Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (1996) 13

Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (1996) 13
Feb 1998

In the Spotlight
By Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson

Loony Leo tells his story to a guy who is looking to hire him to do some advertisements for a car dealership. Leo was a cartoon character until one day in 1946 when he was accidentally brought to life by Professor K. The Professor was wrecking havoc at a theater in Romeyn Falls with a device that brought imaginary characters to life.

Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (1996) 1/2

Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (1996) 1/2
Jan 1998

The Nearness of You
By Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson

Michael Tenicek is haunted by dreams of Miranda, a woman who seems familiar to him but he has no clear memories of her. He asks everyone he knows about her but no one has a clue whom or what he’s talking about. One night the Hanged Man comes to him and explains why he’s having these dreams.

Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (1996) 12

Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (1996) 12
Dec 1997

Father’s Day
By Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson

Zack tells Tamara about his encounter with his would-be sons. He is trepidatious about having a child under the current circumstances. He worries about what he or she, the child, might become. This isn’t the reaction Tamara was hoping for.

Jack continues to fight crime but he begins to worry about his own safety. He worries about what will happen to Tamara and their child if he is killed fighting crime.

Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (1996) 11

Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (1996) 11
Nov 1997

Serpent’s Teeth
By Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson

Zach Johnson leaves newscaster Tamara Dixon, also his girlfriend, to respond to a call for help. He changes his clothes and becomes Jack-in-the-Box. He gets to the scene of the crime a little too late. The victim is already dead but the killer is still present. The killer calls himself the Box and looks like a twisted, cybernetic version of Jack-in-the-Box.

Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (1996) 10

Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (1996) 10
Sep 1997

Show ‘Em All
By Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson

The JunkMan, aka Hiram Potterstone, successfully robbed the Astro City bank. He got away with $7 million and traveled the world. No one guessed that he was the one who robbed the bank. He wanted to be satisfied but the money wasn’t enough. He needed something more, recognition.

Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (1996) 3

Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (1996) 3
Nov 1996

Adventures in Other Worlds
By Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson

Astra goes AWOL. Astra wants to learn about hopscotch. She goes to a school where she sees other girls playing hopscotch. In order to fit in she uses her powers to make a disguise. She probably isn’t there more more than a few days.

Astra’s parents and the rest of the First Family are worried sick when they discover that she is missing. They travel all over the Earth and to various dimensions looking for her, without success. They meet old friends and foes while they search.

Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (1996) 2

Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (1996) 2
Oct 1996

Everyday Life
By Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson

Astra is the youngest member of the First Family. She is about 10 years old and has superpowers. She is the third generation of the family. She doesn’t know what it is like to be a normal kid. She has been home-schooled and doesn’t have any friends her own age.

The First Family seems like it is supposed to be Astro City’s version of the Fantastic Four. It isn’t the same as Marvel’s FF but it resembles them in one superficial way: it is a team of heroes who are also family. The story isn’t about the team as a whole, just Astra, but there is some background information provided on the group, how it got started, etc.

Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (1996) 1

Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (1996) 1
Sep 1996

Welcome to Astro City
By Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson

Ben Pullam has just moved from Boston to Astro City with his daughters, Faith and Meg. He takes them around town. They see statues to Air Ace and Silver Agent and pass by Loony Leo’s restaurant on a bus. They witness a battle between a large group of superheroes and a god-like being named Thunderhead. Ben wonders if he made a mistake in moving them to Astro City but by the end of the issue he feels more confident about his decision.