F.A.R.M. System

by Rich Koslowski

They’re superstrong, but are they powerful enough for the big leagues? If superheroes were real, they’d be a lot like pro athletes. In this quirky graphic novel, go behind the scenes with all the heroes waiting for their big breaks.

For every hero who saves the galaxy and makes the front page, there are a dozen staffers working behind the scenes…and a hundred up-and-comers hoping to take his place. F.A.R.M. System is your ticket to the hidden world of superpowered individuals hoping to "make the Big Leagues.”

In the Farm System, having an incredible and unique power is only the first step. Guided by an army of agents, managers, and experts, recruits must undergo rigorous psychological evaluations, harassment and sensitivity seminars, marketing and endorsement workshops, and costume design meetings, all to boost their chances of recruitment into an A-list superhero team.

Some recruits make “the Bigs.” Some have fleeting moments of glory, then lose it all. Some take “Blue Cowl” gigs as superpowered bodyguards for famous actors or powerful CEOs. Some flounder in the System for years, never getting “the call.” And some find success by joining teams of a...less reputable ilk.

Following the profound pop-culture satire of Three Fingers, The King, and BB Wolf and the Three LPs, award-winning graphic novelist Rich Koslowski examines the hopes, disappointments, perseverance, and triumphs of the super-gifted...and the sometimes drastic lengths they will go to to achieve fortune and fame.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels

184 pages, Paperback

Published November 8, 2022

Reviews

[Pam Masters · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at the world of super heroes.

[Shiritaku · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uff… neee, sorry, das ging so gar nicht 🫣
Die Idee an sich fand ich ja ganz gut eigentlich (erinnert an »The Boys«), aber die Umsetzung, Gestaltung und Charaktere waren so gar nicht meins. Das Artwork ist sehr kantig - zwar sind die einzelnen Individuen sehr unterschiedlich und man verwechselt sie nicht, aber mir persönlich gefällt es nicht sonderlich. Es gibt viele Details und ist sehr realistisch, aber dennoch einfach nicht meins. Ich bin mit niemandem wirklich warm geworden, kam beim Plot nicht richtig mit und irgendwann war es mir einfach zu viel Text, dass ich komplett ausgestiegen bin und dann das meiste nur noch überflogen hab 🙈 wahrscheinlich muss man den Stil einfach mögen und mit dem vielen Text d'accord sein - andernfalls stell ich mir es sehr schwierig vor. Ich hab's versucht, aber es ist einfach nicht meins - schade 🫠

[Neurospicy Potato · Rating 4 out of 5]

F.A.R.M. System is about a system that trains superheroes, so people can hire them by contract.

This was a fun read, and an unique take on the superhero trope. I actually quite liked it! Which was a surprise, because at the start, the whole vibe just didn’t sit well with me. But after the first 25-ish precent it got better and better. Honestly, quite happy that I kept reading! I would definitely not mind a volume 2 of this one, especially since we left off on a cliffhanger.

The art style was very classic, so to say. It reminded me of the old school superhero comics from the 90s. At the start maybe a little rough around the edges, but it grew on me as I got further along in the comic. At some points the text was a little unreadable due to the typography. But those are the only vices that I have with F.A.R.M. System.

It was quite a quick read as well. You can start and finish it in the span of three hours, at least that is what I did.

Definitely a fun and quick read, but with a bit of a rough start. I thought pushing through definitely was worth it in the end.

Disclaimer:
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

[Niche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heroes for contract hire

The obvious comparison in the capitalistic amoral superhero genre is Garth Ennis's The Boys, but I feel this is better compared to the cynical mystery of DC's Identity Crisis and an added mix of dark humor and pathos.

The training, marketing, and contract placing of superheroes meets the "moral pragmatism" of corporate greed. There's some genre humor to it, with more pokes at Marvel than others. It's in part an introduction to the world of the F.A.R.M. for training and monetizing people with superpowers and also a murder mystery. The primary characters being the company head (a more charismatic James Stillwell/Norman Osborn), a "retired/washed out" Wolverine/Logan lookalike veteran, and a fresh-faced youth who's looking to join the organization.

It contains some blood/bruises, violence and gore is out of frame, and expected gaze levels for comic book spandex. Far less graphic than The Boys, it does bear a similar dark comedic look at corporate greed and caped dysfunctionality with a bit of the sad super-hustle culture of Mark Russell's One-Star Squadron.

[Mohan Vemulapalli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Over the years there have been a number of memorable graphic novels that have explored the mundane and workaday lives of super heroes caught in the web of large sinister companies that are more interested in bottom lines and quarterly statements than any actual heroics. Sadly, "F.A.R.M. System is not one of these books. Although, it starts with a brilliant premise, the book drowns in tortured baseball metaphors while failing to tell a compelling story or develop memorable and believable characters. This book could almost be a biting parody of the superhero genre, certainly its less that engaging artwork drives it in that direction, but it also fails to deliver a comic payload.

Fans with an extreme addiction to baseball may derive something from reading this book, but most readers are going to do better by taking a look at graphic novels like "One Star Squadron" or some old issues of the "The Boys".

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, IDW Publishing , for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Lisi Bee (Beth) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my usual but I enjoyed it. I like the graphics style, and there's enough going on to keep things interesting. There are obvious parallels (and some tongue-in-cheek references) to existing comic book tropes and characters, but it feels like extra work was put in to make this distinct. I like the concept of superhero training (although it feels a bit close to the concept of the X-Men, or what I know of it anyway). There's a nice mix of serious and snark, it's a pleasant reminder of what I liked best about reading comic books as a kid in the 80s. This feels very much like the start of a series, I'd read more. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC, all opinions are my own.

[Rex Hurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

A minor league system for superheroes almost seems like an inevitable result of having a world with superheroes in it. There are multiple protagonists in this book, older heroes on a downward slope, new heroes whose stars are rising, and the money men in-between. There isn't much action in the story - though there are a few juicy murders - and it focuses on the packaging of the superhero. Other books have touched on this before - most notably X-Statics - but none have made it seem as believable. Putting aside the superpowers, this feels like a real world and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

F. A. R. M. System is a comic that models itself after the baseball system of having players start off in lower leagues until they are ready for the majors. Except with superheroes.
The story was pretty good. The heroes were a varied lot of seasoned heroes and wannabes. There was mystery and infighting.
The only downside for me was that the artwork didn’t quite work for me at the beginning. It looked a little too rough to my eyes. It grew on me as I went along, though.
I can say that I definitely enjoyed it and I’ll looking forward to diving into book two very soon.

[Adam Sorensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rich Koslowski's F.A.R.M System offers a fascinating and raw take on the superhero genre, framing the journey of super-powered individuals through the cutthroat world of professional sports. With this framing, the story is a sardonic, tongue-in-cheek narrative that fans of the genre and of sports will appreciate. The characters in here aren't paragons of hope and heroism, they're instead people desperately trying their best to make something of themselves. I enjoyed this kind of perspective, a fun read!

[David Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent superhero parody that was distinguished by the fact that there is zero fighting in the whole book. Rather, it's mostly lampooning how superheroes would work in a modern capitalist setting. The titular F.A.R.M. system is a sort of minor league system for superpowered crimefighting, where heroes that distinguish themselves can get picked up by the big organizations.

The art was good and the plot was serviceable.

[Jeff Wait · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you enjoyed “The Boys,” this just might be up your alley. It’s another satirical take on superheroes — this one follows up-and-coming heroes who are looking for big contracts. It’s like if The Boys had a Heroes for Hire run. It’s cool. Could use some action. The art is neat. The characters are humorous enough. I’d read more.

[Curious Madra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read this graphic novel for free…

I’m afraid it was such a disappointment like it was extremely hard to follow! There were just too many “superheroes” as well as normal characters being introduced at once and they weren’t even given decent introductions. The art was ok but not great tbh….

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this DRC from NetGalley.

The story was interesting enough. In these types of stories, I like seeing how many different types of superpowers the writers can come up with. I would've liked if the story could have had a bit more intrigue. The mystery of it felt a bit rushed. If the Gymnast is going to look into the crime, it would've been nice to show more of how he figured it out.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Good story; overall suffers spending a lot of time in territory that’s done in “The Boys” and other comic territory. All the same I enjoyed it and would recommend it for a different superhero story. I especially liked a couple of plot points that I didn’t see coming.

[Brian Clopper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid read! Has the feel of the eighties grim and gritty comics. That's good and bad for me as I tend to like more upbeat superhero stuff these days.

[James F · Rating 4 out of 5]

an interesting, behind the scenes look at superheroes and the problems they have to deal with

[Nick Pratt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great concept. Wish there was more. This would make a fantastic tv series.

[Sebastian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Loved the concept, but unfortunately, the execution just felt like a drag.