Prodigy

PRODIGY

Real Name: Richard "Ritchie" Gilmore

Identity/Class: Human technology user; identity known to S.H.I.E.L.D. authorities

Occupation: Adventurer;
    former student

Group Membership: Anti-Registration Act Resistance;
    formerly "The Slingers" (see comments)

Affiliations: Battlestar, Black Crow, Coldblood-7, Gladiatrix, Lectronn, Lightbright, Living Mummy, Network (Martin), Prowler (Brown), Secret Avengers (Captain America (Rogers), Asp (Nefertiti), Black Mamba, Black Panther (T'Challa), Luke Cage, Cloak (Johnson), Dagger (Bowen), Daredevil (Rand), Diamondback (Leighton), Falcon (Wilson), Hawkeye (Bishop), Hercules, Hulkling, Human Torch (Storm), Invisible Woman, Patriot (Bradley), Spider-Man (Parker), Spider-Woman (Drew), Storm, Wiccan), Shroud, "The Slingers" (Dusk (St. Commons), Hornet (McDonough), Ricochet (Gallo)), Solo, Typeface;
    formerly the Black Marvel (Lyons)

Enemies: Badoon, Brood, The Brood Imperiatrix, Brother Royal, Iron Man (Stark), Jimmy Eyes, Maggia, Mephisto, New Warriors (Aegis (Rollins), Bolt (Bradley), Namorita, Nova (Rider), Speedball (Baldwin), Turbo (Musashi)), Pro-Registration forces (Araña, Bishop, Black Widow (Romanova), Doc Samson, Iron Man (Stark), Ms. Marvel (Danvers), Mr. Fantastic, Nighthawk, Sabra, Sentry (Reynolds), She-Hulk, S.H.I.E.L.D., Stature, Thunderbolts (Blizzard, Bullseye, Fixer, Lady Deathstrike, Radioactive Man, Songbird, Taskmaster, Venom), Tigra, Wasp, Wonder Man, others)

Known Relatives: "Nanna" (grandmother)

Aliases: None

Place of Birth: Staten Island, New York City, USA

Base of Operations: Manhattan, New York City, USA;
    formerly Somewhere in the North Bronx, New York City, USA;
    formerly a "Welcome to New York" billboard

First Appearance: Slingers#0 (December, 1998)

Powers/Abilities: An aggressive member of the Empire State University wrestling team, Ritchie Gilmore was given a re-creation of the armor previously worn by Spider-Man. Powered by a mystically-created cape, the suit granted its wearer enhanced strength (class 25), durability, and limited flight abilities. Following its loss, the cape was recreated and the armor repowered via technological means.

Height: 5'11" (6'1" in armor)
Weight: 185 lbs. (255 lbs. in armor)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black

History: 

(Slingers#11 (fb) - BTS) - Ritchie Gilmore grew up in the North Bronx.

(Slingers#2 (fb) - BTS) - As an Empire State University student and member of the wrestling team, Ritchie was selected by the Black Marvel to become the new Prodigy. They soon began training.

(Slingers#6 (fb)) - Black Marvel introduced Ritchie to Johnny Gallo, who had been selected by the Black Marvel to be his Ricochet.

(Slingers#0) - Donning the Prodigy suit given to him by the Black Marvel, Ritchie began training with Johnny (as Ricochet), Eddie McDonough (as Hornet) and Cassie St. Commons (as Dusk).

(New Warriors II#1) - Prodigy and the others turned down Speedball's offer to join a relaunched New Warriors. Hornet and Ricochet laughed in his face at the offer.

(Contest of Champions II#1 - BTS) - Prodigy was among the group of heroes teleported off Earth to compete in a "contest of champions."

(Contest of Champions II#3) - Prodigy, Dusk, Hornet and Ricochet, collectively referred to as "The Slingers," competed in the contest against the New Warriors in a game of basketball. After a heated match, the Warriors were crowned the victors and the Slingers were teleported away.

(Contest of Champions II#5 - BTS) - The heroes, including the Slingers, returned to Earth.

(Slingers#0) - Prodigy led the others in another training session, leaping across rooftops. Acting all business and cold toward his partners, Prodigy silently left after Dusk stepped off the roof to her death.

(Slingers#1 (Prodigy variant)) - Prodigy confronted a drug dealer he'd been tracking. Beating information on his supplier out of him, Prodigy went down to the Fulton Fish Market, tearing through armed goons to reach their Maggia-connected boss, "Jimmy Eyes".

(Slingers#1) - Prodigy joined Hornet and Ricochet at their billboard hangout, telling them to get in line and focus on their job or that they would wind up like Dusk (who had, unaware to her former teammates, mysteriously come back to life). After winning a wrestling match the following day, giving his pinned opponent an extra squeeze to remember him by, Prodigy found Hornet and Ricochet on the ESU campus, taking them to rescue a crazed man from the path of two runaway trains.

(Slingers#1 (Prodigy variant)) - Prodigy leapt in front of the path of one of the runaway trains, planting his feet and lifting the train to slow it. Stopping the train and tearing a hole for passengers to escape, Prodigy saw the second train about to fall off the elevated platform. Swooping in, Prodigy saved several onlookers and continued on his way.

(Slingers#1) - Prodigy leapt across the George Washington Bridge to the derelict Atlas Films movie studios where his benefactor, the Black Marvel, was waiting for him.

(Slingers#2) - After leading Hornet and Ricochet to the drain pipes under the newly rebuilt Grand Royale hotel, Prodigy went above ground, skulking around Jimmy Eyes, who was overseeing the construction. Patiently following Jimmy Eyes through the site, Prodigy's cover was blown when Ricochet called for help over their radios. Prodigy left, destroying the communicator despite Ricochet's cries for help.

(Slingers#3) - Returning to the Atlas Films studio, Prodigy told the Black Marvel of Ricochet and Hornet's apparent deaths in the tunnels under the Grand Royale. Lauded by the Black Marvel for his apparent lack of emotion toward his inadequate teammates, Prodigy leapt away to prepare for the tasks ahead of him.

(Slingers#4) - Prodigy arrived on the roof of the new Grand Royale hotel on its opening night. Waiting for the Black Marvel's signal to leap into action, he was confronted by Ricochet and Hornet. Prodigy attacked them, threatening to teach them how to be heroes while beating them senseless. Throwing Ricochet off the roof, Prodigy tossed Hornet through a dining room window, following him in. Recalling what he'd seen in the tunnels, a weakened Hornet told Prodigy he should be looking in the basement. Prodigy left for the basement, soon confronting Jimmy Eyes and wondering if this was why the Black Marvel told him to watch the hotel.

(Slingers#5) - As the explosives that the Black Marvel had planted throughout the Grand Royale detonated, Prodigy stood firm against Jimmy Eyes. Hearing the screams of trapped Grand Royale patrons, Prodigy reluctantly left Jimmy in the basement, arriving just as Ricochet, Dusk and Hornet confronted the Black Marvel over his plans to destroy the rebuilt hotel and redeem his greatest failure as the hero. While the others set about rescuing civilians, Prodigy kept the hotel from collapsing on itself, giving his cape to Hornet to protect a child from the flames. Overwhelmed by the increasing weight, Prodigy apologized to Dusk who told him she wasn't strong enough to teleport him out. As he began to fall, Prodigy felt stronger than he'd ever felt before.

(Slingers#6 (fb) - BTS) - Protected by his suit, Prodigy miraculously survived the destruction of the Grand Royale.

(Slingers#6) - Prodigy emerged from the rubble, wondering where to go next.

(Slingers#7) - Prodigy arrived back at his grandmother's apartment, reflecting on how the days he spent digging himself out of the rubble felt like years, and how he now saw things clearly.

(Slingers#8) - Prodigy confronted four young gang members, dispatching them easily. Believing himself at the top of his game, Prodigy saw that a stray bullet hit one of the gang. Choosing to help her over apprehending the other members, Prodigy vowed to be a hero the right way.

(Slingers#9) - Prodigy entered Ricochet's bedroom window, asking for his help.

(Slingers#10 (fb) - BTS) - Prodigy recovered his cape from Hornet's dorm room with Ricochet's help.

(Slingers#10) - Moments after revealing his survival to Hornet and Dusk, the superhero-themed billboard they were on came to life, with various superheroes emerging from it and attacking Prodigy and the others. Prodigy fought a giant Mr. Fantastic, holding his own until he was grabbed by a giant Thing and pulled into the billboard. Prodigy and the others found themselves before an imprisoned Black Marvel and Mephisto.

(Slingers#11) - Mephisto trapped Prodigy and the others, and told them about the deal he made with an ailing Dan Lyons to reclaim his heroic identity of the Black Marvel. Offering to free the Black Marvel's soul if the four could forgive him for using them to further his own ambitions, they argued over what to do. Sent to face separate trials, Prodigy arrived outside the house he grew up in, now in flames. Rushing in, he was confronted by a younger version of himself and unable to move, bound by his cape. Tearing the cape apart, Prodigy arrived back before Mephisto just as he called for his horde to test them as a team.

(Slingers#12) - After Dusk cleared the battlefield, Prodigy and the others were given the choice to leave Mephisto's realm. Urging the others to leave while they had the chance, Prodigy stood by while his teammates set about rescuing the Black Marvel. Returning to save Ricochet from a false vision of his late mother, Prodigy removed his cape, telling Mephisto that he'd given up his hatred of the Black Marvel. With the others making similar statements, the Black Marvel's soul was saved and they returned to New York. Prodigy apologized to Dusk, Hornet and Ricochet, and thanked them for everything, returning home since his grandmother was probably worrying about him.

(Civil War: Battle Damage Report) - Prodigy acquired a replica of his cape and a "technological upgrade" to his suit to recreate its powers.

(GLA I#2) - Prodigy turned down an offer to join the Great Lakes Avengers.

(Civil War: Frontline#2) - Unable to deal with the looming deadline for superhuman registration, Prodigy got drunk on a rooftop, drawing a crowd. Eventually getting Iron Man's attention, Prodigy told him that the Act was fine for him since he had the money to take care of his loved ones, but that he'd be putting his family at risk if he unmasked. Iron Man tried to sway Prodigy to his opinion, but the young hero attacked, leaping on to Iron Man and pushing him into a billboard.

(Civil War: Frontline#2/Civil War: Battle Damage Report) - Iron Man hit Prodigy to the ground with an electromagnetic pulse beam, shorting out his armor.

(Civil War: Frontline#2) - A team quickly covered Prodigy with immobilizing foam and loaded him into their vehicle.

(Amazing Spider-Man II#535 (fb) - BTS) - Prodigy was taken to the Negative Zone Prison -- 42 -- created to hold superhumans refusing to comply with the registration act.

(Amazing Spider-Man II#535) - Seeing Peter Parker through the slot on his cell door, Prodigy called for his help, telling him he shouldn't have been imprisoned because he didn't do anything.

(Civil War#6) - Prodigy was among the prisoners freed from their cells by the Secret Avengers and the Superhuman Registration Act resistance.

(Civil War#7/Amazing Spider-Man II#538 - BTS) - Prodigy took part in the battle between the pro and anti-registration heroes, spanning from the Negative Zone prison to the streets of New York. Prodigy's status following the battle is unknown, as is whether he made the jump from the prison to New York.

Comments: Created by Joseph Harris (writer), Adam Pollina (pencils) and Jimmy Palmiotti (inks)

Slingers#0 was released as an insert in Wizard Magazine#88.

Slingers#1 shipped with four different covers, each spotlighting one of the four leads. More than just a cover gimmick, each variant included different story pages, eight near the beginning of the issue giving a different interlude with each character plus eight near the end of the issue with a different view of their actions during the train disaster. The pages specific to the Prodigy variant are noted as they appeared along with the pages carried in each version.

Prodigy received a brief profile in the Civil War: Battle Damage Report handbook.

Prodigy's status post-Civil War is unclear. Seven costumed heroes were noted as having died in the Negative Zone/New York battle, the only confirmed casualty being Typeface. It's possible Prodigy fell during the fight (but since Hornet was already killed off, I really hope he made it out alive).

The Marvel Chronology Project lists the appearance in New Warriors II#1 as occurring after Slingers#12, which wouldn't be possible since the Slingers lost their "powers" in that issue, split up as a team, and had already competed against the reassembled Warriors in Contest of Champions II#3. The only possible time these appearances could have occurred is prior to Slingers#0 since, with the exception of the final Slingers arc, that's the only time the whole team is together and it's impossible for that to have happened following Slingers#12 (especially since the disbanding was confirmed in The Loners#2).

It's possible, although unconfirmed, that Prodigy's second cape was created by Hornet, who created new armaments for himself and Ricochet following their encounter with Mephisto.

One final note about "The Slingers": although the team has been referred to as "The Slingers" in several Marvel titles (including both Civil War handbooks) and by several Marvel characters, at no point in the actual Slingers comic did Prodigy or the others refer to themselves by this name. Johnny Gallo (Ricochet) affirmed this in Runaways II#1. It's obvious why the name is used for the characters (writers mistakingly assuming it was the group name), but there's been no in-story explanation for its use. The only incident where the name was used as a title for Prodigy and company in their presence was in Contest of Champions (as noted in the Group Membership listing), and since the characters did not refer to themselves as such, it is used loosely as a name for the group.

Profile by G Morrow.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Prodigy has no known connections to:

Prodigy should not be mistaken for:

"Nanna"

Sickly and bound to her wheelchair, Prodigy's grandmother heard that her grandson had returned home after crawling from the wreckage of the Grand Royale hotel. Prodigy was likewise concerned his grandmother would be worried about his frequent absences.

 

 

 

--Slingers#7 (Slingers#12 (fb) - BTS

images: (without ads)
Slingers #1, p17, pan1 (main image)
Slingers #11, p10, pan8 (as a Pre-teen)
Slingers #12, p19, pan2 (Ritchie Gilmore)
Civil War: Frontline #2, p11, pan4 (vs. Iron Man)
Slingers #7, p13, pan3 ("Nanna")

Other Appearances:
Slingers#0 (December, 1998) - Joseph Harris (writer), Adam Pollina (pencils), Jimmy Palmiotti (inks), Ruben Diaz (editor)
Slingers#1 (December, 1998) - Joseph Harris (writer), Chris Cross (pencils), Rob Stull (inks), Ruben Diaz (editor)
Slingers#2 (January, 1999) - Joseph Harris (writer), Chris Cross (pencils), Rob Stull (inks), Ruben Diaz (editor)
Slingers#3 (February, 1999) - Joseph Harris (writer), Chris Cross (pencils), Rob Stull (inks), Ruben Diaz (editor)
Slingers#4 (March, 1999) - Joseph Harris (writer), Oscar Jimenez (pencils), Felix Alpuente (inks), Ruben Diaz (editor)
Slingers#5 (April, 1999) - Joseph Harris (writer), Chris Cross (pencils), Rob Stull (inks), Ruben Diaz (editor)
Slingers#6 (May, 1999) - Joseph Harris (writer), Chris Cross (pencils), Rob Stull (inks), Ruben Diaz (editor)
Slingers#7 (June, 1999) - Joseph Harris (writer), Greg Luzniak (pencils), Bob Almond with Jimmy & Peter Palmiotti (inks), Ruben Diaz (editor)
Slingers#8 (July, 1999) - Joseph Harris (writer), Greg Luzniak (pencils), Bob Almond with Candelario & Minor (inks), Ruben Diaz (editor)
Slingers#9 (August, 1999) - Joseph Harris (writer), Chris Cross (pencils), Rob Stull (inks), Ruben Diaz (editor)
Contest of Champions II#1 (September, 1999) - Chris Claremont (writer), Oscar Jimenez (pencils), Eduardo Alpuente (inks), Ruben Diaz (editor)
Slingers#10 (September, 1999) - Joseph Harris (writer), Chris Cross (pencils), Don Hillsman & Rob Stull (inks), Ruben Diaz (editor)
Contest of Champions II#3 (October, 1999) - Chris Claremont (writer), Oscar Jimenez (pencils), Eduardo Alpuente (inks), Ruben Diaz (editor)
New Warriors II#1 (October, 1999) - Jay Faerber (writer), Steve Scott (pencils), Walden Wong (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Slingers#11 (October, 1999) - Joseph Harris (writer), Javier Saltares (pencils), Perrotta, Mahlstedt (inks), Ruben Diaz (editor)
Contest of Champions II#5 (November, 1999) - Chris Claremont (writer), Oscar Jimenez & Michael Ryan (pencils), Eduardo Alpuente & Livesay (inks), Ruben Diaz (editor)
Slingers#12 (November, 1999) - Joseph Harris (writer), Javier Saltares (pencils), Minor, Perrotta, Ramos and Rubenstein (inks), Ruben Diaz (editor)
GLA I#2 (July, 2005) - Dan Slott (writer), Paul Pelletier (pencils), Rick Magyar (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Civil War: Frontline#2 (August, 2006) - Paul Jenkins (writer), Ramon Bachs and Kano (pencils), John Lucas and Kano (inks), Cory Sedlmeier (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man II#535 (October, 2006) - J. Michael Straczynski (writer), Ron Garney (pencils), Bill Reinhold (inks), Axel Alonso (editor)
Civil War#6 (December, 2006) - Mark Millar (writer), Steve McNiven (pencils), Dexter Vines (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Civil War: Battle Damage Report (2007) - Anthony Flamini (head writer), Ronald Byrd (writer), Jeff Youngquist (editor)

Last updated: 01/27/08

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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