Publisher: Image Comics
Created by: Rob Liefeld
Real Name: Calvin Raines
1st appearance: (As Die Hard) YoungBlood Strikefile #1, April 1993
(Unmasked as Free Agent) Youngblood #9, 2004
Alias: Die Hard, Golden Age Die Hard, WWII Die Hard
Team Affiliations: Youngblood
Legal Status: US citizen with no criminal record
Weight: 225 lbs Height: 6’4
Eyes: Brown Hair: Black
Relatives: Unknown
Skills and abilities: Free Agent is a military and espionage trained government special agent in armed and unarmed combat.
Powers: Free agent has a measure of enhanced strength, resistance to injury and enhanced reflexes. Since he was alive in WWII and was still a man in his prime in the 2000’s he also has a slowed ageing process.
Equipment: He has access to an energy shield which can block gun fire.
Biography
He first appears as the golden age Die Hard fighting alongside Glory, Superpatriot and Supreme. He fought during WWII and never removed his mask due to the tense racially charged climate of the time. Alongside Glory and Superpatriot they comprised “The Allies”. The tale of how he battled Nazis was told to the modern-day Die Hard [Youngblood Strikefile #1].
After serving his time he retired when a replacement Die hard was made.
Years later Calvin Raines is re-activated this time as the Free Agent by president Barack Obama. Calvin is dispatched into Afghanistan to battle a deadly terror cell who turned out to be superhuman Muslim Demon ninjas. Raines has not been seen since [Youngblood v4.#9, 2004].
I don’t know what the writers of issues of #9 were smoking but only for that issue Diehard was known as Free Agent, but all the other time he was Diehard a Caucasian cyborg with red eyes and white hair.
I’ve noticed that as well….confusing…but that’s Leifeld for ya! (Shrug)
I think that is due to the later Diehards are all cyborgs that have the original’s memories. In the Super Patriot mini series Diehard is killed by Super Patriot only to wake up in another body. I am guessing that take dead bodies and reanimate them (like in Bloodstrike) and add cybernetics. They then download the original’s memories into their body when it is being used. Just a theory because that is what it seems, mostly because I am sure I seen Diehard on Strikefile issue 2 on the cover has a torn outfit you can see his skin seems darker but another time his skin was paler.So I think that is why, every Diehard is in a way the original and some one else.
Excellent theory! It would explain the whole thing with his different pigmentation depiction at different times. Alas Rob Leifeld no longer has the rights to Youngblood so we may never know 🙁