The first arc of Creator-Owned Heroes wraps up with this issue. In case you didn’t know, Creator-Owned Heroes, the brainchild of Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Steve Niles, is a monthly comic anthology collecting 40+ pages of comics, interviews, and artwork from top comics professionals. The first arc (Issues #1-4) has two ongoing comic stories: Trigger Girl #6 by Gray and Palmiotti with art by Phil Noto and American Muscle by Steve Niles and Kevin Mellon. This anthology is a really cool idea that not only puts two awesome comics in your hand but gives you a look between the pages as top industry professionals show you the tricks of the trade.
With this issue, Trigger Girl #6 wraps up with a quieter, more introspective end to this action-packed thrill ride. This has been a great series from Issue #1, and I hope we get to see more of this world and these characters. Palmiotti and Gray are known for telling great stories, and this is no exception, but I can’t heap enough praise on Phil Noto’s art. I am always excited to see what he’ll draw next. Noto is really put to work in this issue, drawing expressive animals as they talk to Trigger Girl and the President, and trying to change things for the better. If you think that sentence is insane, imagine what Phil Noto must have thought when he was given the script. “You want me to draw a highly expressive turtle who will deliver the exposition of the story?” Issues like this are why I love comics, and why I love that Image gives creators like Palmiotti and Gray the freedom to tell the stories they want.
Then, we have American Muscle roaring to a finish on all 8 cylinders. Trigger Girl #6 may have ended with a quieter issue, but American Muscle goes down fighting. This issue features an awesome car chase, naked mutant fighting, and a glorious explosion all rendered in Kevin Mellon’s beautiful, chaotic style. He really shines in books like this where he can let loose, and Niles give him plenty of crazy things to draw as he wraps up this arc. The heroes have really been put through the ringer, and Niles makes sure to put a nice moment of hopefulness in that makes their trials feel worthwhile. The rest of this issue contains some really great interviews and articles written by the pros themselves that give an interesting insight into the world of making comics, and, of course, there are previews for the new stories starting in next month’s Creator-Owned Heroes. Pick this book up if you want to try a slice of something new and wholly unique; it is well worth the $3.99 price point and chock full of indie comic goodness.