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guppyur's review against another edition
4.0
I read this a while ago. Realized I only had digital stuff on my Goodreads shelves.
Astro City is kind of a "what if superheroes, but day to day" comic. I'm not much of a comics guy and even less of a superhero guy, but this one hits me just right. Not every issue is about the superheroes; some are about the people who live in the same world as they do.
There are almost as many superhero genre deconstructions as there are superhero series these days, but this is one of the gems.
Astro City is kind of a "what if superheroes, but day to day" comic. I'm not much of a comics guy and even less of a superhero guy, but this one hits me just right. Not every issue is about the superheroes; some are about the people who live in the same world as they do.
There are almost as many superhero genre deconstructions as there are superhero series these days, but this is one of the gems.
geekcliche's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
dubsington's review against another edition
3.0
Astro City might be one of the most awarded comic series of all time. So as I start my journey digging into more graphic novels and serialised comics, I knew I had to check it out.
First off I should say I generally avoid superhero comics altogether. I tend toward other stories. But with the unique take on superheros, or at least unique point of view and the amount of positive feelings around the series, I knew I wanted to dive in.
To begin, Astro city is an anthology series, where each issue is a different and unique story. Characters will eventually repeat, and slowly themes and conflicts will recur and become an undercurrent, but mostly each story is separate. The singular tie being the city. This provides the creative team freedom to explore unique ‘what if’ and small slice-of-life scenarios with superheroes unique from other works.
That freedom of ongoing conflict to explore much shorter stories though, means a trade. Off or sorts for character building and development within a single six volume collection.
That said, the six stories contained in volume one are excellent. For those that enjoy superhero stories but are feeling fatigued by the constant barrage of movies, shows, and comics from the big 2, Astro City might be the perfect balm.
I’ll expect to revisit Astro City’s later volumes here and there when I feel the need to dip my toes into the many interesting stories they are sure to offer.
First off I should say I generally avoid superhero comics altogether. I tend toward other stories. But with the unique take on superheros, or at least unique point of view and the amount of positive feelings around the series, I knew I wanted to dive in.
To begin, Astro city is an anthology series, where each issue is a different and unique story. Characters will eventually repeat, and slowly themes and conflicts will recur and become an undercurrent, but mostly each story is separate. The singular tie being the city. This provides the creative team freedom to explore unique ‘what if’ and small slice-of-life scenarios with superheroes unique from other works.
That freedom of ongoing conflict to explore much shorter stories though, means a trade. Off or sorts for character building and development within a single six volume collection.
That said, the six stories contained in volume one are excellent. For those that enjoy superhero stories but are feeling fatigued by the constant barrage of movies, shows, and comics from the big 2, Astro City might be the perfect balm.
I’ll expect to revisit Astro City’s later volumes here and there when I feel the need to dip my toes into the many interesting stories they are sure to offer.
draackje's review against another edition
4.0
Great story, great art, great characters! Wil be looking for Volume 2!
bfab18's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Sexism
stormblessed4's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.75
asparkofc's review against another edition
5.0
“Welcome to Astro city. Whether you’re getting to know the place for the first time, or are a regular commuter, I hope you enjoy wandering its streets and seeing its sights as much as we have”
Loved this. It’s such a neat concept and I always love seeing normal civilian perspectives of the superhero world. (Which is why I loved Marvels so much). Looking forward to getting further into this world
Loved this. It’s such a neat concept and I always love seeing normal civilian perspectives of the superhero world. (Which is why I loved Marvels so much). Looking forward to getting further into this world
dantastic's review against another edition
4.0
I normally start reviews with a teaser but this is a really difficult collection to write a teaser for. Astro City was Kurt Busiek's follow up to Marvels. I'm only a couple decades late to the party but I have to say this is a good beginning.
While tales featuring The Samaritan, Astro City's Superman analogue, bookend the tale, it's more about the non-superpowered denizens of Astro City. Like the reporter who witnessed a battle between the Honor Guard and some shark men. Or the crook who saw the Jack in the Box unmasked. Or Marta, the girl from Shadow Hill, the scary part of town. Or the weird old man who seems to be cataloging super heroes.
One thing that knocked me on my ass about Astro City is that in six issues, Kurt Busiek has created a deep sense of history. It feels like there are decades worth of Astro City comics before this that no one has ever read. It would be easy to dismiss this as Busiek's attempt at playing with the Big Two's toys without permission, filing off the serial numbers and calling them something else, but it's a lot more than that.
It's about people living in a world with super heroes in it and the super heroes feel pretty human to me. Samaritan and Winged Victory are overworked. Crackerjack wishes he was the top of the super hero food chain. Marta just wants to escape Shadow Hill. Eyes wants to be a big shot.
I picked this up used for $4, thinking I wouldn't be out much if I didn't enjoy it. Well, now I'm in for the long haul. I've got a couple decades worth of comics to catch up on. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
While tales featuring The Samaritan, Astro City's Superman analogue, bookend the tale, it's more about the non-superpowered denizens of Astro City. Like the reporter who witnessed a battle between the Honor Guard and some shark men. Or the crook who saw the Jack in the Box unmasked. Or Marta, the girl from Shadow Hill, the scary part of town. Or the weird old man who seems to be cataloging super heroes.
One thing that knocked me on my ass about Astro City is that in six issues, Kurt Busiek has created a deep sense of history. It feels like there are decades worth of Astro City comics before this that no one has ever read. It would be easy to dismiss this as Busiek's attempt at playing with the Big Two's toys without permission, filing off the serial numbers and calling them something else, but it's a lot more than that.
It's about people living in a world with super heroes in it and the super heroes feel pretty human to me. Samaritan and Winged Victory are overworked. Crackerjack wishes he was the top of the super hero food chain. Marta just wants to escape Shadow Hill. Eyes wants to be a big shot.
I picked this up used for $4, thinking I wouldn't be out much if I didn't enjoy it. Well, now I'm in for the long haul. I've got a couple decades worth of comics to catch up on. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
bkoser's review against another edition
5.0
Third read. Still love it. This time I'm going to go through the whole series. I'm going to keep a running list of questions from the foreshadowing I notice:
- Who is The Tourist?
- What's up with the microspore buildup in the Samaritans "Closet"?
- Who is Boilermaker?
- Who is The Tourist?
- What's up with the microspore buildup in the Samaritans "Closet"?
- Who is Boilermaker?
clarks_dad's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! Three 5-star reads in a row. I'm lucky this summer. I love Kurt Busiek (he wrote my favorite Superman story of all time). I have to say that my summer comic reading started off disappointing with the Grant Morrison Batman stuff, but I've learned to stick with what I know is good. Astro City is a love letter to comic books. It's a self-contained universe in which Busiek is not restrained by continuity and character history and can basically do as he wants with the superhero genre, and boy does he do it right.
Astro City has a 75 year history that Busiek gradually delves into throughout the series. In this first volume, collecting issues 1-6, Busiek tells the story in one-shots that highlight certain superheroes and establish their backstory. Each story gradually crosses with the story of the others in the background and the back panels, preserving continuity and the sense that there is a larger story being told. I'm usually not a fan of anthologies, but Busiek manages to thread the needle superbly.
What's great is that the whole thing is sort of campy, but totally real at the same time. Just look at the names of the heroes: Samaritan, Crackerjack, Jack-in-the-Box, N-forcer, Winged Victory, just to name a few. All of these characters have analogs in the established world of comic books (Samaritan is Superman, Winged Victory is Wonder Woman), but they are presented in fresh new ways.
Story 1 is probably my favorite in the series so far: It centers on the main hero, Samaritan, and his dreams. In his dreams he flies, and it's all he wants to do in the world, and though his job requires him to fly around the world in just seconds to avert crises and disasters, it's not the sort of care-free flying that he wants to enjoy - flying for himself. The whole story is a sort of day-in-the-life that is touching and also raises serious questions about the personalities, rather than the 'character', of superheroes. What do they want for themselves? How do they make the crushing decision to serve over their own ambitions and goals? It's wonderfully done.
The final story is in the same vein and also centers around the Samaritan. In this story members of the Honor Guard (cough, cough Justice League), see that he is overworked and set him up on a blind date, with Winged Victory. The whole story follows them on their date and their constant stress over the fact that while they are taking time off the world is falling apart. It's quaint, romantic, and very, very fantastically written.
There are stories in between these highlighted ones that focus on the citizens of Astro City and how their lives intersect with the heroes who are inspirational, inconveniences and life changers. Focusing on how ordinary people would live in the world of superheroes is a novel idea. Most authors keep trying to bring superheroes into the "real world" and making them dark and having them deal with normal problems you or I deal with. Busiek flips that convention by forcing us to think about how we would live in the world of superheroes, and the stories that generates are genuine and innovative.
I can't wait to continue this series.
Astro City has a 75 year history that Busiek gradually delves into throughout the series. In this first volume, collecting issues 1-6, Busiek tells the story in one-shots that highlight certain superheroes and establish their backstory. Each story gradually crosses with the story of the others in the background and the back panels, preserving continuity and the sense that there is a larger story being told. I'm usually not a fan of anthologies, but Busiek manages to thread the needle superbly.
What's great is that the whole thing is sort of campy, but totally real at the same time. Just look at the names of the heroes: Samaritan, Crackerjack, Jack-in-the-Box, N-forcer, Winged Victory, just to name a few. All of these characters have analogs in the established world of comic books (Samaritan is Superman, Winged Victory is Wonder Woman), but they are presented in fresh new ways.
Story 1 is probably my favorite in the series so far: It centers on the main hero, Samaritan, and his dreams. In his dreams he flies, and it's all he wants to do in the world, and though his job requires him to fly around the world in just seconds to avert crises and disasters, it's not the sort of care-free flying that he wants to enjoy - flying for himself. The whole story is a sort of day-in-the-life that is touching and also raises serious questions about the personalities, rather than the 'character', of superheroes. What do they want for themselves? How do they make the crushing decision to serve over their own ambitions and goals? It's wonderfully done.
The final story is in the same vein and also centers around the Samaritan. In this story members of the Honor Guard (cough, cough Justice League), see that he is overworked and set him up on a blind date, with Winged Victory. The whole story follows them on their date and their constant stress over the fact that while they are taking time off the world is falling apart. It's quaint, romantic, and very, very fantastically written.
There are stories in between these highlighted ones that focus on the citizens of Astro City and how their lives intersect with the heroes who are inspirational, inconveniences and life changers. Focusing on how ordinary people would live in the world of superheroes is a novel idea. Most authors keep trying to bring superheroes into the "real world" and making them dark and having them deal with normal problems you or I deal with. Busiek flips that convention by forcing us to think about how we would live in the world of superheroes, and the stories that generates are genuine and innovative.
I can't wait to continue this series.