Youngblood #3
Youngblood #3 (October 1992) is the debut issue of Supreme — Ethan Crane, Rob Liefeld's hyper-violent Superman analogue — whose six-page backup story titled 'Enter: Supreme / Enter: Heavy Mettle' served as a direct launch pad for Supreme's own ongoing series. That character would later be radically reimagined by Alan Moore beginning with Supreme #41, making this backup one of the more consequential six pages produced during the Image revolution. Beyond the Supreme preview, the issue continued the Prophet subplot seeded across the series' early run, using the main story to develop what would become one of Image's most durable and critically praised franchises. Together, the two features make issue #3 the single most plot-generative installment of Youngblood's original volume, spinning off multiple lines that outlasted the parent title by years.
In Youngblood #3 (1992), Rob Liefeld’s dynamic art and storytelling kick into high gear as Shaft, Chapel, and Bedrock race to stop the Four’s jailbreak—only for Die Hard to crash the scene with urgent news: the rest of Youngblood is in dire straits in Berlin. With Rob Liefeld handling both interior art and cover, this issue delivers a pulse-pounding escalation, all rendered in bold, energetic style.
In "null," Roland Thymer finds himself caught in a high-stakes standoff as the Disciples of Doom and the Katellan Aliens converge on a crisis point, while the Berzerkers—Grey and Cross—arrive as unexpected allies. With Admiral Kh'rk pulling strings from the shadows, the fate of Youngblood hangs in the balance as chaos unfolds across the globe.
ComicBooks.com Value
Show all 7 grades ▾
This exact issue on ebay
Raw / ungraded ▾ $6.95–$7.04 2 listings
More listings for this title
Sell my copy
Have this issue — or a whole collection? Get a fair offer from us, skip the marketplace fees and the hassle.
We Buy Collections ▸History
Published in October 1992 as the third issue of Image Comics' flagship title, Youngblood #3 was written and drawn by Rob Liefeld with inks by Danny Miki, lettering by Kurt Hathaway, and editing by Eric Stephenson. The Supreme backup was written and drawn by Brian Murray, who would go on to co-write and pencil Supreme #1. Like the earlier issues in the run, the book shipped intermittently — Liefeld later acknowledged that production difficulties and scripting problems (he had parted ways with collaborator Hank Kanalz) plagued the early Youngblood issues, contributing to delays and inconsistent quality. The 2008 Youngblood hardcover collected and re-scripted the first five issues, though the original editions, including this one, have never been formally reprinted in their original form.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Supreme (Ethan Crane), created by Rob Liefeld and Brian Murray, in a six-page backup story titled 'Enter: Supreme / Enter: Heavy Mettle' — a direct prelude to Supreme's solo series launched the same year.
- First appearance of Showdown, a supervillain who disguises himself as a Pentagon guard to free the imprisoned members of The Four.
- First appearance of Roland Thymer, depicted as Youngblood's government-side manager/handler who briefs Shaft and Bedrock.
- Prophet (John Prophet, genetically engineered super-soldier introduced in Youngblood #2) guest-stars in the main story, continuing the multi-issue arc that established the central premise of his own series.
- The backup story also introduces the concept of the Heavy Mettle team — G.A.T.E. International director Mr. Gate and his assistant Smithers discuss the group's need for a strong leader, with Supreme seen arriving as the implied answer.
- The main story was written and pencilled by Rob Liefeld with inks by Danny Miki; the Supreme backup was written and drawn by Brian Murray (who later co-wrote/pencilled Supreme #1), with editing by Eric Stephenson throughout.
- The issue's press-conference scene obliquely references the broader Image shared universe by mentioning Savage Dragon, and contains thinly veiled allusions to Spawn ('The Phantom') and Shadowhawk ('The Spine-Breaker').
- The issue was collected as part of the 2008 Youngblood hardcover (Vol. 1), which re-scripted and recolored the original first five issues; the original issue has not been reprinted in its unaltered form.
Cast · 28 characters
Full credits
Reprints
Reprinted in Youngblood #2 (1995), Youngblood #3 (1995)
Key issues in Youngblood
Reviews
Reader reviews
No reader reviews yet.