Writer, Artist, Inks, & Pencils: Hank Tucker
Published by Alterna Comics
I love that a good chunk of the indie comics coming out now put a new twist on old genres. The Actual Roger is a tale about, well, a boy named Roger. A meteorite lands in his back yard which leads to Hank and his best friend, Clay, to be exposed to whatever cosmic radiation the rock contained. The following day, Hank and Clay wake up to find they each have a new power! Hank can fly (about a foot and a half) off the ground, and Clay becomes…clay. The Actual Roger is set in a universe in which super heroes are well-known and there’s a government agency set up for training and controlling them. Once this agency gets word of Roger flying around town without registering with them, they take it upon themselves to pair him up with the best hero they have, Magnanimo!
This issue was a ton of fun. I love that so many creators are able to take genres that we all know and love, and are able to put a fresh spin on them. Hank Tucker has taken the superhero story in an entirely new direction with his tale about a young boy (bonus points for making him a Lakers fan!) that’s not sure what he wants to do with his life. As it turns out the choice ends up being made for him and the result is an interesting, fun story that I can’t wait to read more of.
Jeff Lemire, eat your heart out. Not only does Hank Tucker write this story, HE DOES IT ALL! Art, inks, and pencils, there’s nothing this guy doesn’t do. I don’t normally prefer the black and white art style, but it totally works for The Actual Rogers. My favorite part of the book was watching Clay try to pull himself together! (Literally!) The lines art cleanly drawn and the shading is done beautifully. It fits perfectly with the style of the story.
The Actual Roger is available on Comixology and is something you should definitely check out! It’s a fun, all-ages book that you could share with your kids and should! It’s funny, light-hearted, and great to look at. I can’t wait until we get some villains in the mix so we can see what Magnanimo and Roger can actually do together. I’m sure there will be plenty of missteps (hopefully) and hilarity will ensue. So log on to your Comixology account and give The Actual Roger a read. It’s something the whole family can enjoy!
4 out of 5 nerds
Irwin Fletcher
I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.
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