The (D)Evolution of Agent X

Agent X is my very favourite comic ever, and for only having fifteen issues, it went through a few writers and artists. The first seven issues were drawn by Udon. I love them. They're my favourite. I am an Udon fan. See?















It doesn't show so much here, but they're very inspired by anime. The drawings are usually flawless and they're just nice to look at. How much I love a given comic is usually multiplied by ten if they're on the title.

When Gail Simone left the title after seven issues, she took Udon with her, and they were replaced by Mitch Breitweiser.













I actually had no memory of what this artist was like until I looked at the issue again. Even coming on the heels of Udon, I quite like this. It's a more dark and gritty version of the art, and it fits with the overall feel of Agent X. I could see this art in a graphic novelization of The Maltese Falcon or something.

After Breitweiser left after two issues, he was replaced by Juan Bobillo.


















I don't really have the words for how much I hate this. Every time I saw Alex, I was reminded again how much he looked like the long lost member of the Gorillaz. He has some kind of weird pig nose. He looks like a less hairy version of the missing link, basically. Sandy up on the right there has completely changed her appearance, eschewing her long brown hair for some kind of weird orange/blonde dye job or something. She also looks more manly than I think she would like. The only character who escaped relatively unscathed was Tasky, and that was probably because a) I'm pretty sure he didn't show up that much, and b) he doesn't really have a face to screw up.

Anyway, next up we've got Kyle Hotz, who drew one issue.














Alex seems to have been afflicted with whatever the Elephant Man had, as his face is very large and somewhat bulbous. I do like the excessive shading though, and I think I might be in love with that dude on the right. He just looks so DELIGHTED to be a henchman. I love it.

And then with the next issues we come full circle, back to Udon.
















Ahhh. Hello, Udon. Good to see you again. Nice job on Deadpool! And Swan doesn't look too bad either.

Lastly we have Alvin Lee. He works with Udon so it's still very animesque, but it's very slightly different.













You can see it mostly in Sandy's eyes, which are bigger and more shiny. I think her face is thinner too. Agent X and Tasky still look largely the same as they did in the first seven issues.

Side note: there are SO MANY LEES in the comic book business. Stan Lee, Pat Lee, Alvin Lee, Jim Lee, Jae Lee... it's getting so insane that this is what Alvin Lee's Wikipedia page says:

"Alvin Lee is not related to Stan Lee, Jim Lee, Pat Lee, or Jae Lee, four other prominent people named Lee in the North American comic book industry."

It's kind of like the Brotherhood of Steves on Yu-Gi-Oh Abridged, but it's the brotherhood of Lees. I think they're probably planning to take over the world.