Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters

Spinning off from the Infinite Crisis 'Battle for Bludhaven' storyline, this 2017 miniseries reboots the original residents of Earth-10, Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters. In this retooled DC Universe, Uncle Sam gathered a group of heroes to battle Hitler and his Axis forces during World War II. With the war won for the Allies, the team disbanded and Uncle Sam disappeared. 

Jump ahead to a post-9/11 world. The government has literally become Big Brother thanks to the launch of OMAC. Superheroes have become vigilantes, what with Wonder Woman's killing of Maxwell Lord and Black Adam's new leadership role in Kahndaq. A shadow agency orders Uncle Sam found and brought in. The symbol of American freedom has been declared a domestic terrorist and public enemy #1. 

Okay- here's problem #1. Uncle Sam was murdered during the Infinite Crisis. When did he come back? And if he's really dead, why do these government spooks think he's behind all of this?

Obviously, Uncle Sam is alive and in hiding. But no word as to if he really died or faked his own death or what...

Right away, Uncle Sam knows who is behind his apprehension. But he'll need proof in order to sway the public to his side. One-by-one, Uncle Sam recruits the legacies of the original Freedom Fighters, many of which reflect the wrongs and injustices that stain the legacy of the United States. There's a gay hero. Someone from a Native American tribe. Even a couple of women. But no Asian or African Americans make up this new team. It doesn't seem very diverse. But hopefully with this slice of Americana behind Uncle Sam, albeit an incomplete slice, he'll be able to redeem his beloved country before outside forces infiltrating the American government bring the US of A down to it's knees permanently. 

I hated this book. Not because of wokeness or anything like that. It was just a jumbled mess. I think both Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti loved the source material, the Freedom Fighters of the 1970s and 80s. But they tried too hard to make things relevant. Thus, the plot got lost in this checklist of things the creative pair tried to mark off. The real villains behind this coup against the American government is a group of baddies that I am a really big fan of. And yet, they are so poorly used in this. If some old Nazi villain would have been the man behind the curtains, it might have saved the story. Not by much. But a defeated Nazi looking for revenge would have been more plausible than who was really lurking in the shadows. 

One thing that does redeem the book is the art. Daniel Acuna's pencils and inks are just divine. Imagine the paints and use of light of Alex Ross married with the inks and framework of the Allreds. That's how good this art is. 

I just hate that the story is far less superior. 

Not Worth Consuming!

Rating: 3 out of 10 stars.

U.S. (Uncle Sam) #2

   

   Last issue, Sam was covered in the blood of those who fought for America’s freedom. All of a sudden in this issue, it appears all of that is forgotten. I feel like the cliff hanger was a huge let down.

   The second chapter was also confusing as he is visited by the living embodiments of pass republics that are no longer at their peak. It’s not that I don’t know who is who. It’s just every one of the characters speaks in riddles.

   The conclusion is which Uncle Sam battles his successor, however, is epic. The imposter Sam is made up of the media and each screen on his television cloak looks like an actual still from the shows in which they were inspired. Yet, it’s all paintings here.

   Alex Ross is a master and it’s his masterful touch that keeps this second chapter from bringing the whole work down into the ranks of not being worth consuming.

   I loved the first chapter and I enjoyed chapter two. I give the entire work as a whole a rating of 8/10 stars.

   Worth Consuming.

   Issue 2 rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

U. S. Uncle Sam #1

A homeless man with patriotic delusions of grandeur, may or may not be Uncle Sam; the living embodiment of America’s freedom. As he leaps from historic event to historic event, our hero learns that the ideals of our forefathers have become flawed because they too were flawed.

The real price of admission is the amazing Alex Ross art. Each character has depth, emotion, and life. His paintings are near picture perfect as reflected in his antique store scenes where each nic-nac has their own texture, reflection, and shadow. Awesome stuff! He’s my favorite artist by far!

Worth Consuming

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.