2.30 (395) Astro City Dark Ages Book Two #1 ... Image

Here is a prime example of what we are talking about in the previous review. After the last longer run series, Astro City even took a stab at doing a series of mini-series from a particular time period featuring a fixed cast

In this issue, we are shown 2 brothers (African Americans) who grew up in the shadow of their families' demise during one of the superhuman conflicts. One brother decides to join the law except for the fact that the law he is on is corrupt and his entire precinct is on the take and it is tough for him to be the just man in that group

As expected, his brother is his exact opposite and decided to turn to a life of crime. However, aside from the theft etc he is opposed to ruthless killings etc and is finding it hard to keep himself in the background as an impending gang war looms on the horizon

Throw them in the mix of Astro City and the occasional superhuman coming to the conflict and you know it's going to be hot. We have the  Silver Agent travelling back through time and passing through this era. We have one chap who used to be like a junior Peter Parker with the quips except that he is now grim n gritty and his angelic like lady partner who is perhaps not quite human

And an insane baddie coming up as well

And ... yes there's more ... let's not forget the cop's bitchy leech like wife ... awesome!

Ratings: 8/10

2.29 (394) Astro City vol 1 /2 #5 and 6 ... Image/ DC ...

I am ashamed to say that after more than a year of reviews, I have never touched on this. Why? Because this is one of the most awesomely entertaining (fresh) series to come out in years and years and it is surprisingly told by mainstreamers like Kurt Busiek (writer) and Alex Ross (character design and covers). Interiors are provided by one Brent A

As for the volumes in my header, well, Astro City is unique in that sense that it was part of Homage/ DC/ Wildstorm/ Image during its many incarnations and also it never stayed as an ongoing with an initial short run followed by a longer run then many one shots and then a series of 4 issue runs

Anyway this particular 2 issues is in the "second" volume or longer volume and it is a 2-parter (obviously) ... now what made Astro City unique is that it is about the many goings-on in the city rather than following any particular character. So sometimes it tells the tale of a man in the street even as something else large is happening and we will see this as a passing note/ reference only

However, not in this 2-parter for this deals with the guy in black called the confessor and his junior sidekick, altar boy (or some such lame name hehehe)

And this is one story that has potentials of darkness/ horror/ suspense/ thriller to it ... the Confessor is a priestlike figure who dabbles in darkness and loves to emerge at night and tracks down miscreants. Somewhere along the line, his youthful sidekick came to join him albeit without special powers. And all the while there are secrets lurking just behind the mask of the confessor for no one knows, not really how he came to be except that he is there one day ... not even his sidekick ...

And as they hunt down the villains of the piece, what is obviously more important is the SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT  identity of the confessor because when it comes out, it is indeed a gasp-worthy moment

Awesome tale worth a second reading or three

Ratings: 8/10