Writer, Artist, Colorist & Letterer: Patrick Horvath
Cover Artists: Patrick Horvath, Matt Kindt, Juni Ba, Matt Lesniewski with Dave Stewart, Noah Bailey, Brian Level & Maria Wolf with Rico Renzi
Publisher: Oni Press
Price: $19.99
Release Date: February 11, 2026
Cameron Miller has made his millions by running a pharmaceutical company. But when the World Finance League came calling, Cameron didn't play ball. Instead of giving away half of his fortune, Cameron raised the cost of medication for young cancer patients. So, the judge renders her decision. Cameron must defend his 200 million dollars in mortal combat. How will Cameron fare as a gladiator? And how has life changed in the 22nd Century? Let’s leap into Free For All HC and see!
Story
While protestors gather outside the stadium in Jakarta, crowds fill the stands. They shout encouragement to reigning champion Ted Brooks, urging him to win another round. All this seems unreal to Cameron as he straps on his armor and enters the arena. But when he has the chance to attack the real estate magnate, Cameron's lack of preparation becomes evident.
Unlike Cameron, Ted enjoys life in the arena. But then, he lives his life as a competition. Winning means coming out on top, regardless of what he loses along the way. While Ted walked away from their relationship with no hard feelings, Luella Dominguez bears a grudge against how Ted treated her. So, in Free For All HC, she has poured her anger at Ted into building another company that helps people forge better connections with others.
Cadin Heywood and his co-host Dorothy Kym introduce the contenders and call the play-by-play. The TV hosts seem oblivious to how the viewers delight in others’ misfortune, while elevating soulless entertainers into society’s elite. Patrick Horvath blends social satire with vicious battles to address wealth inequality without lessening the combatants' desperate struggle for victory in Free For All HC.
Art
As Cameron gazes up at the judge reading her tablet, a girl clutches a metal hand. She walks alongside the robot through the crowd of protestors and shows her serious expression among panels of glib TV commentators. Fans wear shirts and raise banners urging Ted Brooks onto yet another victory, while Cameron dons armor that seems a cross between Rollerball and Robocop. Ted Brooks wears Roman armor with a lion-embossed chest piece. A wooden mask covers Ted’s features as battle commences. Hovering ball drones and a camera secreted in a Zardoz-like wall carving follow the battle.
While lavishing a bright and attractive palette on Free For All HC, Patrick Horvath uses colors to link sequences together. A young boy with pink hair follows the battle as Cameron plucks a pink rifle from a yellow-and-black weapon rack. When the combatants spill blood, a woman with red hair cheers, while a man in a red jacket rejoices. But red also forms a theme, opening the story with the judge's robe, and slicing apart Ted’s head to show how he views himself. And while the crowds cheer, a red-and-green scoreboard announces society’s Christmas-like windfall after appropriating the loser’s estate.
The colored borders link the white dialogue balloons with each speaker's apparel. Words swell for raised voices and shrink for lowered voices. Weapons and robots speak into rectangular balloons, while white narrative boxes convey Ted’s thoughts. As technology, weapons, and cheering crowds fill panels with sound effects, former lovers and business partners meditate as they prepare for battle. Extras include a cover gallery and an interview with the creator. Thanks to Oni Press and Superfan Promotions for providing a review copy.
Final Thoughts
When we often lose sight of what is important to us, mentors can help us get our lives back on track. As a robot teaches a young girl how to concentrate her thoughts and energy, she shows her elder how to survive the brutality of the economic combat arena in Free For All HC.
Rating 9.4/10
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