Review by Frank Plowright
Considering Kurt Busiek had been working on Astro City on and off for over twenty years by the time the first stories in Metrobook 6 first saw print, there could be an expectation of him resting on his laurels and seeing the series out coasting. Not a bit of it! As we wave goodbye to Astro City we’re treated to a selection as strong as the first in exploring a city where superheroes are an everyday fact of life.
New and interesting ideas abound, such as a lawyer taking on the existential forces of the universe, a presentation of how Howard Stark might have been and superheroes based on the will of the people, and look out for the small touches planted with comic fans in mind. One character drinks a brand of whisky named Haddock’s, a nod to Tintin; Busiek writes of the bulk of Mount Kirby casting shadows and the Pup Diner recalls The Rocketeer. Combining slimmer paperbacks Ordinary Heroes, Broken Melody and Aftermaths does reveal several characters with father issues, but even at this late stage Busiek continues to introduce fascinating new creations while returning to flesh out others.
As with Metrobook 5, the sacrifice for monthly publication of the original comics is that not everything is drawn by Brent Anderson, but unlike the previous volume his replacements are a sympathetic selection all working in his style of broad realism. Occasionally there’s a stiffness to characters Anderson would avoid, or forms of storytelling straying from his template, but the pages by other artists fit, and that’s important. Anderson himself is the artistic star turn, remarkably consistent in placing ordinary people in contact with superheroes who seem larger than life. As they would.
The most inventive new character encompasses the musical spirit of the era, designer Alex Ross called in to create several variations as they transform again and again from their first incarnation at the start of the 20th century (sample art). They’re notably different every time, yet united by the colour scheme of the original article, while Busiek alters speech patterns to reflect the different times. They eventually tie in to the story of the Broken Man who speaks directly readers warning of dire consequences unless they listen to his story and follow his instructions. Tying them together is a clever piece of rationalising. That also applies to the tale of G-Dog, and how they’re connected to earlier hero Stormhawk. The Broken Man’s story is left unresolved, but Busiek supplies the hints for readers to figure who they are, which is the important aspect.
Perhaps befitting a final volume, there’s a downbeat tone to much of the material, with the truth behind heroes frequently melancholy, exemplified by besuited crimebuster the Gentleman, although always thoughtful and creative. When the final departure arrives it’s understated, dignified and poignant, still with something to say about superheroes and deceptively clever in seeming to stall before rising into something so tragic tears are inevitable.
Is Astro City under-rated because there’s such a quantity of material? It’s a point worth raising. Even the brief period where the quality dipped inexplicably is so easily absorbed in the Metrobook format that the distilled love letters to the inspiration of superheroes shine in every volume.
