36 ASTRO CITY
his fi ctional world are based on more popular mainstream characters. For example,
the character Samaritan is a Superman -like creation whose alter ego, like Clark Kent,
works for the local newspaper; Winged Victory is a female warrior-hero who champi-
ons the rights of women, making her similar to Wonder Woman; the First Family team
of explorers and superheroes is an homage to Marvel’s Fantastic Four ; and the charac-
ters the Silver Agent and the Old Soldier both have similarities to Captain America.
Yet despite containing a pastiche of elements from previously existent characters, the
heroes of Astro City nevertheless are infused with qualities and personal histories that
make them unique. Th e character known as the Confessor, for instance, has many of
the same characteristics as Batman —he is a nocturnal vigilante who takes on a teen-
age side kick and uses fear as a means toward his crime-fi ghting ends. Yet, in a surprise
twist, the character winds up being a literal creature of the night when Busiek reveals
that the Confessor is actually a former priest who has become a vampire.
Arguably the most prominent character in the book is the city itself. Astro City
was formerly called Romeyn Falls before World War II, but, after suff ering widespread
destruction before being saved by a hero known as the Astro-Naut, the town was
re-christened as Astro City in his honor. Th e geography of the city is well-documented
and highly detailed, with some issues of the comic even containing maps of the area.
Th ough there are many points of interest in the metropolis, most of the action in Astro
City stories occurs in one of four neighborhoods: Old Town, which is comprised of
affl uent nineteenth-century buildings, including the notable Grandenetti Cathedral;
City Center, which is the modern downtown business area; Chesler, a working class
and low-income part of the city widely known as “Th e Sweatshop”; and Shadow Hill,
an ethnic neighborhood settled in the 19th century by Eastern European immigrants.
Th e city is bordered by two rivers—the Wildenberg and the Gaines—and the north-
ern border is dominated by the towering Mount Kirby. Each of these areas has its own
peculiar character, courtesy of Busiek’s storytelling, just as each has a distinct visual
identity provided by Anderson’s renderings. Further, place names in Astro City often
allude to notable creators from the history of comics, such as the Biro Island prison,
which is an allusion to comic creator Charles Biro and his famous Crime Does Not Pay
series. Busiek and company excel at infusing the city with its own history and culture,
as recurring newspapers, shops, television stations, and commercials are sprinkled
throughout.
By foregrounding the setting and telling stories from untraditional points of view,
Astro City is able to take on a wider variety of topics than is traditionally associated with
the superhero genre. Examples of this breadth of storytelling are abundant even in the
early issues of the series, from stories such as “Th e Scoop,” which examines the place
of sensationalism in journalism, to one-shots such as “Safeguards,” which takes a look
at cultural diff erences between long-established neighborhoods and immigrant neigh-
borhoods. Yet if the stories of the book can be said to engage societal issues that exist
outside of a world brimming with garishly dressed heroes, it is often just as adept at
off ering commentary on the world of comics. Later issues, particularly those published
