Saturday, December 27, 2014

Astro City #18


So much of Astro City deals with the fringe, normal people on the periphery of the super-hero world, that when you get a comic centered around a particular hero you are always a bit surprised. Beginning a new four-issue arc, "The Dimming of the Day" gives us a peek at aging crimefighters Crackerjack and Quarrel while offering a contemplative look back at the humble origins of the later who used her natural gifts and tragic family history to carve out a life as a super-hero.

Quarrel's back story takes up much of the first issue of the arc while introducing the idea of two crimefighters whose heroic exploits may be coming to an end. Wiser and more armored, but a bit slower these days, how hard is it for a hero to admit that it might be time to hang up the tights?

Although I've quite enjoyed the short one-off issues of the current series, Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson open a door here I'll gladly walk through and stick around to see what does happen when a super-hero decides (or is forced to) retire? Worth a look.

[Vertigo, $3.99]

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