The Imaginaries #3 - Image (2005)

Anything containing the line "I heard the call of Liberty's siblings, Equity and Equality, and answered that call with extreme prejudice!" scores extra points with me.

This is the pentultimate issue of the Lost and Found storyline and it's the one where things really pick up steam. The first two issues did a good job of setting up the Imagined Nation which is where imaginary friends go when the children who dreamed them up no longer want them. The realm is ruled by the Ice Queen and she hasn't made it a nice place. Her draconian rules are enforced by her army of sadistic, jackbooted teddy bears.

For the record, anything which elicits the phrase, "sadistic, jackbooted teddy bears" also scores extra points.

Enter Superhero G who is not willing to accept that his sidekick, Tanner, no longer has any use for him. He also doesn't like the way the Ice Queen runs things. In D&D terms, G is Neutral Good while the Queen is Lawful Evil. G gets a job as a reporter and only appears in his true identity when there's injustice that needs to have its head knocked in. Hijinks ensue.

The secondary characters, such as Melee Mouse, are superbly done and Greg Titus's art fits Mike Miller & Ben Avery's story perfectly. The showdown with the Queen (if it happens in #4) should be good. Image has already put an ad for the first trade in the back of this issue so, if you haven't been buying the individual issues, wait a little while and fork over the ten bucks. You'll be glad you did.