In a return to the science fiction action epic series from Robert Kirkman and Marc Silvestri, Brandon Thomas uses the fear and anxiety that modern America tackles in our current political climate to further his new adventure. In Hardcore: Reloaded, we follow Agent Drake who begins to lose faith in the program he once believed in.

The original conceit of the series was that Agent Drake, a technology expert with tech that allows him to take control of the conscious of anyone within the world for his own means… until that technology gets into enemy hands. Here, there is no longer a limitation for drone warfare in terms of aircrafts. Hardcore itself is a government agency that is capable of taking control over anyone’s body in order to complete their missions. In many ways, it opens for discussion the idea that drone technology is beyond control – that, in the wrong hands, it could bring chaos to the world at large.

Brandon Thomas implements this premise into an action-packed set of consequences for our protagonist. In every way, this story forces our characters to consider the consequences of the technology with the idea that being capable of producing something doesn’t mean that we should. This premise encompasses Hardcore: Reloaded, which is where we see Agent Drake losing what he had fought so hard to keep. With artwork that captures the fidelity of Frank Quitely, both Fracis Portela and Leonardo Paciarotti create some of the most action-packed pages I’ve seen of a comic book series. Portela’s lines seem to blend 3D computer graphics with classical comic art style. This, along with Paciarotti’s coloring, allows the visuals to keep the pace moving quickly, and they accomplish this with complete gusto. The series maintains a fast-pace to build a tense, action/thriller espionage story, and the art magnifies this visually.

Creative Team: Brandon Thomas (writer), Francis Portela (artist), Leonardo Paciarotti (colorist), Thomas Mauer (letterer), Nic Klein (cover artist)
Publisher: Image Comics
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