Magic, spycraft and the world of high technology meet at a crossroads, smashing into one another and getting your metaphorical peanut butter in my theoretical chocolate… Your Major Spoilers review of Red Agent #3 awaits!
RED AGENT #3
Story: Joe Brusha/Ralph Tedesco/Lou Lovino
Writer: Lou Lovino
Artist: Diego Galindo
Colorist: Grostieta
Letterer: Fabio Amelia
Editor: Jessica Rossana
Publisher: Zenescope Entertainment
Cover Price: $3.99
Previously in Red Agent: “Just when it looks like Alpha is about to gain the upper hand, Avril shows up to join the fight. She has a score to settle with Alpha, who killed her coven. Alpha slips away and Avril agrees to help Britney bring him down. Meanwhile, the Circle attempts to break into Eve’s systems for the information they need. Ditto manages to escape and attempts to hack the Circle’s mainframe, but something goes terribly wrong…”
RIGHT INTO THE THICK OF THINGS
This issue opens in mid-scene, as Avril and Britney arrive at Ditto’s hideout, using their combined magic and brainy powers to bust into his lair. Luckily for Ditto, their somewhat rude and pyrokinetic entrance comes just in time to save him from dying, as he has plugged his mind into the wrong computer network. The two women extract him, just in time to get attack by person or persons unknown, followed by the big bad, Alpha, who is only stopped by trickery on Brittney’s part. I’ll say this for Red Agent, I may not know what’s going on, but it’s all pretty whiz-bang flashbomb exciting. Some days later, Ditto awakens in a secure government facility, and reveals that his cyber-journeys have connected him with Eve, a mysterious entity who is either a computer herself or is able to interface with them as he does, and is being held captive by a man with nefarious intent who looks unexpectedly like Rusty Venture. As the issue ends, Eve’s last firewall is dismantled, and she entreats Ditto to hurry and find her, hurry and help…
SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR
The first half of this issue is a big action set-piece, featuring a car-chase, helicopter pursuits and Britney using her magic powers like super-powers, all of which I enjoy, and the pacing is quite brisk, but I can’t help but find lots of familiar elements in these pages. Certainly, there’s nothing wrong with showing your influences, but there’s a lot of Cyberpunk/Shadowrun elements in play here, and the linear nature of the issue (rescue mission, big reveal, setup for next and/or final chapter) makes the story feel a little too familiar for my tastes. From an art perspective, there’s a lot to like here, as Diego Galindo delivers on the promise of James Bond-style car chases, gadgetry and such, with a fine eye for blocking and, best of all, detailed backgrounds throughout the issue. Our main characters, Britney and Avril, are vaguely super-heroey, but not overly so, with realistic body proportions that I am very happy with and excellent facial expression throughout the issue…
THE BOTTOM LINE: A LOT OF INTERESTING CONCEPTS
In short, there’s a lot to like in these pages and there’s nothing wrong with a big action-movie setpiece. The world here is consistent, and I do like the juxtaposition of magical powers and technology as seen in these pages, and I’d be interested in seeing the next issue based on this one. Red Agent #3 plays with some familiar toys, but it does so in a likeable and engaging way, and it’s always nice to see some kickass female protagonists in a spy-movie thriller tale, leaving this issue with an above average 3 out of 5 stars overall. I’m not sure if this is an ongoing or a limited series, but there’s good art and the potential for a lot of fun stories here…
(Red Agent #3 is on sale March 30th, 2016.)
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