I remember the day it hit the shelves actually.
The beautiful art on the cover, the intriguing title, the comic company I had not yet had the honor to get books from, Homage Comics, and the incredibly talented writer Kurt Busiek of a Red Tornado Limited Series, Power Man and Iron Fist comics and a run with the Avengers.
It was a powerful combination but I already had far more comics in my hands than I had the money for (I have 10,000+ comics, so I really don’t NEED more, but I WANT more). I just couldn’t justify putting down a favored comic for an unknown. What a mistake.
I need to take a step back here and say that I am a fan of Kurt Busiek. If you have ever read about Kurt’s background you will see that he has had an interest in comics for many, many moons and he fought hard to break into comic writing. I don’t know Kurt personally (although I’d love to) but I can tell you that he fought for what he wanted and deserved what he got...an Eisner Award winning comic in Astro City. It won Best New Series, Best Single Issue (for the first issue) and Best Cover Artist. This is the cover for that game changing comic:
Recently, however, I was given a second chance.
The flea market where I am known as The Comic Whisperer recently had a run of Astro City available. The price is unimportant...me having the run was VERY important.
It could NOT have been a better purchase.
In short, Astro City is about a fictional American city of the same name. The first series debuted in 1995 published by Image Comics and since published by Homage Comics, part of the Windstorm Signature Series. It’s written by Kurt Busiek with character designs and cover paintings by Alex Ross.
Astro City was published from 1995 - 1998 then came back again in 2003 with "Local Heroes" and "Dark Ages" story arcs. The Dark Ages ran 16 issues. In those issues the characters pondered the functions and motivations of superpowered beings and their fit into the community (it was very “Watchmen-esque”). Dark Ages went from 2005 - 2010. Then in June 2013, Astro City went monthly published by the powerhouse Vertigo Comics. The thing that makes Astro City stand apart, besides its incredible art, is that the stories are told as third person OR told by the criminals or heroes from their perspectives. The writing and art wound up taking up a style all their own completely different from the comic books I have read since childhood.
Not to sell other writers and other comics short, but the issues are captivating with their art alone. The art is magnificent. Take a gander:
It’s almost as if it’s from a different age. Every panel looks like a mural someone would have painted on the side of a building. EVERY PANEL. It also takes me to a different time. A time when things were easier, the colors brighter, the women more beaut.....well, you get the point. I will honestly say that in the 45 years I have been writing and collecting comics there has never been a series that has captivated my attention like Astro City. As I have read over 10,000 that’s saying something.
If you have already read it, you know what I am talking about. If you haven’t read it already go out and buy it. You certainly won’t regret it.
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