Dynamite Entertainment 2016
Written by Van Jensen
Illustrated by Ron Salas
Coloured by Mike Atiyeh
Lettered by Taylor Esposito
A test flight ended in disaster, leaving Colonel Steve Austin shattered and on the verge of death. Scientists reconstructed him using bionic parts, making him better…stronger… faster. Since that day, he has been a secret agent for the Office of Secret Intelligence and has loyally served his country as The Six Million Dollar Man!
Oooh I like the way this issue starts off. Everything about this issue from start to finish kind of redefines the franchise so far. We’ve seen Steve and Jamie be disenfranchised with the OSI in the past but it’s never had this kind of feel to it. Only the naive would believe that the Government wouldn’t be using the Bionic’s technology to do things other than create and keep updating those who already have it in place. So it’s nice to finally see that we see Steve as an experiment and something of a failed one at that.
The story itself sets up this whole new level of intrigue that will require Steve to put everything he knows to test. Not only that but he has to develop new skills he hasn’t had to use yet to keep himself not only alive but one step ahead of his pursuer’s. Add to this the unexpected development we see this issue and suddenly this takes on such a modern day approach that it’s unprecedented in this universe. Van Jensen has taken everything we know up till now and kicked it all up past level 10!
I won’t lie as a kid I had a crush on Lee Majors, that hairy chest, those rugged good looks and that smile and twinkle in his eye that kind of made you feel comfortable and aroused at the same time. I love that Ron takes the template of that and brings it to comics without trying to keep him looking like Lee. The resemblance is there and that’s wonderful but it’s the attitude surrounding him that’s more important. Then there’s the way the story flows through the pages and panels by use of angles and perspective, oh and some Nenenene sound effects that just make this story what it is. Plus oh my gosh the backgrounds are fantastically used.
There’s a hidden truth to what Oscar Goldman’s done and is doing and Steve is one the tip of the iceberg in learning what that is. With other agents hot on his trail and the Ninja’s wanting revenge for a previous op there’s more than enough action to keep Steve occupied. The question becomes will it keep him too distracted to uncover the real truth and find out who his true friends are?
Finally a Six Million Dollar man story that combines everything that made the show an ahead of it’s time experience that’s combined with a modern take to storytelling where not everything or everyone is who they seem to be. This could be the beginning a new direction for the franchise the combines the sensibilities of a Jason Bourne novel with the characters we’ve grown up loving!