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During the current New Krypton storyline, Agent Liberty has returned to help the government deal with the large number of Kryptonians wandering the planet.
Who is Agent Liberty?
What role could he play in the government’s plan to take down Superman and all other Kryptonians?
Last week we played Continuity Catch-Up with Agent Liberty and his first appearance in Superman #60. This week it’s time to play Continuity Catch-Up with Agent Liberty’s origin in Agent Liberty #1.
Agent Liberty’s Origin as Told in Agent Liberty #1:
Agent Liberty’s real name is Ben Lockwood. Ben Lockwood was with the CIA until they betrayed him. Lockwood was part of a secret mission to free hostages being held captive in the U.S. embassy in Iran. During the mission the president decided to abort at the last minute. The government willingly left Ben Lockwood and his partner Paul Devlin stranded in Iran after the failed rescue attempt. Ben and Paul tried their best to blend in with the native Iranians while looking for safe passage back to the States. While the two American soldiers were in Tehran, the local Iranians were celebrating the American’s defeat by parading the bodies of the dead American soldiers through town. Paul Devlin, disguised as a local, notices that one of the dead soldiers was his brother. In a fit of rage, Devlin attacks the Iranians carrying his fallen brother. The mob quickly turns its attention to Devlin, beating him to a pulp. Ben Lockwood retreated from the town of Tehran, now truly alone and abandoned by his country.
A couple years later, after having to kill and fight his way to freedom, Lockwood returned to the United States. Once back in the states Lockwood joined the Sons of Liberty (SOL) as Agent Liberty.
The Sons of Liberty consists of Judge Ronal Kramer, Jay Harriman, the pilots of the helicopter named “Satellite,” and Agent Liberty. According to Judge Kramer, the Sons of Liberty “exists to bring this country back to its original values,” and they “seek the restoration of the spirit of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.” With Lockwood’s lost confidence in the current American government and his military beliefs, the Sons of Liberty seemed like a perfect place for a betrayed soldier.
Recap of Agent Liberty #1
The issue starts off with Agent Liberty running a routine equipment check that quickly turns from an “equipment check” to a “field test.” Utilizing his glider pack, energy force shield, snazzy retracting forearm blades, and his gun, he successfully stops a large group of “paramilitary types” from breaking into the Pentagon. With the arrival of “Satellite,” his all seeing helicopter partner, Agent Liberty not only stops the group of thieves but also sends them running. With the large group defeated and retreating, a lone thief sneaks into the Pentagon and easily sneaks away while Agent Liberty was preoccupied with the larger group.
Upon returning to the home base in Virginia, Agent Liberty and his crew learn that the items stolen from the Pentagon were directly linked to Agent Liberty’s origin – a recording of the president’s order to abort the Iran hostage mission.
Outraged, Agent Liberty goes after the stolen tape on his own without the permission of the Sons of Liberty. Lockwood begins his search at a local military bar. While at the bar, Lockwood is approached by an older solider who once worked a mission with Ben. Knowing that Ben is no longer in the military and impressed with his ability to survive what the government did to him, the older soldier offers Ben a job. The soldier continues to tell Ben that a guy is looking to hire mercenaries for a mission because he lost many of his men during the last mission. Lockwood puts two and two together and asks when and where he should start. Ben Lockwood changes into his Agent Liberty costume and takes off to find the thugs and thief from the night before.
The Sons of Liberty order Lockwood not to pursue the thief without backup or support. Liberty tells the other members of SOL that this is personal and they need to stay out of it. Judge Kramer, upset that Lockwood is not following orders, sends the helicopter to follow the tracking signal in Liberty’s costume.
After an hour of searching Agent Liberty finds a small airport where the paramilitary group is unloading a shipment from an Iranian plane. The soldiers recognize Liberty from the night before and immediately begin shooting. Agent Liberty keeps his guard up and easily avoids the gunfire from the hired help… until the leader emerges from the plane. The leader of the group emerges from the plane and to Lockwood’s surprise the man is his former partner Paul Devlin.
Shocked that his partner, and best friend, is alive he lets his guard down for a moment. The moment is long enough that Devlin is able to get three shots off – two deflected by Liberty’s costume and one burying itself deep into his chest. Devlin escapes in the Iranian plane leaving his lackeys to take care of Liberty. Satellite (the helicopter) arrives just in time to save Liberty from more bullets. Not letting the pain stop him, Agent Liberty takes to the sky chasing the plane that Devlin is escaped in.
Upon reaching the plane, Agent Liberty removes his mask and tries to reason with his friend. Devlin tells Lockwood that he, of all people should understand why he needs to release the recording. Lockwood agrees that the government wronged him and Devlin, but trying to tear down the establishment is the wrong approach to fix the corrupt system. Devlin still intending to shame America the way it shamed, him pulls the trigger of the gun pointed at his friend. Lockwood quickly activates his force shield, deflecting the bullet back towards Devlin and knocks him out of the plane. The story ends with Judge Kramer sharing his disappointment for the lack of “ruthlessness” of Agent Liberty and his disobeying of the order to execute Paul Devlin.
In this issue, the true nature of the Sons of Liberty started to show. Check back next week where we play Continuity Catch-Up with Agent Liberty, looking closer at him and the Sons of Liberty one last time to further understand what role he might play in the current New Krypton arc.
