Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Clever, thought-provoking: No Hero #0


For most people, there is a certain appeal to the idea of being a hero. Super hero comics and films are so popular because people have always, going right back to the earliest myths and shared tales, loved tales of larger-than-life heroes. Not only are heroic tales exciting, they provide a certain degree of vicarious wish fulfillment. Who wouldn't love to be the hero? Who wouldn't like to fly around the world, saving the day and being just generally awesome?? I bet I'm not the only one who tied a towel around my neck and pretended to fly around the yard as a kid. (OK, so that was just last week.)

The idea behind Warren Ellis' latest series, No Hero, is to explore just how much you might want to be a hero. What would you do to have powers and become more than human? What price would you be willing to pay for that power? Would you kill for it? Would you die for it? Just how far would you go?

You'll begin to get a feel for the price of power in No Hero #0, by Warren Ellis and Juan Jose Ryp, from Avatar Press. In 1966, counter-culture chemist Carrick Masterson creates a drug that makes ordinary people into "new humans," men and women with the power to keep the world safe. They call themselves the Levellers, and they promptly set out to right all the wrongs of the world, weighing in on riots and racial injustice. In 1977, they re-brand themselves as The Front Line, positioning themselves as the "front line against hate."

Of course, it slowly becomes apparent that there is a dark side to the Front Line and their powers. Former members reveal that their injuries don't really heal quite right, that they have constant pain and headaches, and that they need downers to help them cope with the hallucinations and waking nightmares brought on by the drug that gave them their powers. And, in 2011, someone starts killing the heroes. With vacancies in their ranks, how much do you want to become a hero and join The Front Line? How much would you risk to be more than human?

With a clever and thought-provoking story from Ellis and insanely detailed art from Juan Jose Ryp, there is a lot to like about No Hero. This zero issue gives readers just a taste of what is to come for the bargain price of $1.00! Seriously, what can you get for just a buck nowadays? Not only is this book cheap, it's guaranteed this week at Four Color Fantasies. If you're a mature reader (Seriously, this is one bloody, violent book!), you have no excuse for missing out on No Hero #0. Don't be afraid to wear your cape to the store. We won't laugh! Much.

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