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Astro City, vol. 2 #1. Art by Alex Ross

Kurt Busiek's Astro City is a comic book series centered around a fictional American city of that name. Written by Kurt Busiek, the series is co-created and illustrated by Brent Anderson with character designs and painted covers by Alex Ross. The first series debuted in August 1995 published by Image Comics, and since then has been published sporadically (due to Busiek's health problems) by Homage Comics (now part of Wildstorm Signature Series). Image File history File links MC Lancelot File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links MC Lancelot File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Rosss rendition of the Golden Age Batman and Robin. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... Kurt Busiek (born September 16, 1960) is an American comic book writer. ... Brent Eric Anderson (born 1955) is an American comic book artist. ... Rosss rendition of the Golden Age Batman and Robin. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image Comics is the third or fourth largest American comic book publisher. ... Homage Comics is a comic book publishing imprint, a subdivision of Wildstorm. ... WildStorm WildStorm Productions, or simply WildStorm, is an American publisher of comic books. ...

The newest entry in the saga, The Dark Age, began in April 2005, with the remainder of the issues to be published in mid-to-late 2005. 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Overview

Scene from Astro City #3. Art by Brent Anderson.

Astro City is set in a world where superheroes have existed since at least the 19th century: the first public hero, Air Ace, appeared during World War I. Busiek, Anderson and Ross have crafted a complex world with a huge cast of characters, many of whom have extensive backstories sketched out which are revealed as the series progresses. Some characters somewhat resemble characters from DC Comics or Marvel Comics universes, though the link tends to be inspirational only, revisiting archetypes common to many characters from comics, pulp fiction and myth, rather than any one-to-one correspondence. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (657x751, 183 KB)Scene from Astro City #3. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (657x751, 183 KB)Scene from Astro City #3. ... Superman and Batman, two of the most recognizable and iconic superheroes. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants Allies: Serbia, Russia, France, Romania, Belgium, British Empire, United States, Italy, and others Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire Casualties Military dead: 5 million Civilian deaths: 3 million Total of dead: 8 million Military dead: 4 million Civilian deaths: 3 million Total dead: 7 million The First... DC Comics (originally called Detective Comics, Inc. ... It has been suggested that Felicia (pseudonym) be merged into this article or section. ...

The series is an anthology that focuses on different characters living within Astro City and the stories are usually narrated from a first person perspective from the story's protagonist. Some issues of the series are one- or two-part stories, while others run as many as seven issues in an extended arc.

The essential hook of Astro City is that it explores the reactions that people -- both ordinary people and the heroes and villains themselves -- have to living in their world. For example, in the first story, the character Samaritan (who resembles Superman) reflects on his life during a typical day, in which he spends almost all of his waking hours flying around the world to help people, and never has any time to enjoy the sheer physical sensation of flight. Other stories involve a date between two high-profile heroes, the initiation of a "kid sidekick" hero, the efforts of a reformed supervillain to find a life outside of prison, a superhero being driven away from Earth by his "love's" attempts to expose him, and the life of an innocent bystander in the days after having been held hostage by a supervillain. Superman is the foremost superhero character that DC Comics publishes. ... Don Quixote and Sancho Panza unsuccessfully confront windmills. ... Doctor Doom, one of the most archetypal supervillains and his arch-enemies The Fantastic Four (in background). ...

The City

A map of Astro City, detailing its major districts:
1. City Center, centered around Binderbeck Plaza
2. Old Town
3. Chesler (also known as "The Sweatshop")
4. Shadow Hill
5. Bakerville
6. Derbyfield
7. Museum Row/Centennial Park
8. Kiefer Square
9. Kanewood
10. Patterson Heights.

Astro City is the seat of Hood County in an unspecified state. Though there is an actual Hood County in Texas, the name was chosen by Busiek because it "is another play on secret IDs; Mask County or Cowl County wouldn't have sounded right." [1] The city was originally called Romeyn Falls (until its rebuilding, post-World War II). At that time it was renamed in honor of the superhero Astro-Naut, who had apparently, at the cost of his own life, saved the city from an as yet unrevealed disaster that devastated much of it. Image File history File links Map showing the districts of Astro City. ... Image File history File links Map showing the districts of Astro City. ... Otto Binder (August 26, 1911 - October 14, 1974) was an American science fiction author and comic book writer. ... Clarence Charles Beck, (June 8, 1910-November 22, 1989), was an American cartoonist. ... Harry Chesler, Jr. ... Who knows what evil lurks?—The Shadow, as seen on the cover of the July 15, 1939 issue of The Shadow Magazine. ... Phantom Lady #17 (April 1948). ... Kane standing beside Michael Keaton as his creation, the Batman. ... Wallace Wally Wood (born June 17, 1927, Menahga, Minnesota, United States; died November 2, 1981), was an American writer-artist best known for his work in EC Comics and Mad. ... Hood County is a county located in the state of Texas. ... Official language(s) See: Languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 268,581 sq. ... Romeyn de Hooghe (1645–1708) was an important and prolific late Dutch Baroque engraver and caricaturist in the 17th century. ... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II...

Description

The bulk of the city is contained between the Wildenberg and Gaines rivers, which define its western and eastern edges, respectively. Mount Kirby hems in the built-up area to the north. The Wildenberg merges into the Gaines to the south; in the juncture lies the prison facility of Biro Island. The remains of Torres Island, destroyed by an explosion in 1983, lie between it and the city proper. The Gaines is navigable below Astro City (there are "seaport shops" near Astro City's southern end), but the "Falls" in its original name suggests that it is at the river's head of navigation (though the falls could be on the Wildenberg rather than the Gaines, or on both rivers). William Maxwell Gaines (March 1, 1922–June 3, 1992), or Bill Gaines as he was called, was the founder of MAD Magazine but he was also noted for his efforts to create comic books of sufficient artistic quality and interest to appeal to adults. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Charles Biro is an American comic book writer, chiefly known for creating the wartime comic Airboy. ...

Astro City is made up of numerous neighborhoods, which include the rebuilt City Center, centered around Binderbeck Plaza; Old Town; Chesler (also known as "The Sweatshop"); Shadow Hill; Bakerville; Derbyfield; Museum Row/Centennial Park; Iger Square; Kiefer Square; Kanewood; South Kanewood; Fass Gardens; Gibson Hills; and Patterson Heights. Otto Binder (August 26, 1911 - October 14, 1974) was an American science fiction author and comic book writer. ... Clarence Charles Beck, (June 8, 1910-November 22, 1989), was an American cartoonist. ... Harry Chesler, Jr. ... Who knows what evil lurks?—The Shadow, as seen on the cover of the July 15, 1939 issue of The Shadow Magazine. ... Phantom Lady #17 (April 1948). ... Wow, What a Magazine! #3 (Sept. ... Kane standing beside Michael Keaton as his creation, the Batman. ... Wallace Wally Wood (born June 17, 1927, Menahga, Minnesota, United States; died November 2, 1981), was an American writer-artist best known for his work in EC Comics and Mad. ...

Notable locations in Astro City are the Astrobank Tower, home of the Astro City Beacon, the city's warning beacon; the tower also has a statue of Air Ace in front. Other locations include Grandenetti Cathedral; the Outcault Bridge; Bruiser's, a bar catering to heroes; Butler's, a private club for the superhero set; and Beefy Bob's, a fast-food chain. Richard Felton Outcault (January 14, 1863-September 25, 1928) was an American comic strip scriptwriter, sketcher and painter. ...

Outside the angle between the rivers comprising the city proper are outlying suburbs such as Goldwater Heights, west of the Wildenberg. The area's primary college, Fox-Broome University, known for its advanced biolabs, would appear to be in a similar suburb to the southwest. Wildenberg Center, a failed riverfront development, is also southwest of the city. Gardner Francis Fox (May 20, 1911, Brooklyn, New York – December 24, 1986) was an American writer best known for writing comic books and co-creating numerous comics characters, especially for DC Comics. ...

Astro City’s world is also populated by additional fictional towns, as well as real ones. One other fictional town that has been shown is Buchanan Corners, a long overnight bus-ride somewhere to the east of the city. Bucky is the name of several fictional masked heroes in the Marvel Comics universe. ...

Most of the city's physical features, neighborhoods, streets and businesses, as well as the other fictional locales in its world, are named for past individuals or characters associated with the comic book industry and comics history, and hence constitute to some degree an elaborate in-joke. An in joke is a joke whose humour is clear only to those people who are in a group that has some prior knowledge (not known by the whole population) that makes the joke humorous. ...

Location

Astro City has been stated to be a city in the western United States, presumably west of the Mississippi River due to the "K-designations" of two stations (KBAC, KACT). Since it is portrayed as an inland city at the juncture of two major rivers, a location in the Mississippi/Missouri watershed, or possibly either the Columbia or Sacramento river basins might be implied, depending on how far west Astro City is. Busiek, however, notes that the local geography, including the rivers and Mount Kirby to the north of the city, are entirely fictional. The Mississippi River, derived from the old Ojibwe word misi-ziibi meaning great river (gichi-ziibi big river at its headwaters), is the second-longest river in the United States; the longest is the Missouri River, which flows into the Mississippi. ... The Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the United States. ... A drainage basin is the area within the drainage basin divide (yellow outline), and drains the surface runoff and river discharge (blue lines) of a contiguous area. ... A spring at the Sacramento River headwater The Sacramento River is the longest river in the state of California. ... For the term related to television programmes, see watershed (television). ...

References within the series to real cities demonstrate that Astro City is not intended to occupy the place of Anchorage, San Francisco, Palo Alto, Denver, Salina, Junction City, Topeka, Leavenworth, St. Louis, the Quad Cities, Chicago, or Detroit; most of these also lack anything approaching the requisite geography. All of Iowa and Wyoming are effectively ruled out as locations by references to them by characters in Astro City as if they are different states from the one in which the city is situated. An argument for the Midwest in general is a story in which the floating Honor Guard headquarters is said to be temporarily positioned over that region, and the members of that hero group travel directly from their base to Astro City in response to a bank robbery. Flag Nickname: The City of Lights and Flowers Location Location in the state of Alaska Government Borough Municipality of Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich Geographical characteristics Area    - City 1,961. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The City by the Bay; The City That Knows How; Golden Mountain (historic Chinese name) Location Location of the City and County of San Francisco, California Coordinates , Government City-County San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom Geographical characteristics Area     City 600. ... Downtown Palo Alto Palo Alto is a city in Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, USA. Palo Alto is located at the northern end of the Silicon Valley, and is home to Stanford University (which is technically located in an adjacent area — Stanford, California), and... This article refers to the state capital of Colorado. ... Salina is a city and the county seat of Saline County, KansasGR6. ... Junction City is a city located in Geary County, Kansas, United States. ... This article is about the state capital of Kansas. ... For the city in the state of Washington, see Leavenworth, Washington. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Gateway City, Gateway to the West, or Mound City Location Location in the state of Missouri Coordinates , Government Country State County United States Missouri Independent City Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 66. ... The I-74 Bridge, connecting Bettendorf, Iowa and Moline, Illinois is located near the geographic center of the Quad Cities. ... Chicago (officially named the City of Chicago) is the third largest city in the United States (after New York City and Los Angeles), with an official population of 2,896,016, as of the 2000 census. ... Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes - this motto was adopted after the disastrous 1805 fire that devastated the city) Nickname: The Motor City and Motown Location in Wayne County, Michigan Founded Incorporated July 24, 1701 1815  County Wayne County Mayor... Official language(s) English Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 26th 145,743 km² 320 km 500 km 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Cheyenne Largest city Cheyenne Area  Ranked 10th  - Total 97,872 sq. ... The Midwest is a common name for a region of the United States of America. ...

The best clues as to Astro City’s whereabouts come from the experiences of the character Steeljack as he flees the city and then returns to it. After heading south out of town along the river he is next found in a truck heading east on Interstate 70 in Kansas, twenty miles west of Salina. He proceeds thence by various means east to Pittsburgh, the then-current location of Honor Guard headquarters, from which he is flown back towards Astro City in a jet that crashes “hundreds of miles” from its target. He completes the journey in a biplane commandeered in Wyoming. INTERSTATE JUNCTIONS JUNCTION EXIT # I-15 UT 0 I-25 CO 274 I-35 MO 1-2 I-29 MO 2 I-64 MO 251-IL 3 I-55 MO 251-IL 20 I-44 MO 251-State line I-57 IL 92-98 I-74 IN 73 I-55... Official language(s) English Capital Topeka Largest city Wichita Area  Ranked 15th  - Total 82,277 sq. ... City nickname: The Steel City Location in the state of Pennsylvania Founded 1758 Mayor Tom Murphy (Dem) Area  - Total  - Water 151. ...

A direct line north from the point we encounter Steeljack in Kansas delivers no promising geography for Astro City short of South Dakota, which seems too far north, and we do not know how far south or east he had traveled at this point, or if these were the sole directions he took. His return journey from Pittsburgh points further west, since the stop in Wyoming was short of his goal. On present evidence Northern California or the Pacific Northwest would seem the most likely possible locales. Official language(s) English Capital Pierre Largest city Sioux Falls Area  Ranked 17th  - Total 77,163 sq. ... Northern California, refers to the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. ... Darker red states are always considered part of the Pacific Northwest. ...

Real World Analogs

Busiek has not given any information as to what analog Astro City has in the real world or if it actually has one. As a western city, it shares some similarities to actual western cities such as San Francisco and Los Angeles, California, yet also has echoes of cities in Texas such as San Antonio and Houston. It also has features recalling American riverfront cities such as St. Louis, Missouri. Nickname City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Government Country State County United States California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area  - City    - Land    - Water  - Urban 1,290. ... Nickname: Alamo City Official website: www. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Space City Location Location in the state of Texas Coordinates , Government Counties Harris County Fort Bend County Montgomery County Mayor Bill White Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,558 km²  (601. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Gateway City, Gateway to the West, or Mound City Location Location in the state of Missouri Coordinates , Government Country State County United States Missouri Independent City Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 66. ...

Series artist Anderson has used photo references from as far afield as New York City in creating the physical look of Astro City, and Busiek also implies such a connection, by noting that the City Center started out as the "Dutch" section of town (this reference could also be an allusion to Romeyn de Hooghe, the early Dutch caricaturist who provides the city's original name.) A published draft version of the Astro City map shows that certain aspects of its layout were in fact consciously modeled on New York. Similarities to Boston are also prevalent (an early story references a real article from a Boston newspaper, rewritten with an Astro City byline), which is not surprising given that Kurt Busiek lived there for some years. Flag Seal Nickname: The Big Apple, The Capital of the World[1], Gotham Location Location in the state of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area    - City 1,214. ... Romeyn de Hooghe (1645–1708) was an important and prolific late Dutch Baroque engraver and caricaturist in the 17th century. ... A caricature of director Quentin Tarantino, using pieces of overlapped construction paper and color pencil, by Luigi Novi. ... The Boston Globe is the most widely circulated daily newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts and in the greater New England region. ...

Characters

Main article: List of characters in Astro City series

The world of Astro City has numerous heroes and villains in the cast, as well as normal, everyday civilians and stranger entities. Astro City characters are often analogs to previously established comic book characters by other creators, though likenesses are as likely to emerge from exploration of similar archetypes as from direct influence, which in any case tends to be more subtle and complex than is often understood. Some characters have also been modeled on actual persons, particularly famous actors and people prominent in the comic book industry. Stories usually concentrate on one or a few viewpoint or featured characters (often one and the same). Some of the more notable are listed below; see the article on Astro City Characters for a more complete listing. The cover to Astro City: Local Heroes, which depicts many of the heroes in the cast The world of Astro City has numerous heroes and villains in the cast, as well as normal, everyday civilians and stranger entities. ... An archetype is an idealized model of a person, object, or concept from which similar instances are derived, copied, patterned, or emulated. ... The examples and perspective in this article do not represent a worldwide view. ... The cover to Astro City: Local Heroes, which depicts many of the heroes in the cast The world of Astro City has numerous heroes and villains in the cast, as well as normal, everyday civilians and stranger entities. ...

Heroes

• The Black Rapier---current leader of Honor Guard but was shown in vol 2, issue 10 to be the resident hero of New Orleans. Dresses in a black fencing outfit with mask covering his entire head and carries a sword with electrical properties.
• The Confessor (featured) - a mysterious vigilante with a dark secret, apparently active from the 1950s to the mid-1990s. After his death, his apprentice Altar Boy became the second Confessor. A religiously motivated hero, analogous in role and methods to the Batman.
• Crackerjack (featured) - An egocentric, reckless blowhard with amazing agility and a staff weapon. Active since 1991. Visually akin to screen swashbucklers and actors like Errol Flynn who portrayed them, he also recalls disconnect that frequently existed between their sterling public personas and unappealing private behavior. A master of disguise, he was once captured by police but they still couldn't figure out his real identity. Compare Daredevil (for agility) and Booster Gold (for self-aggrandizement).
• The Hanged Man (featured) - A ghostly figure who protects Shadow Hill, appearing as a floating apparition with a burlap sack over his head and a noose around his neck. His powers include the ability to expand to great heights and a kind of empathy that guides him to those in need of comfort after traumatic events. Active in Astro City since the 19th cenutry; rumored to have existed since at least the Middle Ages. Compare the Phantom Stranger and the Spectre (in his pre-1970s characterization).
• MPH--"The Acceleration Ace," an African-American with super-speed and member of Honor Guard. His powers apparantly come from a "15% overlay" of alien energies. Was revealed in vol 2, Issue 10 to be the resident hero of Detroit.
• Jack-in-the-Box (viewpoint) - a bouncy clown-themed vigilante with no powers but agility and an arsenal of clown-themed weaponry. The role has been taken by three men; Jack Johnson, active from 1964-1983 (when he died), Jack's son Zachary Johnson, active from 1989 through the mid 1990s, and Zachary's protégé Roscoe James, active afterwards. A seeming tribute to the flamboyant heroes of Steve Ditko; Spider-Man and the Creeper are useful comparisons.
• Samaritan (viewpoint) - An extremely powerful hero who traveled from the future to make the world a better place. Appeared in this era in 1985; active as a hero since 1986. A current member of Honor Guard. Is sometimes referred to as "Big Red". Busiek's take on the Superman archetype.
• Silver Agent (featured) - An armored vigilante who suffered a tragic fate, active from 1956 through the early 1970s and now deceased. A founding member of Honor Guard. An exemplar of the patriotic hero archetype. Compare Captain America and (for the uniform) the Guardian.
• Winged Victory (featured) - A feminist, Greco-Roman themed superhero, controversial due to her emphasis on saving women before men regardless of the situation; stigmatized as a "cult leader" for funding of women's centers and clinics. Patterned after the Hellenistic sculpture the Winged Victory of Samothrace. As a mythologically-based heroine and female role-model her closest parallel would be Wonder Woman.

The Confessor is a fictional character in the comic book series Astro City. ... Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-man, and still sometimes as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional character and superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. ... Errol Flynn as Robin Hood, one of his most famous roles Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (June 20, 1909 – October 14, 1959) was an Australian film actor, most famous for his romantic swashbuckler roles. ... Daredevil (alter ego Matthew Murdock) is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Booster Gold is a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. ... The Phantom Stranger is a fictional character of unspecified paranormal origins who battles mysterious and occult forces in various titles published by DC Comics, sometimes under their Vertigo imprint. ... Generally, a spectre is a (usually terrifying) phantom, apparition, or ghost, or an unreal appearance. ... For other uses of the term Jack in the Box, see Jack-in-the-Box (disambiguation). ... The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (1964): Cover art by Ditko. ... Spider-Man swinging around his hometown, New York City. ... The Creeper is a DC Comics superhero created by Steve Ditko. ... Samaritan is a fictional character in the comic book series Astro City. ... Superman is the foremost superhero character that DC Comics publishes. ... Captain America, the alter ego of Steve Rogers (in some accounts Steven Grant Rogers), is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe. ... Guardian may refer to: A legal guardian, a person responsible for a ward. ... Winged Victory is a fictional character in the comic book series Astro City. ... The term Hellenistic (established by the German historian Johann Gustav Droysen) in the history of the ancient world is used to refer to the shift from a culture dominated by ethnic Greeks, however scattered geographically, to a culture dominated by Greek-speakers of whatever ethnicity, and from the political dominance... The Winged Victory of Samothrace The Winged Victory of Samothrace, also called Nike of Samothrace, is a marble sculpture of the Greek goddess Nike (Victory), discovered in 1863 on the island of Samothrace (Greek: Σαμοθρακη, Samothraki) by the French consul and amateur archaeologist Charles Champoiseau. ... Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine. ...

Villains

• Bridwell (viewpoint) - Enelsian spy gathering intelligence on Earth's heroes; enamored of humanity's better instincts, but ultimately disgusted by mankind's baser ones. Name and encyclopedic knowledge based on E. Nelson Bridwell.
• The Conquistador (featured) - a mysterious armored villain who hired villains from Kiefer Square and elsewhere as part of a grand scheme to discredit America's superheroes; secretly the disgraced hero El Hombre.
• The Deacon (featured) - soft-spoken lord of "ordinary" organized crime in Astro City. The police have never been able to connect him with the crimes his underlings commit. Role, though not powers, based on Kingpin (comics).
• The Enelsians (featured) - A matriarchal alien race that invaded Earth, with Astro City as their focal point. Defeated when the Confessor sacrificed his life to expose their plan. The name of the race is a sly homage to E. Nelson Bridwell. See also Bridwell.
• The Junkman (viewpoint) — an aged villain seeking vengeance on society for age discrimination. Recycles and enhances his weaponry from discarded trash. His origin, inventive genius, and use of gimmicks parallel those of his primary antagonist Jack-in-the-Box.
• Shirak the Devourer (featured) - a shark-like demon from another dimension that attempted to invade the Earth in 1959 and 1964. Stopped in one of the first (and rather odd) missions of the newly-formed Honor Guard.
• The Time-Keeper (featured) - a time-stopping villain from the 1940s who nearly destroyed time itself in an attempt to remove superheroes from the world. A typical example of the themed (if mostly non-super) villains of the period.

Spy and secret agent redirect here; for alternate use, see Spy (disambiguation) and Secret agent (disambiguation). ... Military intelligence (abbreviated MI, int. ... E. Nelson Bridwell was a writer for Mad magazine and for DC Comics. ... The Kingpin (Wilson Fisk) is a supervillain in Marvel Comics universe who is an enemy of Spider-Man, Daredevil, and the Punisher. ... For the 1979 movie, see Alien (movie). ... E. Nelson Bridwell was a writer for Mad magazine and for DC Comics. ... Orders Carcharhiniformes Heterodontiformes Hexanchiformes Lamniformes Orectolobiformes Pristiophoriformes Squaliformes Squatiniformes Sharks are a group (superorder Selachimorpha) of fish, with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a streamlined body, with normally 5, but up to 7 (depending on species) gill slits along the side of, or beginning slightly behind, the head (in some... St. ...

Groups

• The Astro City Irregulars (featured) - a group of outcast heroes founded by Bravo in the early to mid 1970s; its original roster also included Alligator, Skitter, Switchblade, and Umbra; Orphan was added to the membership as a result of their first case. The modern roster consists of Juice (the apparent leader), Ruby, Palmetto, Jailbait, El Robo and Stray. As an outcast hero team it finds parallels in the X-Men, the Teen Titans and the Outsiders. The name echoes the Baker Street Irregulars of the Sherlock Holmes stories.
• The Crossbreed (featured) - a group of pariah religious heroes, consisting of Noah, Daniel, Peter, Mary, David and Joshua. Stigmatized by society as "Jesus Freaks." Based on biblical figures.
• The First Family (featured) - A family of interdimensional explorers and superheroes consisting of brothers Augustus and Julius Furst, Augustus' adopted children Nick and Natalie, Natalie's dinosaur-like husband Rex, and their daughter Astra. Based in part on the acting family of Henry Fonda, and comparable to such small, close-knit hero teams of the 1950s and 1960s as the Fantastic Four and the Challengers of the Unknown.
• Honor Guard (featured) - the most prestigious grouping of superheroes. Founded in 1959 by Max O'Millions; its original roster also included the Silver Agent, Starwoman, Leopardman and Kitkat, the first N-Forcer, and the first Cleopatra. Other heroes who have been members include the Mermaid, El Hombre, Hummingbird, Mirage, the Living Nightmare, and Starfighter. The modern roster consists of the Black Rapier (leader), Beautie, Cleopatra (II), M.P.H., the current N-Forcer, Quarrel (II), and Samaritan. As an agglomeration of otherwise independent heroes, Honor Guard is similar to the archetypical super team the Justice Society of America and such modern descendants as the Justice League of America and the Avengers.
• The Unholy Alliance (featured) - a group of villains led by Demolitia. Current members include Flame-thrower, Glowworm, Slamburger and Spice; apparently other villains have also been members in the past. Compare the Legion of Doom.

The X-Men are a group of comic book superheroes featured in Marvel Comics. ... For the animated television series based on this comic book, see Teen Titans (animated series). ... The Outsiders are a DC Comics superhero group. ... Sherlock Holmes as imagined by the seminal Holmesian artist, Sidney Edward Paget, in The Strand magazine. ... Jesus freak was originally a derogatory term applied to those involved in the Jesus Movement of the 1960s and 1970s who were often considered overzealous in their passion for Jesus. ... The Gutenberg Bible owned by the United States Library of Congress The Bible (Hebrew: תנ״ך tanakh, Greek: η Βίβλος hē biblos) (sometimes The Holy Bible, The Book, Work of God, The Word, The Good Book or Scripture), from Greek (τα) βίβλια, (ta) biblia, (the) books, is the name used by Jews and Christians for their... Fonda in the 1957 classic, 12 Angry Men. ... The Fantastic Four is Marvel Comics flagship superhero team, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and debuting in The Fantastic Four #1 (Nov. ... The Challengers of the Unknown is a group of fictional characters created by Jack Kirby for DC Comics. ... The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. ... The Justice League is a DC Comics superhero team. ... The Avengers are a superhero team, consisting of many of Marvel Comics most popular heroes. ... The Hall of Doom, the Legion of Dooms headquarters The Legion of Doom was a group of supervillains led by Lex Luthor that appeared in Super Friends, a 1970s and 1980s animated series that starred superheroes from DC Comics. ...

Civilians

• Looney Leo (viewpoint) - A cartoon lion brought to life in 1946, he was briefly the Gentleman's sidekick, then a media star, homeless bum, supervillain's pawn and recluse before becoming host of a nostalgic nightclub bearing his name in the entertainment district. Funny animal sidekicks are a rarity in superhero comics. The most notable analog would be Tawky Tawny.
• Steeljack (Carl "Carlie" Donewicz) (viewpoint) - A former supervillain and member of the villain group the Terrifying Three. He is a resident of Kiefer Square who attempts to reform after serving his time. Active as a villain from about 1970 to 1978; in prison from 1978-1998. Later tapped by former associates to investigate the string of "Black Mask" murders. Consciously modeled after Robert Mitchum.

Funny Animal is a cartooning term for the genre of comics and animated cartoons in which the main characters are humanoid or talking animals. ... The Marvel Family is a group of fictional characters, a team of superheroes in the Fawcett Comics and DC Comics universes. ... Robert Mitchum in Cape Fear Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (August 6, 1917 – July 1, 1997) was an accomplished American film actor and singer. ...

Collected editions

• Astro City: Life in the Big City (ISBN 156389551X, collects Astro City Vol. 1 #1-6)
• Astro City: Confession (ISBN 1563895501, collects Astro City Vol. 2 #1/2, 4-9)
• Astro City: Family Album (ISBN 1563895528, collects Astro City Vol. 2 #1-3, 10-13)
• Astro City: Tarnished Angel (ISBN 156389663X, collects Astro City Vol. 2 #14-20)
• Astro City: Local Heroes (ISBN 1401202810, collects Astro City Vol. 2 #21-22, Astro City: Local Heroes #1-5, Astro City Special: Supersonic, "After the Fire")
• Astro City - The Dark Age book one: Thicker Than Water (no ISBN yet, collects Astro City - The Dark Age #1-4)

Other media

On January 28, 2005, Wizard magazine reported that pre-production had begun on an Astro City movie, with Ben Barenholtz as producer, and Jonathan Alpers scripting. [2] January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Wizard: The Comics Magazine is a magazine about comic books, published monthly in the United States by Wizard Entertainment. ...

Awards

Astro City and its creators have won a number of Eisner Awards and Harvey Awards, the comic industry's equivalent of science fiction's Hugo Awards, as well as several Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Awards. The Eisner Awards are given for achievement in comic books. ... The Harvey Awards are given for achievement in comic books. ... The Hugo Award is given every year for the best science fiction or fantasy stories of the previous year, and for related areas in fandom, art and dramatic presentation. ... Comics Buyers Guide (CBG) is the longest-running periodical reporting on the comic book industry. ...

Astro City won both the Eisner and Harvey Awards for Best New Series for 1996, the Eisner for Best Continuing Series for 1997 and 1998, the Harvey for Best Continuing or Limited Series for 1998, and was a top votegetter for the Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Award for Favorite Limited Series for 1997. The earliest collection Astro City: Life in the Big City, won the Harvey Award for Best Graphic Album of Previously Published Work for 1997 and the Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Award for Favorite Reprint Graphic Novel/Album for 1997. Astro City: Confession was a top votegetter for the Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Award for Favorite Reprint Graphic Album of 1998 and 1999. Astro City: Family ALbum was a top votegetter for the Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Award for Favorite Reprint Graphic Album of 1999.

Particular stories or storylines have also come in for honors. Astro City #1 won the 1996 Harvey for Best Single Issue or Story, while #4, "Safeguards," took the Eisner for Best Single Issue/Single Story for the same year. The 1997 and 1998 Eisners went to vol. 2, #1, "Welcome to Astro City," and vol. 2, #10, "Show 'Em All," respectively, and the 1998 Eisner for Best Serialized Story went to vol. 2, #4-9's "Confession" storyline.

"Welcome to the Big City" in Volume 2 #1 was a top vote-getter for the Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Award for Favorite Comic-Book Story for 1997. The story "The Nearness of You" from the 1/2 issue received votes for the same award that year, as did the "Everyday Life" story which ran in Volume 2 issues 2 and 3. The story "Confession" from Volume 2 issues 5-9 won the Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Award for Favorite Story for 1998. "Show 'Em All" from issue 10 was a top votegetter for the Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Award for Favorite Story for 1998.

Kurt Busiek was honored with 1998's Harvey and 1999's Eisner for Best Writer, in both instances for bodies of work including Astro City. Alex Ross took both awards for Best Cover Artist in 1996, 1997, and 1998, in all instances but one for Astro City or bodies of work including it (the exception was the 1997 Harvey, awarded for Kingdom Come #1). He also took 1999's Harvey and 2000's Eisner for Best Cover Artist, again for bodies of work including Astro City. The cover to Absolute Kingdom Come by Alex Ross (2006) Kingdom Come is a comic book limited series published in 1996 by DC Comics, written by Mark Waid and painted by Alex Ross. ...

Of the major contributors to the series, only Brent Anderson's contributions have gone unhonored.

See also

• List of characters in Astro City series

The cover to Astro City: Local Heroes, which depicts many of the heroes in the cast The world of Astro City has numerous heroes and villains in the cast, as well as normal, everyday civilians and stranger entities. ...

External links

• The Astro City Rocket - the official Astro City website
• ASTRO TRAILER, WizardUniverse.com, January 28, 2005
• Astro City (2007) - IMDb entry
• Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Awards