Astro City (Kurt Busiek’s…, Vol. 1)

(Image, 1995-1996, 2015)
™ and ©1995 Juke Box Productions

Kurt Busiek rocketed to fame for his writing on the critically acclaimed Marvels limited series. In 1995, Busiek set up camp at Image Comics and released the six-issue Astro City, a unique comic book that was about an entire city, rather than just one hero.

The genius of the series is that the characters seem real. Through their eyes we can see what it would really be like to live in a city alongside superhumans with miraculous powers. In addition, it lets us see the real, human conflicts that the heroes face. For example, the Samaritan, Astro City’s answer to Superman, leads a joyless life where he actually times how long he gets to enjoy flying between rescues. For him, the only moral way to live is to save as many people as possible with his powers. This, of course, leaves him no time at all for his own life. And even then, he can’t save everyone.

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