Warning! Spoilers ahead for Redcoat #1!Fans of wildly alternative history and comedy are in for a serious treat with Image Comics and Ghost Machine’s new series, Redcoat. Simon Pure is the newest character in the Unnamed Universe to get a series and his debut does not disappoint.
Ghost Machine has brought together some of the biggest names in the comic book industry and the imprint is hitting the ground running with its first wave of comics. Redcoat might be the new kid on the block, but this new comic’s creative team has put together a title that has the potential to become a real fan-favorite.
Ghost Machine is nothing but ambitious and has been building up a universe since before the imprint was even announced. The Unnamed Universe is an interconnected world that began with Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s Geiger, the series about a radioactive hero who fights his way through a nuclear wasteland. The universe was later expanded with Junkyard Joe, a series about a mysterious robot soldier who fought alongside the United States Army in the Vietnam War. Both series in the Unnamed Universe touched on war and the effects it has on soldiers.
After the imprint was officially announced, Ghost Machine and Image Comics gave fans a better look at what to expect from the new line of comics with Ghost Machine #1. The sampler not only provided a refresher on series like Geiger, it provided a timeline of the grander Unnamed Universe, giving readers an idea of just how wide-ranging this universe was. Ghost Machine #1 also provided a look at Redcoat, aka Simon Pure, and how he fit into this wild new universe.
Redcoat is an immortal who once served as a soldier in the British army in the 1700s. However, at some point, Pure became an immortal and later a mercenary, leading him to live a life where he’d wind up meeting some of the most famous figures in history such as Benedict Arnold, Davy Crockett, Annie Oakley, and even Einstein. Redcoat’s powers don’t mean he can’t die, he just comes back to life after a short period. Redcoat also has a nasty habit of making enemies out of everyone he meets.
Redcoat #1 by Geoff Johns, Bryan Hitch, Andrew Currie, Brad Anderson, and Rob Leigh kicks off in 1775 as Paul Revere rides through the streets warning of the coming Redcoats. Unfortunately, his message comes too late as he’s attacked by a swath of British officers. But things quickly turn in Revere’s favor as the soldiers are attacked by magic fireflies summoned by John Hancock. Hancock reveals that thanks to the Founding Fathers’ magic powers, the tide of war will turn in the patriots’ favor.
A year later, British soldier Simon Pure runs for his life as he’s hunted by Americans. He hides in a church, where he discovers a magic ritual is being performed on Benjamin Franklin. However, Pure accidentally botches the ritual and the power meant to be transferred to Franklin is given to Pure instead. The power is too much and causes a massive explosion in the church, which kills Simon. But sometime later, Pure wakes up, the first of many resurrections for the man who’d become known as Redcoat.
In the late 1800s, Simon is a deadbeat on the run from dozens of people who want him dead. However, a bright young German man spots Redcoat and starts to follow him. After Simon is killed in a bar fight, he wakes up while his coffin is being dug up by a young Albert Einstein. Einstein attempts to recruit Redcoat to stop a “great evil”, but before Simon can tell the young man ‘no’, the two are surrounded by the magic order Redcoat interrupted over a century ago.
Ghost Machine released several other titles in its first big wave, and none of them are funnier than Redcoat. This series knows exactly what it is, a lighthearted story that’s out to make its audience laugh, which it does thanks to its central character. Redcoat is reminiscent of characters like John Constantine, a morally flexible jackass who can’t help but get himself into trouble thanks to his unique powers and way of living. Redcoat’s a fun character and he stands out compared to the more serious protagonists found in Geiger or Rook: Exodus.
It’s a bold choice to present the Founding Fathers as a magic and powerful cabal, but it makes for a hell of an opening chapter. From the get-go, fans know that this story is going to be something different. Geoff Johns gets a lot of mileage out of using real-world figures like Ben Franklin or Albert Einstein. The prospect of Redcoat making enemies or allies out of other famous people in future issues is an intriguing one (especially if they’re also given a sinister, magic makeover).
The issue’s inkers, Bryan Hitch and Andrew Currie do a fantastic job of illustrating this book. Simon is a wildly expressive individual, which makes the shenanigans he gets into even more entertaining. But the art is also extremely captivating during the issue’s many magic scenes, such as when Redcoat gains his immortality and the page displays Simon in a recursive pattern. Brad Anderson more than pulls his weight on colors and gives these scenes just the right touch of color to make Redcoat #1 feel like a magic experience.
Ghost Machine is coming out the gate strong with multiple titles and more on the way. From the very first page, Redcoat #1 finds its voice with a unique blend of comedy, magic and historical mischief. While not as serious as some of the other titles, Redcoat #1 plays to its strengths and sets up a fun exciting world that’s undoubtedly got more surprises in the near future. Fans looking for something with action that’s downright fun need look no further than Image Comics and Ghost Machine’sRedcoat #1.
Redcoat #1 is available now from Ghost Machine and Image Comics.