Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #168763 in Books
• Published on: 1998-12-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Customer Reviews

Looking at a fascinating super-powered world from the inside
In a parallel America, Astro City has the world's highest incidence of superhuman activity. Another superhero comic? The difference is the perspective. These stories are about what it's like to be a superhero (or, in fact, villain), and what it's like to be an ordinary inhabitant of a place where superheroes are a part of everyday life. There are only a few big fight scenes, and they're only there to help tell stories about people rather than as ends in themselves. Often we see just a few establishing frames of a battle that would clearly take most of an issue in other comics.

The artwork is strong, with just enough shadow and outlining to give a hint of realism, and the ideas are good. There are clear homages to well-established comics characters, but they're always inspired by the originals and given their own life rather than simply copied. For instance, Samaritan is inspired by Superman, the Honour Guard is inspired by the Justice League of America, and the First Family is inspired by the Fantastic Four. These aren't your late 90's brimming-with-attitude supers - the style is that of an earlier age of comics, but with more emphasis on the human side.

This is the second Astro City collection, after 'Life in the Big City'. It contains 7 issues. The first is about an ordinary family who move into the city on the very day that someone big and angry comes calling. There's a two-parter about Astra, the youngest member of the First Family, and what it's like to be a 10-year-old kid living among technological miracles and spending your time fighting villains. Aging techno-villain the Junkman resolves to finally put one over on the heroes. In another two-parter, a brush with the future leads Jack-in-the-Box (clearly a favourite of the creators, and seen on the cover shot) to rethink his career as a hero. Oh, and the last one is the life story of a cartoon lion who now runs a restaurant. Go visit.