Image Comics/Rob Liefeld; $20.00 (varies)

All of the bold characters and raw, kinetic energy that made the original Youngblood #1 the symbol of the early days of Image Comics are on display here, but with more polish and sophistication. With creator-writer-artist Rob Liefeld regaining control over the characters, this new, 33-years-later version of the team is crackling.

It’s a lame thing for a writer to say, but I can’t fully explain why I like the character Badrock so much. There’s just something pure about him. Back when the whole Image revolution was still new, I had the McFarlane Toys figure of Badrock on my desk in the Overstreet offices. Looking at this issue made me wish I knew where that action figure was. It’s fun to see him back in action (though he doesn’t fare so well in this one).

The story plunges right into the action and goes full speed for almost the entire 32-page issue (no ads, no filler). The story is sure to please longtime fans. It has all the drama and action one would expect, and it has a killer, cliffhanger ending.

This version, beautifully printed and with solid production values, was available directly from Liefeld. It is scheduled to hit comic shops this fall, though a handful of shops have exclusive variants of this edition already.

– J.C. Vaughn