is only there hiding “until contact with the others is established”. (Those slaughtered “sons and daughters” belong to an alternate Prophet.) D.O.C. pleads with Prophet to save his strength and avoid fighting.

Then: four pages of Prophet killing dudes. (This is the sequence previewed at the end of issue #1.) A pure, Liefeldian slaughterfest.

At the end of this fight, other heroes arrive. Enter Jackson Kirby and the Berzerkers!! D.O.C. informs Prophet that “Kirby and his team are here to aid and assist towards the fulfillment of the mission.”

Prophet tells Battlestone, “Kirby and the Berzerkers had traveled across time to rendezvous with me and begin our journey towards resetting all that had been undone.”

Battlestone interrupts Prophet’s story, “Is that all you got? That’s it? You’re a messianic figure, an Extreme Jesus come back to save us all?” [This feels like a direct reference to Deadpool calling himself “Marvel Jesus” in the 2024 movie “Deadpool and Wolverine”. I see you, Rob.]

At this point fights break-out between everyone. Battlestone vs. Prophet; Bo vs. Bloodstrike; Captain Freedom vs. Deadlock.

The story cuts away from these fights to show Thule, the home world of Glory!! A unknown tells us that “the kingdom of Thule” has been isolated, protected, and prosperous “until today”. A smoking ball of fire from the sky crashes into Thule. Four survivors walk away from the crash. It’s Doom’s IV: Brick, Slyder, Burn, and Grimm!!

Brick exclaims, “Against all odds, Doom’s IV survives to fight another day!”

Grimm responds, “It won’t matter where or when we’ve arrived unless we can find the book before the final chapter is written!”

The issue ends with the text: “Next Issue: Final Judgement!” and previews of the Manga Edition. There are no preview images of issue #3.

OK, a bit to unpack here…

First, let’s talk about ‘Doom’s IV’.

Until now, ‘Doom’s IV’ has been siloed. The characters have previously only appeared in their own series (‘Doom’s IV’ (1994) #1/2, #1-4). I can find no other appearances of the Doom’s IV characters. This is the first time Brick, Burn, Grimm, and Slyder have entered the larger Extreme Universe.

Originally, the concept of ‘Doom’s IV’ was developed by Rob Liefeld and Extreme Studios in conjunction with Amblin Entertainment. The idea was to create a new world of characters that would be introduced in comic book form, but would later have their mysterious origin story explored in a feature film to be produced by Steven Spielberg via Amblin Entertainment. The movie never moved beyond the development stage and the comic series didn’t continue past issue #4.

Next, let’s talk about “the book”.

‘Judgment Day’ was a limited series published by Rob Liefeld’s Awesome Comics from June through October 1997. Written by Alan Moore, the story involved ‘The Book of All Tales’, a magical book that could alter reality and change people’s fates.

‘The Book of All Tales’ is a powerful artifact and has the potential to change everything!

So what comes next? Here are the questions I was left with:

• Who is the “big bad” of the story?!
  • Still no idea!!
• Will we see Ca$h Carter & the Sci 5, The Defiants, or other members of EKO 92 in future issues of Last Blood?
  • I was wondering this after issue #1, but the question remains after reading issue #2.
• With a new Youngblood series coming from Liefeld, will we see members of Youngblood in issue #3?
  • I can easily imagine a world where Liefeld says “I will do this series if you allow me the use of the characters for my ‘Last Blood’ series.
  • Bo vs. Shaft?!
• Is Glory one of the nude women of Thule/Demetria?
• What of Supreme (and more)? Would access to Youngblood suggest access to the rest of the characters that were previously in publishing limbo?
• Could we be seeing the return of The Allies (or a new alternative version of the Allies)?
  • Thinking about a possible return of Glory, Supreme, and Diehard (from Youngblood) hints at a possible return of their team, The Allies.
  • This version of The Allies could even replace Fighting American with Captain Freedom.

We are half-way through this story and the possibilities are endless!

Who would you like to see pop-up in issue #3?

Last Blood has been added to the Legacy page.

extremeexcursus@gmail.com