Writer: Tim Seeley & Tony Fleecs
Artist: Tim Seeley & Tony Fleecs
Colorist: Brad Simpson & Felipe Sobreiro
Cover Artists: Tim Seeley, Tony Fleecs, Shelby Robertson & Brian Reber
Publisher: Image
Price: $3.99
Release Date: December 27, 2023
Mackenzie Chang was a member of Inga’s Farmington Future Forum. The police chief’s wife used the trio to revive public pride in the community. But Mackenzie died on dry land with water in her lungs. After investigating the Star Tribe commune, Jack spoke with Craig Massen, another of Inga’s promising young students. Craig claimed Mackenzie was hearing voices. Was she cracking up, as Craig claims? And was Mackenzie’s death suicide, murder, or something else? Let’s leap into Local Man #8 and find out!
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Story
The hippie camp leader Coochie Coo told Jack that his superpower wasn’t his physical accuracy but listening to his Inner Voice. Following his instincts, Jack’s investigation leads him to an abandoned shed. Inside, he finds the rotting corpses of the 4th Gen team. Jack vows to get justice for Mackenzie and the young superheroes. Jack’s always been obsessed with his public profile. In Local Man #8, Jack guesses at other people’s feelings and forges a bond with Officer Kopecki. Some accuse him of being high. Jack knows Coochie Coo slipped him some magic mushrooms. Still, Jack believes the hippie was right about him. Strangely, even though those closest to him doubt this, many in town seem to be changing their minds about Jack.
In Tim Seeley & Tony Fleecs’s story, Jack’s departure to join 3rd Gen left Inga alone in a failing town. His forlorn girlfriend vowed to do whatever it took to make Farmington great again. Inga made a terrible choice by agreeing to experiment with 4th Gen personnel. Now, she conducts an affair with Jack, trying to steer him away from the truth. When the truth comes to light in Local Man #8, how will the revelation affect her relationship with Jack and her husband?
Art
Opening panels suggest Jack’s father unknowingly helped Inga move the cryotubes holding 4th Gen teammates into her warehouse. Camo Crusader’s appearances in Local Man #8 hint that his death haunts Jack and Inga. Jack’s former girlfriend looks world-weary as she struggles with her guilt over the 4th Gen’s fate and Mackenzie’s death. As he engages with others, Jack’s empathy shines through his balaclava. His impossibly old dog Pepper looks young, both in appearance and outlook. Frightside’s demon haunts and awes.
Brad Simpson and Felipe Sobreiro’s nuanced coloring enhances the visual appeal of Seeley and Fleec’s art in Local Man #8. Jack’s Inner Voice fills the air with waves of color. These bright colors wash back upon Jack’s features. Simpson and Sobreiro show darkened interiors with blues and grays that never obscure the art. The demon’s emergence in a green bathroom provides a clue to the meaning behind its statements. In the concluding short story, a colored Jack wanders through Black-And-White pages portraying Inga’s journey, almost as if he’s watching scenes from an old family movie. But then, Inga would have been Jack’s family had he remained in Farmington.
Uppercase black letters fill dialogue balloons and boxes. The artistic touches applied to both enhance scenes with emotions and ambiance. Colorful sound effects help us feel Inga’s anger, Brian’s frustration, and the demon’s rage. Thanks to Image Comics for providing a copy for review.
Final Thoughts
As Inga’s house of cards looks likely to tumble, and a demon haunts Farmington’s Chief Of Police, Jack discovers an unexpected ability in Local Man #8.