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Underground > Comic Books >

HERO

Haus of Mystery

13:18 / 20.08.03

Anybody reading HERO from DC? I know we're all a bit sick of superheroes round these parts, but this is a rrrrrrrrrreal fun comic.

14:33 / 20.08.03

I'm not. I like them in moderation, though.

I remember the first issue of this getting a really good write-up everywhere, and then...

Nothing. Is it on #5 now?

Catwoman is the only DC! thing I get.

Haus of Mystery

14:52 / 20.08.03

It's worth a squint. The only constant in the comic is the HERO device that passes from person to person, thus we have an everchanging cast, and a different perspective on 'superheroing'. I dunno, it always sounds lame when you try to describe why Comic A is different from all the others, but this is a genuinely interesting read. Kano's art is beautiful too.

19:10 / 20.08.03

I like the series, some issues are good, some are excelent (like the present one). It is used to explore the human side of a superheroic universe in a nice way

15:14 / 21.08.03

H.E.R.O. is really great stuff. So great that I think maybe Will Pfeiffer might be able to do something interesting with AQUAMAN when he takes over in a few months.

Porn Star Justice

16:07 / 21.08.03

I thought the first three isssue arc was some of the most amazing, touching and truthful things I ever read in comics. To that end, I was initially STUNNED by the backlash I read on the web. People saying they wished DC had brought back the characters from the atrocious 80s (90s?) revamp, of a brother & sister with HERO dials, or even Robby Reed (sockamagee!), threw me for a loop.

The problem with this series is that it hits too close to home with comic fans. Showing that if you (the reader) got super powers, you probably could not handle it. It would not be the end of all your problems and turn your otherwise unhappy life around. No, with greater powers & abilities, you would just cause greater mistakes.

Haus of Mystery

18:10 / 21.08.03

I'm also enjoying the tone-shifts in the book. The current 'jackass' riff is a nice change from the angsty earlier issues. Also Pfeiffer is displaying a real deftness of touch in his storytelling, really embracing the sequential form.

20:43 / 22.08.03

Thankfully, I haven't heard about or seen ANY such 'backlash'/negative response on the Net. All I've heard about this book is praise, praise praise (seriously!). I didn't hear a single person wanting Robby Reed. And where were those people when Mark Waid did a cute, fun homage to Robby Reed with the "Dial H for Hero" one-shot with the mostly sucky KINGDOM event? Didn't hear them clamoring for more Robby THEN, did we!!!

And that's all it deserves: praise, praise, praise. They've announced a trade collecting the first 5 or 6 issues, to come out in the winter.

14:44 / 27.08.03

This series rocks. I think it's a very believable demonstration of what normal people would do with superpowers.

One of the "Jackass" guys though is going to have to die, right? I'll be disappointed otherwise....

Porn Star Justice

01:13 / 28.08.03

Well, to put it into perspective, I read the negative responses on DC's own message boards. It was a day I was incredibly bored and ventured into the Valley of the Fanboys. I learned my lesson. Have not been back since. That's part of the problem with the anonymusness (sic) of the internet. I'll be reading some comic book bulletin board and some guy will complain that such-and-such issue had too much talking and not enough fighting! I read that and can't believe how stupid their opinion is. Then I remember that the person who wrote is probably not in their mid-thirties...

01:57 / 28.08.03

...yeah, right.

Haus of Mystery

18:39 / 19.08.04

BUMP!

Anybody still buying this? The title definitely suffered from the departure of artist Kano, and a really weak gender bending story, but it's definitely back on track. It appears that Will Pfieffer has a grand scheme for the title, as previous characters are re-introduced, and a co-herent idea of what the 'HERO' device might be is beginning to form. The battle last issue had definite Morrisonian shades in it's apocalyptic intensity and this issue (#19) seems to be the set up for some kind of final show-down. I'ts nothing radically different, but there's something about the title that keeps me coming back. Maybe it's the fact that Pfieffer has manged to keep a book that has no set protagonist (other than a mysterious device) from becoming jumbled, and has created engaging, sympathetic characters to enact his 'What if..?' scenarios. Whatever. If you strayed from it, I suggest getting back with it as it's often a fresh, innovative title. Any thoughts?

22:36 / 19.08.04

Cancelled with #22, I believe. Or thereabouts.

Haus of Mystery

00:24 / 20.08.04

Pissflaps.

00:56 / 20.08.04

I had a look, but wasn't 100% convinced. If I could find them cheap somewhere I'd definitely indulge, though. Pfeiffer's four-part college story, which I can't remember the name of right now (oh, yeah, FINALS) was fantasic in its overdose of weird science and amorality. If there was some kind of HERO trade I'd well consider it.

m.

12:45 / 20.08.04

This book is pretty solid -- the current storyline is fun but I feel has slightly less depth than the previous storylines - the current arc is more like a reasonably intelligent summer blockbuster action movie. And I'm not too crazy about Doug(ie) Bratwaithe's art, or maybe it's his inker that bugs me. But I'm with this title to the end, esp. since the end is so near.

And there is a H-E-R-O trade paperback - collecting the first 5 issues. Came out some months ago. Might be hard to find due to a possibly low print run...?

12:50 / 20.08.04

It´s been good, It did switch from it´s original theme, now it´s focused on some of the former users of the dial, the main character being Bobby Reed, The first user of the dial. Now a serial killer has received near omnipotence from the dial, and Reed is trying to stop him. It´s still pretty good, though. I´m sorry it´s being cancelled.

13:12 / 20.08.04

I'm still enjoying the series, but I'm a little bothered by the whole "former users of the dial retain some of the powers" thing. It seems like a silly way of getting the main characters back into the game, when there was actually a much better way. I think Robby Reed's plan should have been to steal the dial from Future Boy when he arrived. That also would have given good explanation for why it was the last time Robby used the dial....

18:20 / 26.08.04

The last issue was kinda bleh -- I think I might drop this book. If the final issues are just a big fight scene with former users, count me out. Shame, since I think this book used to be pretty unique.