The superhero Ultra has taken over, and people live in fear. His former sidekick, Buzzboy, previously thought dead, has teamed up with a teenage witch named Becca and Dr. Cyber, a baked-goods-obsessed ex-supervillain, to try and fix things. Buzzboy’s actions even inspire other former members of the Teen Extreme team to come out of hiding.

Buzzboy:
Trouble in Paradise
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The thick black lines and high-contrast layouts give the whole thing a cartoony feel, which helps keep the story upbeat. If Squadron Supreme and Brat Pack were whipped cream, this is Cool Whip with multicolored sprinkles — similar ideas, much lighter approach.

In keeping with the diner culture approach of the book, the milkshake is the perfect metaphor for this story. It’s made up of basic genre ingredients tossed in a blender, flavored with sitcom references and pop culture allusions. For instance, when Buzzboy is held prisoner, his hallucinations are TV show parodies.

After the story, there’s a sketchbook section patterned after Chip Kidd’s Batman Animated with background information and samples of toys fans have made. This is one of the best independent superhero books I’ve read. It’s not just a copy of other people’s work but a loving treatment of an original character with a distinctive voice.

More information is available at the publisher’s website.