MacGyver : Fugitive Gauntlet #1

After a 20 year hiatus, the Phoenix Foundation’s best agent returns with a brand new mini series. After receiving an invitation by his old biology professor at Caltech, MacGyver travels to Africa. Professor Cornwell tells him that he’s developed a special type of seed that could cure world hunger, but that his enemies want the technology to exploit it financially. But soon enough trouble finds MacGyver like a moth to a flame and he’s tussling with hitmen & evil corporations and with nothing more than a Swiss army knife and a few household chemicals, he’s going to do with he does best… be himself!

The Team

Written by Lee David Zlotoff & Tony Lee (Doctor Who Vol. 1 : Fugitive, Outlaw : The Legend of Robin Hood). Illustrated & inked by Will Sliney (Pigs Vol. 1 : Hello Cruel World). Published by Image Comics.

The Pros

I wasn’t a follower of the TV series MacGyver, having seen a couple of episodes here and there, I’m what you called a casual viewer. That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the show, for the most part I thought it was fun & original and like everybody else, marvelled at how Richard Dean Anderson’s protagonist could get out of any situation or trap with a Swiss army knife (when he had it) and a piece of gum or something. I’m exaggerating, but you get my point. Now 20 years later, creator Lee David Zlotoff, like the Phoenix Foundation’s name, has resurrected the famous character into the pages of a monthly mini series. Zlotoff is not the first to continue his TV series into a monthly comic, Joss Whedon did it with Buffy & Firefly and Smallville continues as well. Makes sense when you think about it, it’s cheaper than a TV series and satisfies the hard core fans.

Zlotoff with the help of writer Tony Lee create an interesting enough story that involves hired assassins to take down the “Mac”, has him exploring foreign countries and beyond his control, turns him into a fugitive. There’s enough action & intrigue to sastify any MacGyver fan. Illustrator Will Sliney has standard look to the drawings that seems to fit the comic just fine.

The Cons

I think die hard MacGyver fans will absolutely adore this series, as for me it was nice to revisit the character after all these years, but was a mediocre experience at best. Sorry Mac.

The Outcome

This comic looks good and has a nice presentation to it, but it just didn’t do it for me.