Michael Avon Oeming’s The Victories has always had a cynical view of society. The latest trade takes that to a new level. A massive global conspiracy is nearing the last stages of its plan, and the only people standing in the way are the Victories. Trouble is, nearly all of them are captured or missing. With time running out, they will have to coordinate an escape, figure out the plan, identify the roots of the conspiracy, and somehow stop it.

One of the things that I like the most about this series is that it is more “realistic” about its superheroes than most. There really isn’t anyone who is playing the wholesome, all-American hero type. These guys range from self-centered jerks and ethically ambiguous PTSD sufferers to slightly converted supervillains and revenge-driven gods. There are also incidental things that would absolutely exist in a world with superheroes, most notably a drug that makes you fly.

By the way, nothing in the plot is realistic at all. Superheroes, secret moon-bases, and giant weaponized sphinxes don’t quite match up with reality. For that matter, neither does that massive global conspiracy.

Paranoia makes for good adventure stories, and this one has its fair share. The plot is a wild, conspiracy-driven fantasy, with fluoride-fueled mind control, potential alien invasions, and (of course) drones. I love this stuff. Basically, we get to watch a small group of superheroes fighting a massive global organization that is willing to wipe entire cities off the map. So, the stakes are pretty high.

I love the art in this comic. I think Oeming is one of the most creative artist in superheroes right now, and his style works perfectly for this dark and grotesque world. It is just a little bit cartoonish, but with a rough edge. This book is absolutely gorgeous. It is often disturbing and occasionally gory, but always beautiful.

Don’t worry if you haven’t been keeping up with this comic, it does a good job of catching you up on the story so far. While it is part of a larger story, the plot here is very self-contained and works without relying on the other comics. So, if you are looking for a cool take on the superhero and are a grownup, this is a great book. The art, characters, and story all work together in this terrific comic book.

Four Weaponized Sphinxes out of Five