REVIEW: Unit 44 #1

Written by Wes Locher
Art by Eduardo Jimenez
Published by Alterna Comics, Inc.

It is often said that laughter is the best medicine. It boosts your immune system, activates the release of endorphins and it increases the blood flow to the heart. It relaxes your body, relieving tension, and protects you from the detrimental effects brought about by stress. So, who says a comic book can’t attempt to do the same?

Meet Agent Hatch and his partner, Agent Gibson.

These two gentlemen are the focal characters you’ll encounter in the sci-fi comedy, Unit 44. They are employees of the U.S. government, with the privilege of working behind the walls of Area 51 in Nevada. With such high profile positions and clearance to operate at one of the most top secret facilities in the world, one would assume that they are dependable individuals. Guess again.

The book kicks off when Agent’s Hatch and Gibson realize that they overlooked compensating an off-site storage facility that housed classified objects. As a result, the contents were put up for public auction and eventually sold. After boldly confessing their ineptitude to their boss, they are charged with the crucial task of locating and retrieving the lost items.

As with any comedy, mood and timing is everything when delivering the punch line. Wes Locher and Eduardo Jimenez worked well together setting up those opportunities in Unit 44. I did find myself chuckling with a few of the panels inside the book; however, everyone’s sense of humor could vary.

I like comedy and really enjoy science fiction, but I couldn’t help but think that Unit 44 was a blend of Men In Black and X-Files all throughout reading the issue. I appreciate and agree with what Locher and Jimenez are setting out to do with bringing more humor to comics, but I think it’s a bit of a gamble, as not every collector views their local comic shop as their primary source for comedic material. Fortunately, it is a four issue limited series, so it’s not an overwhelming commitment, especially if sci-fi comedy, via comic book format, is your cup of tea.

Until next time!

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Author Profile

13th Crusader

Real Name: Mike / Occupation: (As Mike) Classified; (as The 13th Crusader) Host of The Definitive Crusade, DC Podcast, for Undercover Capes / Known Aliases: 13, The Iron Mike, Ironhide, The Walking Human Encyclopedia, Professor M / Affiliations: Comic Crusaders / Base of Operations: The 13th Lair (location classified), often mobile / Abilities: Photographic memory (to the extent where he is capable of memorizing the comic book inventories of several stores simultaneously for lengthy periods of time), voice impersonation, acute senses (The 13th Crusader possesses an uncanny ability to track down vintage comic books, and on several occasions, with his eyes closed, he has been able to determine the exact year a comic book was published just by smelling the ink inside of it), capable of drawing sketches; however, he prefers to write. He has a substantial amount of resistance to alcohol, surpassing the levels displayed by Marvelâ€™s Volstagg and Valiantâ€™s Aram Anni-Padda â€“ combined. Multilingual (Proficient with English and Spanish, adequate with Portuguese and Italian). Above average marksman (he is capable of throwing objects accurately at high velocities), limited sword fighting skills and kickboxing techniques. / Known Weaknesses: Anything that involves the original Gwen Stacy, 2 for 1 drinks during Happy Hour, 50 cent comic book bins, the scent of 1983 comic book ink / Hobbies: Vintage comic book collecting, baseball, listening to excessive amounts of 80â€™s music / History: Little is known of The 13th Crusader. He is a man of many talents who was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. He has extensive knowledge of the comic book world and heâ€™s been collecting comic books since before he was able to read. Heâ€™s a BIG time fan of Silver and Bronze Age comics, and as such, his personal collection is truly impressive. He owns books that range from the 1950â€™s and onward. First Appearance: Comic Crusaders Column â€“ What Defines A Characters First Appearance (Feb 2014)