Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters (Vol. 1) #2
Originally Presented at Comixtreme.com on August 28, 2006.
Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Arresting America
Uncle Sam builds the Freedom Fighters!
Writers: Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti
Art: Daniel Acuna
Colors: Javi Mounts
Letters: Rob Leigh
Editor: Tom Palmer Jr.
Cover Art: Daniel Acuna
Publisher: DC Comics
With the Battle For Bludhaven miniseries basically serving as a prologue for this title, it feels like it’s taken much longer to get to this point than it really has. The trip feels pretty natural, though. As Doll Man and his crew descend on Uncle Sam, Sam has a plan of his own, a plan to build a new Freedom Fighters and a plan to take back his country.
Palmiotti and Gray do a good job on all counts with this issue. They make the threat seem genuine without getting particularly heavy-handed in a political sense, which isn’t easy to do. More importantly, they do a great job of establishing the characters here. Sam is more than just an elder statesman, he’s a sort of guru, a wise old man on the mountain. The things he knows about each of the characters and the way he pushes their buttons doesn’t feel manipulative, it feels like he’s just showing them the way. He feels more like a guide than a leader, and that’s a very interesting take.
Daniel Acuna, known throughout the DCU for his covers, does a decent job on the interiors. Some of his characters look a little awkward, but I suspect they suffer more in comparison to his cover work than they do on their own merits. His work is solid, it’s just that when he has the time he puts into a cover, it comes across a bit better.
Overall, it’s another good turn from Palmiotti and Gray. These guys are real workhorses, and I’m rarely disappointed in what they bring us.
Rating: 8/10