Kurt Busiek's Astro City: Confession [Comic]

Kurt Busiek (Author), Brent Eric Anderson (Illustrator), Will Blyberg (Illustrator), Neil Gaiman (Introduction), Alex Sinclair (Colorist), John Roshell (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 23, 1999

The second Astro City volume collects the first extended storyline from the award-winning comics series as a young man struggles to earn his place as sidekick to the forbidding hero known as the Confessor, only to learn that his hero holds a dark secret. And while the crimefighting duo become a team, political forces are in motion to restrict the actions of the citys heroes.

Product Details

• Comic: 208 pages
• Publisher: Homage Comics (June 23, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563895501
• ISBN-13: 978-1563895500
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 0.4 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #550,173 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another "Astro City" artistic triumph, September 16, 2002

By 

Michael J. Mazza - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kurt Busiek's Astro City: Confession (Comic)

The world of Kurt Busiek's Astro City is truly one of the great fictional worlds ever created; I would rank it right up there with Tolkien's Middle Earth or the "Babylon 5" universe in terms of its richness, complexity, and emotional impact. "Kurt Busiek's Astro City: Confession" is a superb example of the power of Astro City. This book is essentially a novel in comic book form. It tells the story of Brian, a small town boy who moves to Astro City with dreams of joining the city's legion of costumed heroes. He ultimately joins up with the Confessor, a dark, brooding superhero, and together they face a chilling mystery that impacts all the city's heroes.

Many characters from other volumes in the Astro City series are woven into "Confession": Crackerjack, the Hanged Man, Winged Victory, Samaritan, and many more. Also woven into the superhero story are a number of "real world" issues: crime, spirituality, governmental intrusiveness, and more. Along the way are some innovative concepts and characters; I was especially intrigued by the Crossbreed, a group of evangelical Christian superheroes introduced early in the story.

"Confession" is at once a coming-of-age tale, an intimate character study, and a vast epic tale that spans many decades and the entire planet. The story is also a skillful blend of concepts from the horror and science fiction genres. Like many of the great graphic novels of our time ("Watchmen," "Marvels," etc.) "Confession" deconstructs the very superhero genre to which it belongs. The characters are compelling, the dialogue is gripping, and the visual artwork is awesome: many scenes look like something from a big-budget science fiction film. In my opinion, "Confession" is a profoundly moving masterpiece.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant reinvention of the classic superhero, October 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Kurt Busiek's Astro City: Confession (Comic)

Kurt Busiek has crafted an excellent superhero storyline in Confession. Astro City has, and continues to be the best pure superhero comic out,and Confession is the highpoint of the series. The story is completely told through the eyes of the Confessors sidekick, the Altar Boy. The fact that Busiek pulls off this narrative without seeming derivative is one thing, but the most impressive part is the quality of the story itself, and the shocking secret that the Confessor hides, adds to the drama. Throw in some mysterious religious imagery, and you get a solid enjoyable story to read. While it isnt as shocking or hilarious as Preacher, its an excellently written, beautifully drawn story, in the mold of classic comic book storytelling.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a great comic should be, July 30, 2003

By 

J. Russell (Vancouver) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kurt Busiek's Astro City: Confession (Comic)

There is a certain innocence to the Astro City comics that still speaks with wisdom and intelligence. They are beautifull to look at, funny, self-referential, and you always get the "why hasn't this been done before" feeling whenever you read one. This is the best of the four collections that are thus far available. The story of a young "robin-like" sidekick before, during, and after his initiation into the super-hero field. You can actually see the character grow as a person, a person who is likeable in all stages of his life. All the comic cliches are here, subtely altered and so made new again. There are super-heroes galore, but this story focus's on two in particular. Some of the twists are predictable and some aren't, but you always get the feeling that it doesn't effect the quality of the comic. If you guess it ahead of time, it is still a good read. The comic is something that you can give to your children, and they will enjoy it, but, aldults can enjoy just as much on an entirely different level. The comic is fun, intelligent, and still has that sense of wonder you remember from reading comics as a child. Don't pass this one up.