Astro City is pretty much the sole Super Hero comic that made me extremely invested in the lives of the common folk in the story compared to the Heroes. Heck, it even inspired me to make my own comic that focus on side characters instead. Thanks for covering this series!
It’s been years since this comment was posted yet I still want the link or name of this comic (even if it’s just your characters in the works I don’t care I’m suddenly immediately invested with my whole heart
My favorite Astro City character is the Confessor; a heroic religious vampire who suppressed his evil by wearing a glowing Cross on his chest. How clever and ironic! He would be perfect for a movie in an era that has popular vampire movies and superhero movies; he captures both genres...
This was super interesting. I love "Superman" stories that show how personal the person is. There is a Hyperion story in an Avengers comic where he talked about how careful he has to be and how scary a being like him is to normal people while he is looking for a kidnapped boy. He even doesn't fight the "villain" he just talks to him.
There were a lot of "superhero reconstruction" comics, going back at least to Alan Moore's work on Supreme in the mid 90's. Astro City is the most ambitious and, for me, the best. The main gimmicks seem to be that they care about the characters but are not too fixated on any one character, and that the normal people living in the world can be just as interesting as the superheroes if not more so. This particular story is unusual for Astro City as it spotlights the most powerful hero and his archnemesis....but it's one of my favorites too.
The New Frontier. I love Darwyn Cooke's masterpiece about a bygone era of comics and how skillful he was in showing the origins of Flash and Green Lantern and writing an epic that stands shoulder to shoulder with Kingdom Come. Also, there is a two parter in the Astro City line that features the Silver Agent that I would recommend.
Arguably--and I'm sure he'd say this himself--they sacrificed far more than he ever did. But they knew there was no other way to build a better world. Important message, that.
Love that book. Samaritan is one of my favorite characters. I frankly love the idea that he's a Superman who doesn't have an "off" switch. And Infidel is an awesome bad guy ... and this is the only time we've even seen him!
One of my most favorite Astro City stories was #1/2 (1998), "The Nearness of You". It deals with the troubling dreams a regular Astro City citizen is having after a "DC Crisis"-type event. Very moving.
I will have to check out “Astro City”! You make it sound awesome and relationship between Asa and The Infidel sounds very compelling. A suggestion for you would be the original “The Mask” stories. They’re violent but the stories and art fit the stories so well. And they’re not at all as goofy as the Jim Carrey movie. Great show, TY!
When I was a boy back in the 70s, I would sometimes take a break from my usual diet of Spiderman comics & buy a rare Conan the Barbarian comic. They didn't come out very often. they were made w/ far greater care then a typical weekly comic. I picked one of these rare Conan comics & I was really struck by the unusual story. Conan was involved at this point w/ a "pirate queen," the two were on her ship w/ her crew. They had just scored some loot somewhere, I don't remember how. Conan goes off by himself to have a little me time. His pirate queen girlfriend isn't happy about this but guys will be guys. As he explores he discovers an ancient ruin of some kind. He encounters someone who tells him the tale of how this ancient ruin came to be. This ruined city was built by these ancient winged men who were almost like angels. They were a kind of super race of men w/ super intelligence & use their powers to build this brilliant civilization. They are cursed in some way, whether it is b/c of their self destructive pride in their accomplishments or for some other reason I don't remember. Some sort of force, plague or curse enters their world & the are de-evolved into these bat winged demon ape type creatures. Conan realizes that the treasure his pirate queen girlfriend has found is from this ancient cursed civilization. Naturally Conan kills a bunch of the demon bat-apes trying to get back to his girlfriend & her ship to warn them about the cursed treasure. They should have guessed. You find some great treasure by accident & you should assume it has some ancient curse right? Conan is too late naturally, the cursed treasure has driven her crew mad & they've killed each other. The only one still alive is Conan's girlfriend's executive officer. He's naturally been turned into a raving zombie. When Conan puts him out of his misery he discovers his girlfriend hanging from the mast of her ship. I guess I like the happy ending. Actually, it is told as a kind of flash back tale by the man Conan encounters. It has this kind of mystical reverie about it. It was strange & different.
Ahhh for stories like this again. The fact that the hero does not always win ALWAYS sells a comic to me. And Conan of that era was a wonder to behold...CROM!
@@JennySparkz I've never read the original Conan novels, why when we have the comic books? I did read the Wiki article about Conan & the original stories & that is just as good. Apparently his pirate girlfriend & the story about her & her crews death is vaguely based on one of those original novels. That is the only Conan comic I remember reading though I know I bought many more. After a while I just didn't see them in in the local store any more. I usually bought my comic books on Sunday after church, my father would stop by to buy cigarettes & the Sunday Plain Dealer.He would sometimes buy me a pack of the candy cigarettes they sold then. I'm not kidding, they made candy play cigarette packs for children to eat. I am surprised no kid ever killed himself eating a real pack. They had cigars & pipe tobacco & all the paraphenalia. I love the smell of cigar & pipe tobacco even to this day, but I don't smoke. They sure made things look glamorous. I think the tobacco industry was run by Thulsa Doom or Darth Vader or someone like that.
@@VictorLepanto The story in issue #100 is a fairly faithful adaptation of the novella "Queen of the Black Coast" rather than "vaguely based on" it, although it's not quite word for word and a few events are omitted. You'd be doing yourself a favor to actually read the original stories, because the very best Conan comics are the ones that stick close to Robert E. Howard's plots. The vast majority of his stories are very brief (not a single one would be published as a novel in these days of 400+ pages being a short book, and Queen is barely thirty pages) and they certainly require no more effort to read than an issue or two of a comic. Pulp magazines rarely accepted any kind of long format story, and Howard was a master of the kind of short fiction that those magazines thrived on.
My favorite was the 'Tarnished Angel' story arc. Steeljack was quite a man. I stopped reading comics back in 2004, tried again in 2011. Only comic in my pooka box for fifteen years was Astro City.
I started reading Astro City after I saw your first video on it. I was instantly hooked after that great first issue you showed us. I have continued reading and have only become more and more engrossed as time went on. It has started to become my favourite series from the short time I've been reading comics. I just finished this issue before watching your video on it. This was one of the best of the best in my opinion. So amazingly written and the most beautiful art I've ever seen. This is probably the most I've enjoyed an issue since the Confessor arc, and man I loved that one. Thank you so much for sharing this series with me. It is absolutely amazing and I'm so grateful you made that video or I may have never given it a shot. Keep up the great work!
I personally god damn adore Astro City, especially the Silver Agent and Samaritan. I find Infidel terribly fascinating as well. The question of which of them is influencing the other more, the interaction, its delightful. Always happy to find a video about this wonderful comic.
I would love if Reed and Doom develop a dynamic like that, adding Sue to the dinner regarding Valeria's future in education and her well being with Super Genius Dad, Powerhouse Mommy and Sorcerer Godparent
You may be interested to know that there is a Reed/Doom dynamic to a two-parter in the Astro City collection Private Lives between sweet, grandmotherly Ellie and monomaniacal, embittered Vivi.
I can't believe I missed this video. A friend just shared it. As a HUGE Astro City fan, it is one of the only media that has brought me to literal tears (Most media drags me in deeply, but emotionally impactful? Not like Astro City) One of my favorites is the Silver Agent story, wonderful and not to spoil it tear-worthy.
I've been reading Astro City since it started 25 years ago and have every issue. For me it's the best modern take on superheroics out there. A couple of things that help it stand out: everything happens in real time so characters age, retire and die (permanently) unless there's an in-story reason for them not doing so. The most recent Vertigo run had the comic checking in on characters who appeared ten or twenty years ago to see what had happened to them in the intervening time. AC also addresses characters who get super-powers but don't feel any sudden urge to either prevent or commit crime but just want to carry on with their everyday lives being florists or truck drivers or whatever. There are also references to great comic creators in the geography of its fictional location: Astro City is overlooked by Mount Kirby; there's a Binderbeck Plaza and the main African-American neighbourhood is Bakerville (Matt Baker was a prominent black comic artist). Oh, and Samaritan's alter-ego is Asa Martin, an anagram of Samaritan - Kurt Busiek's nod to Clark Kent's glasses?
I highly recommend Astro City! They usually come out in bursts, with a new, stand-alone mini-series focusing on 1 character, group, or event. You can jump in on any #1 issue or any of the TPBs. I got the first few series when they came out years ago, but had to focus my finances on wife, house, kid, and couldn't afford comics so much anymore. BUT my local library has dozens of the TPBs, so I'm pretty close to reading the entire Astro City catalog by now! Are they boring? Yes - some people might think so. If you are looking for a comic with full page fight scenes every single issue, you might be disappointed. Astro City focuses on telling a good story, character development, and real-life citizens living their lives in a world full of super-heroes. Fight scenes and villians are often shown in the background, as a sub-plot, or thru the eyes of local residents of the city. If you are looking for action everytime you flip a page, maybe give Astro City a pass. But if you want great stories, interesting twists, and a different take on what it would be like to live among super-heroes, Astro City can't be beat - no other comic book like it!
My advise? Even If you are looking for action every time you flip a page, DO NOT give Astro City a pass. Pick it up. It's how comics and comic book heroes should be portrayed.
I have this comic! I just dug it out of my "to read" pile a few days ago. Guess this is my sign to read it. By the way, my favorite Astro City story is the two issue Silver Agent miniseries: that ending always gets me emotional....😭
Sasha, I’m convinef now that I’ve _got_ to get hold of _Astro City!_ I stopped reading comic books when I was thirteen, way back in 1970, but now, at sixty-three, because of you, I’m going to start reading a new one. Wow! Thanks!
I love this channel and the enthusiasm you obviously have for comics in general. I absolutely feel the same way and am very thankful for this channel. I have not read astro city and missed the previous video about it. I am absolutely going to watch the video and check the comic out for sure. Thanks for a new comic to read. New info on a comment I made in a previous video. I ordered ultimatum saga #1 and march on ultimatum. I am so close to reading the full storyline I an feel it lmao. So excited to read it. I also ordered the edge of spiderveres graphic novel which j am excited about. The spiderverse one was so amazing.
To me, The Infidel is like Lex Luthor, Vandal Savage, and Ra's al Ghul, with the sonorous and mellifluous voice of James Earl Jones or Geoffrey Holder.
The Nearness Of You...still one of the saddest, most bittersweet stories of the series. You may be interested to know that Busiek closed the current series by going back to the POV guy of that story.
I'm so glad you don't adhere to the 'nothing to talk about with a good comic' philosophy. This would be a rather dull channel if you did. So, where do we start in reading Astro City? There seem to be several series/miniseries/one-off issues and I'm not sure where to jump into it all.
I would start with the 1995 series and go forward from there. I just kinda went in the order they came out at first, and then got what I could as some were at the time out of print, but they came back!
Sasha great look at the one-shot. Astro City is a title that doesn't get enough credit w/ people always talking about the two big companies, the movies, and their universes getting revamped every few years, which is one of the main reasons I stuck w/ AC since '97. Two of my favorite archs are Confession & the Tarnished Angel. If you're not familiar with them (which I doubt) I suggest get them. I hope you'll discuss more Astro City characters or archs.
Oof, this looks like a fascinating series. I know it would never happen but how much fun would it be if the Infidel just used his magic to freeze time so he can teach the Samaritan how to cook because he's sick of eating Not-McDonalds every other year? Or they just have a cook off.... I need a superhero cook off.
Please read Planetary! If there is ever a comic that taps into the realms of modernism, futurism and the past, it is Planetary. Ok, a bit heavy handed but worth the read!
I had heard of astro city and seen pictures of the samaritan, but never really checked into it to much. Though I gotta say after this video and the one before where you talked about it I totally gotta check it out .... looks like I was missing out on something totally up my alley
Astro City is Kurt Busiek doing what he did best in Marvels. You feel like it's a real city and you're super invested in the lives of both normal and super powered people
I love Astro City so much, but I haven't read it in a long while. You inspired me to re-read it and get the remainder that I didn't have. I'm glad I found this channel.
I'll fully admit I'm a comic noob but my favourite comics are Nimona by Noelle Stevenson, Hawkeye (2012) by Matt Fraction & David Aja and The Visions by Tom King & Gabriel Hernandez Walta. I could literally talk anyone's ear off about how much I love these and I have a couple times with my closest friends.
GREAT VIDEO! I have loved Astro City since I picked issue #1 off the rack way back when it first hit. Since then, I have never missed issue. I have them all. Thank you for reminding me of this story. I must admit, though I really loved this special back when it first came out, for some reason, I have never revisited it. Something I shall soon rectify, thanks to you and you're excellent vid. I think Astro City really maintained such a high standard of quality over the years that a lesser issue was still head and shoulders above most of the dreck that pollutes the stands then and especially now. It remember all of those times when the series was stalled, and we'd sometimes have to wait for a year, or longer to get a new issue. Still, when a new one DID come out, I was always excited. My favorite story (and there are a lot of great ones) is the One Half special (which was first offered in Wizard Magazine as an exclusive when the 1st ish debuted, but, was later reprinted in the "Confessions" trade, I think) "The Nearness Of You". What a brilliant, beautiful story. The sequel he did a few years ago couldn't touch it, but, it was alright. "In Dreams" from the very first ish is right up there as well. Easily my favorite Samaritan story. There were so many great stories; I really hope Busiek brings it back some day. He promised to, after the Vertigo series ended a few years ago. But, that was supposed to be in 2019. Let's hope we haven't seen the last of Astro City. Thanks again, for your great vid; you're awesome. I'm glad I found your channel. Take Care!
I loved this this "episode" in Astro City, in fact I've loved the entirety of Astro City, even though I only managed to pick it up with this recent DC run and a handful of back issues from my LCS, that were affordable. I'll probably look into trades for larger chunks.
I love, love, LOVE that you not only covered Astro City, but also covered my favorite story from it! The eagle and the mountain blew me away when I first read it. I need to find a copy and read it again. Such amazing art and writing. And like you said, the subtle things you miss the first time around. I always thought the humunculi servants were based off of winged victory to put Samaritan off balance. Was that just me?
I like when two opposing sides can be in the same space and talk. It shows how much they underneath it all. They enjoy each other’s company. At a base level isn’t that what we all want. Company and someone to talk too.
Sasha astro city maybe the most underrated comic in comics(atleast superhero wise). This is one of the few issues I haven't picked up. Thank u I will go looking for this issue next. Btw you should highlight astro city 1/2. It is one of the most common but beautiful stories ever written.
I love Astro City! And I love this story. Astro City is one of the best comics series (or collection of series, mini-series, and one shots, I guess) that I have ever read. Think I'll go read it all again now...
Just picked up the first 2 trades this month. Read and enjoyed both. I’m on the train and looking to purchase the rest of this run. Thanks for the insightful video. For me, this is taking on the flavor of Robinsons Starman which is in my top 10 favorites!
Not gonna lie, between watching your videos and re-reading my favorite comic series, I realized I really do love comics, and I'm working on making it my career!
My favorite comic is Miracleman by Alan Moore then Neil Gaiman . Stopped abruptly in the 1990s and has struggled to see the light of day through litigation - but there is hope
Astro City is absolutely wonderful. The big arcs, like the Confessor story, are great, and then you have completely brilliant short stories like "The Nearness of You".
I enjoyed Deadpool dealing with zombie presidents, a friend in his head, and a ghost. I'm also a big fan of Bone, Elfquest, and Zen and the Art of Gazebo Repair.
On the subject of favorite comics. Kurt Busiek and Cary Nords run on Conan is a great read. The Frost Giants Daughter is my all time favorite comic (tied with infinity gauntlet)
Sooo many good stories within Astro City but I have to admit that "The Eagle And The Mountain" is definitely one of my favorite stories as you just showed. Busiek doesn't gloss over the ugly details of Infidel but doesn't dwell on it. But I like his character, Lex Luthor meets Mr. Mxyzptlk with a dash of Ra's Al Ghul. I'm currently split on my actual favorite Astro City story. It's either "On The Sidelines", detailing the lives of superpowered people just using their abilities to do ordinary jobs and "Wish I May...", the first nonsexualized transgender superhero I ever ran into mixed with an unusual superhero legacy story. P.S. You just earned a subscriber!
I can't believe how underestimated Astro City is... this is a classic, and its lates run at Vertigo ended with almost no fuss at all. The last three volumes didn't even get TPB versions, only HCs (yes, my ocd does think this is a very relevant matter, thanks for asking). But seriously, it's kind of hard to find people talking about AC, so thnaks for this. I heard there's been some development on a TV series. Hope that, at least, brings Astro City the recogition it deservers.
One of my fav one shot from series as well. It's funny, I read my fav Astro city issues every 6 months as well. Mine are Vol 1 issue 1,6 and Vol 3 issue 7 and Samiritan one shot, etc. I think u can see a pattern there lol.
My introduction to Astro City was Volume 2 Number one-half (January 1998). In sixteen pages, Busiek told a “mega event” timeline changing story brought down to the human level - a story more compelling than any Crisis On Infinite Earths, Flashpoint, Zero Hour, or what-have-you. I was hooked.
I'd heard of Astro City for years,but it wasn't until sometime in the last decade that I finally decided to read "Life In The Big City" (the first collected volume) at our local library. I was hooked. Since then,I've managed to acquire the entire series,some of them used copies,some through Amazon,especially the last few volumes. I've been on DeviantArt for 11 years,where there's a great deal of superhero art,including Astro City. I assumed that,among all superhero-themed art groups they have there,there'd be several Astro City groups...there wasn't any. So I started one. Only got one member so far,but it's something.
Great video ⚡️❤️ I’ve been reading Astro City since’95 and always recommend it! Busiek’s writing is very diverse and interesting by changing up the characters from story to story! All done in real time!⚡️🎯❤️👍😎
It just came to me something about that story that was always simmering below my thoughts: these annual gatherings remind me a lot about the annual dinner parties from the Starman series.
This special issue was an amazing addition to the lore of Astro City's reality. It added such depth to the characters directly involved (Samaritan and Infidel) as well as characters not seen in-panel. Every timeline shift they create further deepens the chaotic nature of the lives of the rest of Astro City's characters. Masterful story telling.
I love JLA One Million. The Justice League meet their descendents from the 853rd century. Apparently the original Superman is still alive in their time too. Vandal Savage and Resurrection Man are in it. It never stops until finally the greatest victory celebration and wedding ever.
I actually was in chat room with the writer when he announced making the Infedel. Couldn't wait to pick up a copy. It was great. As long as your talking about Astro City comics from the villians perspective have you mentioned..uhm I think it's the Conquestador. The frog villain gets a recruitment attempt, but he's trying to go straight. An a later issue reveals the Conquestadors? true "heroic" motive. Man I ccant think of anyones name. Guess I'll have to re read my Astro City's. Thanks :)
I really need to pick this up again. I read most of the early stuff, but with all the starts and stops, and publisher changes, it just got so hard fo keep up with. With rumblings of a new Arrowsmith coming out, maybe it is time to take a dive back into some Busiek creator owned. His big two work is great but books like Astro City, A Wizard's Tale, and Tooth & Claw are just as good as anything he's done for Marvel of DC. The more I comment here the more it will be evident that he's my favorite creator. There is always so much to mine in everything he does. His books are layered and meaty. And without the verbose nature of like a Claremont or Bendis.
Astro City is definitely an underrated gem of a comic and all the better when you read the trades. I especially love the Dark age collection just for how it highlighted so many awesome characters in their year one and final years. Seriously Silver Agent and Jack in the box are so good for just being Capt. A and Spiderman analogues
The standoff between the two is a dynamic which isnt seen in a lot of comics. To me The Infidel is almost a cross between Vandal Savage and doc. Doom. The Samaritan almost feels like a cross between the power of Superman and the conscience and moral compass of Spiderman. Awesome.
AstroCity is amazing! I've been reading it since its onset. Kurt Busiek accomplishes a difficult task. He tells a great story with plenty of action while at the same time making an interest commentary and illustration about the super hero comic as it evolved over time. The Samaritan coming from the future makes him The Man of Tomorrow - which I recall was once a title used with Superman. One of the other characters you might delve into is The Gentlemen, Daniel Armstrong, and his daughter, Tilly. The Infidel is Busiek's version of a Vandal Savage like immortal human character. And like the JL animated version, Vandal Savage, but
Thank you for this. I myself love Astro City, precisely because of how it's stories are presented. It is so contrary to how regular comic book continuity is portrayed... I don't know if you already have done so, but if you haven't, I would very much like to hear your take on one of my favorite Marvel titles: Strikeforce: Morituri, and the prestige format mini which finished the story left open by the monthly title when it was discontinued.
Astro City was awesome. One of my favorites. I went through several distinct phases in my comics life. Astro City came out after Marvel had chased me away with a stick, and I ended up being more open to indie comics. I loved it. It was literally my favorite, but Busiek was having health problems and couldn't keep a deadline. By the time it became more regular, I was dropping out of comics altogether.
I homwstly found this in the free secrion of the dc comics app once and ive literally LOVED the series ever since the artwork alone is enough to get anyone into it its fucking GORGEOUS
Its one of my favorite comics, Astro City looks at the lives of all the citizens not just the heroes. Its well written and does not think the reader is dumb or in a rush to get to the end or next action panel.
Since you asked, a comic I love is "Kraven's Last Hunt." It was the first time I read a story that touched on suicide in a way that I understood and helped me understand my own feelings.
Astro City has always been one of my favorites....I loved the HangedMan story told from the viewpoint of a regular man who keeps dreaming of a woman he may or may not know but loves very much. As far as a favorite comics story, I love Dan Clowes PUSSEY...but since it's not superhero canon (none of Clowes work is, except when a sort of dark parody), I don't know if you would like it. I've only see you do superhero content in your lectures.
I read this comic book in a library about 15 years ago and I was busting my brains with internet searches for the past month trying to remember the name Astro City
When my local comic book shop opens back up I will definitely have a look at it. Although I may have difficulties with reading it without using your voice for the infidel.
Astro City is pretty much the sole Super Hero comic that made me extremely invested in the lives of the common folk in the story compared to the Heroes. Heck, it even inspired me to make my own comic that focus on side characters instead. Thanks for covering this series!
Ooh I’d like to hear about your progress!
It’s been years since this comment was posted yet I still want the link or name of this comic (even if it’s just your characters in the works I don’t care I’m suddenly immediately invested with my whole heart
My favorite Astro City character is the Confessor; a heroic religious vampire who suppressed his evil by wearing a glowing Cross on his chest. How clever and ironic! He would be perfect for a movie in an era that has popular vampire movies and superhero movies; he captures both genres...
Why do we need a movie when we already have the story as intended? For the illiterate who can't read a comic book?
@@docsavage8640 we don't NEED a movie. But it's sometimes fun to see how a character or story is adapted and changed to fit the new medium.
This was super interesting. I love "Superman" stories that show how personal the person is. There is a Hyperion story in an Avengers comic where he talked about how careful he has to be and how scary a being like him is to normal people while he is looking for a kidnapped boy. He even doesn't fight the "villain" he just talks to him.
Ah, non-evil Hyperions. Those are rare.
Fuck Hyperion.
WHAT COMIC???
I think it's Avengers #34.1
There were a lot of "superhero reconstruction" comics, going back at least to Alan Moore's work on Supreme in the mid 90's. Astro City is the most ambitious and, for me, the best. The main gimmicks seem to be that they care about the characters but are not too fixated on any one character, and that the normal people living in the world can be just as interesting as the superheroes if not more so. This particular story is unusual for Astro City as it spotlights the most powerful hero and his archnemesis....but it's one of my favorites too.
I like this because you have the Hero and Villain actually engaged in an Adult discussion. For that, we can thank the Genius writing of Kurt Busiek.
The New Frontier. I love Darwyn Cooke's masterpiece about a bygone era of comics and how skillful he was in showing the origins of Flash and Green Lantern and writing an epic that stands shoulder to shoulder with Kingdom Come. Also, there is a two parter in the Astro City line that features the Silver Agent that I would recommend.
It's kind of sad that Samaritan succeeding at his mission means he'll never get to meet the people he grew up with ever again.
Arguably--and I'm sure he'd say this himself--they sacrificed far more than he ever did. But they knew there was no other way to build a better world. Important message, that.
Love that book. Samaritan is one of my favorite characters. I frankly love the idea that he's a Superman who doesn't have an "off" switch. And Infidel is an awesome bad guy ... and this is the only time we've even seen him!
I personally enjoy the anthology style of Astro City, but if they could spotlight a character more I would have to choose G-dog.
For me my first choice is Steeljack
One of my most favorite Astro City stories was #1/2 (1998), "The Nearness of You". It deals with the troubling dreams a regular Astro City citizen is having after a "DC Crisis"-type event. Very moving.
3:05 real booster gold vibes.
That was a really interesting and refreshing.
I will have to check out “Astro City”! You make it sound awesome and relationship between Asa and The Infidel sounds very compelling.
A suggestion for you would be the original “The Mask” stories. They’re violent but the stories and art fit the stories so well. And they’re not at all as goofy as the Jim Carrey movie.
Great show, TY!
Trust me...that's only ONE facet. Astro City has so many other places it goes.
When I was a boy back in the 70s, I would sometimes take a break from my usual diet of Spiderman comics & buy a rare Conan the Barbarian comic. They didn't come out very often. they were made w/ far greater care then a typical weekly comic. I picked one of these rare Conan comics & I was really struck by the unusual story. Conan was involved at this point w/ a "pirate queen," the two were on her ship w/ her crew. They had just scored some loot somewhere, I don't remember how. Conan goes off by himself to have a little me time. His pirate queen girlfriend isn't happy about this but guys will be guys.
As he explores he discovers an ancient ruin of some kind. He encounters someone who tells him the tale of how this ancient ruin came to be. This ruined city was built by these ancient winged men who were almost like angels. They were a kind of super race of men w/ super intelligence & use their powers to build this brilliant civilization.
They are cursed in some way, whether it is b/c of their self destructive pride in their accomplishments or for some other reason I don't remember. Some sort of force, plague or curse enters their world & the are de-evolved into these bat winged demon ape type creatures.
Conan realizes that the treasure his pirate queen girlfriend has found is from this ancient cursed civilization. Naturally Conan kills a bunch of the demon bat-apes trying to get back to his girlfriend & her ship to warn them about the cursed treasure. They should have guessed. You find some great treasure by accident & you should assume it has some ancient curse right?
Conan is too late naturally, the cursed treasure has driven her crew mad & they've killed each other. The only one still alive is Conan's girlfriend's executive officer. He's naturally been turned into a raving zombie. When Conan puts him out of his misery he discovers his girlfriend hanging from the mast of her ship.
I guess I like the happy ending.
Actually, it is told as a kind of flash back tale by the man Conan encounters. It has this kind of mystical reverie about it. It was strange & different.
Ahhh for stories like this again. The fact that the hero does not always win ALWAYS sells a comic to me. And Conan of that era was a wonder to behold...CROM!
@@JennySparkz I've never read the original Conan novels, why when we have the comic books? I did read the Wiki article about Conan & the original stories & that is just as good. Apparently his pirate girlfriend & the story about her & her crews death is vaguely based on one of those original novels. That is the only Conan comic I remember reading though I know I bought many more. After a while I just didn't see them in in the local store any more.
I usually bought my comic books on Sunday after church, my father would stop by to buy cigarettes & the Sunday Plain Dealer.He would sometimes buy me a pack of the candy cigarettes they sold then. I'm not kidding, they made candy play cigarette packs for children to eat. I am surprised no kid ever killed himself eating a real pack.
They had cigars & pipe tobacco & all the paraphenalia. I love the smell of cigar & pipe tobacco even to this day, but I don't smoke. They sure made things look glamorous. I think the tobacco industry was run by Thulsa Doom or Darth Vader or someone like that.
@@VictorLepanto they still have candy cigarettes! They're just called "candy sticks" now, but kids know what they're supposed to look like anyway
@@VictorLepanto The story in issue #100 is a fairly faithful adaptation of the novella "Queen of the Black Coast" rather than "vaguely based on" it, although it's not quite word for word and a few events are omitted. You'd be doing yourself a favor to actually read the original stories, because the very best Conan comics are the ones that stick close to Robert E. Howard's plots. The vast majority of his stories are very brief (not a single one would be published as a novel in these days of 400+ pages being a short book, and Queen is barely thirty pages) and they certainly require no more effort to read than an issue or two of a comic. Pulp magazines rarely accepted any kind of long format story, and Howard was a master of the kind of short fiction that those magazines thrived on.
My favorite was the 'Tarnished Angel' story arc. Steeljack was quite a man. I stopped reading comics back in 2004, tried again in 2011. Only comic in my pooka box for fifteen years was Astro City.
I started reading Astro City after I saw your first video on it. I was instantly hooked after that great first issue you showed us. I have continued reading and have only become more and more engrossed as time went on. It has started to become my favourite series from the short time I've been reading comics. I just finished this issue before watching your video on it. This was one of the best of the best in my opinion. So amazingly written and the most beautiful art I've ever seen. This is probably the most I've enjoyed an issue since the Confessor arc, and man I loved that one. Thank you so much for sharing this series with me. It is absolutely amazing and I'm so grateful you made that video or I may have never given it a shot. Keep up the great work!
I personally god damn adore Astro City, especially the Silver Agent and Samaritan. I find Infidel terribly fascinating as well. The question of which of them is influencing the other more, the interaction, its delightful. Always happy to find a video about this wonderful comic.
I still remember reading "The Nearness of You." No comic has ever hit me harder in the feels than that story. Made me a Busiek fan for life.
I would love if Reed and Doom develop a dynamic like that, adding Sue to the dinner regarding Valeria's future in education and her well being with Super Genius Dad, Powerhouse Mommy and Sorcerer Godparent
You may be interested to know that there is a Reed/Doom dynamic to a two-parter in the Astro City collection Private Lives between sweet, grandmotherly Ellie and monomaniacal, embittered Vivi.
I can't believe I missed this video. A friend just shared it. As a HUGE Astro City fan, it is one of the only media that has brought me to literal tears (Most media drags me in deeply, but emotionally impactful? Not like Astro City) One of my favorites is the Silver Agent story, wonderful and not to spoil it tear-worthy.
I've been reading Astro City since it started 25 years ago and have every issue. For me it's the best modern take on superheroics out there. A couple of things that help it stand out: everything happens in real time so characters age, retire and die (permanently) unless there's an in-story reason for them not doing so. The most recent Vertigo run had the comic checking in on characters who appeared ten or twenty years ago to see what had happened to them in the intervening time. AC also addresses characters who get super-powers but don't feel any sudden urge to either prevent or commit crime but just want to carry on with their everyday lives being florists or truck drivers or whatever. There are also references to great comic creators in the geography of its fictional location: Astro City is overlooked by Mount Kirby; there's a Binderbeck Plaza and the main African-American neighbourhood is Bakerville (Matt Baker was a prominent black comic artist). Oh, and Samaritan's alter-ego is Asa Martin, an anagram of Samaritan - Kurt Busiek's nod to Clark Kent's glasses?
I highly recommend Astro City! They usually come out in bursts, with a new, stand-alone mini-series focusing on 1 character, group, or event. You can jump in on any #1 issue or any of the TPBs. I got the first few series when they came out years ago, but had to focus my finances on wife, house, kid, and couldn't afford comics so much anymore. BUT my local library has dozens of the TPBs, so I'm pretty close to reading the entire Astro City catalog by now!
Are they boring? Yes - some people might think so. If you are looking for a comic with full page fight scenes every single issue, you might be disappointed. Astro City focuses on telling a good story, character development, and real-life citizens living their lives in a world full of super-heroes. Fight scenes and villians are often shown in the background, as a sub-plot, or thru the eyes of local residents of the city.
If you are looking for action everytime you flip a page, maybe give Astro City a pass. But if you want great stories, interesting twists, and a different take on what it would be like to live among super-heroes, Astro City can't be beat - no other comic book like it!
My advise?
Even If you are looking for action every time you flip a page, DO NOT give Astro City a pass. Pick it up. It's how comics and comic book heroes should be portrayed.
I have this comic! I just dug it out of my "to read" pile a few days ago. Guess this is my sign to read it. By the way, my favorite Astro City story is the two issue Silver Agent miniseries: that ending always gets me emotional....😭
Silver Bullet is THE hero, after all
Sasha, I’m convinef now that I’ve _got_ to get hold of _Astro City!_ I stopped reading comic books when I was thirteen, way back in 1970, but now, at sixty-three, because of you, I’m going to start reading a new one. Wow! Thanks!
I love this channel and the enthusiasm you obviously have for comics in general. I absolutely feel the same way and am very thankful for this channel.
I have not read astro city and missed the previous video about it. I am absolutely going to watch the video and check the comic out for sure. Thanks for a new comic to read.
New info on a comment I made in a previous video. I ordered ultimatum saga #1 and march on ultimatum. I am so close to reading the full storyline I an feel it lmao. So excited to read it. I also ordered the edge of spiderveres graphic novel which j am excited about. The spiderverse one was so amazing.
Is it just me, or does The Infidel remind anyone of Djimon Hounsou?
Looked like him. Personality reminded me of Thulsa Doom.
absolutely
To me, The Infidel is like Lex Luthor, Vandal Savage, and Ra's al Ghul, with the sonorous and mellifluous voice of James Earl Jones or Geoffrey Holder.
I love the Astro City promo comic Hanged Man tale. An entire cosmic crisis in one splash page. It was yummy.
The Nearness Of You...still one of the saddest, most bittersweet stories of the series. You may be interested to know that Busiek closed the current series by going back to the POV guy of that story.
I'm so glad you don't adhere to the 'nothing to talk about with a good comic' philosophy. This would be a rather dull channel if you did.
So, where do we start in reading Astro City? There seem to be several series/miniseries/one-off issues and I'm not sure where to jump into it all.
I would start with the 1995 series and go forward from there. I just kinda went in the order they came out at first, and then got what I could as some were at the time out of print, but they came back!
Please see my post above. You can jump in at any #1 issue or TPB.
You seem like a good cup of coffee and long discussion person. That earns my sub. Keep up the great work
Sasha great look at the one-shot. Astro City is a title that doesn't get enough credit w/ people always talking about the two big companies, the movies, and their universes getting revamped every few years, which is one of the main reasons I stuck w/ AC since '97. Two of my favorite archs are Confession & the Tarnished Angel. If you're not familiar with them (which I doubt) I suggest get them. I hope you'll discuss more Astro City characters or archs.
I'm so glad you are covering Astro City. It's one of my favorite worlds in comics. AC and Tom Strong are my jams
Also loved the whole Confessor arc
Oof, this looks like a fascinating series. I know it would never happen but how much fun would it be if the Infidel just used his magic to freeze time so he can teach the Samaritan how to cook because he's sick of eating Not-McDonalds every other year? Or they just have a cook off.... I need a superhero cook off.
Lol one of the other funny things in this comic is the Infidel gives him leftovers to take with him, he knows the Samaritan is not cooking anything.
Lmao that hypothetical storyline might get my wife to read comics.
An old friend I troduced me to Astro City, specifically The Confessor story. I loved it, such great story telling.
Please read Planetary! If there is ever a comic that taps into the realms of modernism, futurism and the past, it is Planetary. Ok, a bit heavy handed but worth the read!
I had heard of astro city and seen pictures of the samaritan, but never really checked into it to much. Though I gotta say after this video and the one before where you talked about it I totally gotta check it out .... looks like I was missing out on something totally up my alley
Astro City is Kurt Busiek doing what he did best in Marvels. You feel like it's a real city and you're super invested in the lives of both normal and super powered people
I love Astro City so much, but I haven't read it in a long while. You inspired me to re-read it and get the remainder that I didn't have. I'm glad I found this channel.
I'll fully admit I'm a comic noob but my favourite comics are Nimona by Noelle Stevenson, Hawkeye (2012) by Matt Fraction & David Aja and The Visions by Tom King & Gabriel Hernandez Walta.
I could literally talk anyone's ear off about how much I love these and I have a couple times with my closest friends.
GREAT VIDEO! I have loved Astro City since I picked issue #1 off the rack way back when it first hit. Since then, I have never missed issue. I have them all. Thank you for reminding me of this story. I must admit, though I really loved this special back when it first came out, for some reason, I have never revisited it. Something I shall soon rectify, thanks to you and you're excellent vid. I think Astro City really maintained such a high standard of quality over the years that a lesser issue was still head and shoulders above most of the dreck that pollutes the stands then and especially now. It remember all of those times when the series was stalled, and we'd sometimes have to wait for a year, or longer to get a new issue. Still, when a new one DID come out, I was always excited.
My favorite story (and there are a lot of great ones) is the One Half special (which was first offered in Wizard Magazine as an exclusive when the 1st ish debuted, but, was later reprinted in the "Confessions" trade, I think) "The Nearness Of You". What a brilliant, beautiful story. The sequel he did a few years ago couldn't touch it, but, it was alright. "In Dreams" from the very first ish is right up there as well. Easily my favorite Samaritan story. There were so many great stories; I really hope Busiek brings it back some day. He promised to, after the Vertigo series ended a few years ago. But, that was supposed to be in 2019. Let's hope we haven't seen the last of Astro City.
Thanks again, for your great vid; you're awesome. I'm glad I found your channel. Take Care!
This has officially become my favorite UA-cam channel. Being a life long super hero fan I’m learning so much about comics!! Thank you!!
I loved this this "episode" in Astro City, in fact I've loved the entirety of Astro City, even though I only managed to pick it up with this recent DC run and a handful of back issues from my LCS, that were affordable. I'll probably look into trades for larger chunks.
I love, love, LOVE that you not only covered Astro City, but also covered my favorite story from it! The eagle and the mountain blew me away when I first read it. I need to find a copy and read it again. Such amazing art and writing. And like you said, the subtle things you miss the first time around. I always thought the humunculi servants were based off of winged victory to put Samaritan off balance. Was that just me?
I like when two opposing sides can be in the same space and talk. It shows how much they underneath it all. They enjoy each other’s company. At a base level isn’t that what we all want. Company and someone to talk too.
I don’t know how I happened upon your channel but I am so glad I did. Great videos!
Sasha astro city maybe the most underrated comic in comics(atleast superhero wise). This is one of the few issues I haven't picked up. Thank u I will go looking for this issue next. Btw you should highlight astro city 1/2. It is one of the most common but beautiful stories ever written.
I'm going to have to catch up on this. Though I love that the "Once a year" re-read mimics what they are doing in the comic.
I love Astro City! And I love this story. Astro City is one of the best comics series (or collection of series, mini-series, and one shots, I guess) that I have ever read. Think I'll go read it all again now...
Just picked up the first 2 trades this month. Read and enjoyed both. I’m on the train and looking to purchase the rest of this run. Thanks for the insightful video. For me, this is taking on the flavor of Robinsons Starman which is in my top 10 favorites!
Gosh. I knew I missed an issue of Astro City. Thanks for the review. Time to seek that issue.
Not gonna lie, between watching your videos and re-reading my favorite comic series, I realized I really do love comics, and I'm working on making it my career!
My favorite comic is Miracleman by Alan Moore then Neil Gaiman . Stopped abruptly in the 1990s and has struggled to see the light of day through litigation - but there is hope
Thank you for turning me on to Astro City. It's the best comic series I've ever read.
Astro City is absolutely wonderful. The big arcs, like the Confessor story, are great, and then you have completely brilliant short stories like "The Nearness of You".
Wow! Infidel just became one of my favourite comic book villains from this video alone! I love how similar he is to Magneto.
That's really amazing writing. What an interesting series of concepts.
I enjoyed Deadpool dealing with zombie presidents, a friend in his head, and a ghost.
I'm also a big fan of Bone, Elfquest, and Zen and the Art of Gazebo Repair.
On the subject of favorite comics. Kurt Busiek and Cary Nords run on Conan is a great read. The Frost Giants Daughter is my all time favorite comic (tied with infinity gauntlet)
Sooo many good stories within Astro City but I have to admit that "The Eagle And The Mountain" is definitely one of my favorite stories as you just showed. Busiek doesn't gloss over the ugly details of Infidel but doesn't dwell on it. But I like his character, Lex Luthor meets Mr. Mxyzptlk with a dash of Ra's Al Ghul.
I'm currently split on my actual favorite Astro City story. It's either "On The Sidelines", detailing the lives of superpowered people just using their abilities to do ordinary jobs and "Wish I May...", the first nonsexualized transgender superhero I ever ran into mixed with an unusual superhero legacy story.
P.S. You just earned a subscriber!
I can't believe how underestimated Astro City is... this is a classic, and its lates run at Vertigo ended with almost no fuss at all. The last three volumes didn't even get TPB versions, only HCs (yes, my ocd does think this is a very relevant matter, thanks for asking). But seriously, it's kind of hard to find people talking about AC, so thnaks for this. I heard there's been some development on a TV series. Hope that, at least, brings Astro City the recogition it deservers.
One of my fav one shot from series as well. It's funny, I read my fav Astro city issues every 6 months as well. Mine are Vol 1 issue 1,6 and Vol 3 issue 7 and Samiritan one shot, etc. I think u can see a pattern there lol.
I reread all my Astro City books ( I have alot) every couple of years too...great video Sash!
My introduction to Astro City was Volume 2 Number one-half (January 1998). In sixteen pages, Busiek told a “mega event” timeline changing story brought down to the human level - a story more compelling than any Crisis On Infinite Earths, Flashpoint, Zero Hour, or what-have-you. I was hooked.
I'd heard of Astro City for years,but it wasn't until sometime in the last decade that I finally decided to read "Life In The Big City" (the first collected volume) at our local library. I was hooked. Since then,I've managed to acquire the entire series,some of them used copies,some through Amazon,especially the last few volumes.
I've been on DeviantArt for 11 years,where there's a great deal of superhero art,including Astro City. I assumed that,among all superhero-themed art groups they have there,there'd be several Astro City groups...there wasn't any. So I started one. Only got one member so far,but it's something.
Great video ⚡️❤️ I’ve been reading Astro City since’95 and always recommend it! Busiek’s writing is very diverse and interesting by changing up the characters from story to story! All done in real time!⚡️🎯❤️👍😎
It just came to me something about that story that was always simmering below my thoughts: these annual gatherings remind me a lot about the annual dinner parties from the Starman series.
This special issue was an amazing addition to the lore of Astro City's reality.
It added such depth to the characters directly involved (Samaritan and Infidel) as well as characters not seen in-panel. Every timeline shift they create further deepens the chaotic nature of the lives of the rest of Astro City's characters.
Masterful story telling.
I love JLA One Million. The Justice League meet their descendents from the 853rd century. Apparently the original Superman is still alive in their time too. Vandal Savage and Resurrection Man are in it. It never stops until finally the greatest victory celebration and wedding ever.
Just chiming in to let you know how much I appreciate your channel.
Your channel is the first I’ve heard of this comic. I could do to hear more of it.
Astro City made me remember why I like superhero comics from the beginning. It's really a must read.
The hangman story from the 1/2 issue is the best comic story ever written. It’s like 14 pages long but it’s a story that just sticks with you forever.
You should make a video about Astro City: the Confession! Love your channel, hugs and hope you're having a nice day.
Would be nice, but I wouldn't want her to give away the punch line!
I actually was in chat room with the writer when he announced making the Infedel. Couldn't wait to pick up a copy. It was great. As long as your talking about Astro City comics from the villians perspective have you mentioned..uhm I think it's the Conquestador. The frog villain gets a recruitment attempt, but he's trying to go straight. An a later issue reveals the Conquestadors? true "heroic" motive. Man I ccant think of anyones name. Guess I'll have to re read my Astro City's. Thanks :)
I really need to pick this up again. I read most of the early stuff, but with all the starts and stops, and publisher changes, it just got so hard fo keep up with. With rumblings of a new Arrowsmith coming out, maybe it is time to take a dive back into some Busiek creator owned. His big two work is great but books like Astro City, A Wizard's Tale, and Tooth & Claw are just as good as anything he's done for Marvel of DC. The more I comment here the more it will be evident that he's my favorite creator. There is always so much to mine in everything he does. His books are layered and meaty. And without the verbose nature of like a Claremont or Bendis.
Astro City is definitely an underrated gem of a comic and all the better when you read the trades. I especially love the Dark age collection just for how it highlighted so many awesome characters in their year one and final years. Seriously Silver Agent and Jack in the box are so good for just being Capt. A and Spiderman analogues
The standoff between the two is a dynamic which isnt seen in a lot of comics. To me The Infidel is almost a cross between Vandal Savage and doc. Doom. The Samaritan almost feels like a cross between the power of Superman and the conscience and moral compass of Spiderman. Awesome.
AstroCity is amazing! I've been reading it since its onset. Kurt Busiek accomplishes a difficult task. He tells a great story with plenty of action while at the same time making an interest commentary and illustration about the super hero comic as it evolved over time.
The Samaritan coming from the future makes him The Man of Tomorrow - which I recall was once a title used with Superman.
One of the other characters you might delve into is The Gentlemen, Daniel Armstrong, and his daughter, Tilly.
The Infidel is Busiek's version of a Vandal Savage like immortal human character. And like the JL animated version, Vandal Savage, but
Thank you for this. I myself love Astro City, precisely because of how it's stories are presented. It is so contrary to how regular comic book continuity is portrayed...
I don't know if you already have done so, but if you haven't, I would very much like to hear your take on one of my favorite Marvel titles: Strikeforce: Morituri, and the prestige format mini which finished the story left open by the monthly title when it was discontinued.
Well after reading Marvel, DC, Malibu, and Virgo comics for 50 years. you've turned me on to a new comic brand.
I really enjoy your channel. For me All Star Superman is one of my all time favourite books. I am checking out Astro City because of this video
My favorite hero in AC is the first Confessor. Best dawn Batman I've read in a VERY long time, before and after.
So the Good Samaritan is basically a sane sentry and the infidel is the void that's so badass.
Astro City was awesome. One of my favorites. I went through several distinct phases in my comics life. Astro City came out after Marvel had chased me away with a stick, and I ended up being more open to indie comics. I loved it. It was literally my favorite, but Busiek was having health problems and couldn't keep a deadline. By the time it became more regular, I was dropping out of comics altogether.
I homwstly found this in the free secrion of the dc comics app once and ive literally LOVED the series ever since the artwork alone is enough to get anyone into it its fucking GORGEOUS
I remember only a handful of comics that have made me shed a tear. There's one issue of Astro city that had me bawling my eyes out.
I've never read an Astro City comic,but now,after watching your video,i'm hanging my head in complete shame.
Its one of my favorite comics, Astro City looks at the lives of all the citizens not just the heroes. Its well written and does not think the reader is dumb or in a rush to get to the end or next action panel.
We definitely need to Talk about Gen 13,Savage Dragon,Invincible(Mark Grayson),Michael Allred’s Madman and Captain Planet!
Votes for Invincible!!!
@@lynnbarnett5140 Holy Grok!! Invincible!!!! YES PLEASE
Since you asked, a comic I love is "Kraven's Last Hunt." It was the first time I read a story that touched on suicide in a way that I understood and helped me understand my own feelings.
I’ll take Astro City everyday!
Love this series!!!
This really needs to be made into a great movie or a series. It would fit perfectly into these times we are in.
Astro City has always been one of my favorites....I loved the HangedMan story told from the viewpoint of a regular man who keeps dreaming of a woman he may or may not know but loves very much.
As far as a favorite comics story, I love Dan Clowes PUSSEY...but since it's not superhero canon (none of Clowes work is, except when a sort of dark parody), I don't know if you would like it. I've only see you do superhero content in your lectures.
That's a pretty interesting premise. A draw out stalemate with the characters holding out hope that one will just surrender already.
That was a great issue 👍 and I .loved your take on the Infidel’s voice
The two videos on Astro City you Jeff don't had convinced me to buy them.
Great job, you analysis is so intellectual and down to Earth/layman at the same time. Thank you for making thoughtful and fun content.
I read this comic book in a library about 15 years ago and I was busting my brains with internet searches for the past month trying to remember the name Astro City
Awesome review Sasha, I was able to get this book on comixology
When my local comic book shop opens back up I will definitely have a look at it. Although I may have difficulties with reading it without using your voice for the infidel.