DC Comics
Aiming for the real-time concept of television's "24," DC Comics embarked on a yearlong project titled "52" in 2006 "? with each weekly issue representing seven days in an epic story about a year on Earth without Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. With the series now complete, those who'd rather experience it in far larger chunks have "52: Volume One," the first of four trade paperbacks collecting 13 issues at a time.
I shy away from gimmicky, superhero-epic tricks like this, but to my surprise, "52" is exemplary storytelling for the graphic format. Juggling about six story lines at once, it's an exciting, even moving work about death, resurrection, power, survival and what it means to be a hero. I'm now addicted, so where's "Volume Two"?
"?Rod Lott
