Nobody will win with fear – review of the comic book “Fear Agent”, vol. 3

Can one man, even the most desperate one, save humanity? Or maybe it has the power to destroy it? Can the decisions of one person determine the shape of the whole of existence? Is a Lone Space Agent that important?

Heath Huston is an Agent of Fear. Agents of Fear are seemingly ordinary units who, thanks to their dedication and ferocity, are among the most dangerous fighters in the universe, and spend most of their lives fighting. Unfortunately, Heath made several wrong decisions in his life, which not only resulted in the almost complete destruction of humanity, but also in the shape of the entire universe. Will he be able to overcome adversities and fix all his mistakes with time travel? Is there a chance to win against an opponent who also has the ability to correct the past, but also has almost unlimited resources? For Huston, who has already lost everything he loved and what he believed, there is nothing left but to take advantage of any, even the smallest chance.

What are you afraid of?

Rick Remender has created a pulp story about a space agent whose adventures refer to such classics as Flash Gordon . However, the screenwriter colored them with a lot of sadness and desperation. The protagonist experiences new crises and loses the motivation to act. In the end, however, it comes to a point where, apart from the motivation itself, there is absolutely nothing left in his life. This is not a motivating motive, but it makes the character fuller and more credible. It is true that it is difficult to find here reflections on the meaning of life and psychological arguments – Fear Agentbecause it focuses on fast action and colorful explosions. Huston travels through space and time, meeting the weirdest races. The small amounts of realism that Remender smuggles onto the pages of his comic book only add to its specific atmosphere. The protagonist is not indifferent to the misfortunes that happen to him, he falls into alcoholism and experiences successive breakdowns. As a result, she is unlikely to become a role model, but the Fear Agent series has never suggested that it is aimed at a younger audience.

How do Fear Agents work?

Remender, as in the previous parts, puts the hero, not very oriented in the situation, in the middle of a cosmic turmoil. Only now are the secrets revealed, the knowledge of which could change the choices made by him earlier, and thus – prevent the extermination of the inhabitants of countless planets, confusion in the stream of time or many other side effects of playing with the higher forces. The pieces placed on the board in the previous volumes are now consistently knocked down from it, in order to lead to the inevitable conclusion. It is hard to say that the events were particularly surprising (despite the pressure and speed of action), but the plot rather consistently strives for the previously planned ending.

What do Agents look like?

Tony Moore and Jerome Opeña were responsible for the graphics. The classic comic book line is just right for the atmosphere of the story. Slightly schematic graphics oscillating between realism and simplified symbolism well reflect not only the fast action, but also humorous and dramatic fragments. Moving from delicate contours to aggressive spots and lines in moments of danger (i.e. quite numerous) gives an expressive effect, thanks to which the reader can easily empathize with the plot. It is hard to expect beautiful artistic frames, but the style used perfectly represents the essence of the comic, thanks to which it constitutes a closed whole.

The third, final, collective volume was published in a way that Polish fans got used to by the Non Stop Comics publishing house. Soft binding, high-quality paper as well as printing and large volume give an effect pleasing to the eye. Adding a professional translation to it, it is difficult to find any shortcomings.

Is it worth being an Agent?

The finale of Fear Agent’s story presents a similar level to the previous volumes. The reigning fast action, extraordinary space races and half-unexpected twists make fans of pulp fantasy stories feel satisfied after reading. There will be no moral debates here, at most penetration into the psyche of a broken man, but the number of shots from laser pistols, crashed spaceships and other similar attractions effectively fills the pages of the comic. So you can go ahead and plunge into a crazy world of adventure, bloodthirsty aliens and dizzying twists.