The Six Million Dollar Man: Season 6 #1 Review

So, bye-bye Bionic Man and hello The Six Million Dollar Man: Season 6. Feeling confused? Let me explain…

The official description from Dynamite:

It’s The Six Millions Dollar Man’s 40th anniversary, and we at Dynamite are proud to bring you the direct continuation of the classic television series with Season 6! Better. Stronger. Faster. The original Six Million Dollar Man, Steve Austin was a man barely alive until the OSI turned him into the world’s first Bionic Man. Now he and Oscar Goldman are the most effective team in National Security. But a rogue faction in the OSI is making a power play for that position with a new type of infiltration agent – one that is completely obedient and robotic. Can a soulless machine that wears Steve Austin’s very face make the Six Million Dollar Man obsolete? For the 1st Time EVER! Fan favorite toy-line character Maskatron makes his Six Million Dollar Man debut and becomes a part of the classic television series mythology with a violent and terrifying purpose. And as Steve’s world is threatened from within, his very actions unknowingly release an alien menace upon an unsuspecting world. Classic action, powerful science fiction, and a cast of characters from one of television’s most original series combine to make The Six Million Dollar Man: Season 6 a must have for comic fans!

I don’t get the appeal of this issue, nor do I understand Dynamite’s handling of the series. The Bionic Man was readable, although it did have its moments, whereas this feels like a step backwards. This series follows on from the TV show and – from what I can tell – more or less ignores the previous comic. This risks losing newer readers by following on from a long-ended show. Sure, there are some benefits, but it’s appealing to a niche audience.

Worse yet, the reading doesn’t offer anything unique. Jim Kuhoric offers a semi-decent story, but it doesn’t open up with any immediate impact. The basic elements are still here – Steve Austin is cocky and confident, there are other people experimenting in cybernetics and the Russians are mentioned along the way – but the shift to a new title simply isn’t justified.

Visually, the The Six Million Dollar Man all depends on how you like your comics. Juan Antonio Ramirez can draw and adds enough detail, but the aesthetics take after the period of the show. Combined with the colors from Fran Gamboa and you can see a man in a purple suit with a cane. That’s not something you see these days, especially in a scientific context – elements like this risk alienating younger audiences.

All in all, I get what it’s trying to do, but it doesn’t feel right. There is potential, but right now it comes as an abrupt change of pace for what can only be argued is a niche audience.