American Flagg, No. 10: Hard Times

American Flagg! (Single Issues) #1-3

by Howard Chaykin

"Double Crossed" Part 2.

Genres: Comics, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics, Cyberpunk

96 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1985

About the author

Howard Victor Chaykin is an American comic book artist and writer. Chaykin's influences include his one-time employer and mentor, Gil Kane, and the mid-20th century illustrators Robert Fawcett and Al Parker.

Reviews

[Michael J.]

In many ways this influential series was ahead of its’ time, and still holds up. In other respects, it’s out of touch with current trends and would be viewed today as inappropriate in nature and/or sexist. A deft blend of science fiction, political satire and consumeristic obsessions AMERICAN FLAGG had an acknowledged influence on the works of Warren Ellis, Brian Michael Bendis and others.
The setting is Chicago in the year 2031. Religion is down-played and high-technology and material goods are elevated. Main character Reuben Flagg is a former TV star (replaced by CGI/holograms), former pilot and now a deputy in the Plexus Rangers (the local law enforcement). There’s been a worldwide power shift with the U.S. government and major corporate heads relocating to planet Mars. They make up The Plex and dictate commerce and government on Earth. Most Earth residents live near or inside massive fortress-like Pexmalls with the Plexus Rangers serving as militia to provide security and law enforcement.
In “Hard Times” (the first three-part story arc) Reuben Flagg adjusts to his transfer and new job, sleeps around a lot, and sees for himself the corruption within the Plexmall. When he uncovers subliminal messages that cause gang violence implanted within the most popular television show he finds a way to interrupt the broadcast. This ends the violence but only temporarily, resulting in covert agents descending on the Plex and the death of a secondary but important character (kind of surprising, still).
Chaykin’s story can get hard to follow at times as he throws out a million little ideas at once and never gets down to specifics. The art can also appear cluttered (as much as the society of 2031) with constant bombardment of media messages/adverts. Panel size and placement is creative, considering Chaykin had none of the tools in 1983 that artists employ today.
I read this in the original single issue comics. FOUR STARS.

[Drew Canole]

Howard Chaykin tries his hand at adult sci-fi comics and it's a pretty good one at that.

Great artwork throughout. Chaykin is quite inconsistent but he's always trying cool things. This may be him at his peak. It feels similar to the stuff Steranko was doing in the last 70s, both influenced by Blade Runner esthetics.

Reuben Flagg is a former television star and goes to Chicago where there are regular riots. People are addicted to illegal violent TV streams with added subliminal violent messaging. Flagg is in the same category as the Man With No Name and James Bond. Just a super cool dude that gets all the ladies and saves the day.

[Bill Hsu]

Reread after I don't know how many years. It's still easy to see how groundbreaking this was in the 80s: the sensory overload of all the screens, the collapse of social norms and high-tech street gangs, general cynicism, sociopolitical commentary that's spot-on especially today, but rather heavy-handed also by today's standards.

I suppose the title is a reference to Flagg's sexual shenanigans (hohoho). They're like a fratboy's wet dreams, and don't date well of course.

[Adrian J.]

That was weird.

AMERICAN FLAGG! is not at all what I expected. I imagined a standard noir private detective story, but set in the 1980s - the ads certainly had that aesthetic. Instead, it was very much like JUDGE DREDD, but weirdly... cooler?

It's hard to put my finger on it... but it really clicks. Great stuff. A shame that only the first 12 (14?) issues have been collected. Might need to source the others some other way.

[R.J. Huneke]

A hell of a thrill ride!

[Peter]

i got this graphic novel in 1989 and have enjoyed the style and wording of this work for a long time. Still in my collection. If you can read a copy or get your hands on one its a fun read!

[Scott]

Great story, great art, will look to complete the series. This is my first "Graphic Novel" and it was a winner. I was never into comic books as a kid, somehow I had heard of the American Flagg series, and purchased a handful of comics thru eBay, they were first published in the early 80's I think. Decided I liked the comic books, but thought it would be costly and a chore to fill the gaps in my collection to complete the series, so I bought a Graphic Novel, which seems to cover just the first three comic books of the series, so I'll have to look for the next GN, else collect the individual comics as before. But, enough about me! It is great stuff and I recommend it to just about anyone.

[Stewart Tame]

So I read this a few times back when it first came out, but not for years until recently. While it's starting to show it's age a bit--could that woman on the cover have been drawn in any decade other than the '80s?--it's still one of the better SF comics ever. Obviously the dates no longer work, and the video tech seems quaint by today's standards, but the story still moves along at a brisk pace and Chaykin is still a hell of a storyteller. Yes, it's a bit dated and, yes, there are some problems with the depiction of women, but this is still a fine example of some of the best comics the '80s produced.

[J.]

Well, this is a classic series that has a LOT of strengths, but isn't really all that interesting to read. It's heavily satirical, violent when necessary (and sexual when not), it's got complicated plots that treat the reader like s/he has a brain and can pay attention, and has a really, really detailed world. The art is great and unusual, with a heavily stippled look and very interesting panel work and layouts. Like I said, I can say a lot of great stuff about it. And for the time it was written, it was clearly very forward-looking. But, having said all that, it is a little tedious to actually read. But I guess that's how a lot of "great" books are.

[Jessi]

Wow. Impressive art and some of the most frenetic storytelling I've ever read. I feel like I should be offended, but it's too over-the-top for me to take it seriously. I also have a major soft spot for talking cats (who DON'T get killed, BKV!) so Raul is the best.

[Brett]

Comics,Graphic Novel

[Steven]

The original American Flagg - sexist, over the top, funny, it was a groundbreaking comic for its time.