REDCOAT #6, by Image Comics on 10/2/24, brings the first arc to a close (almost) with a clash of immortals aboard a ship. The outcome could burn America to ash.
Credits:
- Writer: Geoff Johns
- Artist: Bryan Hitch, Andrew Currie
- Colorist: Brad Anderson
- Letterer: Rob Leigh
- Cover Artist: Bryan Hitch, Brad Anderson (cover A)
- Publisher: Image Comics
- Release Date: October 2, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Page Count: 28
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of REDCOAT #6:
First Impressions:
All things considered, Redcoat #6 is an above-average ending (almost) to one of the more odd series from Ghost Machine. Writer Geoff Johns gives Simon Pure what he’s sorely lacked – a reason to root for him – with a climactic finish to settle the fate of America.
Plot Analysis:
When last we left the immortal Simon Pure and young Einstein in Redcoat #5, they hatched a plan with Benedict Arnold to find George Washington and draw his blood with the enchanted axe. If the plan works, Simon will be healed from the spell killing him. Unfortunately, Simon and Einstein’s plan rested on false information from the one person they should have suspected – Benedict Arnold.
In Redcoat #6, Simon Pure finds himself strapped to yet another ritual table in a secluded section of the ship. Now that Simon has been cut three times by the mystical axe, a wave of hellfire will be unleashed on America when the sun rises. Benedict Arnold and his cohorts will be safe at sea while the country burns.
Geoff Johns starts the issue by clearly laying out the stakes through Benedict Arnold’s boasts. If you think Arnold was simply misunderstood or a victim of circumstance, this issue will put those sympathies to rest.
Young Einstein sneaks aboard the ship against Simon’s wishes for him to leave town. Before Albert can think of a diversion, Simon inadvertently creates one. Sunlight, reflected off the full moon, bathes Simon in enough energy to crack open the door to Hell inside Simon’s body. Rings of bluish hellfire burst from Simon in all directions, rocking the boat and scorching Benedict’s lackeys.
Using the moon as a precursor to the country-ending apocalypse is a clever twist by Johns. It was difficult to imagine what “burning the country” looked like, but his scene gives us a taste of what’s to come and an interesting way to get Simon out of an impossible situation.
In the chaos, Albert finds the axe and lunges to attack Benedict. The waves of destructive hellfire break Simon’s chains, so he joins the fight. The issue ends with Albert figuring out a loophole in the curse, a ship-breaking boom, and the revelation that at least one of Benedict’s lies is actually true.
Overall, Redcoat #6 finishes the arc much stronger than how it started. Simon has a long way to go before he could be considered a hero, but he’s on the right path, and Geoff Johns’s tale of immortal magic has certainly grown on us.
Artwork and Presentation:
Bryn Hitch, Andrew Currie, and Brad Anderson deliver multiple wow moments in this issue to make the (almost) finale as epic as possible. The lines, perspectives, and explosive moments look fantastic, underscoring yet again that Ghost Machine prioritizes top-tier art.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
You may have noticed how we keep saying this is “almost” the finale of the arc. The last page clarifies that issue #7 is an Epilogue, presumably clarifying the role of a new character who appears on the last page. We’ll report on that issue when it is released in November.
Final Thoughts:
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REDCOAT #6 ends the first arc (minus the next issue’s epilogue) with a bang. We had our doubts about this series, based on the weak start, but Geoff Johns finishes the arc much stronger than he started. Plus, the art team’s output is stellar and consistent with the rest of the Ghost Machine titles.
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