Comic books are a strange beast. For the longest time, superheroes weren't the major genre comics had. As time went on, other interests became more prominent, and so there were Westerns and there were Sci-Fi comics, and there were Romance comics, and (just before superheroes came back as the big thing in comics in the 60s) there were Monster comics, and so on and so forth. Even when Superheroes came back, there would occasionally be something called the "fad super" a traditional superhero who had some basic hook based around a silly fad, trying to capitalize on the fad's successes. Marvel's Dazzler (disco), or Ghost Rider (stunt-cycling and horror stories), or Rocket Racer and Night Thrasher (skateboarding), DC's Vibe (breakdancing), heck, even Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (ninjas initially, but the "four word humanoid team" name thing that rode the wave of TMNT's success was a fad of its own that quickly descended into parody). As you can see, just because a super hero's concept is based around a cultural fad that often has vanished from the cultural consciousness even only a few years after its creation (or may already be on the downswing by the time comics get to it) doesn't mean the hero is a bad idea and will fade away. Strong writing can keep a character going long after his or her fad has died. And that brings us to America's Got Powers #1, by Jonathan Ross and Bryan Hitch.
So what's the deal here? America's Got Powers, obviously based on the television programs with similar names, is about a world much like our own, until:
All of them, that is,--
That's our protagonist, Tommy Watts.
Before we learn more about him, a little bit about the world. Suddenly having dozens, hundreds of superpowered children running around in a localized area caused troubles, especially since it's unclear whether the kids had any way to control those powers . . . or how young they were when they manifested . . .
So, a method to finance research into how to control and perhaps even cure all these kids was devised. A reality show competition television program started up, and the winners in a variety of categories would be inducted into membership of the superteam "Power Generation." I can only assume it took days to come up with something that is both somewhat clever and sounds like it was created by committee. The profits generated by the show and merchandizing and whatnot have created a different San Francisco.
I whited out the word balloon because Tommy Watts is late for work and cursing up a storm. If this were a different sort of blog, I wouldn't have changed a thing, but this is the sort of blog it is, and thus it's changed.
So Tommy Watts is having a bad day: he doesn't have any powers (and is a minor celebrity amongst those who do the show, they've nicknamed him "Zero," because he has zero power), he's late for work the second time in a week (he works at the gift store of the stadium the show is filmed at), and he runs into and bowls over the show's producer and gets extra hours at work.
There's some other stuff going on, about the government taking control of researching the super kids, and the upshot is after this season the show will be cancelled, and as such they're ensuring that this will be the most brutal season of America's Got Powers ever. Then it'll be cancelled. For some reason, instead of just being stupid, the government is always stupid and evil in these things.
Why is any of that important? The big action climax of the issue, of course, but we'll get to that in a minute.
First, we learn more about Tommy.
Aww, he's a nice guy.
Anyway, the store closes when the show starts, but Tommy's extra duties mean he has to dress up as a mascot and have stuff thrown at him by the audience.
So the show starts, and it's loud and overproduced and obnoxious and has a couple of vapid emcees and all the reasons I don't watch the "Got Talent" version, or American Idol or any of the various knockoffs of that show, are replicated here so well I'm unsure if I want to even read more . . .
The first round involves twenty super candidates trying to make it across the field and throwing a crystal in a hoop and the first ten to do so move on. There's just one problem, the giant robots called Paladins.
There are a half a dozen of 'em at least, and they've been souped up a bit this year. All part of the show.
So the games begin and one of the contestants manages to toss the crystal in the hoop, and things are looking up--
Ouch. Such a nice bloodsport.
Anyway, things escalate further, until:
Another curse word. This blog is what it is. Anyway, if non-supers in the danger zone, things'll be stopped, right?
Right?
Oh, of course. The rules. What would society be like if we didn't follow STUPID RULES???
So what now? What happens now? What?
Wait, what? No way. NO WAY!
Oh, yes way!
That's right, Tommy Watts, loser with no powers, runs out onto the death field just to save a kid.
Now, he doesn't entirely succeed at this point--there's still 7 pages left to the issue--but I don't want to give away the ending. Let's leave it at this for now. It's still pretty awesome.
Aaron "The Mad Whitaker" Bourque; I'm still not entirely sold on the premise, but the protagonist is certainly likeable and heroic. And Bryan Hitch's art is as gorgeous as ever. I'll definitely be on the look-out for the trade.
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