World Famous Comics: Astro City: Local Heroes (Astro City)
Astro City: Local Heroes (Astro City)
By: Kurt Busiek Publisher: Wildstorm Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Wildstorm Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 256 Publication Date: October 01, 2005 Release Date: October 01, 2005
Another triumph All of the Astro City books are worth a read. Well-written, excellently drawn, in a universe separate from DC and Marvel.
Good human stories "Astro City: Local Heroes" collects 9 stories that have only one character in common: the city itself. Astro City is home to many superheroes - and supervillains - and as such isn't like any other place, but most of the people that call it home are "normal" people that wouldn't be out of place anywhere else. Yet the presence of these extraordinarily powerful people plays an important role in the lives of the everyday people that also choose to make Astro City home, and each of the tales in "Local Heroes" focuses on these people, using the Super heroes and villains as background characters (although not unimportant ones) to tell the tales of ordinary folks living in a world where the extraordinary isn't uncommon. The main characters of the tales include a hotel valet, a comic book writer, a stuntman/actor, a trial lawyer, a young boy, and an elderly retired super hero. The ability to tell good human stories is something of a trademark of Kurt Busiek, and this one is on par with Marvels and Secret Identity two previous excellent works of his. It is a type of writing that I wish was more common in comic books. Highly recommended (and not just to superhero comicbook fans), 4.5/5 stars.
Not Busiek's best, but not bad This collection of nine mostly separate stories is considerably above the average, much better in my opinion than the earlier Astro City stuff I've read. "Knock Wood" and "Justice Systems" is the only two-parter, about a criminal defense lawyer who finds a new way to defend his obviously guilty mob client and finds himself in a bad place for doing his job; it's easily the best story here, with the attorney's musings (in 1974) about losing faith in society and the government, and in the legal system generally. "After the Fire" is a short one without even any superheroes in it, about real heroism; it's actually a very affecting short story with pictures. "Shiny Armor," which won an award, is about a superhero trying to learn to become human, and it's pretty good, too. The other stories aren't up to that level, but none of them are badly done.
Tales From A Different View Astro City has been a favorite of mine ever since I first stumbled upon it. Bringing to mind Hero Alliance with its non-standard approach to superhero comics, Astro City is about the people and the people behind the mask and not about the fights and defeating the supervillains. This collections contains stories of different sorts of heroes than what are usually found in a comic.
We start with Astro City as seem through the eyes of a doorman at one of its finer hotels. Next we see the city through the eyes of a local comic book company and includes some industry cameos. Next a soap opera star playing a super hero gets caught up in reality. Then we see a love story from the view of the mortal woman who loved and lost. Next an Astro City resident learns about heroes in the heartland. Then a two-issue story examines the legal system as it meet the hero world. Then a retired hero is called back into service. Finally a short story honoring firemen and 9/11 ends the collection.
A wonderful collection that shows not all superhero comics are cast from the same mold. Some aren't cast at all but finely crafted as unique works of art. If you are unfamiliar with Astro City, this volume would make an fine introduction to the series. Existing fans will still find it fresh and original. Check it out.
Not my favorite AC, but still very good. This volume in the Astro City series (vol. 5?) was a little different than the previous volumes. While the Astro City series has always tried to portray its heroes and people in a realistic light, this book seemed to focus more on the people and what it's like to live in the world of Astro City. The heroes are still there, but they are in the background. The stories follow the regular people and how they live their lives. This happened once before in one of the previous volumes. The story focused on a newspaper editor and his first story about the Shirrak shark worshippers. But here, all but one is about everyday people. Newcomers is about hotel doorman, Pete Donacek. Where the Action Is is about comic book writer Sally Twinings. Great Expectations is about stuntman turned actor, Mitch Goodman. Shining Armor is about political aide, Irene Meriwether. Pastoral is about city girl Camilla spending the summer at her Uncle's farm. Knock Wood is about attorney Vince Oleck. Justice Systems is also about Vince Oleck and continues from where the previous story ended. Old Times is about retired superhero Dale Enright, aka Supersonic. Since the Fire is about former firefighter Arnie Prentice. Don't get me wrong. Every Astro City book is well worth the price. And while I appreciate the intent behind focusing on the real people, I do still like reading about the super heroes rather than the local heroes.
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