Writer: Rick Remender
Artist: Tony Moore
Publisher: Dark Horse
Price: $13.95
Heath Houston is a down-on-his luck alien exterminator, whose primary goal in life (besides getting paid) is getting a drink. Formerly a ‘Fear Agent’ - an elite group of humans who fought against alien invasions - he now roams the galaxy dealing with trouble using guns, brawn and a Texan wise-crack or two.
Events take a turn for the (even) worse for Heath though when he finds himself caught up in a nefarious plot to destroy Earth, involving an old threat that laid waste to the Fear Agents and destroyed Heath’s own life in the process.
Originally published by Image Comics and now collected by Dark Horse, Fear Agent is an homage to those pulp-sf tales of the 1950’s, full of giant menacing robots, wild ape-men and killer brains.
The line between homage and cliché is tread - for the most part - quite well, with a slightly shaky start before things pick up pace and the story zips along nicely. The tech aspect of space-based science-fiction is bypassed in favour of plot twists, cliff hangers and old-fashioned adventurin’ as our rough-around-the-edges hero kicks several shades of extra-terrestrial backside with verve.
Houston himself is a sort-of hybrid of no-nonsense space heroes such as Han Solo and Malcolm Reynolds (of Firefly), engaging in reckless acts of bravado and encountering all sorts of creatures in the process. The story works best when it avoids the standard Trekkie clichés and focuses just on the action. The artwork is dynamic and colourful, with Tony Moore’s artwork invoking a cartoon grittiness.
This first volume ends with an expected cliffhanger, and is entertaining enough throughout to make you want to read on.
Mo Ali was born in a haunted hospital and has exceeded all expectations and kept breathing.
A digital artist, poet and writer, he needs to find some paid work before the inevitable apocalypse. To make matters worse he lives in Berkshire.