In THE HEROES UNION #1, available from Sitcomics on August 18th, 2021, Startup, the latest superhero to emerge from Harrisburg, Pa, receives an invitation to join the world’s greatest superhero team.
The Details
- Written By: Roger Stern, Darin Henry
- Art By: Ron Frenz, Sal Buscema, Chris Nye
- Colors By: Glenn Whitmore
- Letters By: Marshall Dillon
- Cover Art By: Ron Frenz, Brett Breeding
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Release Date: August 18, 2021
Was It Good?
It was charming in a nostalgic kind of way.
The Heroes Union is Sitcomics’s inaugural title with a bevy of creators, some of which you may already know. I was very intrigued to see what they would produce and the result works exactly as advertised. This first issue takes writing cues and art styles from the Bronze, Silver, and Gold eras of comics with a little bit of modern sensibility sprinkled in for good measure to give readers something that’s both familiar and wholly new at the same time.
The merging of those eras is seamless. You never get the sense that the pieces don’t fit together or that anything is specifically outdated. It sort of feels like the story exists in its own timeline with the closest comparison being something out of Project: Superpowers without the signature Alex Ross art style.
The story is told from the new inductee to the group’s point of view, so although the heroes are established as having been around for a very long time with history and lore behind them, Startup does a fine job acting as the audience insert to help bring the reader up to speed. The other heroes have their own voices and sense of personality, and you’ll get what they’re about without too much trouble. A few of the characters do feel a little outdated almost to the point of corniness (mostly via The Blue Baron) but it suits their superhero personas well enough.
The main story in this triple-sized issue is a good, old-fashioned superhero space adventure. It may be a little too old-fashioned for some readers, but this reviewer found it, again, charming. The main villain is unquestionably evil. The heroes remain rationally optimistic in the face of a hopeless situation. And the stakes are huge.
As for the art, the legendary Sal Buscema is undeniably going to be a draw for collectors of this title, and his work does not disappoint. Frenz, Buscema, and Nye complement each other perfectly for a book that’s bright, colorful, and visually pleasing. I could be mistaken but there appear to be a few design nods to Jack Kirby as well.
In all, this comic seems dead focused on recreating the glory days of classic comics, and I believe it succeeded.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Startup is a newly created superhero, born from an accident involving an experimental drug. She’s an Omega-level speedster, and she’s been asked to be the newest recruit to the world’s greatest superhero team — The Heroes Union.
On Startup’s first day, the Heroes Union receives a distress call from across the galaxy. A world-destroyer named Naucrate is wreaking havoc and the Union has been summoned to stop another world from being destroyed. Startup is in for one heck of a first assignment.
The Heroes Union heads out to deep space to find a world under siege. Their ship gets hit, forcing them to crash land on the planet below. However, everyone is safe and they head out to demolish the invading army with ease. After the main fight, the Blue Baron stays behind to work on their ship while the rest of the team takes a little R&R in the local village. In town, the team learns these people are not technically advanced enough to send the distress signal, so the mystery surrounding who sent the signal begins.
Later, the Nuacrate invasion is far from over. We get to meet Nuacrate in person as she makes her insane intentions known and hatches a plan to create her greatest masterpiece of mayhem. We conclude the issue with a kidnapping, a revelation about the sender of the distress call, and a willing sacrifice for the greater good.
Final Thoughts
THE HEROES UNION #1 plays on feelings of nostalgia for every glorious era of comics over the last century and embeds those feelings into a good old-fashioned superhero space adventure. The pacing is brisk, the story is simple without being too cliche or corny, and the art is classical in the best sense of the word.
Score: 9/10
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