“Yesterday’s” Comic> Project Superpowers Chapter Two #0

“Why do I have to clean the schmutz out of your RPG table?”

Project Superpowers Chapter Two #0

Dynamite Entertainment (June, 2009)

information comes from the Grand Comics Database because the comiXology version doesn’t have any of it. Also, no titles.

WRITERS: Alex Ross (also covers artist) & Jim Kruegar

MAIN STORY ARTIST: Edward Salazar

MAIN STORY COLORIST: Victor Ramones

BLACK TERROR ORIGIN ARTIST/COLORST: Doug Klauba

LETTERER: Simon Bowland

EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt

Since the previous issue I’ve reviewed, the Golden Age heroes, now known as the Superpowers, have taken over New York as a base to fight against the corrupt agenda of President West. Their actions have gained them the ire of West’s superiors, an Illuminati type group known as the Supremacy. However, one of their members is secretly one of the new generation of superheroes inspired by the Superpowers, the current Scarab, who warns the heroes about the impending attack on New York and how he knows. Despite Black Terror’s mistrust the others believe him and decide to attack the Pentagon as a preemptive strike. West reveals he is also a superpowered person, Power Mason, and prepares to lead his “Patriots” against the heroes. Meanwhile, the former sidekicks have decided their former trainers have gone too far and prepare to fight them.

What they got right: For anyone who missed the first miniseries (or maxiseries, whatever term you prefer) we get just enough recap to follow along with the current situation. The art is quite good.

What they got wrong: This is where I separate the critic from the reader as this just isn’t quite the story I’m looking for. The heroes status as heroes is questionable, if it wasn’t for the Supremacy there wouldn’t be a dedicated villain, and I’m not sure what’s with the sidekicks.

Said sidekicks are led by Black Terror’s former sidekick, Kid Terror, who gives us a darker spin on Black Terror’s origin, a chemist seeking to unlock human potential. He became the Black Terror and the boy he saved from bullies and hired as his sidekick became Kid Terror, but Tim Rowland believes that Bob Benton actually needed Kid Terror to keep Black Terror from becoming the very bully he despises due to a hidden temper, something we do see evidence of in the main story.

And I’m not a fan of this darker origin. Granted I don’t actually know the origin of Black Terror and Kid Terror in the comics so maybe this is more accurate than I think, but it’s just not the kind of superhero that draws me in. I like the boy scout heroes, so what? The story itself is told and drawn well if you want my actual critic perspective.

That’s the whole thing though. As a critic it’s a well told story and people may actually like it more than I do, but on a personal level this really isn’t the superhero story I’m into.