“Yesterday’s” Comic> Astro City Flipbook

“Do you have a spare pare of sunglasses?”

Astro City Flipbook

WildStorm (posted to comiXology October, 2013)

Note that the maps and other extras listed on the store page are not in this digital comic. It does note that the other story that was included–probably where the flipbook comes in–is not included.

“On Mulberry Street: A Prelude”

WRITER: Kurt Busiek

ARTIST: Brent Anderson

COLORIST: Wendy Broome

LETTERING: Comicraft

COVER ART: Alex Ross

Bakersville, 1959: Two kids are having a normal day when one of the brothers steals an apple while the other tries to talk him into giving it back. They walk right into a battlezone between the superhero team The Honor Guard and Pyramid’s goons. Getting away they run into the Black Badge, a black superhero who has a positive impact on the two black boys. (Given the time period, yes it’s important.) It was the greatest day of their lives, which they shared with their parents. However, the night is about to turn badly as they’re about to get company they don’t want.

This story leads into Astro City: The Dark Age, which I do not own in physical or digital formats. I’m guessing it involves the Black Badge and these two kids. It’s a good introduction, but at only eight pages I don’t have much to really review. The art is good, but for some reason this line kept showing up in guided view which isn’t my monitor. As of this writing this is one of the comics available for free during the coronavirus outbreak, but is usually free if you’re a comiXology Unlimited subscriber so it’s worth at least checking out.

Although I have to ask…how many different publishers did Astro City have? Image, DC, WildStorm…it’s not the only creator-owned title to play musical publishers but I always wonder about that.