Superstar and Radiant Black have arrived to make sure that the Free Agents are on the up and up. It’s a shame that Barrage has no interest in listening to their concerns. Your Major Spoilers review of Free Agents #4 from Image Comics awaits!
FREE AGENTS #4
Writer: Kurt Busiek and Fabian Nicieza
Artist: Stephen Mooney
Colorist: Triona Tree Farrell
Letterer: Richard Starkings and Comicraft’s Tyler Smith
Editor: Kel Symons
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 2, 2024
Previously in Free Agents: A very public confrontation with Superstar in Los Angeles results in the arrival of Radiant Black! With the eyes of the world on them, the Free Agents want to stop the fight, but Barrage would rather not!
Will they team up after they fight? Yeah, probably.
It is comics, after all.
ALIEN TECH? THIS CALLS FOR A SPECIALIST!
The last issue’s tussle with Superstar got the attention of not only the authorities, but also the Midwestern superhero (and possessor of alien technology, with a special interest in keeping it out of the hands of others), Radiant Black. His attempts to analyze and/or confiscate Pike’s staff, The Xozier, lead to an awkward confrontation (“My gifts were earned, Radiant. Were yours?”) and gives a real criminal time to steal it out from beneath their noses. Between Pike’s mystical senses and the tracking devices of the Free Agents, they are able to find the Xozier… in Brazil! In a very short time, Ms. DeVault and her… uhhh… vault are under attack by NINE super-powered beings, which is never a good idea when you’re storing the kind of equipment that can literally render a planet lifeless.
So, that’s bad.
SLOWLY BUT SURELY
My frustrations with issues two and three are brought a bit to the forefront here, with Salvo finally standing up to Barrage and calling him out on his belligerence since arriving on Earth. Being able to play the generally pleasant All-American Superstar and the somewhat surly Radiant Black allows Pike to take center stage, with Ridge also getting some attention. Perhaps my favorite part of the issue is Pike calmly explaining to Radiant Black (whom I’m assuming is Marshall, by the way, though I’m not sure when this falls in his particular timelines) without resorting to as much comic-style bluster or posturing. It’s a moment made even stronger by the art, which gives us a one-page summary of how Pike was empowered. There’s also a half-page splash of Barrage trying to battle both the guest stars at once, which would make a pretty impressive poster of him if one ever wanted such a thing. I’m not quite as enamored of the coloring, which mutes the reds and blues enough to neutralize most of the effect of Superstar’s red, white, and blue costume.
BOTTOM LINE: SHAPING UP NICELY
Of course, his actions at the end of the issue seem to make that less likely, but even with that ominous note, Free Agents #4 is an entertaining read, with strong art, important character moments, and a couple of hooks for upcoming issues earning it 3.5 out of 5 stars overall. With two or three Free Agents yet to get their time in the spotlight, this might be an excellent time for a new reader to get in on the fun.
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FREE AGENTS #4
The Free Agents do the old reliable "Meet, Fight, Team-Up" routine, but it still works, thanks to well-done art and an interesting cast of characters.
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Writing7
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Art8
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Coloring7
Once upon a time, there was a young nerd from the Midwest, who loved Matter-Eater Lad and the McKenzie Brothers... If pop culture were a maze, Matthew would be the Minotaur at its center. Were it a mall, he'd be the Food Court. Were it a parking lot, he’d be the distant Cart Corral where the weird kids gather to smoke, but that’s not important right now... Matthew enjoys body surfing (so long as the bodies are fresh), writing in the third person, and dark-eyed women. Amongst his weaponry are such diverse elements as: Fear! Surprise! Ruthless efficiency! An almost fanatical devotion to pop culture! And a nice red uniform.