Bang!
Matt Kindt, story; Willfredo Torres, art; Nayoung Kim & Bill Crabtree, colorists; Nate Piekos, letterer
Dark Horse Books, 2020
Matt Kindt has created a lot of comics with characters based on pulp archetypes, like the spies and secret agents in Super Spy and Mind MGMT. This is a wild ride through similar territory, populated by a secret agent with memories older than him; an aging mystery writer who mysteriously finds herself at crime scenes; an action hero with strange drugs that give him an edge in the succession of crises that seem to find him; and a cybernetically enhanced woman with an AI assistant. There is also a seemingly omnipotent terrorist organization (named Goldmaze), and a science fiction author (Philip Verge) whose books somehow predict the future.
The chapters are each introduced by a page from a Philip Verge novel, each text describing what is about to happen. The significance of these excerpts is not fully revealed at first--we see them in illustrated form in the following pages, but which came first? It turns out that all four of the principals have had experiences that make them question their history. When Verge meets secret agent Thomas Cord he doses him with a drug that allows Cord to see that he is a brainwashed killing machine codenamed "Thomas Cord," the latest in a long line. The others have also had reason to feel manipulated, as if their life choices are not their own. After an explosive climax, the team visits Verge's mansion and destroy his entire library. But Verge survived, and the final scene shows him scripting Cord's meeting with his handler, followed by "To be continued." So Cord and his team may not be as free as they think. I hope the story is continued: I would certainly read it.
Kindt's script is beautifully illustrated by co-creator Torres, along with the colorists and letterer. It's a classic visual style, with plenty of action (and associated sound effects). The collection concludes with with all covers, a sketchbook section, and pinups by Matt Kindt.
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