Redcoat, Volume 1: Einstein & The Immortal by Geoff Johns & Bryan Hitch

With a tagline like “Immortal. Mercenary. Kind of a tool” this is the kind of book that is usually pure catnip to me. Tho I have to admit that by the fourth or fifth issue opener of “My name is Simon. Simon Pure. Though I’m anything BUT”, I was ready to cheerfully strangle someone, character, creator or otherwise.

And, y’know, if I’d read this title in issue form, there’s a very good chance I would have bounced right off it somewhere around Chapter 4. But I’m glad I persevered with the trade paperback, because it was ultimately the kind of warmhearted, thoughtful work I generally associate with Geoff Johns and Bryan Hitch, even if I did feel that the beginning was edgelordier than I prefer. I don’t think that the me of twenty years ago would even have noticed or cared, but the premise of the Founding Fathers of the USA being a cabal of immortals with supernatural powers — and then the protagonist of this book being a Redcoat who shot Washington, crashed an immortality ceremony, and over a century later has to team up with young Einstein to save America… ugggghhhffff. Can’t we just let people be human? Do we really need to mythologize historical figures who have already accomplished great things with the powers of their heads and hands and hearts alone? George fucking Washington isn’t heroic enough for leading the ragtag Continental Army to victory almost entirely through sheer force of will: he has to have superpowers, too?!

And yes, yes, I know old George wasn’t perfect, but that’s exactly my point! My main beef with this (admittedly very human) desire to turn men — and have you noticed, it’s almost always men? — into gods is that it absolves “regular” people of trying to do good, too. But, and very crucially, Chapter 7 of Redcoat Vol 1 neatly turns that desire inside out, in an issue that absolutely made the rest of the book worth reading for me. I presume this was Mr Johns’ sneaky way of delivering his warmhearted, thoughtful message to people who really need to hear it, after dabbling in a bunch of ridiculous theories beloved by dumb people who think that they’re smarter than everyone else in order to suck them into the book in the first place.

Because the premise of the book is basically that English soldier Simon Pure accidentally stole immortality from the Founding Fathers and their Masonic cabal (I know, I know, I sighed gustily, too.) One hundred and sixteen years later, a young Albert Einstein steals away to America at the urging of his beloved sister Maja to find Simon and save America from the conflagration that she’s foretold in her visions. Simon has spent most of his immortality being a dissolute gun for hire, so has no interest in helping, until his own immortality is threatened. Hijinks ensue.

As an alternate history romp through America in its first centuries, this is fun (I loved the Johnny Appleseed bits, especially.) And once I got over the insulting undertone of “the only reasonable answer is magic” plus the hint of “the Founding Fathers were evil!” I was better able to enjoy the read. Also, this was pretty much my first encounter with the Ghost Machine universe: I get that Simon is meant to be something of an anti-hero, hence the offbeat tone — tho I’m ngl, the resemblance to Jack of Fables is unflattering to everyone involved.

It’s also interesting to see how Bryan Hitch’s work is allowed to be unpretty here. I know he was killing himself back in the day trying to turn in The Ultimates, which continues to be one of the best-looking comic runs I’ve ever enjoyed, and while his art is still spectacular, it’s less Hollywood in this title. Perhaps that’s due in part to the contributions of Andrew Currie, who worked on the inks with him, but it is striking how the characters don’t all look like they come out of central casting. Issue 7 continues to be an exception, with Einstein looking much more like he was at his most famed, and Simon being spiffied up to see him. Shoutout to Brad Anderson for some really good work on the colors, too. I’m definitely interested in seeing how the art progresses as the title continues, and the story likewise.

Redcoat, Volume 1: Einstein & The Immortal by Geoff Johns & Bryan Hitch was published March 18 2025 by Image Comics and is available from all good booksellers, including