Fear Agent

Fear Agent is a new Image comic book from the mind of Rick Remender. Rick also writes Strange Girl (also from Image) and I like the snappy dialogue evident in his stories. However, Rick Remender wasn't what drew me to this book, it was artist Tony Moore. There's something about Tony Moore's art that I like. I can't exactly pinpoint it but I've enjoyed his artwork on Battle Pope and The Walking Dead. There has only been three issues of Fear Agent but I definitely like what I see.

Fear Agent features Heath Hudson. Hudson is a Fear Agent or an alien exterminator. Fear Agents were once known across the galaxy for driving off alien invaders from Earth. Presently, there are no more Fear Agents save Heath Hudson. Fear Agent is the ongoing tales of Heath Hudson, the last Fear Agent.

The first issue of the series has Hudson battling some primitive, ape-like species who suddenly started gaining intelligence. It seems that a huge alien brain has been controlling them. The artwork is amazing and the story fast-paced and exciting. Remender wanted to revive the old science fiction comics and I think he's done an amazing job. There's lots of mystery, suspense and thrilling action. There's not too much of the dark, gritty characterization that plagues so many comic books nowadays. Heath seems to be a simple guy doing his job, exterminating aliens. Sometimes a simple character is all you need to tell great stories.

With three issues, Hudson has gone from battling a giant brain to a space station to battling a city filled with robots. How cool is that? I think Tony Moore's art is perfect for this type of comic book. Moore seems to have an incredible imagination and it definitely shows with his work on Fear Agent. If Remender continues to write fun stories like these, then I will definitely continue to pick up Fear Agent, even if Moore leaves.

Obviously I'm recommending this to anyone who likes reading fun comic books. Marvel's comic books try too hard to be serious (with the exception of NextWave), while DC is in the midst of a company-wide relaunch of their titles. There aren't too many sci-fi comic books out there and I'm glad that Image managed to pick this up. Read Rick Remender's Fear Agent! If you don't, Heath Hudson will find you and zap you with his ray-gun!

Dragoncrypt