Review by C.J. Bunce
Every kid at some point plans his or her own superhero team, a group of characters with unique powers, maybe with characters that are something like heroes we’ve seen before. If you’re successful comic book creators like Kurt Busiek and Fabian Nicieza, they actually let you make that superhero team come to life. This week Busiek and Nicieza team up with artist Stephen Mooney and colorist Triona Tree Farrell for the premiere issue of Free Agents from Image Comics. A mix of the sci-fi of Guardians of the Galaxy and the future world of Altered Carbon, this story borrows something from The Incredibles and Jupiter’s Legacy as a group of retired superheroes must don their caps again when an alien threatens the planet they retired on–which turns out to be Earth.
Salvo is a Tom Cruise-looking marksman and the unit leader, Katari has arm blades, Maraud is a lycan, Chalice is an enviromancer, Ridge is a giant armored beast a bit like Marvel’s Thing, Pike is an obeliscian, and Shakti is a magnetic manipulator. The art has a DC Comics New 52 vibe, maybe because it is an all-new book with all-new characters, but it also includes alien character elements that conjure Animal Man from that era. It also has a CW network/Archie Comics vibe because the characters are college-aged, and their alter egos are these young people acclimating to a new place and new way of life.
Above all it feels like the origin story for The Fantastic Four, with some Galactus, and a mix of The Imperfects or The Eternals–maybe a superhero Morning Glories. It features so many characters it’s bound to have something for everyone. This first issue is an engaging, good start.
Here’s a look inside the first issue:
And here are the cover variants:
(That bottom image is a sketch cover).
Add Free Agents to your pull list at Elite Comics or your local comic shop. Free Agents Issue #1 is in stores this Wednesday, July 3, 2024.
