PRIMOGENITOR
PRIMOGENITOR
Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Alternate Reality (Earth-93060/"Ultraverse") extraterrestrial (Godwheel) resident;
part of the "Prime race" collective (union of multiple races)
Occupation: Leader of the "Prime race" collective
Group Membership: "Prime race" (Homebringer, others unidentified)
Affiliations: Culebra, Dragonfly, Duey, Elven, Gunk, Phade, Prime (Kevin Green), Turbocharge (Michael Hardaway), Wicca (Steffi)
formerly Doc Gross (Dr. Vincent Gross), Duey
Enemies: Doc Gross, Duey, Homebringer;
formerly Culebra, Dragonfly, Duey, Elven, Gunk, Phade, Prime (Kevin Green), Turbocharge (Michael Hardaway), Wicca (Steffi)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Unspecified region of the Godwheel, Earth universe, Reality-93060
First Appearance: (Behind-the-scenes; unidentified)
Power of Prime#1 (July, 1995);
Prime I#26 (August, 1995);
Powers/Abilities: For brief periods of time, the Primogenitor can generate a large and powerful form, which surrounds, protects, and provided life support his true form.
This form is superhumanly strong
(perhaps lifting 100 tons) and durable, and it enables him to fly at
great speeds. It also allows him to fire eyeblasts .
When he originally gained the
ability to develop this body, the form would degenerate every 20 years,
during which time he would need to rest and renew his godlike form.
This renewal cycle shortened and accelerated over time, and now he can
only generate his primal body briefly for ceremonial functions and for
specific needs.
(Power of Prime#2 (fb) - BTS) <According to the
legends of the Prime race> - In the beginning, the gods created the
Godwheel (or perhaps just a region of it) and brought races from many
planets to reside there and
worship them.
The being who would become the Primogenitor was
brought to the Godwheel with or without other members of his race.
Eventually, the gods fought, either destroying themselves or otherwise vanishing
(Power of Prime#2 (fb) - BTS) - One
valley had been spared the destruction, and many races took refuge
there. Though at first they could not communicate with one another and
found each other's visages repulsive, they put aside their differences.
United by their love for their gods, they built a temple and worshipped
in the hopes that their gods would return and take care of them. 
It was decided in a great council
that the various people would employ their best makers, of both
magic and technology, to labor together and produced a wondrous tool that would allow them to
cover themselves with powerful forms, all in the form of those they
had worshipped.
(Power of Prime#2 (fb)) - The
being who would become the Primogenitor was apparently amongst the
first of these beings, and he became their ruler.
(Power of Prime#2 (fb)) - As primal beings or the "Prime race," they lived like they believed their gods had lived, cultivating the arts and aiding the less fortunate.
Every score of year, they needed
to rest and renew their godlike forms. They needed to briefly return to
what they were before, although these previous forms were now
disguating to them.
However, approximately 15 years
before the main story, something happened to their renewal cycle, and
it became accelerated or protracted, and their bodies did not last as
long: In some cases, only minutes or seconds. Additionally, they lost
many of their number, and they believed that their genetic code had
become damaged, duplicated too many times until it was no longer whole.
(Power of Prime#3 (fb) - BTS) - Those
whose Prime bodies were too broken down to repair or regenerate were
"humanely disposed of" as genetic failures. The others considered that
this was best for them due to their being weakened by illness. They
felt there was no point in living when their outer bodies had become
corrupt and all that was left was one's weak and disgusting inner body.
(Power of Prime#2 (fb) - BTS) - Realizing
the problem they had, the Prime race sent Homebringer to Earth to seek
help. Bringing with him genetic samples from his people's oldest
records -- samples they hoped were uncorrupted -- Homebringer sought
out what they believed to be Earth's most brilliant and daring
geneticist, Dr. Vincent Gross.
(Power of Prime#1 (fb) - BTS) - Gross had been working in genetic
manipulation for some time without success before receiving the
information from Homebringer. 
(Power of Prime#2 (fb) - BTS) - Gross
promised to cultivate a new code but said it would take years to
develop.
Finally, Homebringer discovered that Gross' work had come to fruition in Prime (Kevin Green).
(Power of Prime#1 (fb) - BTS / Power of Prime#2 (fb) - BTS / other sources) - Gross used these techniques on a number of women, leading to numerous children who developed the ability to generate a second, superhuman form around their bodies. These included Culebra, Dragonfly, Duey, Elven, Gunk, Prime, and Wicca.
(Power of Prime#1 - BTS / Prime I#25 - BTS / Power of Prime#2 (fb) - BTS) - Homebringer transported Duey (and Doc Gross), Culebra, Wicca, Gunk, and Dragonfly to the Godwheel; the latter were imprisoned in translucent chambers, while Duey and Gross forged an alliance with Homebringer.
(Prime I#26 - BTS) - Homebringer opened a portal to bring Prime and Elven to the Godwheel, and Prime's allies Phade and Turbocharge entered as well.
(Prime I#26) - After Phade had destroyed the Homebringer's form, the king and Primogenitor of the
realm then appeared, noting that the Primogenitor was just a shell, as
was that entire world, a shell over a core of corruptions. He then told
Prime that he desperately needed his help.
(Power of Prime#2) - The
Primogenitor discussed and pointed out how he and the rest of his
once-great people and their world were falling apart. Focusing his
concentration, the Primogenitor stabilized his own body, noting that he
would be fine for awhile, although these moments of weakness were an
embarassment.
When a female's primal body degenerated and she collapsed, scheming, the Primogenitor noted that the
gods knew that he wanted to help her, but that he could not...the only
one who could help her was Prime. As the woman spoke in an alien
tongue, others of her races picked her up, and the Primogenitor noted
that her struggle was over: She had failed to maintain her integrity
and would be taken to the...infirmary.
Noting that his father was a
doctor, Turbocharge suggested that he might be able to help; however,
Primogenitor dismissed the idea, insisting that they knew what must be
done and that it was Prime who must make the sacrifice to help them.
Prime agreed to help (volunteering
his allies' help as well) but asked what was going on. When
Primogenitor noted that he thought they would understand, Elven assured
him that they understood but that the degeneration was not like that
with them. Prime agreed, noting that it was like the people were sick
or something.
Primogenitor explained that it was
more than just a sickness, but rather the undoing of them all: It was
the destruction of all that they had tried to be. Admitting that his
people's story was more legend than history, Primogenitor related the
tale of the creation of their world.
Confirming that the Gross Babies
were from Earth but that the genetic code that granted them powerful
forms was the Prime race's legacy, Primogenitor then detailed how they
had sent the Homebringer to Earth to seek help, and that Prime was the
fruition of those efforts. Primogenitor clarified that Prime had the
new genetic code to save them.
(Power of Prime#2 - BTS) -
Turbocharge discovered the plan to incinerate the woman with the failed
primal body, saved her, as well as discovering and freeing the rest of
the Gross Babies.
(Power of Prime#2) - Prime
clarfiied that his Prime
body would only last a week or so, and when Phade expressed confusion
(as she did not realize that the Prime to whom she was attracted was
really a young teenage boy),
Primogenitor told her that it was none of her concern and that she
should not even be there.
Elven warned that if Primogenitor wanted
their help he needed to ask nicely, but Primogenitor stated that if
Prime's code was stable enough, they could stabilize their people and
improve his stability as well. He continued that while Prime may not be
perfect, he was a fresh version of the transformation code, and they
could genetically engineer it to full efficacy.He offered that they
could make Prime's bodies last years...or forever.
While Prime was intrigued, Phade
warned that it sounded like they wanted more than Prime's genetic code,
and then Turbocharge arrived, alongside the Gross Babies, warning that
the Primogenitor was not some benevolent god.
(Power of Prime#3) -
Turbocharge further explained that the other Gross Babies -- who were
considered "flawed" -- had been slated to be incinerated along with the
members of the Prime race who could no longer generate Prime bodies. At
Elven's query, Primogenitor confirmed this, explained their reasons,
and punctuated his point by tearing open Culebra's form to expose the
youth inside. 
When Prime was enraged by this, Primogenitor assured him that they would never need to destroy another one of their number again if he helped them. When Culebra stated that he wanted to be returned home and be cured of his transformations (leaving him only in his normal form), Primogenitor considered using their holy science to undo godly bodies to be blasphemy.
Prime agreed to let the
Primogenitor use his genetic code to help his people and make him Prime
forever on the condition that they also sent home the Gross Babies and
helped fix their powers however they wanted them.
As Primogenitor prepared to accept
these terms, however, Duey interrupted, advising Primogenitor to refuse to let
the others dictate their terms but rather take the genetic material
that they needed. Primogenitor countered that his people aspired to be
gods, not thieves, and when Duey continued his argument, Primogenitor
noted that the council must discuss this.
At that point, Duey revealed his alliance with the Homebringer, who exclaimed that the genetic material was their legacy and that he would not see it dispersed to "the world of these feeble imitations (Earth)."
As the Gross Babies assaulted
Homebringer, Primogenitor insisted that Homebringer must not be hurt
and that Prime stop his friends or all deals were off. Though not
wanting to lose his chance, Prime ultimately sided with his friends and
joined the fight against Homebringer.
As Duey urged Primogenitor to aid Homebringer against the other Gross Babies to avoid losing the genetic code they sought, the others of the Prime race asked Primogenitor what they should do, but Primogenitor exclaimed that everything was falling apart, and he began to lose cohesion as well. Regardless, the Prime people made their decision, and they collectively attacked Prime and the others.
Prime confronted Primogenitor, convincing him to call of his people so they could continue their deal, but Duey then impaled Primogenitor and led the other Primes to restrain Prime, at which point Duey drew out Doc Gross from within him and then cut into Prime's body and pulled out his heart, which was the source that generated his Prime bodies.
(Power of Prime#4) - Homebringer then exclaimed how no
one understood the primal ways better than him, which is why he would
rule as the new god of this world.
When Primogenitor argued that they
worshipped the ones who had gone before, Homebringer mocked him as a
fool, retorting that their bodies were power and that he should show
everyone how to use that power to walk between worlds and conquer them.
Countering that this was against
everything they stood for,
Primogenitor charged Homebringer, only to be punched back by Duey.
Homebringer then beat down Primogenitor, proclaiming that it was time
for his benevolent rule to end and for Homebringer's leadership to
begin.
The other members of the Prime
race asked Primogenitor what they should do, but now reduced to his
original/unpowered form, Primogenitor considered that he was no longer
significant or one of the Prime race; and his people considered that
they would be left as nothing creatures, revolting to each other.
Turbocharge told them they did not have to all have the same forms and
should instead be true to themselves.
Meanwhile, Gunk sacrificed his
prime body's energy to restore Prime's form and power, and Prime
attacked the Homebringer.
Appreciating that he had caused this problem of fear of turning back into what they truly were, Primogenitor considered that Turbocharge had been right, and he led his people to combine their power to generate an immense manifestation of his prime form.
In that form, Primogenitor grabbed Duey and the Homebringer and smashed them into each other. As his immense Primogenitor body began to degenerate, he.exhorted the others to bind Duey and the Homebringer and to prevent them from using their powers.
The Primogenitor subsequently
resolved that their crusade had been misguided, that they should have
abanonded it before ever seeking out Dr. Gross, and that they would not
try to build a new community as different beings but with a common
goal. He thanked Prime and his allies for their aid.
The Primogenitor further announced
that they would keep Gross and Duey with them where they could do no
damage. They then sent Phade, Turbocharge, and all of the other Gross
Babies back to Earth.
Comments: Created by Gerard Jones, Len Strazewski, John Statema, Mark Pacella, Bob Smith, and Chris Ivey.
It is unclear to me whether the "gods" were the
original inhabitants of the Godwheel, or just the "goopy world" of the
Prime race.
Were they calling themselves the "Prime race" or "Primal beings" before Prime?
How long were they around?
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Primogenitor should be distinguished from:
images: (without ads)
Prime I#26, pg. 22 (Primogenitor, full);
Power of Prime#2, pg. 4, panel 3 (Primogenitor, face, stable);
pg. 7, panel 2 (Primogenitor, full, rear) - Add this?
#4, pg. 13, panel 2 (Primogenitor, true form);
pg. 15, panel 6 (Primogenitor, true form; less detail, but straight-on);
pg. 16-17 (Primogenitor leads his people to combine their powers to create a giant form);
pg. 18, panel 2 (collective form subdues Homebringer and Duey)
Appearances:
Prime I#25 (July, 1995) - by Len Strazewski & Gerard Jones
(writers), John Statema (penciler), Bob Smith (inker), Hank Kanalz
(editor)
Prime I#26 (August, 1995) - Gerard Jones & Len Strazewski (writers), John Statema (penciler), Bob Smith (inker),
Hank Kanalz (editor)
Power of Prime#1 (July, 1995) - Len Strazewski &
Gerard Jones (writers), Mark Pacella (penciler), Chris Ivey (inker),
Hank Kanalz (editor)
Power of Prime#2 (August, 1995) - Len Strazewski &
Gerard Jones (writers), Kevin West and Tim Hamilton (pencilers), Bob Almond (inker),
Scott Bernstein (assistant editor), Hank Kanalz (editor)
Power of Prime#3-4 (August-September, 1995) - Len Strazewski &
Gerard Jones (writers), Mark Pacella (penciler), Chris Ivey (inker),
Scott Bernstein (assistant editor), Hank Kanalz (editor)
First posted: 07/16/2023
Last updated: 07/21/2023
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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