Half dead and all out of F#¢K$, Local Man is left brutally beaten by a man he once considered a father. Now, trapped in the 4th Gen Training Facility, he’s stalked by the true killer of the Hodag, and Third Gen isn’t coming to help him when he needs them most! Local Man #5 wraps up the series and leaves a world begging to be explored further.

Tim Seeley and Tony Fleecs have put together and intriguing series that feels like an homage to 90s Image Comics but at the same time, it’s own thing. Local Man #5 answers our questions as to the motives and who committed the murder of Crossjack’s, aka Local Man’s, nemesis and generally what was being done. It’s all rather convoluted and you just role with it but where Fleecs and Seeley are willing to go with the series is impressive. This isn’t a series that wrapped things up neatly, no, there’s some hot button issues touched upon in this finale and it’s delivered without issue. If anything, it’s all thrown in so quickly, it’d be nice if the series was expanded and some of what’s brought up and revealed was given more focus and thus more of an emotional punch.

And while that’s entertaining enough, there’s also a “retro” story focused on Fourth Gen. More connections to Image’s past is laid out but it also puts a lot on Crusader and the overall plan of the series. It all begs to be fleshed out more and explored further. There’s a hell of a lot here.

Fleecs and Seeley handle the art for one of the sections with color by Brad Simpson on one and Felipe Sobriero on the other. The art has been solid and this issue continues that. What has been interesting is how the style of the “retro” story has evolved slightly over the years as the story has moved through the years as well. The look, like the overall series, evokes classic Image superhero comics but at the same time stands on its own.

Local Man #5 is a solid finale and with that ending, we’ll hopefully get more. It has been a fantastic example of adding to what has come before but also doing your own thing. The series has opened up a whole world building on classic Image superheroes while at the same time carving its own path.

Story: Tony Fleecs, Tim Seeley Art: Tony Fleecs, Tim Seeley Color: Brad Simpson, Felipe Sobriero
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

The hero formerly known as Crossjack is on the hunt for a murderer, a trail that leads him directly to a self-help guru who was once his sworn enemy: the villain known as Frightside. Now, the “Local Man” must find out what she knows before his high school sweetheart’s cop husband throws him in a cell. Meanwhile, in the past, Crossjack and Neon battle demons and angels (both real and psychological) at the end of the world. Local Man #3 continues a hell of a series that delivers even more mystery to the murder(s).

Written by Tony Fleecs and Tim Seeley, Local Man #3 continues one hell of a series. While the first two issues really focused on who Crossjack is, Local Man #3 pivots a bit focusing more on the murder of his former nemesis. Crossjack is on a mission to solve the case and suspects are added and removed in the issue. There’s something solid in the series teasing a tie to the past while keeping things focused on the present. The flip book nature of it all does an excellent job of fleshing out the world and mystery. In this case, we get to see a big battle and find out more about Crossjack and Neon’s past relationship. It’s some interesting info that gives motive for an individual to set up Crossjack for the murder of Hodag.

But what’s also nice is a bit of a grounded aspect to the series. Crossjack means well but this issue has him dogged a little at his incompetence. Hodag, though a villain, is shown in a way that makes you feel sorry for what happened to him. And, we get a new character whose shady past is clear but also comes off as rather… human. The series has done a great job of grounding these godlike people.

The art continues to be great as well with the modern “Farmington” aspect featuring art by Fleecs and color by Brad Simpson and the “Third Gen” retro art handled by Seeley with color by Felipe Sobriero. The comic does an excellent job of delivering two distinct styles and looks but the same character, just from two different time periods. The retro story does an excellent job of nailing down the style of the past. It’s an amazing balance between the two that works so well toghether.

Local Man #3 continues a fantastic series that’ll leave readers guessing as to what will happen next and who’s behind the murder. And thankfully, we’re not just getting that but a tease of battles from yesteryear. Altogether, it delivers a series and world we want more of.

Story: Tony Fleecs, Tim Seeley Art: Tony Fleecs, Tim Seeley
Color: Brad Simpson, Felipe Sobriero
Story: 8.3 Art: 8.3 Overall: 8.3 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle