Redcoat #1 has the action packed hijinks of an immortal who is fated for something more! A preview of Redcoat was in the anthology Ghost Machine #1. It is part of The Unnamed, a group of heroes who have to fight a Great Evil in The Unknown War. The figure of Redcoat carrying a rifle is central to the gatefold cover by Bryan Hitch. Revolutionary soldiers charge towards him and we see the suspicous face of Benedict Arnold, below is Annie Oakley while rampaging ape-like creatures attack Davy Crockett. Also, ter is the solemn figure of The Northener and the smug face of the young Einstein. All of these historical figures were previewed in Ghost Machine. There is a page showing the date, 1775, the beginning of the Revolutionary War.
On the night streets under a full moon, Paul Revere rides, shouting, “The redcoats are coming!” to startled townspeople. Revere is struck by a rock and topples from his horse! He is surrounded by British soldiers who mock him and then begin kicking the rider. In a closeup, we see a soldier notices a flying insect that glows green. The soldiers pause to see the glowing swarm. They start to fill the mouth of a soldier and the others who start to gag and then their heads turn to burning skulls! Revere is helped up by John Hancock who says he can continue with his message. Hancock explains that the soldiers were killed by himself using the “magicks of the Founding Fathers.” A splash page shows the bodies of the soldiers, Revere sees the circle of magic and canals of blood from their bodies. This is the tale told by the narrator.
This shifts to December 25, 1776. The time that Washington crossed the Delaware River. We see the legs of Redcoat running from a battle. He is followed by a number of men with blue coats. Redcoat explains that once they arrived they heard that colonists took in the mysticism of the natives. An episode of Twilight Zone, “Still Valley” (1961) had Confederate soldiers making the decision to use magic to win the war. A two page spread has Redcoat running on a snow field filled with Revolutionary soldiers! He calls himself a coward deserting from the battle in Trenton. Washington crossed the Delaware River to defeat mercenaries in Trenton, New Jersey. He also notes his name, Simon Pure.
This epic scene is followed by Simon hiding in a covert on the side of a hill as the soldiers rush past. At a church, Simon finds a place to sleep with his knapsack as a pillow. He is wakened by light and voices. Simon moves over to see that there is a lower basement and it moves to a closeup of his face. Hitch’s artwork is very cinematic. Simon looks below in another two page spread at a ceremony, several men in white robes and red hoods are around a bald man with glasses, Ben Franklin! He is casual about his sacrifice and hopes to be reborn. Simon slips and falls on top of the leader, Grand Architect, John Hancock? He starts to fight the cultists and the ram skull begins to glow. This strikes Simon and in another splash page, Simon is spun, multiple figures, as he screams.
Simon says he saw images of his life and the Grand Architect says to Ben Franklin that he is not worthy. A closeup of Simon bathed in blue and screaming. The roof of the church explodes with a blue light! I like the hapless accident that transforms Simon into an immortal. The basement is scoured with smoke, a great effect, and Simon says that is when he first died. The death and return is like the immortals of Highlander (1986). There is also a DC hero called Immortal Man who reincarnated into new bodies. He made his first appearance in Strange Adventures #177 (1965). Simon revives on the stone table covered by pieces of rubble and alone. This jumps ahead, Simon is not a reliable narrator, and it is November 3, 1892. He is wakened by someone who asks for the rent he owes.
Simon rushes to get dressed in his characteristic redcoat and then the landlord’s boot bashes in the door! It is instead several riflemen who want to kill him. A series of panels show him with a gun in 1790 fo killing a man’s brother, 1827 Simon killed a man’s father, the gun to his head as he is about to eat, and then 1892, bearded man, Clarence, says he killed his favorite cousin. A lifetime of murder. Obviously, Simon is being reborn, Groundhog Day (1993)-style, until he finds redemption, his courage. He pulls Charlie’s rifle forward to kick him into the other riflemen and escape. Then, we have a two page spread of Simon leaping through a window! The immortal lands on a horse drawn trolley and then leaps to the street. He is noticed by a dark haired boy speaking German calling him a “wizard.” Simon notes to himself that being immortal means he is always hungry and without money. He goes into a bar to see Betsy. She is angry at him.
In 1779, he slapped by another woman, and says that he deserves it. The honest con man and fighter with a touch of craziness is Captain Jack Sparrow. Then Simon is slapped in 1820. 1892, he is slapped by Betsy. She mentions all of the meals and drinks he hasn’t paid. She agrees to get him something placing a lamp by a window. Simon mentions their past relationship. Clarence and the other two men enter and mentions her signal to them, the lamp. She mentions that they have paid his debt. In a long panel while Betsy serves customers drinks, Simon swings a chair at his attackers. He tries to say he is going to make amends to Betsy as he has an arm around the throat of a man holding a knife! The immortal is shot by a rifle as he is also stabbed in the back! Simon hears the words of his abusive father. He is trapped in a coffin, but it is opened by the boy, who it turns out happens to be Einstein! Redcoat #1 has a boorish, accidental immortal caught in offbeat adventures through time!
Four Redcoats out of Five!
#Redcoat, #GeoffJohns #BryanHitch, #SimonPure, #PaulRevere, #JohnHancock, #BenFranklin, #AlbertEinstein, #Betsy
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