Ghost Machine is a new comic book venture that was announced in 2023 by several established and well known comic book creators, although Geoff Johns and Bryan Hitch are the two creators that we’ll be talking about today. The company is designed to act as a publishing co-operative where the writers and artists own their respective properties within a shared universe and publish their books through Image Comics.
This week saw the release of several of their books and I picked “Redcoat” #1, mostly because it combines my three great loves: comics, history, and violence.
Let’s see if the book will make me happy, or break my heart.
Written by Geoff JohnsCover by: Bryan Hitch
Illustrated by Bryan Hitch
Colored by Brad Anderson
Lettered by Rob Leigh
SERIES PREMIERE
Immortal. Mercenary. Kind of a tool. Meet Simon Pure, the newest UNNAMED hero, created by comic all-stars GEOFF JOHNS and BRYAN HITCH. British redcoat and all-around rogue, Simon mysteriously became immortal in 1776 after a run-in with the clandestine cabal known as the Founding Fathers, which included George Washington, John Hancock, and many other prominent American Revolutionary War leaders. Since that fateful day, Simon has led a life of adventure and avarice, rubbing elbows (and sometimes fists) with many of history’s most renowned figures, including his nemesis Benedict Arnold, Albert Einstein, Annie Oakley, and many more. One thing they all agree on: they never want to see him again! But what are the true origins and extent of Simon’s power and the mysterious organization behind them? And how has it secretly shaped America and the world? Simon’s on a quest to find out!
“Redcoat” #1 is set in a world where the American Revolution wasn’t necessarily won by force of arms, but by strange magic controlled by the Founding Fathers. The main character is a British soldier named Simon Pure, who appears to be the worst soldier in his majesty’s army, but stumbles into the path of history when he accidentally disrupts a magical rite that was attempting to make Benjamin Franklin immortal.
Yes, really.
The comic follows Simon’s exploits (which are more like misadventures) through the decades until it stops in 1892, where he meets a young Albert Einstein to stop some great evil.
Seriously, all of this happens in the comic.
“Redcoat” #1 is co-created by Geoff Johns and Brian Hitch with Johns writing the script. Johns has been working in comic books for a while now and “Redcoat” #1 has all the hallmarks of someone who knows the medium and can craft a great story. On a macro level, Johns does a great job of creating a world that is both familiar, yet different. There are plenty of story moments and characters that readers will recognize from their American history classes that do a great job of grounding the comic amid a lot of weird, secret society shenanigans and dark magic. It’s interesting and kind of refreshing to have a re-imagining of the American Revolution where the plucky American rebels are the ones controlling dark magic with unknown but probably sinister intent.
However, since the premise of having an immortal warrior fight through time against unknown and near omnipotent enemy is pretty well worn territory these days, a book like “Redcoat” #1 will live or die in the details and character development, and Johns not only delivers, but makes it a highlight of the book. Simon Pure is the least heroic hero you could possibly ask for and he’s the kind of guy who doesn’t bother to improve himself or his station in life. He is perfectly content with drinking and womanizing his way through history, and the book leverages that with some pretty humorous results. Johns also does a good job of adding little details that make Simon more interesting. For example, Simon can never feel full no matter how much he eats and he always has strange dreams whenever he “dies” and comes back to life. All of this is told through an extended inner monologue that is a lot of fun to read and provides some really engaging and interesting moments for readers to enjoy.
“Redcoat” #1 doesn’t have too many problems, but it’s worth considering that the book doesn’t seem interested in taking itself too seriously and spends a lot of time reveling in the mishaps and exploits of the main character. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just that this book is over 30 pages, presents a world where the Founding Fathers are wizards who stole dark magic, and it all feels glossed over in the name of allowing Simon Pure to continue acting like a charlatan and a fool. To be clear, this is still a very good book and it presents the reader with some intriguing mysteries that may be answered in the future, it’s just that this is a minor thing that some readers may not like.
The artwork for “Redcoat” #1 is provided by Bryan Hitch, who has been drawing superhero comics for so long that his art style is nearly synonymous with the art you see in books from the Big Two at the moment. It’s good art that doesn’t take any risks. Everything is clear and easy to understand, it looks realistic without dipping into the uncanny valley, and everything looks pretty historically accurate and makes sense. Hitch does deserve special mention for how he shows the magic and mystical parts of the comic, which are weird in a fun way and evoke a lot of old time pulp and Golden Age comic book magic and mysticism. The artwork does take its time with narrative pacing and there are quite a few double pages spreads that make the book a bit difficult to read, but the slow pacing can be chalked up to the Hitch being given a lot of space with the large page count and the double page spreads work better when you actually have the book in your hands as opposed to reading it on a screen one page at a time. There really isn’t that much to say about the art other than it’s solid, functional, and it’s clear that the creators are having a lot of fun.
“Redcoat “ #1 is a fun romp through early American history featuring one of the least qualified heroes in all of comics. It’s got some great character moments and lays the foundation for an interesting setting with some good world building and solid art.
Final Verdict: 8.9 – A weird and interesting take on American history that puts character first and isn’t afraid to have fun with itself.
