Astro City #17

Astro City #17The latest issue of Astro City borrows a bit from the Atom and his adventures in the Microverse. Turning the tale on its side, instead of a hero spending his time in a microscopic universe we get the story of a villain who grew from those worlds, growing in power and size with each victory to eventually become one of the Honor Guard’s most powerful enemies.

Tom Grummett steps in for Brent Anderson providing a beautiful issue that fits easily within the already established narrative. To go along with those panels Kurt Busiek offers a story both celebratory and melancholy about a race of pacifists whose actions saved their own world but also led to the death of a hero which all still mourn.

Told as the story by the one who witnessed it, first in dreams and later in reality, Astro City #17 delivers on every level with action, loss, true heroism, and a very Silver Age message about the nature of sacrifice. Best of the Week.

[DC, $3.99]