Being a eighties kid, I came by the adventures of Steve Austin via re-runs, but the impact The Six Million Dollar Man had on me was no less significant A surgically enhanced former test pilot and astronaut with incredible abilities, including bionic legs, arm and eyes, sent on weekly stealth missions to bring down the latest big bad who was played by The Fall Guy himself Lee Majors. Oh yes this was right up my street. So I was very happy to see that Dynamite have taken this iconic character and repackaged him for a new generation.

And it is a repackaging. For long time Austin fans it’s noticeable that Dynamite are targeting a younger audience. I just couldn’t envision the Austin I’ve become accustomed to acting as he does, almost as a satirical version of himself. But once you get past his Jonny Bravo-esque overhaul, what you find is a very enjoyable book. Everything else is intact, he still kicks major butt as he is sent on a Rambo style mission to Tokyo to meet a spy who suspects that the Japanese have a nuclear device, capable of leveling the good ‘ole USA and they just might be willing to sell to Russia. Sounds straight forward enough right? And still being set in the 1970’s, the creative team  responsible for the new Steve Austin ensure that a suitably over the top evil element emerges, to throw a spanner in the works.

Written by The Adventures of Dr.McNinja and Marvel collaborator writer Christopher Hastings who has taken the essence of what made The Six Million Dollar Man such a hit in the first place, tweaked it slightly and created a comic book that an entire new generation can be entertained by. Steve Austin doesn’t die, he just gets rebuilt… Chris Andrews