In this story from 1983-84, a late work from comics giant Kirby (cocreator of Captain America, the Fantastic Four, and many other heroes), rogue scientist Bradford "Cowboy" Miller has injected several expectant mothers with a "genetic package" designed to create a new breed of human, Homo geneticus, which can survive the coming nuclear holocaust he expects. One of Miller's test subjects is his own son Morgan, whose immense powers emerge during a firefight in Vietnam and who must wear a silver bodysuit for his own survival. Morgan battles against another recipient of his father's genetic treatment: Darius Drumm, a preacher's son who leads a "cult of self-denial," attempts to kill off other members of Homo geneticus(including a circus strongman, a female stunt driver, and ghetto hero Big Masai), and plots to destroy the world. Even this late in his career, Kirby's concepts and visuals still possess extraordinary vitality, and his storytelling has a wild, rollicking momentum. But one promising story element is unfortunately dropped completely, and the immensely earnest scripting proves a major weakness; Drumm's rantings never cohere, and the unbelievable pseudohip argot that Kirby gives to Morgan is quite ridiculous. This is primarily for avid Kirby fans.
—Steve Raiteri
