New Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters # 1 Review
Authors: Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti
Art: Renato Arlem
Colors: Rob Schawger
Cover: Dave Johnson
No it's not really call New Uncle Sam, but it's the new series with the same name. I guess I could have called it volume 2, but New just sounds so Marvelous! Anyway, because you demanded it! That's right you! I guess I kind of demanded it too by buying the trade. It's the return of Uncle Sam and his band of Freedom Fighters, but it's a return that comes a little too late. Why you ask? Well they missed out on all the action of Amazons Attack! Lucky them I say.
While the Amazons were on the rag and destroyed the White House we find out that the Freedom Fighters were fighting a swarm of intelligent bugs in space. Red Bee was captured by these bugs and put into some kind of cocoon. When she finally gets out her skin is darker and she's sporting some hot antennas. She communicates with the queen of these bugs and tricks her into letting her and her team mates go. Uncle Sam senses that there is a bigger storm coming and tips his hat. That one panel reminded of Fatal Fury the motion picture with Terry's inner monologue. The president decides to make the Freedom Fighters the frontline against domestic threats just in case a bunch of crazy women decide to take Washington DC again. It seems that there will be more of a change to come for Red Bee with that last page and some dark times for the rest of the group.
I think that Arlem's style fits this book better than Acuna's and it his heavy inks definitely flatter the story more than his work on Silver Surfer. The only thing he really needs to tighten up is his facial features, but that would be my only gripe about the art. Speaking of art, I am fond of that simplistic yet catchy cover by Johnson. I really enjoyed the previous miniseries it was a fun way of mixing politics and old characters and putting them in a modern era. Overall it was a fun issue that dragged a bit in the middle, but kept my interest from beginning to end. I'm curious to see where this story takes us and see who makes it out alive. B+
