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Freedom Fighters #1

Publisher: DC Comics
Writers: Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray
Artist: Travis Moore
Cover: Dave Johnson

**WARNING! Minor Spoilers Ahead!**

The Freedom Fighters are back in a new on-going series penned by the gentlemen responsible for the resurgence of other classic DC character, Jonah Hex, Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray. The roll call hasn’t changed much since the 2006 Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters series, also by Palmiotti and Gray, with good ol’ Uncle Sam at the front line with Lady Phantom, the Ray, Human Bomb, Black Condor, and Firebrand.

The opening pages of the book deliver some classic one-two punch crime fighting that shines as bright as DC’s silver age. The action doesn’t slow down through most of the book, as the Freedom Fighters take on a menacing space parasite and threatening meteorite on a collision course toward Earth. All the while a somber Uncle Sam is gathering his teammates for a government sanctioned mission involving a conspiracy dating back to the Civil War.

While the above paragraph sounds like a book packed with exciting super hero adventure, it’s all a bit uninteresting. Personally, I’m a huge fan of classic superhero tales like this, but we’re not in the 1960s anymore. The action is fun, but all the characters fall short. Rarely does any character’s personality come through. They all seem like stereotypical interchangeable costume types. Heroes like Black Condor and Firebrand are a little goofy in 2010, and a little bit of attitude really could have made them or any other member of the team really come to life.

Even though the story is lacking a bit in substance, Travis Moore’s pencils are absolutely beautiful. Each character glistens with the help of Trevor Scott and Dave Johnson’s ink and colors. Panels explode on the page and almost do a better job of telling the story than the dialog. And Phantom Lady is just plain hot.

Chances are, unless you’re a big DC fan, you’ve never heard of most of these characters, and sadly, this issue isn’t a great first impression of them. But if you’re like me and just love classic style superhero action, Freedom Fighters #1 is worth a look.

Andrew Hurst
andrewhurst@comicattack.net