Comic Info
Comic Name: Brit/Brit: Cold Death/Brit: Red White Black & Blue
Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Tony Moore
# of Issues: 3
Release Date: 2007
Brit #1
Brit #1, Brit: Cold Death #1, Brit: Red White Black & Blue #1 (July 2003-July 2004). Brit has been fighting for the country for a long, long time. When it appears that Brit’s powers could be wearing out, Brit finds himself the target of a military operation trying to clone his abilities. Brit’s going on the run with his girlfriend Jessica, but Brit’s duty to serve could be too great to give up!
Written by Robert Kirkman, Brit Volume 1: Old Soldier is an Image Comics superhero comic book collection. The volume collects the three stand alone issues (in color) before Brit’s own series and features art by Tony Moore.
I enjoyed Invincible, and Kirkman turned Invincible into an “Invincible Universe”. His character was kind of part of the Image universe (with cameos there and with cameos by other Image characters like Savage Dragon and Super Patriot), but it largely felt like Invincible ran in own world. Brit #1 was released a little after Invincible #1 but became a bigger player as Invincible unfolded.
Brit largely has the same tone as Invincible and to a lesser extent of Kirkman’s other success The Walking Dead. Kirkman’s characters often don’t have an easy fight and the blood and guts will fly. Brit’s character is relatively invincible (more so than Invincible in many ways), so it doesn’t get quite as gory as Invincible in this volume. The violence and the comic book action is over the top, but it just feels more like an adult-aimed comic than a gore-fest.
Brit: Cold Death #1
I can’t say I like the Brit character much. He’s rather bland and unexplored in this volume. You don’t know about his past, his abilities, or his even much of what he’s thinking in this volume. You get a bit of insight with his ex-wife showing up and the story surrounding her in Brit: Red White Blue & Black, but it feels like there should have been an issued devoted to exploring the lead character a bit earlier since the issues are stand-alones. He doesn’t have the enigma or personality of someone like Wolverine so to make his past a mystery doesn’t do much.
A weird side note in this story is the development of the Donald Ferguson character who largely plays a supporting role in Invincible (this collection technically introduced Cecil Stedman as well before he became a major supporting character in Invincible). I didn’t read Brit until I had read most of Invincible, and it was nice to have a bit more dimension on this character. He comes off a little as Machine Man in this volume (and I have always have a soft spot for Machine Man).
Brit 1: Old Soldier is probably only recommended for fans of Invincible who are seeking more since that series is over. I know that I have more interest in Tech Jacket, Capes Incorporated, and others now than I did when they were being released. Brit isn’t bad, but it also isn’t up to the level of Invincible. Brit 1: Old Soldier is followed by Brit 2: AWOL.
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