I have just finished reading “America’s Got Powers” by Jonathan Ross and Bryan Hitch. A number of months after everybody else, I expect, but it was worth the wait.
Originally billed as a six-part series, eventually this ended up stretching to a seven-part series. Maybe that was why it took so long to come out; the first issue was dated April 2012 and the final issue was dated October 2013.
I had read Ross’ previous effort, “Turf”, and so was expecting big things of this new story. Reflecting on it now, I don’t think I was disappointed.
The story starts with the arrival of a large intergalactic crystal which glows brightly and gives nearby residents ‘powers’. Of course, the authorities investigate and end up separating those with powers in some kind of apartheid. And they also have some TV show in which those with powers have to combat challenges and each other in some vicious kind of ‘Gladiators’ game show with real consequences.
There is a kind of arms race developing, whereby those with powers want to be free of their ‘normal’ overlords, those without powers want to harness their capabilities for their own ends, and some people advocate pacifism.
It’s a thoughtfully-written story, as well as being exciting and entertaining; any more than that might result in spoilers, and it really has only just officially ended.
I see that Ross has a new series out in Jan called “Revenger” - based on this and “Turf”, I will be getting my grubby mitts on a copy. The one thing I can’t understand is why the full series #1 - #7 are available on eBay for pennies. I spent about £15 collecting that series, and you can, if you’re lucky, pick it up for less than £2 (not incl. P&P) from the online fleamarket. Not that I want to sell my set, I was just wondering how much other people valued this set at. Maybe it’s a slow burner?
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