CBI Archive
Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters #1 Review
- by Brian Cronin
- in Comic Reviews
Saturday, July 19th, 2003 at 12:20 AM EST
Updated: Wednesday, July 19th, 2006 at 3:59 AM EST
Writing a comic based on the ideas of Grant Morrison is an interesting situation for a writer (or writerS) to be in. On the one hand, who would pass up a chance to work on a comic based on ideas that Grant Morrison, the preeminent “idea man” in superhero comics, came up with? On the other hand, it is putting yourself in a lose-lose situation. People will likely give Morrison credit for the good stuff, while giving the writers the blame for the bad parts.
Oddly enough, that’s exactly what happens in Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters #1, which, as an introduction issue, is fun to read mainly because it is essentially just stating Morrison’s ideas for the characters, which are quite fun. Where Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray take the characters from HERE will be all on them, and it will be interesting to see if they can capitalize on the promise shown in this first issue.
Quickly enough, here are capsule summaries of each main member
- Phantom Lady, daughter of a Senator, Paris Hilton as a superhero
- Doll Man, if G. I. Joe was a real person without growing in size
- Human Bomb, relying on “nanoganics” to keep him from just flat-out exploding, killing everyone around him.
- The Ray, cub reporter who gained powers after studying a comet’s approach to Earth.
And they all work for SHADE, Super Human Advanced Defense Executive.
Now, is that a cool sounding book or what?
Meanwhile, DC is bringing their rising exterior star, Daniel Acuña, on to interiors, and he does a surprisingly good job (I was afraid his painted style would look too stitled inside). While he has a SLIGHT problem with making the movements of each character seem fluid, it’s a lot better than I expected, and more than made up for by the boldness of his paints. Javi Mountes’ colors basically just follow up how Acuña’s style is designed for, so that was fine.
Although, is Father Time a Morrison creation, as well? Because he is awfully lame. His super-lameness really dragged the issue down for me. Luckily, he is not THAT big of a prescence in the comic. I want him gone, and quick.
The sooner Uncle Sam is leading these folks as the new Freedom Fighters, the better. And what a cool ending. Major coolness.
All in all, I would recommend the comic, with the reservation being that Father Time is majorly lame.
9 Comments
moose n squirrel
July 19, 2006 at 8:50 am
People will likely give Morrison credit for the good stuff, while giving the writers the blame for the bad parts.
As happened with the Atom, where apparently almost all of the first issue was Gail Simone’s stuff, down to the tiny aliens who mind-control dogs, but a substantial portion of the reviews concerned themselves with “How well is Simone dealing with a Morrison idea?” and “You can just tell an idea like the dogs started with Morrison!” I suspect any actual involvement Morrison had in this is really very slight, and that DC is playing it up as much as possible because they know Morrison has a rabid fan base.
muldertp
July 19, 2006 at 11:12 am
Isn’t Father Time the villain in that US prestige-format series? It’s been awhile since I checked it out.
moose n squirrel
July 19, 2006 at 11:26 am
“Isn’t Father Time the villain in that US prestige-format series?”
Not if that’s the one I’m thinking of - the Vertigo series by Alex Ross. The villain in that one is another, more corrupt version of Uncle Sam.
Elio García
July 19, 2006 at 1:58 pm
What ever happened to the previous Ray? I vaguely recall him being hooked up to Alex Luthor’s battery thingamagig in Infinite Crisis. Was he killed, or is he just MIA?
muldertp
July 19, 2006 at 3:33 pm
“Not if that’s the one I’m thinking of - the Vertigo series by Alex Ross. The villain in that one is another, more corrupt version of Uncle Sam.”
All I’ve read of this so far is the Brave New World preview, but in that it seemed like Father Time was the corrupt version of Uncle Sam (at least the way he acts, even if it doesn’t look like the same design. At least that’s what the preview seemed to be getting at. Of course, I haven’t read the first issue yet, so I couldn’t make a judgment for sure.
Brian Cronin
July 19, 2006 at 4:38 pm
People thought that the scenes in Atom were Morrison-esque?
Really?
Because I didn’t see that at ALL. All I thought Morrison contributed there was “Chinese former student inherits Ray’s classes and his costume,” which IS a very good, if simple, idea.
Otherwise, none of that issue seemed to me like something Morrison would write.
Bill Reed
July 19, 2006 at 8:56 pm
Father Time was cool in Seven Soldiers: Frankstein, like a non-Ultimate black Nick Fury. But he changes his appearance every year, apparently, like Doctor Who.
Typo Lad
July 20, 2006 at 5:25 am
Hnh.
So The Ray and Phantom Lady now have the same exact Origins as the Golden Age versions?
I wonder how that jibes with the recent revalations in Manhunter?
stepphen cade
July 21, 2006 at 8:59 pm
Hmm, I was never a fan of Grant Morrison’s work.
I fail to see the fuss people make about him.
So I wouldn’t be one to do the lose/lose scenario.