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Fear Agent
Fear Agent, Volume 1: Re-Ignition
When down-and-out alien exterminator Heath Huston stumbles upon an extraterrestrial plot to commit genocide against the human species, he must put down the bottle and resume his roll as a peacekeeper . . . as the last Fear Agent. Dark Horse is proud to present a brand new edition of the hyper-popular first volume of Fear Agent by superstar-writer Rick Remender (Uncanny Avengers) and Eisner-nominated artist Tony Moore (Deadpool).
Collecting: Fear Agent 1-4
Collecting: Fear Agent 1-4
112 pages, Paperback
First published July 4, 2006
17 people are currently reading
1005 people want to read
About the author
Rick Remender
1,242 books1,414 followersRick Remender is an American comic book writer and artist who resides in Los Angeles, California. He is the writer/co-creator of many independent comic books like Black Science, Deadly Class, LOW, Fear Agent and Seven to Eternity. Previously, he wrote The Punisher, Uncanny X-Force, Captain America and Uncanny Avengers for Marvel Comics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
August 17, 2011
Rompy, rip-roaring, 50’s style, throwback SF “pulpishness” that starts out ABSOLUTELY PERFECT….but ultimately settles down to a solid 3 stars with some occasional gusts up to 4. Overall, a terrific beginning to a new “old time” series. Rick Remender created Fear Agent because he said, “Science Fiction has lost its stones” and wanted to bring back the alien-packed, action and adventure of golden age SF without bowing to the modern trend for scientific detail and realism. He wanted his PULP pure and unadulterated by reality.
In the first issue of the series, I would say Remender succeeds brilliantly as we are introduced to Heath Huston, the hard, HARD drinking, Mark Twain quoting, alien “exterminator” from Texas. Huston is the last “Fear Agent,” a highly trained group formed to eradicate alien threats to Earth, who now spends his time drinking and taking freelance jobs for human colonists who have alien “pest” problems.
I loved the set up and “in the middle of the action” intro to Heath. When he bashes in the heads of a raging group of ape-men with a giant monkey wrench (heh...heh...get it) while spouting Mark Twainisms and longing to get a serious whiskey drunk on:
…. what can I say…I was smitten.
The whole first issue was superbilicious and Huston’s tone was the perfect blend of camp, pulp, hardboiled and clever. Finishing the first story, I was sure I had a new favorite series and was positively giddy.
The second issue, while not quite a gasm-worthy as the first, was still very strong and I was really having a lot of fun following Huston drink and bulldoze his way through the galaxy with a very “I could careless, now pass the bottle” brand of wit and sarcasm. Plus, the second issue had lots and lots of tentacles which is always a bonus:
The final two issues were a bit of a let down. They were certainly entertaining, but I just didn’t find the same level of "junk tingling" awesome as the first two. I won’t say I was disappointed, just a bit Ahhhhhed. Still, overall a great new series and one I hasten to add that I am definitely going to continue reading.
The quality of the writing, the humor and the stories tells me that each issue just might be gold and if I have to wade through a couple of so-so issues to get to the good stuff…so be it. A clever idea for a series and one that the first two issues show can be done to perfection. Here’s hoping future volumes are at least as good if not better.
3.5 stars.
May 20, 2016
Chock-full of genre-bending humour and drunken swagger, Rick Remender's pulpy, noirish sci-fi adventure Fear Agent gets off to a great start. Tony Moore's crisp artwork captures the story's retro feel well and practically pops off the page, thanks in no small part to Lee Loughridge's suitably neon-drenched coloring. Unfortunately, the story's tone gradually shifts from character-based humor to cosmic action - a trend that plays neither to the writer's nor to the artist's strengths but will continue throughout the series.
January 27, 2018
A rip-roaring, throwback to pulp science fiction. I could easily see this appearing in Heavy Metal. Heath Huston is an intergalactic exterminator. Got an alien infestation that needs to be removed? Heath is your man, the last of the legendary Fear Agents. Heath bumbles his way through the galaxy, drunkenly finishing off jobs while saving buxom ladies. This was a lot of fun.
July 17, 2015
Set in the pulpy future, Heath Huston is an alien exterminator, the last member of a group calling themselves the “Fear Agents”, who gets paid to carry out genocide on “pests” - even though these pests are usually humanoid-like life-forms and makes Heath look like a one-man Nazi brigade! He discovers some evil aliens are planning on blowing up Earth and promptly sets off on a side-quest to fight some robot with a brain in a jar.
Fear Agent came out in 2006, about the peak time for cool retro stuff to appear, and the series is certainly all about being retro-cool. Heath’s an outlaw drunk but it’s not cliche because it’s meant to be cliche. This is the hammy future of 1930s pulps but it’s not lame, it’s supposed to be lame so its cool, right? Robots, ray guns, rocket packs, it’s all there with a wink to the reader - we’re being retro and cool! Yeah, you’re not but I don’t really care.
I’m not really a Rick Remender fan - Deadly Class is good and some of Black Science but the rest of it is pretty terrible - and Fear Agent is more of his same brand of shallow writing. Heath’s basically yet another Han Solo ripoff but at least he has a character unlike everyone else in the book. There’s the semblance of a plot - Earth is being threatened! - but there really isn’t a main villain and that plot is ignored, at least in this book.
Instead this first volume is made up of ironic space adventures where Heath saves a buxom lady with his rocket pack and fights some robots with his ray gun. Ho hum. I guess if you’re into the cheese Remender’s serving, you’ll gobble it all up but I’m so past this b-movie retro crap at this point, I would really rather he, or anyone, tried making something original instead.
For a Remender comic, it wasn’t bad. It was all over the shop but Tony Moore’s art was good and Heath was a likeable anti-hero. I wasn’t about to rush out and grab the next book in the series but I might’ve picked it up at some point.
That is until the last issue in this trade when we meet green Vikings and their lengthy exposition about how glibglob and farbar came in the blimblam and begat the dooda with the whatsit made me completely lose patience with the series. It’s one of Remender’s flaws as a writer that he frequently has characters standing around telling you their life stories, usually when they’ve just been introduced. Their stories often being boring and cliched and totally irrelevant to the overall plot.
That tipped it over from being an ok comic to a crap one and ensured me giving up on the series for good.
Will Heath Huston save Earth from the feeders or whoever? I couldn’t give a damn.
Fear Agent came out in 2006, about the peak time for cool retro stuff to appear, and the series is certainly all about being retro-cool. Heath’s an outlaw drunk but it’s not cliche because it’s meant to be cliche. This is the hammy future of 1930s pulps but it’s not lame, it’s supposed to be lame so its cool, right? Robots, ray guns, rocket packs, it’s all there with a wink to the reader - we’re being retro and cool! Yeah, you’re not but I don’t really care.
I’m not really a Rick Remender fan - Deadly Class is good and some of Black Science but the rest of it is pretty terrible - and Fear Agent is more of his same brand of shallow writing. Heath’s basically yet another Han Solo ripoff but at least he has a character unlike everyone else in the book. There’s the semblance of a plot - Earth is being threatened! - but there really isn’t a main villain and that plot is ignored, at least in this book.
Instead this first volume is made up of ironic space adventures where Heath saves a buxom lady with his rocket pack and fights some robots with his ray gun. Ho hum. I guess if you’re into the cheese Remender’s serving, you’ll gobble it all up but I’m so past this b-movie retro crap at this point, I would really rather he, or anyone, tried making something original instead.
For a Remender comic, it wasn’t bad. It was all over the shop but Tony Moore’s art was good and Heath was a likeable anti-hero. I wasn’t about to rush out and grab the next book in the series but I might’ve picked it up at some point.
That is until the last issue in this trade when we meet green Vikings and their lengthy exposition about how glibglob and farbar came in the blimblam and begat the dooda with the whatsit made me completely lose patience with the series. It’s one of Remender’s flaws as a writer that he frequently has characters standing around telling you their life stories, usually when they’ve just been introduced. Their stories often being boring and cliched and totally irrelevant to the overall plot.
That tipped it over from being an ok comic to a crap one and ensured me giving up on the series for good.
Will Heath Huston save Earth from the feeders or whoever? I couldn’t give a damn.
August 22, 2024
New Review - I'd probably bump it to a 3.5, almost a 4. I really enjoyed my time this time around. I think the character of Heath grew on me, and the over the top action mixed with quick paced kept it good. A little too much internal dialogue and talking, but this is early Remender.
Original Review - 3 out of 5 - Probably one of Rick's weaker works, but hell, it's still pretty fun.
So there used to be exterminators. People who would go around the universe and take out species that are considered bad, or that could hurt others, but they're all gone now. There's one left, or least shown, in this series. Heath Huston starts off as a comedy-sci-fi adventure. However the last two issues seem to take a darker tone, a time bending change, and by the end some shit goes down that sets up the future of this series in a interesting way.
Good: The art is pretty solid. It's by Tony Moore, the guy who did Walking Dead, and it has a lot of facial expressions plastered on there. I also thought the comedy stuff was funny and I actually like Heath Huston, plus it was nice when he himself knew he was being a dick. The first 2-3 issues were a lot of fun.
Bad: The last two issues had a ton of exposition and kind of bored me really at points. The very end brought me back to being intrigued but it did get to far up it's own ass to stay interesting at times which sadden me, also the woman character, who I can't even recall her name, seemed oddly placed here.
Overall this was a fun space adventure but it lacked the punch I hoped for. With the ending leaving for interesting possibilities though I'm ready for another one. A 3 out of 5.
Original Review - 3 out of 5 - Probably one of Rick's weaker works, but hell, it's still pretty fun.
So there used to be exterminators. People who would go around the universe and take out species that are considered bad, or that could hurt others, but they're all gone now. There's one left, or least shown, in this series. Heath Huston starts off as a comedy-sci-fi adventure. However the last two issues seem to take a darker tone, a time bending change, and by the end some shit goes down that sets up the future of this series in a interesting way.
Good: The art is pretty solid. It's by Tony Moore, the guy who did Walking Dead, and it has a lot of facial expressions plastered on there. I also thought the comedy stuff was funny and I actually like Heath Huston, plus it was nice when he himself knew he was being a dick. The first 2-3 issues were a lot of fun.
Bad: The last two issues had a ton of exposition and kind of bored me really at points. The very end brought me back to being intrigued but it did get to far up it's own ass to stay interesting at times which sadden me, also the woman character, who I can't even recall her name, seemed oddly placed here.
Overall this was a fun space adventure but it lacked the punch I hoped for. With the ending leaving for interesting possibilities though I'm ready for another one. A 3 out of 5.
August 29, 2012
Prepare for some serious space action!
Brief Introduction:
To be honest, I had never heard of “Fear Agent” until I had heard so many good things about Rick Remender’s run on “Uncanny X-Force” (which I have not read as of now). After hearing the praise that Rick Remender got on his work with “Uncanny X-Force,” I had decided to pick up a comic book by him and lo and behold, I came across his work called “Fear Agent Volume One: Re-Ignition” which also had artwork by Tony Moore. “Fear Agent Volume One: Re-Ignition” is a great introduction to the “Fear Agent” series that fans of “Fear Agent” will enjoy!
What is the story?
The story starts off with alien exterminator and the last of the Fear Agents, Heath Huston (not Heath Ledger!) fighting off unknown aliens on a faraway planet. However, later on, Heath soon realizes that there is an extraterrestrial plot where the aliens are plotting to destroy all the humans on Earth when he meets a woman named Mara and they see the aliens shipping off feeders to Earth. Now, Heath Huston must stop this plot from coming true before it is too late!
What I loved about this comic:
Rick Remender’s writing: I must admit that when I heard that this book was about a guy fighting off aliens, I was thinking to myself that I have seen this formula used before and was prepared to be bored by this premise. However, when I actually started reading this comic, I was really amazed at how Rick Remender wrote this story in an extremely creative and interesting way! Rick Remender really made Heath Huston into an interesting character as he is portrayed as an alcoholic who fights off aliens on a day to day basis and it was great seeing him fight off all of the aliens using his futuristic weapons which were extremely interesting in seeing. I also loved the way that Rick Remender tells the story through Heath Huston’s point of view as we are able to gain a clear understanding of his character and everything that he has been through over the years. It was also interesting that we get another lead character who often gruff and condescending (Wolverine, anyone?), but it is clear that Heath truly does have a heart of gold and is willing to do whatever it takes to save the people he cares about. I also loved the world that Rick Remender introduces us to as it is dark and gritty as the aliens have over taken the planets and are torturing the people inhabiting them, hence why Heath Huston is needed for the job!
Tony Moore’s artwork: Tony Moore’s artwork is truly amazing to look at as the action sequences are extremely well done, making this comic exciting to look at. I loved the way that Tony Moore drew the aliens in this comic as they look truly menacing and the images of the aliens using their tentacles to attack Heath looked extremely fascinating as the tentacles are curly and look squid-like. It was also interesting at how Tony Moore illustrated Heath’s custom as Heath looks like one of the Ghostbusters as he is wearing an orange jumpsuit with a huge golden belt that has the state of Texas branded in the middle and he also has various machinery strapped all over his body, which shows that he is prepared for anything that comes at him.
What made me feel uncomfortable about this book:
Even though I really enjoyed the action packed sci-fi thriller theme that this comic offered me, I gave this comic a four star rating because there were too many plot holes in this story. For one thing, the story mentions that Heath is the last of the Fear Agents, but we were never told why that is the case. Also, the second half of the story has Heath and Mara traveling through time and Heath brings up certain points that I felt was not really explored enough in the first half of the story, such as the matter concerning what became of his family. Also, for anyone who does not like violence or strong language, this comic definitely has some graphic violence that involves gore and lots of strong language which includes using the “s” word many times throughout the story.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, despite the fact that there were many plot holes in this volume, “Fear Agent Volume One: Re-Ignition” is definitely a great read for anyone who either loves crazy action packed alien storylines or who wants to get introduced to Rick Remender’s works. I got to say that after reading this volume of “Fear Agent,” I am definitely looking forward to reading more of Rick Remender’s works!
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
Brief Introduction:
To be honest, I had never heard of “Fear Agent” until I had heard so many good things about Rick Remender’s run on “Uncanny X-Force” (which I have not read as of now). After hearing the praise that Rick Remender got on his work with “Uncanny X-Force,” I had decided to pick up a comic book by him and lo and behold, I came across his work called “Fear Agent Volume One: Re-Ignition” which also had artwork by Tony Moore. “Fear Agent Volume One: Re-Ignition” is a great introduction to the “Fear Agent” series that fans of “Fear Agent” will enjoy!
What is the story?
The story starts off with alien exterminator and the last of the Fear Agents, Heath Huston (not Heath Ledger!) fighting off unknown aliens on a faraway planet. However, later on, Heath soon realizes that there is an extraterrestrial plot where the aliens are plotting to destroy all the humans on Earth when he meets a woman named Mara and they see the aliens shipping off feeders to Earth. Now, Heath Huston must stop this plot from coming true before it is too late!
What I loved about this comic:
Rick Remender’s writing: I must admit that when I heard that this book was about a guy fighting off aliens, I was thinking to myself that I have seen this formula used before and was prepared to be bored by this premise. However, when I actually started reading this comic, I was really amazed at how Rick Remender wrote this story in an extremely creative and interesting way! Rick Remender really made Heath Huston into an interesting character as he is portrayed as an alcoholic who fights off aliens on a day to day basis and it was great seeing him fight off all of the aliens using his futuristic weapons which were extremely interesting in seeing. I also loved the way that Rick Remender tells the story through Heath Huston’s point of view as we are able to gain a clear understanding of his character and everything that he has been through over the years. It was also interesting that we get another lead character who often gruff and condescending (Wolverine, anyone?), but it is clear that Heath truly does have a heart of gold and is willing to do whatever it takes to save the people he cares about. I also loved the world that Rick Remender introduces us to as it is dark and gritty as the aliens have over taken the planets and are torturing the people inhabiting them, hence why Heath Huston is needed for the job!
Tony Moore’s artwork: Tony Moore’s artwork is truly amazing to look at as the action sequences are extremely well done, making this comic exciting to look at. I loved the way that Tony Moore drew the aliens in this comic as they look truly menacing and the images of the aliens using their tentacles to attack Heath looked extremely fascinating as the tentacles are curly and look squid-like. It was also interesting at how Tony Moore illustrated Heath’s custom as Heath looks like one of the Ghostbusters as he is wearing an orange jumpsuit with a huge golden belt that has the state of Texas branded in the middle and he also has various machinery strapped all over his body, which shows that he is prepared for anything that comes at him.
What made me feel uncomfortable about this book:
Even though I really enjoyed the action packed sci-fi thriller theme that this comic offered me, I gave this comic a four star rating because there were too many plot holes in this story. For one thing, the story mentions that Heath is the last of the Fear Agents, but we were never told why that is the case. Also, the second half of the story has Heath and Mara traveling through time and Heath brings up certain points that I felt was not really explored enough in the first half of the story, such as the matter concerning what became of his family. Also, for anyone who does not like violence or strong language, this comic definitely has some graphic violence that involves gore and lots of strong language which includes using the “s” word many times throughout the story.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, despite the fact that there were many plot holes in this volume, “Fear Agent Volume One: Re-Ignition” is definitely a great read for anyone who either loves crazy action packed alien storylines or who wants to get introduced to Rick Remender’s works. I got to say that after reading this volume of “Fear Agent,” I am definitely looking forward to reading more of Rick Remender’s works!
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
May 29, 2018
Really cool old school style science fiction. Heaty is a fear agent and exterminates certain alien species that are threats. He gets caught up in an alien invasion on earth or on its way to earth. Good fun but not overly original in concept.
July 19, 2012
Fear Agent 1 review
Heard Remender on War Rocket Ajax podcast a few weeks ago, which finally gave me the nerve to try out Fear Agent. Until now, Remender's Marvel work (that I've read) has kept me thinking that he's a second-rate comics writer, so this book has sat on the shelf for too long.
I'm so glad WRA finally clued me in that Remender has such an hilarious streak and his creator-owned books are so much better. Fear Agent is solidly in my "must read" category, up there with Atomic Robo, The Goon & Chew.
I really enjoyed Heath, the throwback protagonist and anti-hero. He's got little to offer a conversation but everything you need to survive horrifying encounters with alien monsters: a mean streak, big guns and a lack of self-preservation that masquerades as bravery.
And there's some awesome alien encounters that our Fear Agent has to contend with. This story moves along at a quick pace, sets just the right pattern of surprises, action and exposition, and entertains the hell out of me. I'm not the first to say I'm super-bummed at reaching the last page of the book, and I'm gonna run out to pick up a huge stack of the rest.
Plot notes because I can never remember what went on when reading later books:
Heard Remender on War Rocket Ajax podcast a few weeks ago, which finally gave me the nerve to try out Fear Agent. Until now, Remender's Marvel work (that I've read) has kept me thinking that he's a second-rate comics writer, so this book has sat on the shelf for too long.
I'm so glad WRA finally clued me in that Remender has such an hilarious streak and his creator-owned books are so much better. Fear Agent is solidly in my "must read" category, up there with Atomic Robo, The Goon & Chew.
I really enjoyed Heath, the throwback protagonist and anti-hero. He's got little to offer a conversation but everything you need to survive horrifying encounters with alien monsters: a mean streak, big guns and a lack of self-preservation that masquerades as bravery.
And there's some awesome alien encounters that our Fear Agent has to contend with. This story moves along at a quick pace, sets just the right pattern of surprises, action and exposition, and entertains the hell out of me. I'm not the first to say I'm super-bummed at reaching the last page of the book, and I'm gonna run out to pick up a huge stack of the rest.
Plot notes because I can never remember what went on when reading later books:
June 13, 2017
Fun: I had missed this, and it's lighthearted sf adventure. Great bright color art by Lee Loughridge makes the fine pencil and ink art more appealing.
April 30, 2020
When I very first joined GR (following the demise of the shelves app on FB) I distinctly remember reading Keely’s review of Fear Agent #1 on my very time here. Before that pig stopped giving us dank reviews and spent his time just adding friends I spent many a great hour pouring through his voluminously insightful reviews. Just as my opinion of Keely has steadfastly declined so to did my opinion of this comic which cratered just as quickly.
What normie scum.
Which is odd because Fear Agent is clearly descended from higher quality, particularly Sci-Fi’s Golden Age of the 1950’s pulps which Remender states in the introduction himself was of supreme influence. Yet this attempt to graft the values and achievements of a bygone era unto something far more modern,akin to Sci-Fi channel crap becomes increasingly grotesque and charmless herein. Boring, and masturbatory this flimsy attempt at imitated flattery isnothing more than a 3rd rate Hubbard-esque facsimile.
What normie scum.
Which is odd because Fear Agent is clearly descended from higher quality, particularly Sci-Fi’s Golden Age of the 1950’s pulps which Remender states in the introduction himself was of supreme influence. Yet this attempt to graft the values and achievements of a bygone era unto something far more modern,akin to Sci-Fi channel crap becomes increasingly grotesque and charmless herein. Boring, and masturbatory this flimsy attempt at imitated flattery isnothing more than a 3rd rate Hubbard-esque facsimile.
May 9, 2011
Fear Agent is Rick Remender's love letter to sci-fi in the 1950s, back before, as Remender puts it - sci-fi lost its stones. By that he bemoans how sci-fi forgot to be fun and adventurous in favour of getting all technical with the science and the intricacies of alien cultures. Even though I like modern sci-fi I can understand what he means. So this book is trying to recapture the post war pulpy comic book fun that the folks at EC and Wallace Wood in particular used to deliver. He does a good job as well, creating Heath Huston, last of the Fear Agents, the boozy square jawed hero of the title, battling weird aliens, monkey men, robots, jelly brains and hungry tentacles, while trying to earn enough alien killing bounty to keep his rocket ship fuelled.
"Prepare for Warp Launch," pipes his ship computer.
"Preparing," Huston acknowledges, glugging down the Jim Beam.
Delivering the retro graphics on these first four issues is Tony Moore. Yep the same guy who sprang onto the comic scene on Kirkman's Battle Pope a decade or so ago, though most folk probably know his work from the first few issues of The Walking Dead. He's really 'on it' with this book; bubble helmets, rocket shaped space ships, ray guns and brains in a jar - it all piles on that 1950s nostalgia trip goodness. I loved the alien space trucker in issue one, stomping about the deserted space station:
"They aint mannin' the docks but they damn well better be mannin' the Chili Shack."
Jerome Opena does some work on issue four - the two artists would later take it in turns illustrating separate arcs.
Issue four is my least favourite of the issues as it gets a bit bogged down with infodumping some back story. It was sort of unavoidable but it hits the pacing just when it needed to kick ass. It does all end with a heck of a cliff hanger though.
"Prepare for Warp Launch," pipes his ship computer.
"Preparing," Huston acknowledges, glugging down the Jim Beam.
Delivering the retro graphics on these first four issues is Tony Moore. Yep the same guy who sprang onto the comic scene on Kirkman's Battle Pope a decade or so ago, though most folk probably know his work from the first few issues of The Walking Dead. He's really 'on it' with this book; bubble helmets, rocket shaped space ships, ray guns and brains in a jar - it all piles on that 1950s nostalgia trip goodness. I loved the alien space trucker in issue one, stomping about the deserted space station:
"They aint mannin' the docks but they damn well better be mannin' the Chili Shack."
Jerome Opena does some work on issue four - the two artists would later take it in turns illustrating separate arcs.
Issue four is my least favourite of the issues as it gets a bit bogged down with infodumping some back story. It was sort of unavoidable but it hits the pacing just when it needed to kick ass. It does all end with a heck of a cliff hanger though.
May 30, 2014
Don't hate me, but I expected to like this more than I did. I really enjoy most of Remender's books, but for me this was a little rough around the edges. Mainly though I was not too impressed with the art.
I know, I know, it's the dude from WALKING DEAD and so I should worship it or whatever, but I just felt it was lacking.
It was almost interesting, almost exciting, and almost humorous at times, ...
but for me it was also almost boring.
I know, I know, it's the dude from WALKING DEAD and so I should worship it or whatever, but I just felt it was lacking.
It was almost interesting, almost exciting, and almost humorous at times, ...
but for me it was also almost boring.
October 8, 2015
This fun and adventurous graphic novel follows Heath Huston, the last Fear Agent, as he discovers an alien’s plot to wipe out the human species. Heath must now use his skills as an alien exterminator to save the day. This was a great graphic novel with a retro feel. We recommend Fear Agent to those who enjoy pulp science fiction.
August 18, 2011
The first book By Philip K Dick that I read was A Scanner Darkly. I'd been told by my uncle that Dick was a lunatic, just a gibbering imbecile writing with his own feces. After reading Darkly, I thought he couldn't have been more wrong.
But then I started digging deeper into Dick's library and found that sometimes he isn't a genius but an insane, gibbering paranoid schizophrenic. But still, an entertaining one. And prophetic all the same.
In Fear Agent, we get the same kind of genius that we see in Dick. It's less an homage to 50's sci-fi movies and more along the lines of Dick and Bester. Take Dr Bloodmoney and The Demolished Man and you have this amazing amalgam of 50's and 60's literary sci-fi.
It is hugely literary on the same level as those timeless sci-fi authors like Heinlein and Bester and Dick. But it's also entertaining to the Nth degree. I re-read it immediately after finishing it. Then set it aside and read it again days later. It is that good.
But don't take my word for it. Experience the book for yourself. Because it is an experience. A trip through sci-fi tropes and Western attitudes. The 1950's golden age rejuvenated for a modern reader. An homage to everything we love about science fiction and just enough Lee Marvin to slip in a bit of gunslinging. Gorgeous book.
But then I started digging deeper into Dick's library and found that sometimes he isn't a genius but an insane, gibbering paranoid schizophrenic. But still, an entertaining one. And prophetic all the same.
In Fear Agent, we get the same kind of genius that we see in Dick. It's less an homage to 50's sci-fi movies and more along the lines of Dick and Bester. Take Dr Bloodmoney and The Demolished Man and you have this amazing amalgam of 50's and 60's literary sci-fi.
It is hugely literary on the same level as those timeless sci-fi authors like Heinlein and Bester and Dick. But it's also entertaining to the Nth degree. I re-read it immediately after finishing it. Then set it aside and read it again days later. It is that good.
But don't take my word for it. Experience the book for yourself. Because it is an experience. A trip through sci-fi tropes and Western attitudes. The 1950's golden age rejuvenated for a modern reader. An homage to everything we love about science fiction and just enough Lee Marvin to slip in a bit of gunslinging. Gorgeous book.
May 25, 2007
I love pulpy crap, especially this 50's idea of what space travel would be combined with a constantly boozing/raygunfighting cowboy astronaut. The artist, Tony Moore, is someone I'm a big fan of. He did the first volume of Walking Dead which I feel is the strongest of the whole run. Fear Agent has a great writer too, he keeps it funny and action packed and doesn't waste the whole first book on exposition. Great cheesy fun. Pick it up.
October 10, 2024
Heath Huston, is an exterminator. He's a space-traveling, alcoholic loner who scraps together a living by accepting whatever job might come his way - extermination being the typical task. like the typical antihero, Heath's best days are behind him. We get the sense that he has lost loved ones and is adrift in space and life. He is the last Fear Agent (though this first volume does not go into great detail about what that means).
The first issue in particular presents a story that seems like it’s going to be, essentially, the whacky space adventures of pseudo-Han Solo.
3/5 Simply put; it was fun.
The first issue in particular presents a story that seems like it’s going to be, essentially, the whacky space adventures of pseudo-Han Solo.
3/5 Simply put; it was fun.
June 7, 2018
What started out as a fairly minor sci-fi pulp extravaganza grew to be something nearly great. It's been a long time since I read these early issues, which basically throw readers in the deep end of the pool and expect them to keep up, but they're still fun, with some great artwork by Tony Moore (soon to be succeeded by the equally outstanding Jerome Opena).
April 19, 2025
2.5/5.
It probably doesn’t help that I’m not the biggest Sci-Fi fan, but despite that I found this kinda boring honestly. I love Tony Moore’s art, but Remender’s writing just isn’t that interesting to me here. Some of the actions scenes were cool I guess, but besides that there wasn’t much for me here I think.
It probably doesn’t help that I’m not the biggest Sci-Fi fan, but despite that I found this kinda boring honestly. I love Tony Moore’s art, but Remender’s writing just isn’t that interesting to me here. Some of the actions scenes were cool I guess, but besides that there wasn’t much for me here I think.
September 29, 2019
Nice artwork, but the story was kind of lacking of interesting bits.
September 19, 2010
The Pulps are back! Now Heath Huston will battle space monkeys, with new RAY GUNS! Also, will Heath fall in love with this new DAMSEL IN DISTRESS? Turn the pages next week to find out!
Rick Remender captures and somehow updates the space pulps in FEAR AGENT. "Growing up" on a steady diet classic sci-fi pulp radio such as X-Minus One, Dimension X, this series recaptures the Astounding, Incredible, Astonishing space adventures of the past! that I learned to love so much. No info dumps on the inner workings of a laser gun, space ship propulsion or FTL drives. Nope, just plain action adventure!
Tony Moore's art is amazing, though it would seem that yet another series kick started by Moore, will be left in others hands in coming issues. (See Walking Dead) Still, super fun read, worth every penny.
Rick Remender captures and somehow updates the space pulps in FEAR AGENT. "Growing up" on a steady diet classic sci-fi pulp radio such as X-Minus One, Dimension X, this series recaptures the Astounding, Incredible, Astonishing space adventures of the past! that I learned to love so much. No info dumps on the inner workings of a laser gun, space ship propulsion or FTL drives. Nope, just plain action adventure!
Tony Moore's art is amazing, though it would seem that yet another series kick started by Moore, will be left in others hands in coming issues. (See Walking Dead) Still, super fun read, worth every penny.
July 22, 2012
Mostly a fast-paced pulp adventure, so there’s not a lot of depth here. But what there is is well-written and fun, with a shocking finale.
April 19, 2014
Rick Remender - writer
Tony Moore - illustrator
An action-packed, comic space-romp in the vein of "Bill the Intergalactic Hero." Recommended for fans of sci-fi shenanigans.
4/5
Tony Moore - illustrator
An action-packed, comic space-romp in the vein of "Bill the Intergalactic Hero." Recommended for fans of sci-fi shenanigans.
4/5
July 20, 2017
Primeras desventuras de Heath Huston contra sí mismo, entre muchos otros enemigos. Edición argentina con introducción exclusiva actualizada para la ocasión por el mismo Remender.
April 17, 2022
Got an infestation? A little pest problem? Of the large, dangerous, extraterrestrial kind? Who ya gonna call?
Heath Huston is your go-to guy. He may be a whiskey-drenched Texan redneck but he sure knows how to kill all manner of aggressive aliens...
He should: he's a veteran of the war that wiped out nearly all life on Earth. Ten years ago his father and son were both killed when two warring races brought their conflict to his backyard. He led a group of survivors fighting back against the invaders. His band called themselves the 'Fear Agents', paying the aliens back some of the terror visited upon them.
Between the Tetaldians (organic brains in robot bodies) and the Dressites (green slime creatures in cybernetic suits), both toting hi-tech weaponry, it was a wonder anyone did come out of it alive, but finally the nightmare came to an end. Unfortunately one of the costs of victory was Huston's relationship with his wife.
Deciding to make good use of his skills, he hires himself out around the galaxy as a specialist exterminator, rambling about in his rocketship with its computer Annie his only companion. But, little does he know, more momentous events still lie in store for him...
Fear Agent by writer Rick Remender and artists Tony Moore, Mike Manley, Jerome Opeña and Francesco Francavilla is something of a lowball: at first glance, a straight-up action-fuelled shoot-em-up zinger with a chisel-jawed macho dude systematically zapping, burning, freezing and blowing up a whole Encyclopedia Galactica of alien lifeforms, with an accompanying explosive rainbow of different-coloured exotic body fluids...
But this is no one-note ballad; stick with the story and deeper, more complex elements begin to arise. Sometimes bad things happen to good people for no particular reason (OK, all the time, actually); but sometimes those 'good people' are not as innocent as they may at first appear to be, and what looks like random catastrophe is in fact the result of bad karma coming back to bite you on the ass.
The narrative is illustrated with joyous expressive energy by the artists, whose styles mesh together seamlessly. The wide range of bizarre creatures are rendered with a bold enthusiasm. There is a somewhat grungy tone, but then this is a very rough-and-ready dystopia with a far from perfect, less-than-polished main character. Huston is a hard-fighting, hard-drinking alpha male with a somewhat relaxed attitude to keeping his rocketship spick'n'span (as noted by the main female lead when she first comes aboard: "Is that vomit on the ceiling?")
There is some pretty gory violence perpetrated upon human victims here also, graphically depicted, so please take note.
Huston teams up with a band of like-minded individuals and the story takes a wider perspective... but their voyage forward into a bright new future is haunted by the echoes of a dark, bitter past...
Heath Huston is your go-to guy. He may be a whiskey-drenched Texan redneck but he sure knows how to kill all manner of aggressive aliens...
He should: he's a veteran of the war that wiped out nearly all life on Earth. Ten years ago his father and son were both killed when two warring races brought their conflict to his backyard. He led a group of survivors fighting back against the invaders. His band called themselves the 'Fear Agents', paying the aliens back some of the terror visited upon them.
Between the Tetaldians (organic brains in robot bodies) and the Dressites (green slime creatures in cybernetic suits), both toting hi-tech weaponry, it was a wonder anyone did come out of it alive, but finally the nightmare came to an end. Unfortunately one of the costs of victory was Huston's relationship with his wife.
Deciding to make good use of his skills, he hires himself out around the galaxy as a specialist exterminator, rambling about in his rocketship with its computer Annie his only companion. But, little does he know, more momentous events still lie in store for him...
Fear Agent by writer Rick Remender and artists Tony Moore, Mike Manley, Jerome Opeña and Francesco Francavilla is something of a lowball: at first glance, a straight-up action-fuelled shoot-em-up zinger with a chisel-jawed macho dude systematically zapping, burning, freezing and blowing up a whole Encyclopedia Galactica of alien lifeforms, with an accompanying explosive rainbow of different-coloured exotic body fluids...
But this is no one-note ballad; stick with the story and deeper, more complex elements begin to arise. Sometimes bad things happen to good people for no particular reason (OK, all the time, actually); but sometimes those 'good people' are not as innocent as they may at first appear to be, and what looks like random catastrophe is in fact the result of bad karma coming back to bite you on the ass.
The narrative is illustrated with joyous expressive energy by the artists, whose styles mesh together seamlessly. The wide range of bizarre creatures are rendered with a bold enthusiasm. There is a somewhat grungy tone, but then this is a very rough-and-ready dystopia with a far from perfect, less-than-polished main character. Huston is a hard-fighting, hard-drinking alpha male with a somewhat relaxed attitude to keeping his rocketship spick'n'span (as noted by the main female lead when she first comes aboard: "Is that vomit on the ceiling?")
There is some pretty gory violence perpetrated upon human victims here also, graphically depicted, so please take note.
Huston teams up with a band of like-minded individuals and the story takes a wider perspective... but their voyage forward into a bright new future is haunted by the echoes of a dark, bitter past...
May 7, 2025
Started a reread of this series. Fear Agent was one of my first titles when I was just starting to read indie comics - woulda been 17-19 - and I remember being blown away by it. Remender has this talent for creating protagonists who are cocksure and have such a defined image of how the world works, such a hardened worldview, he ropes the reader in to the protagonist's perspective, and then he just shatters that worldview into a million pieces as he reveals what a bastard the guy you've been following is.
With the first four issues of Fear Agent, you see more than a few hints of that. Heath is a drunk, the most spiritually divorced man you've ever met, he makes his living killing things who may or may not deserve it, he has borderline psychotic grudges against more than one alien race, he has more forms of trauma than vomit stains on his rocket ship... and he's also pretty damn competent in a fight and willing to put his life on the line when an innocent is in danger.
It would be very easy to make Heath just a pathetic loser, and to be clear, he *is* a pathetic loser, I'm not disputing that. But he's more than that. He wins his fair share of fights, even if every fight in this series is this desperate, flailing, gorey endeavor. He makes things worse more often than he makes things better, and you find yourself captivated by him.
The setting is this loving but gorey pastiche of those old school Buck Rogers / Flash Gordon style 50s era sci-fi settings - you have stock tropes repurposed with new life. Very good stuff.
I have to give a content warning - this was made in the 2000s, and there's stuff that shows it. Pretty tedious sex jokes (accidental boob grabs, stuff like that), there's a transphobic metajoke on a bathroom wall once, and the r-slur is used. I won't defend it, but it's unfortunately something I'm inured to, and your standards of forgiveness for that era's excess may vary. I'd feel dirty if I didn't at least mention it.
With the first four issues of Fear Agent, you see more than a few hints of that. Heath is a drunk, the most spiritually divorced man you've ever met, he makes his living killing things who may or may not deserve it, he has borderline psychotic grudges against more than one alien race, he has more forms of trauma than vomit stains on his rocket ship... and he's also pretty damn competent in a fight and willing to put his life on the line when an innocent is in danger.
It would be very easy to make Heath just a pathetic loser, and to be clear, he *is* a pathetic loser, I'm not disputing that. But he's more than that. He wins his fair share of fights, even if every fight in this series is this desperate, flailing, gorey endeavor. He makes things worse more often than he makes things better, and you find yourself captivated by him.
The setting is this loving but gorey pastiche of those old school Buck Rogers / Flash Gordon style 50s era sci-fi settings - you have stock tropes repurposed with new life. Very good stuff.
I have to give a content warning - this was made in the 2000s, and there's stuff that shows it. Pretty tedious sex jokes (accidental boob grabs, stuff like that), there's a transphobic metajoke on a bathroom wall once, and the r-slur is used. I won't defend it, but it's unfortunately something I'm inured to, and your standards of forgiveness for that era's excess may vary. I'd feel dirty if I didn't at least mention it.
April 27, 2023
This is a typical low-skill, low-effort American book that tries to get by on the weakness of its premise.
The apparent thinking is that a banal concept should be matched with incompetent, lazy execution as a kind of “joke.” At least the book has no pretensions of quality.
The mc is a drunken fool, but not a charming one. He’s cynical, lazy, selfish, unambitious, just getting by as an alien exterminator. The first issue introduces him as he blows a job and a payday, narrowly escaping with his life. He has a bag of gadgets he can use to get out of pretty much any situation — grenades, freeze-ray, rocket pack. It’s just lazy.
He next faces a more serious alien menace, but it’s more of the same.
He gets a female sidekick who is angry and grouchy and that’s about it.
There’s way too much internal monologuing used to explain everything. Lots of info-dumps instead of world-building naturally within scenes.
No effort is made at creating any empathy or interest in the characters. So, without that, who cares?
It’s not as if any of the ideas here are remotely original.
The art matches the writing for laziness. It has the feel of being whipped up in a weekend or two. Character and environmental designs are lazy and unoriginal. Figures, faces, expressions, poses, and backgrounds are all badly drawn. Line-work is crude; overall it lacks detail. The sad thing is that, for American comics, Tony is actually well above average.
“Pastiche,” satire,” or “homage” — call it what you want, it’s trash.
The apparent thinking is that a banal concept should be matched with incompetent, lazy execution as a kind of “joke.” At least the book has no pretensions of quality.
The mc is a drunken fool, but not a charming one. He’s cynical, lazy, selfish, unambitious, just getting by as an alien exterminator. The first issue introduces him as he blows a job and a payday, narrowly escaping with his life. He has a bag of gadgets he can use to get out of pretty much any situation — grenades, freeze-ray, rocket pack. It’s just lazy.
He next faces a more serious alien menace, but it’s more of the same.
He gets a female sidekick who is angry and grouchy and that’s about it.
There’s way too much internal monologuing used to explain everything. Lots of info-dumps instead of world-building naturally within scenes.
No effort is made at creating any empathy or interest in the characters. So, without that, who cares?
It’s not as if any of the ideas here are remotely original.
The art matches the writing for laziness. It has the feel of being whipped up in a weekend or two. Character and environmental designs are lazy and unoriginal. Figures, faces, expressions, poses, and backgrounds are all badly drawn. Line-work is crude; overall it lacks detail. The sad thing is that, for American comics, Tony is actually well above average.
“Pastiche,” satire,” or “homage” — call it what you want, it’s trash.
July 16, 2021
What if Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers was just a drunken yahoo from Texas tear-assing around the galaxy in a retro-styled rocket ship and exterminating hostile aliens for a quick buck? That's the set up for Fear Agent, a fun sci-fi tale by Rick Remender that appears to take place in a space opera universe that is just one giant health code violation. Pretty quickly the fun wears off after this first volume, however, and it all gets pretty far up its own nose in the same way that Remenber's Black Science did. But this first volume trades on Remender's best abilities - his set-ups, and for that, this is an enjoyable ride. Until it isn't.
October 10, 2018
Last of the FEAR agents, humans trained to fight alien threat gets in the middle of troubles when he witnesses aliens launching horrible creatures (bio-weapons) to Earth. By attempting to stop them he ends up in a completely unexpected place - and question is whether or not he stays alive (I am currently waiting on vol 2 to see how this goes :) )
Art is very much like it came from the 2000AD, somewhat cartoonish but very dynamic.
Recommended for fans of swashbuckling, hard-drinking and hard-fighting SF :)
Art is very much like it came from the 2000AD, somewhat cartoonish but very dynamic.
Recommended for fans of swashbuckling, hard-drinking and hard-fighting SF :)
August 11, 2024
I get what this was going for... but it doesn't hit. The art missed for me, not sure if it was the colors or what, but it just felt standard issue. The story is all over the place. Remender wants this to be the opening salvo of a gritty pulpy serial style sci-fi adventure, but the internal monologue of issue 1 and 3 from our drunken lead just sinks the pace to a near stop. It's like Remender just hit the ground running without much of a plan. The overarching plot isn't bad, but it never gets a chance to shine. Instead, we have long boring info and backstory dumps mixed with dialogue-less panels of jumping and shooting, the majority of which doesn't matter at all. I won't be continuing on. Sorry Rick.
May 28, 2017
This is some trite, sexist storytelling. Our hero: big, dumb, condescending brute - but somehow we're supposed to find him charming. Our heroine: smart, sexy - but ultimately clueless snowflake in constant need of repeated rescuing.
Yuck, gave up on book 2 at the "that's great buttermilk but we gotta get outta here" line.
Artwork decent, some intriguing aliens and plot, buried under heaping piles of dreck.
Yuck, gave up on book 2 at the "that's great buttermilk but we gotta get outta here" line.
Artwork decent, some intriguing aliens and plot, buried under heaping piles of dreck.
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