Redcoat Volume 2: American Icons

Redcoat #8-14

by Geoff Johns, Bryan Hitch (Penciler), Andrew Currie (Inker)

The second volume of the hit historical fiction series from Ghost Machine follows immortal mercenary Simon Pure as he travels across America running afoul of the real-life serial killers the Bloody Benders, American icon Johnny Appleseed and Wild West wonder woman Annie Oakley.

But none of those encounters prepare him for The Northerner—a mysterious time-traveler who needs Simon’s help, if the two can find a way to work together instead of killing one another. This volume closes out with a trip to Washington, D.C. as Simon encounters a haunting in the White House in a prelude to the First Ghost mini-series.

Collects Redcoat #8-14

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy

208 pages, Paperback

Published November 18, 2025

About the author

Geoff Johns originally hails from Detroit, Michigan. He attended Michigan State University, where he earned a degree in Media Arts and Film. He moved to Los Angeles in the late 1990s in search of work within the film industry. Through perseverance, Geoff ended up as the assistant to Richard Donner, working on Conspiracy Theory and Lethal Weapon 4. During that time, he also began his comics career writing Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. and JSA (co-written with David S. Goyer) for DC Comics. He worked with Richard Donner for four years, leaving the company to pursue writing full-time.

His first comics assignments led to a critically acclaimed five-year run on the The Flash. Since then, he has quickly become one of the most popular and prolific comics writers today, working on such titles including a highly successful re-imagining of Green Lantern, Action Comics (co-written with Richard Donner), Teen Titans, Justice Society of America, Infinite Crisis and the experimental breakout hit series 52 for DC with Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid. Geoff received the Wizard Fan Award for Breakout Talent of 2002 and Writer of the Year for 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 as well as the CBG Writer of the Year 2003 thru 2005, 2007 and CBG Best Comic Book Series for JSA 2001 thru 2005. Geoff also developed BLADE: THE SERIES with David S. Goyer, as well as penned the acclaimed “Legion” episode of SMALLVILLE. He also served as staff writer for the fourth season of ROBOT CHICKEN.

Geoff recently became a New York Times Bestselling author with the graphic novel Superman: Brainiac with art by Gary Frank.

Reviews

[Oscar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good series. 3.4 🌟

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some one-and-done stories sandwich a bigger adventure for Simon Pure, as he runs afoul of the Benders, Johnny Appleseed and a giant worm, Annie Oakley, the time-travelling Northerner, and Dolley Madison on his continued march through history.

Simon's still a git, but it's clear that his heart's changing across these issues - the Northerner adventure especially makes it obvious that he's perhaps not as bad as everyone thinks he is, even himself, it just takes a bit of coaxing to bring the best in him out.

Some of the American history references go a bit over my head being a Brit, but it's easy to get lost in Simon's adventures regardless, and the links to the other Unnamed titles, from the overt like the Northerner to the more subtle like the back of Junkyard Joe's head in one panel, keep me coming back for more.

[AviChaim Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first saw that this volume was rated higher than the first, I honestly didn’t understand why, but after reading it, the difference is clear. The issues that held back the earlier volume simply aren’t present here. The dialogue is sharp, the pacing is tight, and Bryan Hitch’s artwork is absolutely stunning throughout.
I loved every moment of this Redcoat arc. In fact, it’s quickly become one of my favorite stories; not just within Ghost Machine, but in general. As a history nerd, this kind of historical fiction hits all the right notes for me. Each issue is packed with action, heart, humor, and thoughtful moral moments.
I can’t even decide which format I enjoyed more: the one-shot adventures where Simon interacts with iconic American figures like Johnny Appleseed, Annie Oakley, and Dolley Madison, or the longer narrative arcs, especially the one that throws Simon into the Civil War. Both approaches work beautifully for this series and showcase how versatile and engaging the storytelling really is.
Geoff Johns and Bryan Hitch are crafting a modern, timeless epic, one that will stand strong no matter when readers discover it. Simon Pure is an exceptional protagonist, and I’m thoroughly enjoying every issue. I couldn’t recommend this series more.
Grade: A

[Ya Boi Be Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts rather episodically, really taking its time to enjoy Simon Pure mucking about with American folktales, heroes, and bizarre murderer families. If the first volume was a full on story from start to beginning this starts with Geoff Johns playing with the toys in the toy box and it is fun to read. It does lay a bit of the groundwork for more of Simon Pure being this rapscallion with a secret heart of gold ruined by his sucky upbringing. But that really it just sort of goes with the trope of the sort of Han Solo rapscallion archetype Simon Pure slots into.
Then we get a cool battle for the heart of America, with Simon Pure having to choose a side lest he dies if America’s soul does, as two time travelers vie for which side wins the Civil War. I’ve heard in other reviews this isn’t new territory which I could believe. But this is my first step into this sort of historical scifi and I really enjoyed it here. The action is strong and seeing this anachronism of modern guns and explosives against all the Civil War architecture and clothes was admittedly super fucking cool. No doubt part an immense part of that is just Bryan Hitch’s penciling, Andrew Currie’s inking, and Brad Anderson’s coloring work which continues to be impeccable. The only real awkward bit is that all children are drawn a bit oddly. It worked for Einstein in volume one but the little girl drawn here can sometimes have a bit of an off face. The ending of this storyline confused me though as it tied into the larger Ghost Machine storyline which I haven’t paid attention to nor plan to. I really am here just for Redcoat.
We end with more fun Americana Forrest Gump shenanigans as Simon Pure happens to be there when the White House was burned down. It was fun and Simon bumping into American moments / individuals is fun and one of the best parts of this series. Oddly though both volumes have ended with sort of reinforcing the status quo of Simon Pure still needing to know to be the good guy he is deep down that he’s running away from. But… we’ve had multiple storylines of that and moments that were supposed to show growth so it’s a bit annoying. It is also a bit weird they did the Civil War. It feels like they were addressing the elephant that Simon Pure would be on either side and they purposefully ended it on a note being like “Look, Simon Pure ended joining the Union,” which good. I’m glad. But it felt a bit like having your cake and eating it too to have him war profiteer and then very quickly change to be on the Union’s side through story beat and self-preservation.

[Cameron DeHart · Rating 2 out of 5]

I still love the core premise of Redcoat—an undying British soldier wandering through American history is such a fun and elastic idea—but this second volume really struggles to do anything fresh or meaningful with it. The earlier “child Einstein” cameo was already edging into gimmick territory, but Vol. 2 doubles down with lackluster historical mashups that feel more perfunctory than inspired.

The Johnny Appleseed and Annie Oakley issues, in particular, land with a thud. Oakley’s portrayal is not only sanitized but oddly off-model—tall, glamorous, and stripped of the complexity that made her an icon. The “Northerner” arc at least flirts with substance, but it retreads well-worn Civil War time-travel ground (Harry Turtledove did it better decades ago).

What really broke immersion for me was inserting Simon Pure into the Dolley Madison story while erasing Paul Jennings, the enslaved man who actually saved the Washington portrait in real life. That’s not bold revisionism—it’s tone-deaf.

Geoff Johns’ writing here feels surprisingly flat and mechanical, especially compared to his dynamic work on JSA or Green Lantern. The saving grace remains Bryan Hitch’s art: clean, cinematic, and gorgeously inked. But beautiful visuals can only carry a story so far.

Unless the next volume shows a dramatic creative turnaround, I’ll likely be bowing out of Redcoat’s eternal march.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this second volume proved a few things to me.

1. I don't care about the larger Ghost Machine "world" and found myself losing interest as soon as connections were made, which weren't even that intrusive.

2. Bryan Hitch still has the magic. I just wish he working on a comic with a more interesting setting.

3. Simon Pure looks like Chris Hemsworth, circa 2011.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lukewarm on the first volume but this one improves on it in almost every way, with focused, emotional storytelling, an interesting through line plot, and terrific art. best in career for Hitch and Johns? certainly the latter

[Daniel Butcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the world building and the use of history.

I want to read and see so much more of the Northerner. He could be my newest favorite hero since Armstrong.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this a lot better than the first volume. Several single-issue stories: Simon meets the Bloody Benders; Simon hangs out with Johnny Appleseed; Simon becomes infatuated with Annie Oakley. But the best part of this volume was a several issue story where Simon becomes involved with a mysterious figure known only as The Northerner, who is on the trial of another mysterious person, The Cobbler. Both are time travelers and The Cobbler is intent on helping the South to win the Civil War, complete with a wagon-full of automatic weapons. This is the kind of thing I'd like to see more of, and with an open-ending, we likely will. Then things wrap up with Simon helping Dolly Madison to save a portrait of George Washington during the War of 1812. The art is topnotch throughout. This is shaping up to be a book I want more of.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simon Pure encounters more real historical figures in Johnny Appleseed, Annie Oakley and Dolly Madison, although they are different as Appleseed can perform magic. By the way, that serial killer family in issue #8 is real. They'd lure travelers in and murder them. Then we get another one of the Unnamed in the Northerner. He's a time traveler from an alternate future where the South won the Civil War and he's trying to keep other time travelers from sabotaging the timeline. Geoff Johns and Bryan Hitch have got another winner on their hands.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful balance between one-offs and story advancement, woven through a century of American history.