| Ad Astra: Astro City: What happened in V2, #1/2-3 |
Story: Kurt Busiek
Art: Brent Anderson
Cover: Alex Ross
Title: The nearness of you
Michael Tenicek is going mad, mad with anxiety over a woman he has never met and he doesn't know, yet who shows up in his dreams every night. Even more disturbing, why is he able to remember all those little things about her, only long time lovers know about each other? Becoming obsessed with her, he starts to lose it, becoming withdrawn and introvert and hunting through his past for clues about her. Not finding the answers he needs, he stares into the abyss of despair, when his dark thoughts are interrupted by a visitor: the Hanged Man. Who tells him the story of who the girl in his dreams is and why he remembers her:
When a frustrated super villain attempted to become the master of all time, it did great damage to the time streams. Luckily the Astro City heroes managed to patch things up, but it wasn't good enough to prevent time being slightly altered. Which explains Michael's dreams: in the previous reality she was his wife. As the Hanged Man explains:
"For the most part, the new reality is a whole.. but close bonds such as yours...
they create a weakness in the fabric of time...
one that could let through.. dangerous things. But the weakness can be healed by your understanding.
I cannot return her to you... That is beyond even my power. But if the pain is too much...
I can allow you to forget...
So the choice is now with Michael, should he forget or accept the woman in his dreams? He chooses the latter. And if the Hanged Man seems to smile when he mentions that no one forgets? Well...
Note: the backup story in this issue is not an Astro City story, but a short story originally written for Newer York, an anthology edited by Lawrence Watt-Evans
S: Kurt Busiek
A: Brent Anderson with Will Blyberg
C: Alex Ross
T: Welcome to Astro City.
We meet Ben Pullam, who has just moved in from Boston with his children, to get away from a nasty divorce. His friends argued him not to, they found it too dangerous with all the superheroes and villains operating there. Unfortunately, they seem to be right, as that night the weather god Thunderhead attacks the city, demanding they release his wife, Helia.
The heroes rise up to stop him, but it seems even the combined might of Samaritan, the Honor Guard, Winged Victory, the Irregulars, the Gentleman and the First Family isn't enough to defeat him. Things look even bleaker when Samaritan flees the battle.
In reality however, Samaritan went looking for Helia, as she is the only one who can calm Thunderhead down. After his wife is returned to him, Thunderhead indeed calms down and leaves with her. During all this, Ben has serious doubts about his coming to Astro City, fearing for his children. The next morning however, when he sees how the neighbours all chip in to repair the damage done in the attack and he senses the community spirit, he decides Astro City isn't such a bad place to live after all...
S: Kurt Busiek
A: Brent Anderson with Will Blyberg
C: Alex Ross
T: Everyday life
Finally a story focusing on the First Family, Astro City's foremost group of adventurers and superheroes. Well, actually this is a story about the youngest member of the First Family, Astra Furst-Zorus. Astra is a bright, lively ten year old living in a world very different from that of normal ten year olds. You see, Astra is a superhero and while she may not know "about games, sleep overs or tv shows" she does know how to defeat supervillains like the Silver Brain. Still, she's isn't as happy as she used to be, she wants to be more like other children. One thing in particular fascinates her, the game of hopscotch. So she decides to go on "a advanture, to learn how to play this game...
S: Kurt Busiek
A: Brent Anderson with Will Blyberg
C: Alex Ross
T: Adventures in other worlds
Astra, having gone on "an advanture", has enrolled at Bolling elementary school, to learn how to play hopscotch. Her family in the meantime, is desperately looking for her, thinking one of their old enemies has kidnapped her.
Meanwhile Astra, not knowing this is having a good time, and is busy learning how to play hopscotch. She tries to defeat the current hopscotch champion Matrice, the daughter of the principal, but luck isn't with her so far.
Needless to say, Astra does win in the end. In a burst of joy, she turns into her energy form at the school's playgrounds. Of course, this quickly tips of the rest of the First Family where to find her. Her mother is understandingly angry with Astra, but also sees her side of the story. From now on, Astra will go to a regular school and meet "normal" children.
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