Whereas issue #2 switched gears almost completely from the first, issue #3 follows up exactly where its predecessor left off. Young Marella has just discovered that working for the Honor Guard's call center isn't the dream job she thought it was after her handling of an emergency call led to a deadly outbreak of violence in South America. This issue follows the distraught Marella as she flees her friends and family and sets out to rescue the little girl she failed so completely.
This issue is a perfect example of what sets Astro City apart from the many, many other superhero franchises on the stands. Though there are occasional scenes of epic fighting between the Honor Guard and their enemies, Busiek never for a second loses sight of the human side of the conflict. This story is much more interesting and unique when viewed through Marella's humble eyes. The tone also remains optimistic despite the darkness at work.
Ultimately, Busiek delivers a very heartwarming message. Everyone makes mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes have terrible consequences. But what separates the good people from the terrible is entirely in how they choose to respond to and atone for those mistakes. And as much as that might sound like the kind of moral you'd hear at the end of a G.I. Joe or He-Man carton, it resonates all the same.
Brent Anderson more than holds up his end of the issue, as his art is perfectly suited towards capturing that human element of Busiek's writing. His characters are brimming with emotion and varied facial work. Anderson is able to convey the scope of the superhero characters and their battles, but all of that is ultimately just window dressing in service of the more down to earth elements.
Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.
Source : ign[dot]com
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