I WANT To Believe! The Greatest American Hero 2 Review

I want to believe. I really do.

Erwin J. Aroza's cover for this second issue is just as awesome as the cover to the premiere issue.

The art under the cover is still a little on the weak side. No disrespect intended to Alper Gecgel. Maybe one is expecting Ty Templeton, Christopher Jones or Tim Levins, or any number of animated artists connected to a live action adaptation. It's somewhat surprising that Aroza is only handling the covers and not interior art as well. Being that The Greatest American Hero is somewhat light-hearted along the lines of Get Smart! for superheroes for instance, a broad and cartoony style would not be unthinkable. Ralph looks very "wrinkly" here. Not a very flattering appearance.

The story continues to be melancholy. Ralph is back. Down on his luck. He's recovered from the morgue and reunites with former student Tony Villicana. Ralph learns that Tony is into some shady business and has helped Kevin with a debt. Ralph is shocked to find out that Kevin borrowed money from the Russian mob! He's even more shocked to learn that was for Kevin's sick wife - Maya's late mother.

Later, Ralph reconnects with Pam, now Mayor Pam Davidson. She's in the middle of a crisis as well.

Who is Ralph supposed to save? That is just one of a few unanswered questions. If Ralph went with the aliens, why doesn't he know what the suit does? Why hasn't he mastered the suit? Why can't he fly?

The whole discovery thing is cool. However, Ralph comes off looking less than heroic, sincere and earnest, which is what really made him a hero, more than the suit and the powers in the suit.

Hope is more powerful than belief... and more dangerous. Hopefully, Ralph will be able to turn things around and redeem himself and reconnect with the people that seem disappointed in him, let down by him, angry and bitter with him.

The Greatest American Hero 2 earns three stars.

     

Grounded! The Greatest American Hero 1 Review

Believe it or not, he's back!

After forty-three years, Ralph Hinkley, The Greatest American Hero returns! Dropped off in the desert by the aliens that gifted him with his super-suit and given a deadline! But who is Ralph Supposed to save? 

Is it Kevin, Ralph's estranged son? Who just happens to be operating a shady business, running numbers, with Ralph's granddaughter, Maya? Kevin is not at all happy to see Ralph. Mainly due to the stories that his birth mother had shared with him growing up about his father. Kevin believes his dad is crazy.

It's also unclear where Ralph stands with former partner, FBI agent Bill Maxwell and ex, Pam Davidson.

When Kevin gets a flat tire, Ralph tries to help. He discovers another superpower - teleportation!

Later, Ralph does save Maya from being hit by a truck! And collapses afterward. He tells Kevin that if the suit is taken off, he'll die! 

The cover art is fantastic. The story, developed by Tawnia McKiernan and Don Handfield, written by Handfield with art by Alper Gecgel, Faradilla Nurmaliza and lettered by DC Hopkins is a somewhat melancholy, cliche re-launch. One would think that if Ralph were connected to the aliens that gave him the suit, he'd get a new instruction manual or be trained in how the suit works. Maybe the point is that he makes that discovery on his own.

Hopefully Ralph will figure out how to soar from here on.

The Greatest American Hero 1, from AMP Comics earns three stars!