And Then I Read: ASTRO CITY 35

Image © Juke Box Productions.

What a nice surprise to find the art of Ron Randall in this (and the next) issue of ASTRO CITY! I’ve been a fan and friend since we worked together in the early 1980s.

The story this time is about the family who are behind the hero named Jack-In-The-Box, one of the more flamboyant characters in the series. It’s told from the viewpoint of Ike Johnson, the grandson of the original Jack, and the son of the second Jack. Ike’s dad has passed on the hero identity to a friend, leaving Ike to wonder where he fits in, but Ike’s early attempts at heroic work didn’t go so well. Ike’s dad, meanwhile, has become the head of a successful toy company, and is using some of his money to investigate the crime scene where the first Jack fell for the last time. As always, it’s a story with depth and emotion as well as action. Writer Kurt Busiek and Ron Randall deliver a fine issue. I particularly liked the looks of the villain shown on Alex Ross’s cover, Mister Drama.

Recommended.