He adopted the most heroic version of Spider-man’s alternate identities. Introduced in Slingers #0 (1998) by Joseph Harris and Adam Pollina, Richard Gilmore was a college wrestling captain who wanted more in life when he was approached by the WWII Black Marvel, who had acquired, from Mephisto, Spider-man’s alternate persona’s that the web-slinger used when he was framed for murder. He was given the Prodigy identity and was joined but a new Hornet, Dusk and Ricochet. They endured an intense training regiment which saw the “death” of Dusk. Prodigy was very loyal to Black Marvel and took a few mission but his ego rubbed the rest of the team wrong. He would clash with the other two when they tried to convince him that Black Marvel was lying to him.

This all came to a head during a mission in a hotel. While fighting Hornet and Ricochet, the Maggia attacked and they fought against the gang. Afterwards Hornet convinced him that there was a bomb in the basement and Prodigy went through the floor to find it. Black Marvel set off a number of bombs in the hotel. Prodigy went to the ballroom and to find Black Marvel, Hornet, Ricochet and a resurrected Dusk. The rest of the team tried to convince Prodigy that Black Marvel set up the bomb but Dusk informed the rest that there was still people in the hotel and teleport herself, Hornet and Ricochet to rescue them. Prodigy tried to capture Black Marvel but he escaped. Later he help Hornet save a boy from falling debris and was buried alive when Hornet escaped with the boy.

He later dug himself out of the rubble and after rescuing a stabbed girl, was reunited with the team. Mephisto then summoned them to hell to fight for Black Marvel’s soul. While the rest wanted to leave him to his fate, Hornet convince them that it was the right thing to do. They fought and defeated their greatest fears and were eventually teleported back home, where Prodigy apologized for his behavior and left the team. After declining an offer to join the New Warriors, he was later seen protesting the SHRA drunkenly on the roof when Iron Man approached him to inform him he was breaking the law. After a huge fight, he was arrested becoming the first victim of SHRA. He was take to Prison 42 and was later freed by Captain America and his anti-registration team. When Cap surrendered, Prodigy reluctantly joined the Initiative, receiving training and joining the rest of the trainees to fight against the Skrulls in Secret Invasion.

When Osborn took over SHIELD during Dark Reign, he offer Prodigy a chance to lead a team, hoping that he would obey him. He was sent to the Nevada based team, Heavy Hitter, replacing Gravity as the leader. He was saddled with Outback, Boomerang heroic identity, who would commit crimes that they had to cover up. However, Prodigy and his teammates revealed Outback’s true identity, which infuriated Osborn. He sent a number of teams after the Heavy Hitters, but they were saved by the Avengers Resistance, though Prodigy stayed behind to let the rest escape. He was arrested but was freed after Osborn’s fall from grace and celebrated for his resistance against the now repealed SHRA. He became a motivation speaker and got a job with the Department of Justice, dealing with SHRA victims.

Under the DOJ and Steve Rogers order, he set up a volunteer Initiative program to train young heroes. He fought in Fear Itself, where his team tried to protect Las Vegas but he was “promoted” to the archive room after his insubordination. Feeling this was putting away from the action, he left the DOJ and joined Jeremy Briggs’ company. He was sent to Avengers Academy to talk them into joining the company but was stronger reproached by his former teammate Ricochet. He later left the company when a demon took on the form of Black Marvel and convince the Slingers to reunite, believing his mentor and Hornet had resurrected. During a mission with to capture Scarlet Spider, Dusk revealed the truth to her teammates and it was discover that Hornet was really Cyber. This pissed off the Slingers and while Scarlet Spider, along with Kaine, went to kill the demon, the Slingers capture Cyber but lost him. They decide to honor their friend’s memories and reformed for the better good, with Hobbie Brown, one of the original creator of the Hornet suit and former Prowler, taking Hornet’s place on the team.