New comics imprint Ghost Machine has come out swinging this week with new series like Geiger, Rook: Exodus, and Redcoat. Each series is co-created by Geoff Johns, with an all-star artist attached. With Redcoat, fans are in for a fast-paced story co-created by Bryan Hitch, mixing history and sci-fi while introducing a bold new mythic hero. It’s the kind of story you could easily see translated to the big screen, and it’s enjoyable in every way for fans of comics.
Redcoat opens in 1775, but before you start snoring and thinking this is a historically accurate tale with boring facts, think again. From the start, Johns and Hitch have a crackerjack main character who talks fast and acts even faster. Captions bring us into the story after he’s rescued by Mr. Hancock. Right off the bat, you can see the creators playing fast and loose with historical figures. Brace yourself for a certain B. Franklin, popping up shortly.
Named Simon Pure, we soon learn our protagonist is more of a coward than a hero and troublemaker. The story moves at a fast clip as captions catch us up, and that breezy speed keeps the fantastical elements at the edges, which helps increase your interest. Answers are around the corner, but Simon needs to escape a bar wench who seeks payment, or else! His attitude is not unlike Martin Riggs in Lethal Weapon, only he’s a coward.
Simon gets pretty beat up early on.
Credit: Marvel
What’s extra tantalizing about this tale is the familiar names. It reminded me of Jonathan Hickman’s S.H.I.E.L.D. series, as it plays fast and loose with historical figures, some of whom had magical powers. It’s like a lost history that amplifies the rather drab or boring past and makes it far more interesting. Without the historical elements, this story would feel too similar to other immortal characters we’ve seen in media.
Art by Hitch is exceptional, with inks by Hitch and Andrew Currie and colors by Brad Anderson. If you’re familiar with Hitch’s style, you’ll feel right at home with the storytelling here. He’s always good for an opportune close-up with incredible detail in backgrounds and costuming. It’s astounding how much detail Hitch puts into panels with many characters in each panel.
The fast pace is infectious as you read, with clever use of montage and smash cuts to keep things moving along. When Simon faces imminent death, the captions set up a nice two panel montage of other times he’s had a gun pointed at him, for instance.
Redcoat #1 is a fast-paced joyride as we meet a protagonist that’s not so much a hero, but maybe he’s on a path to become one. The immortal hero trope has had many attempts over the years, but here Redcoat mixes history and the unknown for a tantalizing start. It’s a fun escapist historical fiction story worth exploring.
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