by Elisabeth@TFAW
The premise of Andi Ewington's graphic novel 45 is simple yet complex: British journalist James Stanley lives in a world where some individuals are born with an extra chromosome, the "Super-S," which grants them amazing superpowers. After years of reporting on various superheroes and villains, James and his wife now await the birth of their first child–and the "Super-S" question weighs heavily on their minds.
While they have opted not to undergo a test that would tell them one way or another if their child will have special abilities, James is driven to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be Super-S. What are the challenges and rewards of being born with extraordinary gifts?
Win a Signed Print by Artist Jordan Raskin!
With this in mind, James sets out to interview 45 Super-S individuals of all ages, colors, and creeds–with a different artist providing an illustration for each piece. The resulting graphic novel is like nothing else I've ever read. Ewington brings an entire spectrum of characters to life: fame-hungry parents who are eager to leverage their child's abilities to the big time; a cold, arrogant "superhero" who uses his powers to entice and discard "Norman" (non-Super-S) women on a whim, since he sees them as inferior; a former hero who suffered when public opinion–and his wife–turned against him, driving him to become a homeless drifter; an immortal man who's outlived several wives over the past 100-plus years; a Super-S mom who's afraid to break her son's heart with the fact that's he's a "Normie"; a welfare mother struggling with a young daughter with terrifying powers . . . and a temper. Plus, a sinister organization called XoDOS slowly creeps into the narrative: they want to "enlist" the Super-Ses, but for what? And what happens when you turn them down?
The use of a different artist for each story is a brilliant way to distinguish each character as a separate being: Sean Phillips' cold, icy "Auroron" couldn't be more different than Eduardo Francisco's saucy, teenaged "Monica Bentley." Other artists include Charlie Adlard, Jock, Gary Erksine, Jordan Raskin, and Andie Tong.
By the end of 45, I felt like I had seen superheroes from all angles: the joys, the problems, and the danger–which brings us back to James Stanley's unborn child. Is he or she a Super-S? I leave that for you to discover.
Make sure to check out our six-page preview of Andi Ewington's 45!
Interested? Now, thanks to the generous folks at Com.X, you can win one of two prize packages when you purchase 45 by May 31, 2010. One winner will win a collection of graphic novels: Cla$$war, Razorjack, Path, and 45. However, the grand prize winner will win all of these books, plus a signed print by Jordan Raskin! Click here for more details.
Sound interesting? Have you already read 45? Post your comments below!
