Publisher: Titan Comics
Release Date: March 14, 2018
Price: $16.99
Creator(s): Gordon Rennie (writer); Duke Mighten and PC De La Fuente (artists)
Format: 112 pgs., Full-Color, Trade Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-7858-6210-6
Age Rating: Teen+
ICv2 Rating: 3.5 Stars out of 5
This series is based on the character created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, far less successful than their earlier Captain America. It is an interesting tale about differences in everything from changes in thought processes over time to a discussion of the ways in which villains have been portrayed in comics.
That said, it is still kind of weird. A friendly mad scientist sends Fighting American and his teen sidekick Speedboy from 1954 into 2017, and hijinks ensue as they defeat the 50’s commie villain they were pursuing, only… that isn’t the weird part. No, things keep getting stranger and less familiar with every page, as they have to deal with everything from cell phones to female FBI agents, none of which were part of their 1950s experiences. There may be some odd cultural things coming up, since the main creators are British, so the Fighting American and American culture of two different decades as seen from outside is potentially odd.
The biggest drawback to this volume is that it is basically a setup for an ongoing series, so much of the real story doesn’t become apparent until near the end. The "gosh wow" factor might become wearing, if it doesn’t get toned down, because Fighting American is, or seems, totally oblivious to the changes that are immediately noticed by Speedboy. Also, the 1950s they came from seems much more comic bookish than the modern world they now inhabit, and that seems odd in context. I mean, if the U.S. government could create a superhero in the 1950s, why wouldn’t they keep doing it? So, maybe there’s more to the story, to be told in a future volume.
Adults will be the main audience for this story, although some teens may enjoy it as well. Lots of violence, some cartoony and some kind of creepy.
--Nick Smith: Library Technician, Community Services, for the Pasadena Public Library in California.
