Less Than Heroes

(Top Shelf, 2004)
™ and © David Yurkovich

What readers may or may not know: This graphic novel is a collection of David Yurkovich’s stories from his self–published comic book Threshold, originally published in the late 90s.

What else readers may or may not know: why Top Shelf would select these stories for compilation. Yurkovich’s comic is a kind of absurdist, pseudo–parody of super–hero teams, but it’s only one among many better examples of super–hero revisionism. With all the better examples that have come before (Kurt Busiek’s Marvels and Astro City, Mark Waid’s Kingdom Come) and after Troy Hickman’s Common Grounds, Adam Wallenta’s Retributors, Dan Taylor’s Super Hero Happy Hour, there’s not much that Yurkovich’s story has left to say, especially several years later.

It’s simply not humorous enough to be funny, thrilling enough to be exciting, or different enough to be clever. At best, it’s a barely entertaining story that’s not helped by its plodding pace, excessive length, or inconsistent inks and letters. This less–than–heroic effort is not worthy of its price or shelf space among its peers.

— Jim Johnson

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Cover Price: $14.95
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David Yurkovich