If you're into comics, chances are you were fascinated by super-heroes as a child. You dreamed of having powers, of a world in which colorful, god-like heroes existed. I know I did. If you're like me, then Mark Sable's story of childhood fantasies, four-color adventures and coming of age will appeal to you. Sable's script resonates as he explores the genre from a realistic perspective without sacrificing the fantasy. Azaceta's art does an excellent job of walking that fine line between the melancholy of the everyday and the energy of the impossible.
Jonathan is like a lot of kids who are into comics. He imagines what it would be like to ran as fast as a train, to lift a car over his head or to soar through the skies like a jet. His imagination is a powerful thing, as it convinces him that he really is a super-hero, and he gathers a whole team of kids/costumed crusaders around him. His life changes forever, though, when he sets out to prove to a couple of bullies that he really is a super-hero. He climbs up on top of the roof of the family home, looks down at the kids and parents who have gathered below. And he takes a giant leap of faith.
Azaceta's art strikes me as a cross between the styles of Michael (Alias, The Pulse) Gaydos and the artists who have brought such a consistently dark and gritty look to Gotham Central. The opening sequence -- a comic book within the comic book -- also put me in mind of Tony (Ex Machina) Harris and Mike (Hellboy) Mignola. The designs for the super-heroes are appropriately iconic and dynamic. Most importantly, though, Azaceta depicts the main character as a child, not as a short adult. There's some inconsistency in Jonathan's portrayal as a teen, though. He seems to regress between the time he boards the bus for high school and his initial stroll down the school's hallways.
Though this book is a drama, Sable isn't above cracking a few jokes, poking fun at the genre and the childhood imaginations that served as its primary audience decades ago. One of my favorite moments in the book comes when Jonathan tries to replicate the accident that gave Spider-Man his powers. His obsession becomes even morbidly funny when we learn what (or to be more precise, who) he's willing to sacrifice to achieve his dream.
The friendship between Jonathan and Julie works incredibly well despite the fact that Sable only touches upon it briefly a couple of times. I think it's the grand gestures the characters make to one another that makes it come alive. The notion that Jonathan's dream is shattered by coming true is another nice touch that really has a profound impact on the character. 8/10
