Astro City: Metrobook, Vol. 4

Astro City Metrobook #4

by Kurt Busiek, Brent Anderson (Contributor), Tom Grummett (Contributor)

Samaritan battles his greatest foe across time and space. The origins of Beautie and Winged Victory are revealed. The Broken Man makes his debut, and more secrets of Astro City history are revealed. Plus, much more, from Astra’s college graduation to the tale of a gorilla who wants to be a drummer but may become a hero.   Acclaimed creators Kurt Busiek, Brent Anderson, Alex Ross and friends take you on a tour through comics’ most astonishing city.   Collects ASTRO SAMARITAN #1, ASTRO BEAUTIE #1, ASTRO ASTRA #1-2 and ASTRO CITY vol 3 #1-10, 17 & 22-24

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Comic Book, Adventure

512 pages, Paperback

Published September 26, 2023

About the author

Kurt Busiek is an American comic book writer notable for his work on the Marvels limited series, his own title Astro City, and his four-year run on Avengers.

Busiek did not read comics as a youngster, as his parents disapproved of them. He began to read them regularly around the age of 14, when he picked up a copy of Daredevil #120. This was the first part of a continuity-heavy four-part story arc; Busiek was drawn to the copious history and cross-connections with other series. Throughout high school and college, he and future writer Scott McCloud practiced making comics. During this time, Busiek also had many letters published in comic book letter columns, and originated the theory that the Phoenix was a separate being who had impersonated Jean Grey, and that therefore Grey had not died—a premise which made its way from freelancer to freelancer, and which was eventually used in the comics.

During the last semester of his senior year, Busiek submitted some sample scripts to editor Dick Giordano at DC Comics. None of them sold, but they did get him invitations to pitch other material to DC editors, which led to his first professional work, a back-up story in Green Lantern #162 (Mar. 1983).

Busiek has worked on a number of different titles in his career, including Arrowsmith, The Avengers, Icon, Iron Man, The Liberty Project, Ninjak, The Power Company, Red Tornado, Shockrockets, Superman: Secret Identity, Thunderbolts, Untold Tales of Spider-Man, JLA, and the award-winning Marvels and the Homage Comics title Kurt Busiek's Astro City.

In 1997, Busiek began a stint as writer of Avengers alongside artist George Pérez. Pérez departed from the series in 2000, but Busiek continued as writer for two more years, collaborating with artists Alan Davis, Kieron Dwyer and others. Busiek's tenure culminated with the "Kang Dynasty" storyline. In 2003, Busiek re-teamed with Perez to create the JLA/Avengers limited series.

In 2003, Busiek began a new Conan series for Dark Horse Comics, which he wrote for four years.

In December 2005 Busiek signed a two-year exclusive contract with DC Comics. During DC's Infinite Crisis event, he teamed with Geoff Johns on a "One Year Later" eight-part story arc (called Up, Up and Away) that encompassed both Superman titles. In addition, he began writing the DC title Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis from issues 40-49. Busiek was the writer of Superman for two years, before followed by James Robinson starting from Superman #677. Busiek wrote a 52-issue weekly DC miniseries called Trinity, starring Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Each issue (except for issue #1) featured a 12-page main story by Busiek, with art by Mark Bagley, and a ten-page backup story co-written by Busiek and Fabian Nicieza, with art from various artists, including Tom Derenick, Mike Norton and Scott McDaniel.

Busiek's work has won him numerous awards in the comics industry, including the Harvey Award for Best Writer in 1998 and the Eisner Award for Best Writer in 1999. In 1994, with Marvels, he won Best Finite Series/Limited Series Eisner Award and the Best Continuing or Limited Series Harvey Award; as well as the Harvey Award for Best Single Issue or Story (for Marvels #4) in 1995. In 1996, with Astro City, Busiek won both the Eisner and Harvey awards for Best New Series. He won the Best Single Issue/Single Story Eisner three years in a row from 1996–1998, as well as in 2004. Busiek won the Best Continuing Series Eisner Award in 1997–1998, as well as the Best Serialized Story award in 1998. In addition, Astro City was awarded the 1996 Best Single Issue or Story Harvey Award, and the 1998 Harvey Award for Best Continuing or Limited Series.

Busiek was given the 1998 and 1999 Comics Buyer's Guide Awards for Favorite Writer, with additional nominations in 1997 and every year from 2000 to 2004. He has also received numerous Squiddy Awards, having been selected as favorite writer four years in a row from 1995 to 1998,

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to review a series that's consistently good without repeating yourself. This is another collection of very human stories in a city populated by familiar seeming super heroes. For instance, Samaritan and his archnemesis have dinner once a year because they know fighting all the time accomplishes nothing. A young super heroine graduates college and ponders what to do next. A life size Barbie like doll tries to find her origins. A young woman gets a job at a call center that dispatches super heroes. A middle aged man tries to decide what to do with an alien device. A smear campaign against Winged Victory threatens to drive her out of the super hero business all together. And more!

I used to think Kurt Busiek owed his career to Alex Ross and Marvels but the guy is way more talented than I gave him credit for as a kid. He packs a lot of emotion into the stories and weaves some compelling tales. The somewhat subdued art by Brent Anderson is perfect for the tone of the stories.

Four out of five stars. I'll be buying the next Metrobook when it comes out.

[Anna Quilter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not too familiar with this era of Astro City stories..but there's still quality stories...still coming from left field.
Maybe Sticks the drumming Gorilla/reluctant Super Hero was a bit of a stretch..

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shining Stars: Samaritan. I've read several of Busiek's Superman volumes, and they were entirely "meh". Which is surprising because Samaritan is one of his most human and intriguing superheroes in Astro City. I love how this story reveals his humanity, sets up his arch-villain, and intricately ties together with everything that's been written about him before. I could sit down and read it again! [5/5]

Shining Stars: Beauty. Another story that's positively ... beatific. Busiek does an amazing job of detailing the point of view of someone who seems truly alien in a way that the Vision never was (until Tom King's series) while simultaneously presenting a quest that's heartbreaking. If it's not quite as good as the Samaritan short, it's only because it doesn't have the same depth that Samaritan attained through a few major stories over the years. [5/5].

Shining Stars: Astra. It's fun to see Astra all grown up, suggesting that Astro City is moving in real-time. The story itself is a heart-breaking little bit that shows once more how the heroes are human [4+/5].

Through Open Doors (v3, #1,5-6). The spine of what was originally published as the ninth tradepaperback is built around two intertwining plotlines, an ambassador come through a door from another place and a Broken Man.

The door plotline is evocative and intriguing. The events of the first issue nicely integrate the normal people of the Astro City universe. It's also a nice touchback to one of our previous introductory issues without reusing the new folks arrive in Astro City trope (though technically, I suppose that's what the Ambassador does. The second "door" plotline starts to hint at a bigger picture [4/5].

The Broken Man plotline involves a crazy, secretive man hinting to us the readers about future badness. It was annoying when I first read it, and it's less so now, but still it doesn't make a lot of sense in this volume. Don't get me wrong, some of the stories he reveals in his standalone issue are fun, offering more nice insights into the history of Astro City [3+/5].

Humano Global (v3 #2-3). I liked this story from the start, with a great protagonist who's abruptly dumped into the world of super humans. However, it's what she does when she makes a mistake that's really great and highlights what it is to be a real hero [5/5].

Sideliners (v3 #4). A nice alternate look at superpowers in the Astro City universe that's strong in large part because Busiek continues to give us characters that we care about [4+/5].

Victory (v3 #7-10) Busiek's superhero focused arcs don't always have the depth of his other stories, and that's certainly the case here. This is a pretty simple story of Winged Victory facing false accusations and eventually overcoming the foes that's assaulting here. (And a repetitive one, as false accusations against heroes were the heart of "Confession" as well.)

It's nice for its focus on Winged Victory and her origin. She was clearly a great character from her one-issue intro in v1, so it's terrific to learn more about who she is. It's also great to see the Confessor again, after all these years. In fact, we get the Astro City trinity, which I'm sure was not accidental. Overall, an enjoyable story, just not a great one. [4/5].

Sorrowsday (v3 #17). Busiek takes on the Microverse! This is a fun take on not just that setting, but also the Microverse and the nature of heroism. It was the strongest of the Honor Guard stories that Busiek was writing at the time (most of which ended up in the next volume, as he unfortunately started playing with the ordering of issues again here). [4+/5].

Hero's Reward (v3 #22). One of the strengths of Astro City is its history. Not just that there's a hundred years of backstory, but also that our heroes change and evolve, as we've known since at least "Confession." That comes to life here with a retired hero. It's also a good use of the "Hero of Two Worlds" trope (e.g., Adam Strange, The Warlord), because Busiek gets to carry the story to its natural conclusion [4/5].

(We would have gotten a repetition of the same themes in "Lover's Quarrel", if they'd been where they belonged between "Sorrowsday" and "Hero's Reward", but instead we move on to ...)

Sticks (v3 #23-24). The last story in this volume is a nice two-parter about a person (gorilla), trying to find a way to do what he loves in a world that doesn't want to allow it. And we continue to see the evolution of Astro City as he links up with one of the newest era's newer groups, a nice callback to Astra's story near the start of this volume [4/5].

[Skjam! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Astro City is filled with superheroes and supervillains. But it’s also filled with ordinary people trying to live their ordinary lives in an extraordinary world. Both these groups have stories to tell. This independent “universe” was created in 1995 to explore various story ideas that couldn’t be done in the Marvel or DC comics because they’d disrupt the characters or interrupt major storylines or examine the underpinnings of superhero tropes in a way that standard superhero stories can’t. It’s been published off and on since then–since it’s creator-owned, the series is heavily dependent on whether the writer is in good health or busy with other commitments.

There’s no one central character, with each storyline focusing on an appropriate character for the story’s theme and time setting. Time passes in a somewhat realistic fashion, so people we saw twenty years ago are twenty years older. Children grow up, veterans retire, rookies become veterans. While there are tragedies and bittersweet endings, the overall setting is idealistic. This volume includes stories printed between 2003-2017.

“The Eagle and the Mountain” starts off the collection by introducing us to Superman-like Samaritan’s arch-enemy Infidel. Kiyu was born in Nubia (now Kenya) and sought knowledge. On his quest, he was enslaved but eventually got into the service of an alchemist. Understanding the proto-science better than his master, Kiyu gained power and immortality, and slew his enslaver. This was not taken well by society, which called him an “infidel”. After much learning and gathering of power (at the cost of some human lives, but Infidel considered it a price he was willing to pay), Infidel created a stronghold in an alternate future where humanity had destroyed itself.

Until Infidel woke up one morning in a very different future filled with humans who were not under his control and did not recognize him. This turned out to be the result of timeline meddling by Samaritan who’d also locked himself out of his original utopian future. Infidel kept trying to either restore his own timeline or rule the new one, and Samaritan kept stopping him. They finally realized that combat was senseless as neither of them could get a final victory, and Infidel is in self-imposed exile in a pocket dimension.

Every so often, Samaritan and Infidel meet, trying to wear each other down to come to the other’s point of view.

“Her Dark Plastic Roots” gets into the origins of Beautie, a superpowered robot that looks like a fashion doll. She has amnesia about those origins, and spends the story trying to puzzle out her past. Given this year’s Barbie movie, this story is worth another look.

“Graduation Day” catches us up with Astra, a member of the First Family, which is pretty much the Fantastic Four. When last we saw her, she was a little girl who wanted to go to a normal elementary school. Now she’s graduating college! In a whirlwind celebration, Astra shows the wonders of her world to her boyfriend Matt. She needs to make decisions about her future, but what is “normal” to her now?

Then the series started having continuous publication again, this time through Vertigo Comics. We’re introduced to the Broken Man, who seems to be able to perceive the reader through the fourth wall (or might be insane), the anime-inspired hero American Chibi, and the alien ambassador Telseth. There’s also a callback to a very early story, about Ben Pullam, an ordinary person who was a newcomer to the city. Ben, now a longtime resident of Astro City, winds up helping the ambassador, but the Broken Man hints that there are darker things going on behind the scenes.

There’s a story about Marella Cowper, a call center worker for Honor Guard (Avengers/Justice League equivalent). She helps deal with the constant calls for help, information and less savory reasons that Honor Guard gets. Marella makes a mistake that endangers people, and works to make up for it.

“On the Sidelines” focuses on Martha “Sully” Sullivan, who uses her telekinetic powers to work in film and television special effects. (She had a tiny part in a previous story about an actor who played a superhero on a soap opera.) Unfortunately, every so often, she and other people who use their superpowers for mundane purposes like glassblowing and construction get approached by jerks who think they should be using those powers for less mundane purposes. Like helping would be conqueror Majordomo take over the world. Sure, Sully could call up Samaritan and the Honor Guard to help, but sometimes a gal and her friends need to take care of their own problems.

A brief interlude as we see glimpses of backstory, but only glimpses, as the Broken Man thinks we’re not ready yet.

Next up, Thatch Jerome, a mobbed-up union man, becomes the unofficial supplier of whatever Ambassador Telseth needs. This gives him an opportunity to gain great power for himself, but is this door one he wants to go through? Maybe, just maybe, there’s such a thing as “enough.”

This is followed by a long story about Winged Victory (Wonder Woman equivalent). She’s empowered by a council of wise women to protect and inspire women, and primarily focuses on women’s issues. That gets her a lot of flack from misogynists and people who “totally aren’t misogynists, they’re just saying.” A battered boy shows up at one of her women’s shelters, in sore need of help, but these are safe spaces for women, so there may be no place for him here.

That decision has to be put off, however, as suddenly some of her old villains are claiming that their fights were staged, and Winged Victory is actually a female supremacist who wants to enslave men. And women who’d been helped by her shelters are suddenly claiming they were full of abuse and brainwashing! Certain elements of the American government were clearly spoiling for this excuse, as within hours, WV has been outlawed and law enforcement is invading the shelters. (“Lock her up! Lock her up!”}

Naturally, Samaritan and Confessor (Catholic Batman basically) don’t buy it for a moment, and the E.A.G.L.E. (SHIELD) agent sent to her headquarters has severe doubts, but the conspiracy runs deep, and the media is pushing the false narrative.

Worse, the council that gives Winged Victory her powers is worried that she’s weakening the message by working as equals with men, and being tarnished by the accusations–perhaps they should fire her?

It mostly works out in the end. There’s a dig at motive decay, as Winged Victory admonishes the secret villain for wasting all this effort on “making a point.” “You used to do things.”

“Sorrowsday” reveals the tragic reason behind Honor Guard’s “Red Cake Day.” It’s a tale of guilt and honoring sacrifice. A powerful short story.

“Hero’s Reward” focuses on Starfighter, a hero on two worlds. He’s getting old and his powers seem to be fading, but he has a wife who loves him, a family, and a generally good life. Maybe it’s time to pass the torch…even if his last attempt didn’t turn out well.

And “Sticks” has a young soldier who’s defected from Gorilla Mountain to become a musician. He’s sick of fighting as his only occupation, he just wants to bang on the drum all day. Problem is that because he’s a talking gorilla who’s an expert combatant, villains and heroes just won’t leave him alone. He can’t even finish an audition! But maybe, just maybe, there’s a way he can achieve his dreams.

Overall, this is a strong collection of stories with characters I either cared about or found interesting. It feels a bit like Mr. Busiek’s own health problems and aging are influencing the subject matter of the stories–the average age of the protagonists is over middle age.

The art is excellent as always, the threads from previous stories and hints at new ones are woven well. Despite being published by Vertigo, the subject matter doesn’t go excessively gross or “mature audiences only” and most teenagers should be able to handle it.

This volume might not be the best place to start for new readers, but you could probably handle it if this is the only one you can find. Highly recommended to superhero fans.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Astro City continues to amaze me in that it somehow manage to be brilliant whatever kind of story it tells, and it tells some very unusual stories.. a Gorilla who wants to be a drummer for example.
Astro City is a writing tour de force that does not show any signs of slowing down.

It is also great to see the great idea used for the Superstar one shot from Gorilla comics being repurposed for Winged Victory, I always liked the premise behind Superstars powers

[kavreb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps the greatest gamble Kurt Busiek & co have made was to try writing a story about feminism, the perception of it, and the problems with male saviours. Because a group of men writing a story that is trying to be a complex take on feminism? Colour me cautious.

Suffice to say, I read those chapters with the highest trepidation, wondering where they were taking it, wondering what they were trying to say, afraid that despite their obvious wishes, they couldn’t come out of their own gendered shell and tell a truly feminist tale, falling sooner or later inevitably prey in some way at least to those internal biases and writing something that, in the end, was in some way sexist, or at least undermining of feminism.

It was in the last chapter that I understood where it was going - and fuck me was I glad.

Because while being a story about the difficulty of being feminist, and the need for female rolemodels for women, it was also about female rolemodels for men.

Because why can a man be a rolemodel for anybody, but a woman only for a woman?

Of course it shouldn't be that simple (and there aren't only two genders anyway), but it's the fear of feminisation, itself born from sexism, that is critical of men who look up to and model themselves after women.

Astro City doesn't see any problem in it, and is better for it. It might not be the perfect story about feminism (how well does it really balance the part of men? And why are the most important women still drawn as wearing only short skirts, if even that, legs positioned to show off the curves of their butt?), and perhaps these aren't the perfect writers to tell it, but why shouldn't they? And Astro City is better for them having tried.

It's also great that they tried telling a story about a famous girl coming of literal age under the watchful and corrupting eyes of yellow media that cares not for the person but only for the scandal they can conduct, drawn through the prism of superheroes. And a person made for war who just wants to play drums, and oh also he’s a gorilla. And a literal Barbie doll superhero searching for her originals and meaning and finding it outside their creator's intentions. Oh and the great chapter with superman having regular lunch with his nemesis. And so much more (though there's less groundbreaking and more 'just' good).

More unexpected is that the metrobook starts an arc that it doesn't finish, but the story seems weird enough that perhaps that's the point. I'm quite curious where it leads though.

Less positive though is the quality of the metrobook. These editions have never been the best, and I keep buying them only because so far they've been the only financially reasonable way of reading Astro City, but again the pictures don't have any margin area, breaking their look, and the book itself is already breaking apart, the glue of the spine having come unstuck near the back, leaving a few pages in danger of tearing the whole thing apart.

They're also advertising the new huge Astro City edition, but if this book is any indicator, I'm in no hurry to “upgrade” - this company certainly can't seem to be trusted.

Oh well, hard to be a chooser as a beggar, and Astro City keeps bringing me back asking for more.

Just too bad the publishers are shit.

[Alessandro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just my personal and unpopular (at least among my friends) opinion. I am at a point in my life where I believe the issue with superhero comics lies in their insistence on being rooted in the genre's past. The drawback of works like Astro City or similar products (such as Black Hammer) is their reliance on references to the golden and silver ages, coupled with a desire to preserve the original "spirit" within a modern context.

That being said, I've always held the belief that the "good" in Astro City always outweighs the "bad." . Sadly, I'm beginning to question this notion.
Let's brefly examine all the chapters of this collection.

The Eagle & the mountain
A charming tale about an hero and his nemesis. It's definitly a good start for a collection and it reminds me of the kind of story that I used to like in Busiek's work.

Her Dark Plastic Roots
Finally, a story about a secundary character previously only seen in the background. This is probably the best issue in the entire collection. I am very disappointed that Beauty didn't make it onto the cover of the collection.

Graduation Day and The Gordian Knot
A two issue story about Astra being an adult. A gigantic filler full of nothing. I can't believe it was so long... However, there is that little bit of cruelty that save it.

Through Oper Door, part one.
While I enjoyed it, there was a sense of inconclusiveness. I hoped the second part would resolve this issue (spoiler alert: it doesn't).
But, it's a good one.

Welcome to Humanglobal and Mistakes.
Another two issues story. A very good idea, sadly it was full of retoric and after few pages everything became predictable.

On the sidelines
Another good idea ruined. The premise is that not all people with superpower are superheroes (GREAT IDEA, I am sold and I want more of this), except at the end they are superheroes... disappointing.

Thumtacks & Yarn.
Filler.

Through Oper Door, part two.
A good story, but it fails to follow up on the first part. Nevertheless, it's enjoyable.

The view from above; The view from the shadows; The view from hearth; Victory.
The main story of the collection was a massive delusion.
It's about feminism and women rights and this is the only good thing of all the tale. First, it is a story of an hero being framed... we already saw that a billion time and it was already lame the second time. And yeah, everything goes exactly how you imagine, even if you don't read it.
Second, there is no need to "frame" a woman fighting for civil rights in order to have a crowd of crazy people hating her and some politicians trying to shut her down. This is the scary part about our world and the reason why I think this story is a missed opportunity.

Sorrowsday.
A Candair CL-415 full of honey and retoric just unload his content on me and I am still shaking...
We already had Silver Agent for this kind of story, did we really need a new hero invented for the occasion?

Hero's Reward.
A filler, but a good one.

Sticks and Apeman blues
Two issues story. The worst of the whole collection. In his way, it resemble "On the sidelines" but its conclusion is worse in every aspect.

[Petra · Rating 5 out of 5]

For no particular reason, I've been thinking a lot lately about superhero franchises and how unwilling they are to let go of the past. Nowadays if you go see a superhero movie at the cinema, you're probably going to see at least half a dozen cameos from recognisable faces from past movies. It's never earnt and it always feels like a vain attempt to pull at your heartstrings, to say "remember how this thing from the past made you feel? We can't make you feel that way, so maybe seeing this character again can make you feel something."

I write about this because Astro City Metrobook Vol. 4 could easily fall into the same traps. Characters from earlier volumes return - we learn more about what Brian Kinney's up to as the new Confessor in the same arc explores the relationship between Samaritan and Winged Victory. An issue focuses on Martha Sullivan as she uses her telekinesis for special effects. We catch up with Ben Pullam and his daughters now that Ben's older and his daughters are adults. Astra Furst is now an adult who's just graduated college. But these characters returning here doesn't have the same cynical edge to it. Partially, it's because it doesn't involve any multiversal travel or other bullshit. We don't randomly see Blorbo Jenkins from The Amazing Blorbo (1991) step out and say his iconic line with a lengthy pause for the audience to cheer. I think the difference it that while those sorts of callbacks are obsessed with the past, a frozen image of what once was, the returns in Astro City are looking to the future. Seeing Brian, Asa, Winged Victory, Martha, Astra, seeing all of these people again didn't feel like an executive's mandate. It felt like catching up with an old friend.

It also helps that a lot of issues introduce new characters too :P

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fourth compilation of Astro City, Kurt Busiek's brilliant deconstruction and critique of the superheroic comic-book genre told through a comic-book universe at the same time unique and strangely familiar, as it is built on all the recognizable tropes of the genre. This volume is the usual mix, with a long story arc about Winged Victory, a feminist super-heroine targeted by a smear campaign. The Samaritan and Confessor try to help her in a very "Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman" vibes set of scenes. Great stuff!

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recall reading this month to month and thinking the quality had dropped. But I’m 4 volumes and it’s going strong. Only 1 issue felt flat (not even bad… just missing something). There’s two more volumes with increasing amounts of fill in art… so I guess it’s possible that it’ll sag a bit. Or it’s possible I was expecting perfection when I first read this and missed really good comics. We’ll find out!!

[Valerio Pastore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another collection of fantastic stories exploring the past and the present of Astro City and its inhabitants. I especially loved the Sideliners and Srticks stories, there was a lot of heart in them, and the originality of a nea approach to the relationship between superpowers and a normal life.

[Paul Allard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable superhero comic book series.

Kurt Busiek brings us more adventures of the superheroes of Astro City with plenty of characters, developed and interesting, all with newly-invented names. There's plenty of action and revelations. I have found these series to be enjoyable and entertaining. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sean · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF! I'm sorry but Astro City has lost all its luster for me. I had no idea what was happening or why. None of these characters mattered and instead of building these characters up, Kurt Busiek introduces and fleshes out the tiniest of details in this giant world. The last book was unenjoyable and this was worse. Life's to short to read stuff you don't like. Overall, not for me.

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recent Reads: Astro City - Metrobook 4. The collection of Kurt Busiek's graphic story continues into the 2010s, as the city and its citizens live their lives. New characters, new situations, as humans and metahumans show just how ordinary and extraordinary they are. It's a place.

[Seb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of great stuff in here and some not so great stuff (don't care for the broken man). But "The Eagle and the Mountain" has got to be one of the most compelling single issue comic-book stories I've ever read.

[Evan Ransom · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s Astro City. It’ll always get 5 stars from me.

[Cloak88 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ranging from good to excellent Astro City proves yet again why it is my favorite series.

Full review to follow

[andrew y · Rating 5 out of 5]

Closing in on the apex of superhero storytelling.

[Dave Rhoden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love these.

[Mateen Mahboubi · Rating 4 out of 5]

After 4 large volumes, this might be all the Astro but let's see if Busiek keeps giving us more.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back to the short story format. More good stuff from the Astro City team. Just an all around fun ride with great illustrations and stories.

[Will McClintock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down some of the best super hero comics. Beautiful stuff

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fourth compilation of Astro City, Kurt Busiek's brilliant deconstruction and critique of the superheroic comic-book genre told through a comic-book universe at the same time unique and strangely familiar, as it is built on all the recognizable tropes of the genre. This volume is the usual mix, with a long story arc about Winged Victory, a feminist super-heroine targeted by a smear campaign. The Samaritan and Confessor try to help her in a very "Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman" vibes set of scenes. Great stuff!

[Amritesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

(This review covers the complete series)

A grounded, character-focused approach to superhero storytelling, the story introduces a city full of heroes and villains, seen mostly from the perspective of everyday people. The action takes a back seat to the smaller moments, how people live, react, and adapt in a world full of superpowered beings. The writing is sincere and occasionally heartbreaking, and the clean, traditional art helps bring a sense of realism to the larger-than-life setting.