Local Man, for me, is one of the best superhero debuts of the year. The comic has done an amazing job of delivering new characters and story but integrated in a way with the rich superhero history of Image Comics. Presented as a flip book, each issue delivers two stories, one the more modern, and the other delivering some history and background that has to do with the main story. Local Man #6 keeps that up as Jack Xaver must figure out what to do next and trouble comes calling in multiple ways.

Written by Tim Seeley and Tony Fleecs, Local Man #6 dives right into the impact of the first arc. The death of the beloved Camo Crusader has driven a conspiracy that threatens the town. Then there’s the death of a girl who has drowned… on dry land. And Jack is still legally not allowed to be a superhero. It makes it a little difficult for him to do what needs to be done.

Seeley and Fleecs keep on delivering an interesting character in Jack who is both very good at what he does, generally wants to do the right thing, but also kind of scummy. We learned of his affair in the first arc and this arc continues his ways as he’s now sleeping with the police chief’s wife. It’s hard to cheer for Jack but at the same time, you kind of want to. Kind of.

The issue sets things up quite well and the conspiracy theory concept feels like it’s timely and fits right at home in our current mess of a world. There’s also a nice sadness and weight you feel from the characters about what happened with Camo Crusader.

In the flip story, we meet Inga whose boyfriend just skipped town to join a superhero team. You can guess who that is… As I said above, these snippets are great in that they deliver a lot of backstory that come into play later in the comic.

The art is split between Fleecs and Seeley with each handling one story and they’re joined by Brad Simpson and Felipe Sobreiro on color. The comic looks great as always with a style that feels a bit like classic Image superhero comics but also a bit modern as well. The visuals really emphasize the more humorous aspects of the comic showing it doesn’t take itself too seriously. There’s visuals that’ll just get you to pause and laugh. The two stories are very distinctive as their visual styles are so different but it really works well.

Local Man #6 continues the solid series. The next arc looks interesting and should be intriguing to see where it goes, especially when it comes to the greater Image superhero universe. If you haven’t been reading this series, it’s not too late and highly recommended.

Story: Tim Seeley, Tony Fleecs Art: Tim Seeley, Tony Fleecs Color: Brad Simpson, Felipe Sobreiro
Story: 8.15 Art: 8.15 Overall: 8.15 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – Kindle

This is it! A clue has lead Local Man, aka Crossjack, to an abandoned quarry where the truth of the murders and what’s going on is sort of revealed!? Conflict has been building to this as the veil is lifted and in the past we find out why Camo Crusader hate Crossjack so much! Local Man #4 puts a lot of the pieces of the puzzle together as a clearer picture is formed.

Tony Fleecs with color by Brad Simpson handles Crossjack’s story in the modern day. Crossjack has kind of stumbled upon what’s going on and that continues here playing off the fact he’s really only good at one thing. And we get an idea of what has been going on and why villains are being murdered in a small town. It all kind of works, with an explanation you just kind of need to roll with and feels rather 90s villain in a way. So, it fits the comic quite well.

There’s some issues with this particular part of the comic with some things just not explained, like the cop just happening to get into the facility and a fight that feels like it ends a bit too quickly and never quite has the feel of a threat like it should. But, it works, especially bringing together the flashback stories and connecting them to the current conflict.

Tim Seeley with color by Felipe Sobriero handle the flashback which makes it clear by Camo Crusader hates Crossjack so much and what got Crossjack booted from Third Gen. It’s all rather interesting though sort of predictable. The specifics not so much but the big picture was laid out some time ago. What it does is really put more on the reveal in the modern day. It makes Camo Crusader a character that’s far more interesting than some religious fundamentalist “hero” and there’s a lot to chew on as far as that.

The comic’s art continues to be solid, both in the present and past. It looks great with both a modern and retro feel about it, continuing its wink and nod to Image’s past. The conflict never quite has the tension it should, the only real knock on the art, that could have been conveyed in the body language and facial expressions of the characters. That emotional connection is missing which knocks things a bit.

Overall, Local Man #4 continues to be an intriguing and entertaining series. Some of it has been predictable but its specifics haven’t been But, most importantly, it makes me want more of these characters and world so we can explore the interesting concepts within a bit more.

Story: Tony Fleecs, Tim Seeley Art: Tony Fleecs, Tim Seeley
Color: Brad Simpson, Felipe Sobreiro
Story: 8.05 Art: 8.05 Overall: 8.05 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Once the star recruit of the media sensation super-team Third Gen, Jack Xavier is now a prime suspect in the murder of his archenemy The Hodag. Local Man #2 takes us on the next steps of the murder mystery and does some impressive things along the way.

Written by Tony Fleecs and Tim Seeley, Local Man #2 takes the solid first issue and builds on it in multiple ways. The series is a new concept as well as tying into Image “history,” some of it real and some of it not. Jack is kicked out of his superhero group, back home in a small town. He’s been threatened with lawsuits that prevents him from being a superhero again. The first issue presented Jack as a screw-up but hinted that wasn’t the whole story. Here, Fleecs and Seeley keep that aspect to Jack but at the same time build a lot of reasons to have sympathy for him.

In the debut issue we got hints as to why Jack was kicked out of Third Gen and presented in a retro story that the heroes of Third Gen might actually be the issue. In Local Man #2 we get hints as to why Jack was kicked out and again that these heroes aren’t all that great. That helps get us more on Jack’s side. But really puts him over is the murder of The Hodag. Jack is the prime suspect which means he’s dragged in front of the police where he’s of course innocent. His treatment, is enough to get a sense this is a guy trying to good and getting shat on. And, those that around him come at him with a negative opinion just due to his previous occupation. It’s more than enough to win readers over.

There’s also a sadness to it all. Mixed with the retro story, we see a bright star who has fallen due to multiple reasons. You get to see the shine and the dull rust that has built up. There’s an aspect to the chew them up and spit them out of celebrity of it all that makes Jack more a washup influencer than anything else.

The art by Fleecs and Seeley is great. They’re joined by Brad Simpson and Felipe Sobreiro on color. The two different stories are fantastic with their mix of modern and retro styles. There’s a great sadness to it all as well in the visuals where Jack comes off as a shlub in some ways. But, there’s moments of emotion and sadness that nails it. The comic’s visuals are perfect for the stories they deliver.

Local Man #2 is another fantastic issue of a series that’s far more than one more deconstruction of superheroes. It delivers a core about celebrity, bias, and the legacy we leave. It’s a comic that entertains and has a message underneath that’s far too easy to relate to.

Story: Tony Fleecs, Tim Seeley Art: Tony Fleecs, Tim Seeley
Color: Brad Simpson, Felipe Sobreiro
Story: 8.75 Art: 8.75 Overall: 8.75 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle