Recently, SMC had the chance to talk to Grace Randolph, the creator and writer for SUPURBIA, about a lot of things, mainly the creative process of this title. That got me interested. All too often, we read stories about heroes and villains, the deeds or crimes they do, and even delve into their personal lives from time to time. Occasionally we see the gritty side that could come from a life with extraordinary powers and abilities. In Garth Ennis’ title, The Boys, we see that, but only from the side of the people keeping the supers in check. In SUPURBIA we see another angle. Touted as “Desperate Housewives for Super Heroes“, it takes on the opposite approach of other titles. We get to see the action from the eyes of the supers. We’re right in the middle of the drugs, the sex, and the struggles that come with it. This isn’t typical, and it shouldn’t be. We see have more than enough of that. Let’s see just how out of the ordinary, and into the exceptional SUPURBIA is.
The overall plot of the story is simple: In a suburb of some as of yet unnamed city, there is a street that looks like any other street in any other city. People live there, water their grass, plant flowers, get the morning paper, that sort of thing. On the surface, it’s just like everything else, but inside the houses, and even underneath, that’s where things change. On this street, people with powers live here, but they live in relative safety. Everyone knows who everyone else is. They don’t have to worry about hiding secret identities or dodging the press. Here, they live their lives. It’s behind closed doors is what nobody sees.
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he story here is very intriguing, and very well written. Grace Randolph has crafted a smooth, multi-layered plot, and has left no stone unturned. Though Sovereign, Night Fox, and Batu are close in resemblance to Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman respectively, they each are different enough to be their own characters. Each character in the story Grace has written has a personality all their own, and they each feel very much alive. The different plots have the right amount of time devoted to them, which not only keeps you interested, but also makes the issue feel almost like this should be a TV show instead of on paper. If things are done right, I don’t see why that can’t be a possibility in the future.
The artwork is great. Russell Dauterman really puts it all into this. The characters are done consistently, the backgrounds look fantastic, and the character’s facial expressions are compelling as well. When Sovereign is sitting on his bed, explaining to Hella what he hears, you can see the depression he has in him as he relates this. Again, when Sovereign is in a confrontation with Night Fox, the look in his eyes tells you exactly how he feels. The world survives because he allows it. Without a good artist, that couldn’t be portrayed properly. If it were an artist like Don Perlin, or even Jim Lee on this book, it just won’t look as good. Perlin’s art is old fashioned. Jim Lee is too dynamic. Dauterman is right in the center of that. Modern, but not over exaggerated. Perfect for this series.
When Jason and I did the interview with Grace, we had the chance to check out the first few pages of the issue. It was interesting to do that, and in turn got me interested in the book. After reading the entire issue, I can say that I’m only disappointed in one thing: it’s a mini-series! This needs to be an ongoing, no question about it. 4 issues is not going to be enough to contain the stories that need to be told here. When it sells out (and it will) BOOM will see the error in their ways and God will punish them for it! Ok, maybe that’s going too far but you get the point.
When you read this, expect the unexpected. Don’t look for your typical superhero title, or story line, because if that’s what you’re looking for you’ll be disappointed. SUPURBIA really has a bright future ahead of it, and I’m forced to sit back and wait for the other issues to come out. I hate waiting. Grace Randolph and Russell Dauterman really do have a story of their own here. I’d love to live on this street, just so I can see what happens next.
Script: 8/10
Artwork: 8/10
Parental Concern: Drug use and sexual situations.
SUPURBIA is in stores March 7th
Great review. After reading the first issue I agree that 4 issues isn’t gonna cut it.
