45 (Forty-five) [Perfect Paperback]

Andi Ewington (Author), Benjamin Shahrabani (Editor), Eddie Deighton (Editor), Dennis Johnson (Editor), Liam Sharp (Illustrator), John Higgins (Illustrator), Sean Phillips (Illustrator), Charlie Adlard (Illustrator), Jock (Illustrator), Lee Garbett (Illustrator), Admira Wijaya (Illustrator), Carlo Pagulayan (Illustrator), Rodin Esquejo (Illustrator), Matt Timson (Illustrator), Neil Edwards (Illustrator), Trevor Hairsine (Illustrator), Andie Tong (Illustrator), Rufus Dayglo (Illustrator), Dom Reardon (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 10, 2010

Journalist, James Stanley, is faced with the imminent birth of his child. Having decided to forego the test that would determine whether his child is carrying the all-important Super-S gene, which differentiates the genetic makeup of a superhero from that of a normal person, James sets out on a quest to interview forty-five super-powered individuals in the hope that their experiences may better prepare him for the birth of a child that is potentially gifted with extraordinary abilities.

On his journey, he encounters characters from all walks of life; from single mothers struggling to raise gifted children, to rebellious super-teenagers, all the way through to those reaching the end of their lives. But what starts as a voyage of personal discovery becomes something far more ominous when he crosses paths with an organization known as XoDOS.

Each page of art has been illustrated by a different comic artist, with no predetermined brief given; just the written page as guidance. The concept is unlike anything you've seen in comic books so far; it truly is an original attempt at redefining what people expect from a comic book format. Featuring the art of Liam Sharp, Jock, Sean Philips, Randy Green, Charlie Adlard and Dan Brereton, to name but a few of the 45 contributors.

Editorial Reviews

Review

45 is the equal of such works as Watchmen or Frank Miller s estimable The Dark Knight Returns, since it offers both a reformatting of expectations around the comics medium, and a credible and deep wrestling with the notion of the superhero - StathleyQ at Popmatters

Ewington has created something remarkable here. And not only remarkable, if there is any justice this will also become an important book in the superhero genre. - Richmond Clements/Forces of Geek

This is great work. And you should count yourself privileged to have picked this up. But of course, this is Com.x - Jim Krueger Writer (Earth X & Justice)

This looks absolutely amazing! 5/5! - Edward Kaye/HyperGeek

You actually broke the code on how to present a fresh take on superheroes. The characters and conflicts in Forty-Five all feel very organic clearly sprung from the same well as the heroes and villains of the DC and Marvel Universes, but managing to transcend the obvious inspirations in a way few new superhero books ever manage. - Matt Bergin/PopCultureshock

You will not find a better graphic novel than Forty-Five this year. I don t think I can say it better than that. - Shawn Swanson/Hero Spy

..a new and satisfying way to read a comic...there is something for everyone... stories of heroism, greed, envy, regret, love, and loss...I felt as though I was reading a movie script and I could see each scene play out in my mind, and the artist s interpretations are amazing. - Marylou ComiGirl.com 45 was named #17 of the top "50 Things You Need to Buy" in Wizard Magazine's October issue (#217).

I'll be the first to say this is one of the best graphic novels I've ever read. 4.5/5 - Andre Lamar - Comics Bulletin

After more than 35 years of reading comics I really should be long past feeling any significant degree of enthusiasm for yet another new super-hero universe. But 45's clever, innovative and inventive approach has delivered a swift and timely knee to the metaphorical groin of my jaded cynicism. Without a doubt, 45 is an unmissable start to Com.x's publishing schedule for 2010. - Andy Oliver - Broken Frontier

I was not at all sure this book would work. But boy was I wrong. Ewington has created something remarkable here. And not only remarkable, if there is any justice this will also become an important book in the superhero genre. - Richmond Clements/Forces of Geek

The end result is a smart, delightfully varied work [each interviewee is drawn by a different artist] that creates an entirely new comics world in which everything is to us, at least new and vibrant. Ewington's writing is excellent he invests his characters with unique voices [an immense undertaking]. [Forty-Five] is the goods. A+ - Sheldon A. Wiebe - Eclipse Magazine

How terrific is this book? It's even got me looking forward to next month's issues of HULK and PUNISHER - Mr Pasty Ain t It Cool News

This is an enchanting book and a great testament to the diversity and creativity that the medium of sequential art can fully embrace. For the naysayers out there who believe the death knell sounded for superhero stories years ago, a book like 45 is the perfect example to give hope for the future of this unique art form known as comic books. - Kris Bather Comic Book Jesus

Ewington has created something remarkable here. And not only remarkable, if there is any justice this will also become an important book in the superhero genre. --Richmond Clements - Forces of Geek

About the Author

Some would say a child brought up on a diet of comics, computer games movies and television ads wouldn't amount to much. Andi Ewington would argue that it made him the person he is today. Always full of ideas and eager to tell a story, Forty-five is Andi Ewington's debut novel.

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 132 pages
• Publisher: Com.x (February 10, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1615847138
• ISBN-13: 978-1615847136
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 6.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,105,731 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Norman - not just a name for Oklahomans anymore!, February 28, 2010

By 

TastyBabySyndrome "Matthew Lewis, author of M... ("Daddy Dagon's Daycare" - Proud Sponsor of the Little Tendril Baseball Team, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: 45 (Forty-five) (Perfect Paperback)

In a world inhabited by Super-S genes and 2nd degree mutations, there would always be something to write about. From the children that appear and that are abandoned because parents see no way to take care of them to the exploits of superheroes the world over, mankind (or Normans) would be infatuated by them. And what's not to be infatuated with? From the mixed marriages of Norman and Super-S types to the powers granted by birth, toxic waste, and even more nefarious groups attempting to "protect mankind," there are a lot of things that can be covered.
And, perhaps, there are some things that would be better left undiscovered.
It really makes for a good read.

The way Forty-Five is set up is this: While there are no "Vaders" telling their tales (the nickname for supervillians in the world), there are all sorts of mutations. You have people who put on suits that they can take off after the big show, people who get their powers from accidents that they stumble onto, and then there are those that are born with their gifts. Forty-five seeks to cover all of these and more, starting with the birth of a Super-S and ending with the birth of the reporters child after he's seen the dark side of everything. This makes for some great reading and it asks the question: what would happen if there really were people out there with powers that rivaled even the most dangerous weapons mankind had thought of?

Along with each of these stories is a page of artwork, letting everything lay out like an interview on one half of the page and like a great piece of art on the other. The art tells the story its own way, too, allowing for the reader to see some of the things that the people go through. I personally liked a few more than others - a girl having a teaparty with all sorts of imaginary things, only to have them disappear in the blink of an eye and show us just how alone she was. Or the birth of a Super-S baby that flies - only the parents don't know about it - and what this could cause.
Here we go from adult to child and back again, only we see these people in lights they want to cast and we see some of the people who pull their strings. When you think of this in a real-world scenario, it is a frightening thing.

This may not be for everyone - it is not a compic but it is a great look into what being a hero would mean. You would have fans and you would have villians and you would have so many different degrees of people associated with what is happening. I was personally pulled in by the book - a nice read and one that does not waste time - and thought some of the story overlap was lovely. The Lotus is a prime example; she controls people and recruits, allowing some subtle manipulation to overtake the people she is aiming at. and i think a lot of readers would like it too, especially those who want more from their stories bsides sparring, hitting, kicking, and the occasional doomsday plot (that was a joke - how many of those do we see, really?).
i liked it, was surprised, and recommend it highly. I also have to say to get one while you can because they are going out of print FAST.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best graphic novel I've ever read, June 27, 2010

By 

Alexander Bradburn (Slagelse, Denmark) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 45 (Forty-five) (Perfect Paperback)

If you like superhero comicbooks, but you think they lack some depth, read this. If you liked Kurt Busiek's "Marvels" or "Kingdom come" by Alex Ross, read this.
The idea of the book is new and different and gives the author the possibility to highlight all sorts of storyideas for superpowered people. It is not a comicbook. It is not a book. It is something inbetween.
Give it a try. You wont be dissapointed!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First-time Writer Ewington Throws Down The Gauntlet at "Watchmen", May 10, 2010

By 

Paige Turner "Paige" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 45 (Forty-five) (Perfect Paperback)

"45" is a "comic book" that transcends the medium, ranking up in the pantheon of best graphic novels of all time. Even more amazing is the fact that this is Andi Ewington's first book.

The concept is simple: the narrator, James Stanley, conducts a series of 45 interviews of people with the "Super-S" gene which gives superpowers. Each interview appears on the right hand page, with art by a different guest artist on the left hand page. The book is not a comic book in the true sense of the word, nor it is a novel. It's most similar to "Watchmen" in the fact that the text is equally important as the art.

In a stroke of genius, Ewington is able to weave all of the interviews together to not only create an entire milieu, but a coherent narrative. Reading this book is like putting pieces of a puzzle together. I purposely read this book slowly because I didn't want it to end too quickly. Like great literature or a complex movie, it will be interesting to read a second time to see how the experience differs from the first reading.

The artwork in this book is astounding. Imagine giving the best comic artists in the world the task to illustrate a vignette in any way they see fit on one page. The results are amazing. Some of the pages rival the best covers ever drawn. Others stand up on their own as pieces of art that should be displayed in a museum. The variety of artistic styles blend seamlessly with the variety of individuals that the narrator interviews.

This book is the first I have read since the Watchmen that breathes new life into the chronically boring superhero genre. Ewington explores new ground that I have not seen covered in the thousands of super-hero titles out there. I don't expect to read anything of this caliber again for quite some time. I sincerely hope that Andi Ewington has more where this one came from.

I was shocked to find this book was so hard to find when it first came out - even my local comics store in NYC did not have it. Get your hands on this modern classic today.