ASTRO CITY: THE DARK AGE BOOK ONE #2
Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Criminal Prosecution (Thicker Than Water Part Two)
As the Silver Agent comes under fire, a pair of brothers is torn apart.
Writer: Kurt Busiek
Art: Brent E. Anderson
Colors: Alex Ross
Letters: John Roshell
Editor: Ben Abernathy
Cover Art: Alex Ross
Publisher: DC Comics/Wildstorm Signature Series
Review: The Astro City series fans have been waiting for continues with a shocking action by the Silver Agent. People who have read this series since the inception know that he was a hero who was wrongly persecuted and died. This issue we see what appears to be the catalyst that will send him towards his fate, and it’s something pretty shocking.
The thing is, this isn’t the Silver Agent’s story. Not really. Like most Astro City tales, it’s shown through the eyes of someone else, in this case the Williams brothers - police officer Charles and petty criminal Royal, neither of whom has any love lost for the Agent. (And the hints as to why are as startling as anything else.) While Charles tries to juggle his girlfriend and his increasing feelings of resentment for the superheroes of Astro City, Royal lands a new job with a mobster that holds serious promise for advancement. He dismisses the stories of the new vigilante that’s killing crooks - the Blue Knight. It could be a fatal mistake.
Although the brothers are the focus of this arc, we do see (through their eyes) what’s going on across Astro City, including the introduction of a new mystic hero, hints to a dark future for another, and the introduction of someone who will one day be a major player in the First Family.
In other words, this issue is a little of everything, handed to us on the platter of what promises to be the longest arc in this title’s history. Busiek has really created a contrast between our brothers, and as always he draws both upon the socio-political scene of the time and the comic book conventions of the period to create a story that fits perfectly and makes total sense.
Brent Anderson does a great job on the artwork as always. It’s especially impressive how he managed to give the brothers a resemblance without making them carbon copies of one another. We also get a nice sketchbook section at the end where we see the development of the new character, and as always, a beautiful cover by Alex Ross.
I’d be lying if I told you I’d ever been disappointed in Astro City, but this may be the best it’s ever been. I’m dying to see where it goes next.
Rating: 8/10