Astro City - First time visit

[silentfart]

Just started getting back into comics. Please forgive the absurdity of my questions.

While browsing through the comic book store racks, the cover of "Astro City: Life in the Big City" caught my attention. Since finishing the book, I have purchased Confession and Family Album. I have some questions and was wondering if someone could clarify.

- Are some of the Astro City heroes intended to resemble other big name heroes (Samaritan to Superman)?

-Reading the book, I sometimes got a kitschy feeling - without the low quality implication. Especially with heroes like Jack-in-the-Box,Crackerjack, and BeatNik. Is the book intended to give that feel?

Last question...

I checked wikipedia and it represents the following collected works for Astro City:

* Astro City: Life in the Big City ( collects Astro City Vol. 1 #1-6)
* Astro City: Confession (collects Astro City Vol. 2 #1/2, 4-9)
* Astro City: Family Album (collects Astro City Vol. 2 #1-3, 10-13)
* Astro City: Tarnished Angel (collects Astro City Vol. 2 #14-20)
* Astro City: Local Heroes (collects Astro City Vol. 2 #21-22, Astro City: Local Heroes #1-5, Astro City Special: Supersonic, "After the Fire")
* Astro City - The Dark Age book one: Thicker Than Water (no ISBN yet, collects Astro City - The Dark Age #1-4)

Am I missing any single comic books if I continue to purchase all the trades?

Thanks for reading!

[Joe Acro]

I will answer the first one just because that's the only one I know the answer to.

Many of the characters/teams are parallels to popular creations in other companies. The First Family is like the Fantastic Four. Silver Agent is akin to Captain America. Samaritan is a parallel to Superman. The Crossbreed are like the X-Men. The Honor Guard is like every other large hero team. Similarities with noted comic book characters and/or concepts is intentional.

[Effect]

What is this title actually like in terms of tone and style? What is trying to be accomplished with the title?

Is one stepping into an interesting superhero title? Parody of other heroes all the time? A more lethal view of heros ala The Authority? Or into a hell that is similar to the boys (ugh)?

What type of rating would an average issue get (PG, PG-13, R, NC-17, worse)?

I did read the wiki for the title. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astro_City. However and maybe I missed it, it didn't give an idea of what the tone of the series is like.

Strangely enough though the world setup for Astro City reminds of how Paragon City in the game City of Heroes is setup to a degree. Wonder if the creators of the game are fans of the series.

[Astrozac]

Just started getting back into comics. Please forgive the absurdity of my questions.

While browsing through the comic book store racks, the cover of "Astro City: Life in the Big City" caught my attention. Since finishing the book, I have purchased Confession and Family Album. I have some questions and was wondering if someone could clarify.

- Are some of the Astro City heroes intended to resemble other big name heroes (Samaritan to Superman)?

-Reading the book, I sometimes got a kitschy feeling - without the low quality implication. Especially with heroes like Jack-in-the-Box,Crackerjack, and BeatNik. Is the book intended to give that feel?

Last question...

I checked wikipedia and it represents the following collected works for Astro City:

* Astro City: Life in the Big City ( collects Astro City Vol. 1 #1-6)
* Astro City: Confession (collects Astro City Vol. 2 #1/2, 4-9)
* Astro City: Family Album (collects Astro City Vol. 2 #1-3, 10-13)
* Astro City: Tarnished Angel (collects Astro City Vol. 2 #14-20)
* Astro City: Local Heroes (collects Astro City Vol. 2 #21-22, Astro City: Local Heroes #1-5, Astro City Special: Supersonic, "After the Fire")
* Astro City - The Dark Age book one: Thicker Than Water (no ISBN yet, collects Astro City - The Dark Age #1-4)

Am I missing any single comic books if I continue to purchase all the trades?

Thanks for reading!

First off the the Dark Age hasn't been collected yet and I think KB said that it'll split up into 8 issues each. So unless you want to wait until next year or so you'll probably have to get the Dark Age issues.
Plus there is the Samaritan Special from a few months ago. As well as the Visitor's Guide from about two years ago.

As for AC heroes resembling other heroes, its something that isn't black and white. Characters aren't intended to be other characters. So Samaritan isn't just Superman painted different and placed in Astro City. But there are tons of other similarities that he does share with Superman. Since you've read Life in the Big City you should have seen both the similarites and the differences. Kurt did a recent article here or check some other recent ones where he mentions some of his influences for Samaritan. Just like he's said that the Furst Family was yes partially inspired by the Fantastic Four, but by the Fonda acting family, as well as explorer family's like the Robinson's and the Quests.
And I'll add in a comic book one. I see a part of the Magneto Quicksilver/Scarlet Witch family relationship to the Furst Family just as much as a I see the Fantastic Four.

And you mentioned kitsch, if you mean interesting or unique I think that ties in with your other question. With AC characters despite all their similarities with Marvel/DC characters, KB gives them thier own stories and thier own uniqueness.
Plus try not to fall into the mindset, that this is Astro City's version of _____ when seeing a character. I mean the Bouncing Beatnik has shards of other characters but he's pretty unique.
To answer your question, on one level yeah, but not really... Maybe someone can explain it better...

[silentfart]

you guys are awesome. thanks for the replies.

since returning to comic book reading, the astro city stories are among my favorites. the narrative and artistic tone of the stories carry a charm that i can't explain.

i'll have to look for the other stories mentioned in this thread.

[Nitz the Bloody]

What is this title actually like in terms of tone and style? What is trying to be accomplished with the title?

Is one stepping into an interesting superhero title? Parody of other heroes all the time? A more lethal view of heros ala The Authority? Or into a hell that is similar to the boys (ugh)?

Though the universe of Astro City is a pretty standard superhero universe, you're definitely stepping into an interesting superhero title. It's not a parody, it's not a lethal view of heroes, and it's not a dystopia like the Boys ( of course, I love The Boys, but that's another topic ). Basically what Astro City is, is a slice of life superhero comic that examines the personal nooks and crannies of a larger-than-life world. For example, the very first story may be about Superman takeoff Samaritan, but the treatment is much more unique; it's about a man who can fly, but doesn't have time to enjoy his powers because he's so busy saving lives, so the only time he can enjoy flying is in his dreams. A brilliant story that, IMO, did more with the Superman concept in one issue than decades of Superman comics have actually achieved.

When you enter into Astro City's comics, expect to see the kinds of stories that you wouldn't normally see in franchise books. And expect to enjoy them greatly.

[Astrozac]

^Yeah thats a good summary. Astro City isn't about showing realism in comics, its about showing the real world of superheroes and what it would be like to live with its idiosyncrisies and people. And we get to see those perspectives, a comic book writer, a reporter, a teenager who succeeds in becoming a hero.

[Effect]

Wow that's pretty interesting. Honestly I had wonder what those type of stories would be look. Looks like I'm really going to have to pick this out. So is it always done in limited series?

Who actually owns the series? DC/Wildstorm or is it the authors (in that only they can release titles about it)?

[Astrozac]

^It's owned by the author and creator Kurt Busiek.
Now, its done in limited series'. It was an ongoing series, but due to KB's health problems it was put on hiatus, so that only when issues were done it would be solicited. And the original six issues were to be the ongoing series but delays put it on hold. After both times it was figured starting over with an issue 1 would be greater exposure and more likely for newbies to pick up.

[silentfart]

^It's owned by the author and creator Kurt Busiek.
Now, its done in limited series'. It was an ongoing series, but due to KB's health problems it was put on hiatus, so that only when issues were done it would be solicited. And the original six issues were to be the ongoing series but delays put it on hold. After both times it was figured starting over with an issue 1 would be greater exposure and more likely for newbies to pick up.

Great info - you should add that to wikipedia!:)

[InfoBroker]

... the original six issues were to be the ongoing series but delays put it on hold.

Hi 'Zac nice to see you hangin' these parts.

I have it in my mental memory banks that somewhere Kurt has stated that the first six issues were planned from the get go as a standalone set. They were falling behind a bit by the time the sixth issue was distributed, but the break after that issue was part of the plan.

Not sure about the numbering reset. That may have planned as well, or was perhaps a rethink after the offer to publish was provided from Homage.

Then too, my memory masses are a bit hazy right now from being up waaaay to late, and suffering from a slight sinus infection that is making thinking a sluggish process.

-jb the stuffy nosed ib-

[Preacher86]

If anyone is thinking of getting back into comics (as mentioned in the 1st post) I Highly, Highly recommend going to check out your public library also. I'm blessed here in San Diego because there are a lot of libraries not far from each other, and in the last 3 years have developed varied selections of TPBs and HC editions at each branch.

It helped introduce me to editions of some of my favorite titles like: Astro City, Fables, The Authority and Y:the last man.

To me Kurt's gift in telling these particular stories is that it never feels like a re-hash of older comics, but the world is very familiar to me, a long-time comics collector. It is the humanity that he infuses into every character - through relationships, re-/actions, and narratives that keeps me coming back.

The "Life in the City" stories are a perfect snapshot of the storytelling that also drew me into things like Marvels, and his Arrowsmith title as well.