Easily the best start of all three Freedom Fighters launches, Human Bomb is exactly that great combination of modern concepts with classic storytelling traits, and above all is a book I'm eager to come back to next month. Read Full Review

The only thing I’m not crazy about on this issue is that it ties into the Freedom Force and Uncle Sam. Every time DC tries to use those characters they mess it up because then never intergraded them into the universe properly. Hopefully, they’ll learn from the success of Storm Watch and fuse DC characters on the team rather than just vague mentions. Otherwise, I really liked this issue and will stick around to finish the mini-series. If it does well, I’d love to see another mini or the character added to another series. Read Full Review

"Human Bomb" #1 is a fun comic that delivers realistic characters and a solid mystery. I'll definitely be seeing this one all the way through. Read Full Review

Obviously, the suicide-bomber aspect of the story, set on American soil, also brings up some sensitive subjects. The 9/11 terror attacks are a pervasive element of recent history that's forever on people's minds. Again, rather than avoiding the subject, the writers use it in the story, setting the action on the site of the Twin Towers. I suppose it's a potentially risky prospect, but it makes for a more resonant plot. The cultural and media reaction to the action is entirely believable and easily relatable. Such topical elements in the story are definitely integral to the success of this Human Bomb reimagination, and in a way, it's in keeping with DC's original Golden Age characters and their connection to a dark chapter in history as well. Read Full Review

With this character, and the previous mini-series Phantom Lady, DC Comics is trying to showcase old properties in a new light. Human Bomb is a surprisingly good start to reintroducing old heroes back into the DC Universe. If the miniseries are successful, we may see other old heroes revamped for a new audience, perhaps another Freedom Fighters series. Read Full Review

Luckily, the deeper conspiracy involving Mike's powers and the sinister organization that created them is more interesting. At this point it seems clear that Palmiotti and Gray are building towards the eventual debut of the full Freedom Fighters lineup, and this issue pushes that momentum forward a bit more. But ultimately the book doesn't seem to know what kind of tone it wants to strike. A group of villains that acts as superhuman suicide bombers should really be a more dark and terrible concept than this issue suggests. Jerry Ordway's artwork doesn't really help in that regard either. Ordway's style has a distinctly Bronze Age feel to it, and coupled with the overly heavy inks it's not the best choice for rendering a contemporary, military-focused superhero story. Read Full Review