Hero Happy Hour – Volume 1
Arcana Publishing
Writer: Dan Taylor
Penciler: Chris Fason
Cover: Cal Slayton
Reviewer: Derrick Crow
Summary: Collecting the first 4 issues of Hero Happy Hour. Welcome to the Hideout Bar & Grill, serviceable to the fine heroes of First City. A real “where everybody knows your name” scenario. Here we get to meet several of the different male and female heroes of First City and just see their back and forth conversations with one another that are actually much more fun to read than you’d think.
Review: With limited action, and much more talking heads, Hero Happy Hour is an experimental piece. And a ballsy one at that. So many fans read super hero comics to see the action and witness the life or death scenarios that come with such a brawl, always wondering whether our hero(es) will even make it out alive. Very rarely do I see someone asking about the banter between this character and that, or asking me if they ever go find a bar somewhere after hours and just talk. About anything and everything, really. It’s just not something people expect.
And we’ve all seen in comics where the villains get their own pub to chit chat around with, but rarely do we see anything for heroes. Closest we get is Avengers Mansion/Tower, or whatever hideaway the Justice League are using this Tuesday. And you have to be an exclusive member of their respective clubs to take part in it.
In this book however, it’s a free for all. If you’re a purveyor of good, you’re welcome. And you know what? I really enjoyed these talking heads. There’s a bit of behind the scenes chat going on between issues where the creators discuss how they felt following each issue and it’s here they both discuss that they didn’t feel like they had a very good handle on these characters in the opening issues. Personally, I think they had a wonderful handle. Immediately I was able to latch onto the idea that these heroes knew one another, and have for a long time. Yet they’re still colleagues who kind of call one another friends. It’s a weird relationship, but it works.
There isn’t any actual fighting until issue #4, which is the bar fight issue between heroes and villains, but up until then we get to really personally get to know the various heroes of First City and some of the banter between these people is priceless. Sure, there probably could have been a way to work in some fighting early on but it probably would have taken away from the whole point of this series and that’s “What do these heroes do in their off hours if this is their career?”
We get discussions between several ladies about their experience in the hero industry and how they really feel concerning the “TnA” fantasy the general public has about female heroes. On a side note, issue #2 features probably one of the best representations of “real” adult women characters I’ve seen in a while in a designated superhero comic. We get talk about action figures and movie rights (and in one panel, the writer tells the future about a certain Ben Affleck casting). And we see the heroes discuss their various rogues galleries and who should start fighting who from now on, that was one of my personal favorite talks.
The art, too, isn’t bad. It’s like Ed McGuinness-lite, very cartoony with bulky frames for pretty everyone, but I think it also worked well. It definitely gives off that indie comic vibe which I think is fine. It’s very hit or miss, and I can see some people not liking it but personally I never had an issue with it. Plus I like Ed McGuiness’ art style, so comparing to this to that I don’t think is that bad.
I don’t really want to sit here and nitpick to find things I didn’t like about this. I thoroughly enjoyed it, it’s not for everyone, it’s very niche in its subject matter, but it’s good, it’s really solid in my opinion. If you can find it, grab a copy.
Final Score: 4.5 Bullet-Proof Boob Jobs out of 5
Editor's Note: If Derrick's review has piqued your interest, head on over to Arcana and grab yourself a copy!
Arcana Publishing
Writer: Dan Taylor
Penciler: Chris Fason
Cover: Cal Slayton
Reviewer: Derrick Crow
Summary: Collecting the first 4 issues of Hero Happy Hour. Welcome to the Hideout Bar & Grill, serviceable to the fine heroes of First City. A real “where everybody knows your name” scenario. Here we get to meet several of the different male and female heroes of First City and just see their back and forth conversations with one another that are actually much more fun to read than you’d think.
Review: With limited action, and much more talking heads, Hero Happy Hour is an experimental piece. And a ballsy one at that. So many fans read super hero comics to see the action and witness the life or death scenarios that come with such a brawl, always wondering whether our hero(es) will even make it out alive. Very rarely do I see someone asking about the banter between this character and that, or asking me if they ever go find a bar somewhere after hours and just talk. About anything and everything, really. It’s just not something people expect.
And we’ve all seen in comics where the villains get their own pub to chit chat around with, but rarely do we see anything for heroes. Closest we get is Avengers Mansion/Tower, or whatever hideaway the Justice League are using this Tuesday. And you have to be an exclusive member of their respective clubs to take part in it.
In this book however, it’s a free for all. If you’re a purveyor of good, you’re welcome. And you know what? I really enjoyed these talking heads. There’s a bit of behind the scenes chat going on between issues where the creators discuss how they felt following each issue and it’s here they both discuss that they didn’t feel like they had a very good handle on these characters in the opening issues. Personally, I think they had a wonderful handle. Immediately I was able to latch onto the idea that these heroes knew one another, and have for a long time. Yet they’re still colleagues who kind of call one another friends. It’s a weird relationship, but it works.
There isn’t any actual fighting until issue #4, which is the bar fight issue between heroes and villains, but up until then we get to really personally get to know the various heroes of First City and some of the banter between these people is priceless. Sure, there probably could have been a way to work in some fighting early on but it probably would have taken away from the whole point of this series and that’s “What do these heroes do in their off hours if this is their career?”
We get discussions between several ladies about their experience in the hero industry and how they really feel concerning the “TnA” fantasy the general public has about female heroes. On a side note, issue #2 features probably one of the best representations of “real” adult women characters I’ve seen in a while in a designated superhero comic. We get talk about action figures and movie rights (and in one panel, the writer tells the future about a certain Ben Affleck casting). And we see the heroes discuss their various rogues galleries and who should start fighting who from now on, that was one of my personal favorite talks.
The art, too, isn’t bad. It’s like Ed McGuinness-lite, very cartoony with bulky frames for pretty everyone, but I think it also worked well. It definitely gives off that indie comic vibe which I think is fine. It’s very hit or miss, and I can see some people not liking it but personally I never had an issue with it. Plus I like Ed McGuiness’ art style, so comparing to this to that I don’t think is that bad.
I don’t really want to sit here and nitpick to find things I didn’t like about this. I thoroughly enjoyed it, it’s not for everyone, it’s very niche in its subject matter, but it’s good, it’s really solid in my opinion. If you can find it, grab a copy.
Final Score: 4.5 Bullet-Proof Boob Jobs out of 5
Editor's Note: If Derrick's review has piqued your interest, head on over to Arcana and grab yourself a copy!