A review by davidareyzaga
Grace Randolph's Supurbia Vol. 4 by Grace Randolph, Russell Dauterman
5.0
When it comes to comic books, this has got to be my favorite reading this year. I wish I had read it sooner! What Grace Randolph and Russel Dauterman have created here is nothing short of amazing. This is an essential read for DC comics fans (I guess Marvel too, but DC was my source to enjoy the intertextuality). It offers a critical, but also creative look at our favorite heroes, and the people who are usually in the sidelines: their lovers, their aids, their families.
What if Batman and Nightwing were lovers? What if Wonder Woman had a son whom she scorned simply for being a man? What if Superman abused Harley Quinn even worse than Joker ever did? What does it mean to be the husband or wife of a superhero? How can our emotions get the best of us? Grace Randolph tackles these questions (and many more), and she delivers not only a devastating answer, but a highly-entertaining one. Every page feels relevant. There's no mediocre stuffing in here. Every beat has meaning, and Russel Dauterman complements that with his brilliant illustrations which also carry depth, emotion, and—let's be honest—a lot of highly-welcomed sex appeal that comments in more ways than one on our historical perception of the archetypes that Grace uses as a blueprint for her wonderful characters, as well as to capture how the characters perceive one another. Recent comic books incline more toward shock value to entertain their readers, but Supurbia is a jewel that has many layers. It was a joy to peel each one of them.
Suffice to say, this gets a standing ovation on my part. I read this digitally thanks to Comixology, but I can't wait to purchase the physical versions. This is the stuff of collectors!
What if Batman and Nightwing were lovers? What if Wonder Woman had a son whom she scorned simply for being a man? What if Superman abused Harley Quinn even worse than Joker ever did? What does it mean to be the husband or wife of a superhero? How can our emotions get the best of us? Grace Randolph tackles these questions (and many more), and she delivers not only a devastating answer, but a highly-entertaining one. Every page feels relevant. There's no mediocre stuffing in here. Every beat has meaning, and Russel Dauterman complements that with his brilliant illustrations which also carry depth, emotion, and—let's be honest—a lot of highly-welcomed sex appeal that comments in more ways than one on our historical perception of the archetypes that Grace uses as a blueprint for her wonderful characters, as well as to capture how the characters perceive one another. Recent comic books incline more toward shock value to entertain their readers, but Supurbia is a jewel that has many layers. It was a joy to peel each one of them.
Suffice to say, this gets a standing ovation on my part. I read this digitally thanks to Comixology, but I can't wait to purchase the physical versions. This is the stuff of collectors!