Grace Randolph

Our good friends over at BOOM! Studios have kindly sent the CBN offices copies of their newest mini-series — Supurbia!

This mini is being dubbed as, “The Real Housewives” of super hero comics, but I sincerely hold it in much higher regard than that. Yes, they both have predominantly female casts and have a suburban setting, but the similarities end there. Where the mind numbing T.V. series revolves around high class tramps and their petty fights, Supurbia gives you an engrossing look into the lives of super hero families in a community where they can feel safe to be who they truly are. Their secrets and sins unfold before us as we follow the cast of players from the super team, Meta Legion, through a normal day. But as Eve and Robert, a.k.a. Bulldog, White get introduced into the welcoming arms of the community, something sinister lurks within the confines of this safe haven. Something that will threaten to destroy them all!

I found this book to be a wonderful amalgam of the “real life” super hero style, that has become so popular as of late, and classic Fantastic Four tales of family dynamics. It also has all the typical archetypes that readers can instantly familiarize themselves with. The roles of the omnipotent super being, wealthy billionaire, powerful Amazonian warrior, reformed super villain, scientific genius, battled scarred icon and sidekick turned lead character are all there for us to ponder and appreciate. But Grace Randolph doesn’t just fall back on the tried and true versions of these archetypes, she spins fresh ideas into them and pushes the envelope of what these super heroes might be like for “real.” For instance, Batu a warrior princess, has her family hunt for their meals and is emotionally detached from her son because men, in her eyes, are too weak to be bothered with. Alexis Fritsche, the wife of the billionaire Night Fox, finds out a disturbing secret between her husband and his sidekick, one that could ruin the Fritsche Foundation’s reputation. The situations Randolph drops her characters into are humorous, insightful, disturbing and above all else — “real.” She easily entrances you into the world she has created in a mere 32 pages, fleshing out all the players to make you feel vested in them instead of an eavesdropper on the outskirts of her ideas. Russell Dauterman’s art is fun and engaging, bringing the perfect feel to Randolph’s unique tale. It is playful, yet dangerous — a true treat for the eyes!

If you are looking for something that gives you a closer look into the lives of super heroes when the gloves come off — this is the perfect book for you! It is fast paced and provocative, making you re-think the status quo of the comic book genre. Supurbia may look like a fluff piece from the outside but it is a hearty story from cover to cover. So, check out the world of Supurbia — it’s scandalous!