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Following an endless amount of praise for Astro City, from all corners, I dived in. Incredibly mild upon first reading but left alone for a time and then re-read, it all "clicked" for me. A very honest, heartfelt, beautiful book, that evokes reflection in oneself, which is no mean feat. A tremendous portrayal of a living breathing city, described from the viewpoints of humans and heroes alike, with the twist that the city itself is the principal player. The reader is treated to a dazzling breadth of imagination and detail as Kurt Busiek creates a fantasy universe which feels correct and complete in every way. Astro City has a history and a future lovingly crafted with good humour and some fine nods to DC and Marvel. Kurt's love for the superhero as a symbol of something wonderful shines through, and yet he manages to turn even that on it's head, through some fantastically fresh approaches. This first book contains all of Volume One (six issues) that sets up threads and characters for the future stories, which I felt slightly lost with at first, but given time it all slots into place and can be returned to time and again. If anything, this book utterly compelled me to seek out the subsequent issues. Without giving anything away, I suppose I should say what it's all about! It's about...well, Life in the Big City. What does it mean to be a citizen of Astro City? "Wow, there are people flying up there." "Wow, I'm flying up here." The art is sublime and the covers by Alex Ross are upto his usual standards, i.e. breathtaking. Highly recommended.
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