Image Comics reviews 8/7/24 – Scarlett #3, Free Agents #2

Free Agents #2

Free Agents’ second issue isn’t quite the exposition dump as the first issue, but it still remains a challenging read. Writers Kurt Busiek and Fabian Nicieza have a good concept, but the title feels like the third or fourth volume long after the characters and personalities have been established.

In a way, the lack of handholding is refreshing and would probably work if Breakpoint 10 wasn’t such a large team. It’s not always easy to keep track of the eight characters or their powers. When the original leader, Barrage, returns after being presumed dead, the team struggles to fall in line with his tactics. Likewise, Barrage is frustrated at the team’s lack of urgency in dealing with possible incursions on Earth.

Busiek and Nicieza work in an intriguing angle with one of the team, Chalice, disobeying Barrage’s orders and ditching a mission. This straight up act of defiance isn’t the norm and makes for an interesting conflict. When it’s time to face the new threat, Busiek and Nicieza don’t adequately explain power skills and abilities. Or why Barrage is barking orders from a monitor instead of directly leading the mission.

A larger issue is the artwork from Stephen Mooney. Too often faces are too inconsistent from one panel to the next. There’s a roughness to Mooney’s work that doesn’t translate as smoothly for a superhero comic. Mooney’s style seems better suited for a noir title like The Good Asian or No/One. They require less dynamic scenes and play more into Mooney’s gritty cinematic visuals.

Triona Tree Farrell color work is solid with smart choices as to when to pump the page full of vibrant combinations. Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith’s lettering was easy to follow as well.

Free Agents is firmly standing on its potential. Busiek and Nicieza have enough goodwill to warrant more patience, but it’d be very interesting to see how the title would look with a guest artist.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10