Brigade #1

Brigade #1 was published in 1992 by Image Comics during the company's inaugural year. Created by Rob Liefeld, the title served as a cornerstone of the Extreme Studios imprint, which was established by the founders of Image after they defected from Marvel Comics. The comic was part of a larger trend in the early 1990s that prioritized kinetic, hyper-stylized action and bold visual aesthetics over traditional narrative pacing, reflecting the era's focus on the 'creator-owned' movement.

The visual identity of Brigade #1 is quintessential 1990s comic book art, featuring Liefeld's signature heavy line work, exaggerated muscularity, and complex costume designs. As one of the first titles released by the new collective, it was met with immense commercial success driven by the speculative market of the time. While critics often polarized over the storytelling approach, the book remains a significant artifact of the independent comic book boom that fundamentally altered the industry's business model.