When news broke that James Gunn was working on The Vigilante/Eagly Double Feature, DC fans wondered if the comic book series would be part of DCU canon. The co-head of DC Studios was quick to dismiss this idea, revealing the comic work as a non-canonical sequel that uses the main story beats of the Peacemaker TV show. Nevertheless, as a story consultant, Gunn ensured The Vigilante/Eagly Double Feature #1 feels right at home with his previous DC projects, to the point where the comic book feels like a proper sequel to the series. The only thing preventing the issue from genuinely shining is its double-feature format, which doesn’t give enough space for either of its two stories to develop.
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Set after the events of Season 1 of Peacemaker, The Vigilante/Eagly Double Feature #1 tells two interconnected stories. The first is focused on neurodivergent psychopath Vigilante, who goes on a killing spree after finding out Peacemaker might have been captured by a supervillain. The other revolves around Peacemaker and Eagly, who decide to vacation in Alaska to recharge their crime-fighting batteries. Since each story has only 11 pages to introduce its lore-rich context, lay the groundwork for the five-part narrative, and showcase these characters’ penchant for ultraviolence, there’s not much happening beyond what the synopsis already tells you. That’s the biggest flaw of The Vigilante/Eagly Double Feature #1, which would benefit from a double-size first issue to help with the narrative flow.
That said, both stories capture the charm of the live-action versions of Vigilante and Peacemaker crafted by Gunn. Vigilante’s social awkwardness prevents him from understanding the minutia of human communication, which puts him at an obvious disadvantage when investigating the supposed disappearance of Peacemaker and Eagly. As for Peacemaker, it’s hilarious to see Chris trying his best to be friendly and polite, and failing due to the twisted values ingrained into his personality during his toxic upbringing.
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While the two stories do a good job of capturing the essence of these characters, The Vigilante/Eagly Double Feature #1 is less successful in fulfilling its promise to give Eagly his well-deserved time in the spotlight. The vicious bald eagle is there, helping Chris take down a group of Nazi lizards, but this is still a Peacemaker story through and through, with the bird functioning only as a sidekick. The problem is somewhat understandable, considering the amount of background information the issue tries to squeeze into its 22 pages — including quick recaps of the characters’ relationship, their moral alignment, and even significant events of the Peacemaker TV show.
On the art front, Mitch Gerards leans closer to the TV show for the Vigilante story by drawing Adrian Chase just like Freddie Stroma. Flashback scenes inside Vigilante’s mind also reuse the butterfly figures that haunted the antiheroes in the TV show, and even Christopher Smith’s home is a one-to-one copy of the trailer Gunn used in Season 1 of Peacemaker. Matteo Lolli, who tackles the Eagly half of the issue, stirs away from John Cena’s visage but keeps the uniform the actor uses in his life-action appearances. The problem is trying to appease people who followed Peacemaker and The Suicide Squad while giving enough information for newcomers to follow the new story. The artwork does wonders to bridge the gap by using symbols fans will recognize.
Finally, even if Gunn is always careful not to over-glamorize violence and deal with the nefarious consequences of vigilantism, we can’t deny part of the fun with his previous DC projects comes from the well-designed R-rated violence. The Vigilante/Eagly Double Feature #1 stays true to these expectations and spends some solid pages showing both Vigilante and Peacemaker/Eagly mowing through enemies. The blood and guts sprayed over the paper is a spectacle, helping the issue be more entertaining despite its storytelling shortcomings.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Published by: DC
On: March 25, 2025
Written by: Tim Seeley (Vigilante) / Rex Ogle (Eagly)
Art by Mitch Gerards (Vigilante) / Matteo Lolli (Eagly)
Colors by Mitch Gerards (Vigilante) / John Kalisz (Eagly)
Letters by Pat Brosseau
What did you think of The Vigilante/Eagly Double Feature #1? Will you be getting the upcoming issues? Join the discussion in the comments!
