Grant Morrison takes his readers into a world in which super-heroes are abundant but are completely unnecessary... except that they are needed but just don't realize it. This surreal super-hero story is hilarious, but its real strength stems not from the humor but from the reality it represents. The writer takes aims at a Western society that refuses to acknowledge real problems and addresses imagined ones. This book is about apathy and politics, about perception and mass manipulation, about branding and bloating. It's brilliantly illustrated by Cameron Stewart, who demonstrates an incredible depth and imagination in his work here, even better than what he offered up during his impressive stint on Ed Brubaker's Catwoman.
The heroic Seaguy and his flying aquatic pal Chubby watch the hours slip by as they stroll leisurely through their unexciting lives. Oh sure, Seaguy plays the occasional game of skill with the spectre of mortality and even rubs elbows with legendary heroes whose deeds can never be replicated. And that's the problem -- there doesn't seem to be any evil to fight anymore, any threat to stave off. At least, no one thinks so. But Seaguy begins to notice that pieces of the moon with unusual markings have begun to fall to Earth, and Chubby notices even more nefarious deeds unfolding around them. The call to action comes, and Seaguy answers! Mind you, no one else is picking up.
Stewart's art on this book reminds me of Kieron (Lowest Comic Denominator) Dwyer's unrestrained zaniness and Ty (Batman Adventures) Templeton's irreverence. Stewart brings a kindness and softness to the title character's face that makes him immediately likeable, and I love the Hanna-Barbera riff at play in the adorable Chubby design (anyone remember Jabberjaw?). The design work throughout the book is striking, from the Mickey Eye Doherty's colors are wonderfully bright, reinforcing the surreal yet innocent (or is that naive?) tone of the characters and setting.
Morrison's over-the-top criticism of corporate America -- and more importantly, of the populace's unquestioning acceptance of what corporate America tells it -- is biting and brilliant. For me, Mickey Eye represents a disturbing amalgam of the Disney and Viacom empires, while Xoo is the ultimate comment on how corporations such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi exploit natural resources in their quest for unnatural profits.
Morrison uses the fun and innocence of Silver Age super-heroics to examine modern and cynical realities. Seaguy lives in a world where everyone is supposedly happy, where the super-heroes (the Super-Power) have solved all of the problems, where corporations tell the people they should be happy and could be just a little happier if they buy their products. Does it sound familiar? This is about an America in which a majority bought into the notion that Saddam Hussein had something to do with 9/11. This is about a president that proclaimed "mission accomplished" a year ago. This is about an America that thinks Everybody Loves Raymond -- or any other cookie-cutter sitcom revolving around a bumbling husband -- is funny.
