This is the first issue where I started to get the bigger picture of what Priest is doing in this book. While a lot of writers pose the question "what would happen if superheroes existed in the real world?" And they come up with several answers: they'd be feared, they'd be treated like superstars, the wanton destruction they'd leave in their wake, governments stockpiling them in a new-style cold war, et cetera. Priest asks "what would happen if superheroes existed in my life?"
This issue has Quantum going after the man he believes lead to his and Woody's life-altering predicament. While Quantum, and the audience as well, has believed that Dave Warrant was attempting to kill them it turns out that he was actually trying to save them.
But why do I say that it reflects more day-to-day life? Well, the biggest issue of Quantum and Woody is the fact that Woody is a well-adjusted person who just needs to get his crap together while Quantum is a person who has gotten his stuff together but the problem is that his worldview is built on a series of incorrect preconceptions.
The real struggle in this book is an internal one inside of Quantum (Woody doesn't have enough depth to admit he has an issue, let alone struggle with it) and the struggles he face aren't really dependent on him having super powers. That's why I say it's about "real life" rather than the "real world." For all of the absurd humor in the book, its final word on superpowers is that it doesn't really change your life (sure, it affects the trappings but doesn't change who you are).

Leave a comment