Johnny Saturn

By John Wilson of Graphic Content, on Comic Related on 10-29-08

Johnny Saturn
By John Wilson

Johnny Saturn issues #1-6, Scott and Benita Story, Story Studios LLC

This is a comic that defies characterization. Is it a superhero book? Definitely. Is it a fantasy book dealing with demigods, demons and angels? You bet. Is it an allegory of the common man’s struggle for justice? Sure. A cautionary tail that sometimes bad things must be done for the greater good? Without a doubt. Scott and Benita have crafted a story that is all these things and more.

The story follows Johnny Saturn, a street level non powered hero how does what he can and what he must to foil the activities of the evil Dr. Synn. Johnny is not a Meta human or powered in any way. His body is a map of the destruction he has physically suffered in his quest. Every bone in his body has been broken, some many times. He requires pills just to move. He does not suffer fools, especially super powered heroic ones that try to interfere with his work and is a firm believer in the ends justifying the means. Even death can not keep him from his tasks. Johnny is the classic street level hero. A Batman without the money and gadgets, The Shadow sans the mental manipulation, Daredevil with no radar sense. Just a man doing what he must because it must be done. And along the way, Johnny becomes a savior, an inspiration, a leader and punches out an angel! Who could ask for more?

The Storys tap into the iconography of superheroes and put their own unique spin to make them all their own. The Utopian is on the surface a hero in the Superman ideal, but scratching that surface shows a hero that sees himself above the common man in more than the obvious physical sense. From Johnny, The Utopian learns the true nature of hero and of sacrifice. On the surface the heroes that The Utopian leads are just an ad hoc Justice League, but they too have quirks and tweaks that push them beyond their surface iconography and make them special. This hurts all the more when many of them do not survive the story. We know little about these characters but we become connected. That is the earmark of great storytelling.

Scott Story’s artwork is an unmistakable draw to this story. In an era of over processed, over rendered and generally overblown art, it is refreshing to see line work and style that harkens back to the best days of the Silver Age. Scott infuses meaning in just a few lines and establishes mood and character for all his creations without having to beat the reader over the head with overblown visual trickery. He is an incredible talented colorist as well. His work is layered and vibrant without being gaudy. It is easy to see that this is a labor of love for both creators because that love is evident in every panel.

Thankfully, the story does not end with these six issues. The world of Johnny Saturn is alive and well in new adventures every Monday and Wednesday at www.scottstoryillustrator.com/johnnysaturn/. While there, make sure you check out every area of the site by these two stellar creators (no pun intended). They are every bit as eclectic as the world that they created.