Buddy Baker is a second-string superhero and stuntman who gains the physical abilities of nearby animals, such as a bird's flight or a rhinoceros's strength. Living in a suburban household with his wife and children, he attempts to join the Justice League while navigating the ethics of animal rights and scientific testing. As the story progresses, Buddy uncovers bizarre mutations and strange phenomena that suggest his powers are linked to a collective biological field known as the Red, while he begins to sense a presence watching him from beyond his own reality.
Readers of meta-fiction and revisionist superhero stories study this volume to see the deconstruction of comic book tropes. It appeals to those interested in ecological philosophy and the intersection of environmentalism and pulp fiction. The reader walks away with an understanding of how a creator can break the fourth wall to comment on the nature of fictional characters and the morality of authorship. It provides a blueprint for how psychological depth and existential dread can be integrated into a traditional costumed hero narrative.
Balanced in tone; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Story Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Language
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