Busiek is one of the best writers there is. Of course, I love him for his kickass work on Conan, but no one can deny his brilliance when it comes to Astro City. This series, entitled The Dark Age, is told through the eyes of two brothers – one a cop, and the other a petty thief – and takes place, or at least begins in, 1972.

The atmosphere is a politically charged one: following the Watergate Scandal and amidst an election campaign, there are numerous attacks by mutants and aliens on various people and places, and then there is the American flag-draped Old Soldier wielding his sword, and fighting on the side of the North Vietnamese. Obviously the people of America are shocked and angry, but never so much as when the Silver Agent – Astro City’s sort of Captain America – is arrested for the murder of a foreign leader.

The story is very intriguing, though I must say that the tale of the two brothers is not very intriguing at all. I mean, the one brother, Charles, is a cop and he knows that his brother, Royal, is a thief, but he is just okay with it as long as Royal keeps it small-time. And, Royal (thief brother) tries to guilt-trip Charles for being judgmental when Charles tells him to keep his crimes small. Now, it would be one thing if Charles was portrayed as a dirty cop, or a weak minded sycophant, but he is supposed to be the real deal good-guy. Royal, at the same time, I guess, is supposed to be a guy we should all understand, and not judge. These positions are not supportable, and therefore I find myself unable to identify, and completely uninterested with the two-brother scenario.

That aside (which unfortunately happens to be quite a lot), the socio-political situation with regard to the public’s reaction to heroes going bad and bad guys getting more aggressive is pretty good and a worthwhile concept, if not old and tired and massively worn-out. The good thing is Busiek is writing and this is not a worn-out concept in Astro City, just in every other comic.

-Peblee