Today we’ve got two advance looks for you at upcoming Dark Horse releases, so check ‘er out! Mild spoilers on, of course.
FEAR AGENT #31: OUT OF STEP, PART 4
For fans of Rick Remender’s series Fear Agent, it’s crazy to think that after all these years, we’re one issue from the end. When the series started, it was a pretty simple concept: alien exterminator travels the universe, doing whatever he’s hired to do – which is mostly kill. But very quickly, Remender and company completely upturned the concept, making this book into one of the darkest journeys into a human soul ever put in the comic book page.
The logline for Fear Agent turned from “alien exterminator” to “things can always get worse…” And they did, for star Heath Huston, the Fear Agent of the title. Every time there was a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, or it would look like someone was finally there to help him battle the two alien races bent on the total annihilation of all life in the Universe, something unimaginable would happen. For fans of Remender’s writing, you know he isn’t against going to some pretty unimaginable depths, from killing The Punisher, to running Uncanny X-Force through the ringer. But you have to turn to his indie work to really see him let lose, and no character has had to deal with the full brunt of Remender’s fury like Heath.
It’s been agonizing, hopeful, and exhilarating to watch this journey, as the title changed publishers, went through a few different artists, and suffered massive delays. But it was always clear that Remender’s heart and mind were in this, looping the story back on itself in order to create a series that worked for the single issue, but more than anything, demands to be read as a whole once its done.
Nowhere is that clearer than in this, the penultimate issue of the series – and in case it isn’t clear, this is not the most new reader friendly issue of comics ever written. That said, Remender runs two tracks here: taking a breather to remind us who Heath is as a character, and why we care about him; and bringing to a close one of the main, central plots that’s plagued this series since the beginning. Essentially, he’s clearing his throat before the final assault, and its as heart-breaking, gritty, exciting, and brilliantly plotted as you’d expect from the series.
And as for where it ends? No spoilers, but as usual, just when you think things were getting good… They get worse again, setting up the last issue for a surprising climax that, at the same time, makes total sense. In essence, the set-up for the final issue of Fear Agent is where it was heading all along: tears; action; and a maybe a glimmer of hope. Fingers crossed that this time, that hope doesn’t get snuffed out… Though by now, we should know better.
Final thought time: whether Remender sticks the landing or not – and I suspect he will – Fear Agent will stand tall as one of the best, most complex, smartest, and most exciting comic book series of all time. It’s shown us everything the comic book form is capable of, and created a new classic hero in Heath Huston, a character who – thankfully – can continue in “Tales of the Fear Agent” stories for a long, long time, even if (like I suspect), he’ll meet his end next issue. I’m going to save most of my kudos for the grand finale, but suffice to say: go back, pick up every trade of Fear Agent, and stand back in wonder as you see comic book history being made.
Okay, I guess I didn’t save ALL my kudos for the finale.
Fear Agent #31 will be released on October 5th, 2011 from Dark Horse Comics. Click below to read a preview.
AXE COP: BAD GUY EARTH TPB
Briefly: I’m not going to recap how awesome a series Axe Cop: Bad Guy Earth is, mainly because I’m apparently quoted saying how awesome it is on the back cover, so there you go. But in case you missed this ridiculous, hilarious, creative series in its single issue run, you should probably run out and pick up the collected trade ASAP.
The short background info here, if you’re never heard of Axe Cop before, is that it’s a book written by a five year old, and drawn by his twenty-nine year old brother. It’s about a cop, who uses axes. That’s pretty much it! In this series, Axe Cop and his team fight some bad guys who want to use a machine to turn everyone on Earth into bad guys, so they end up questing through time and space to stop them. But way more talking animals and explosions than you’d expect.
For those who DID pick up the original series, though, there’s nearly two full comics worth of bonus features looking behind the scenes of the making of the book. There’s pin-ups, too, of course – and they are as frame able as you’d hope – but the Nicolle’s pack the volume with pictures, outlines, and rejected characters that never made it into the book. If you’ve heard the logline, and wondered how Ethan and Malachai actually collaborate, wonder no more.
So point being: buy this trade, or I’ll chop you with my axe.
Axe Cop: Bad Guy Earth will be released on September 28th, 2011 from Dark Horse Comics.
Click below to read a preview of Axe Cop: Bad Guy Earth!
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