Hero Happy Hour Super Special

Super-hero reality comics have become tiresome. Coffee shops, group therapy sessions, and reality TV shows abound. It’s overdone. So here’s a real treat: a keeper.

Set in a super-hero bar, Hero Happy Hour Super Special is Dan Taylor and Chris Jason’s playground, but many of their friends have come to play. And their friends are extremely talented people.

There are recurring characters but there are also one-shots and guest stars galore. Styles change and villains and monsters pass through, as well.

Among the gems in this collection are John Kovalic and Todd Nauck crossing their characters over and Tom Beland’s Silver Surfer parody. (It’s not credited, but you can tell.) Neil Kleid and Neil Vokes serve up a “fantastic” origin story, while Jim Keplinger and Michael Scott deconstruct The Futurian. Speaking of deconstruction, James Patrick and D.J. Coffman introduce us to Aware-of-His-Medium-Man.

Frankly, there’s too much good stuff in here to list it all—and not a real clunker in the bunch. The only shortcoming is that not all the stories are credited where credit is due.

— Jack Abramowitz

Jump to issue:

#1

Jul 2004

Cover: $6.00

W: Lance Karutz, James Denning, Neil Kleid, James Patrick, C. Scott Morse, Steve Niles, Jim Keplinger, Dan Taylor · A: Aaron Sword, Neil Vokes, D.J. Coffman, C. Scott Morse, Ben Templesmith, Chris Tuson

1 copy for $1.99