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Dec 2, 2020

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 2107: Next Men #1, February 1992

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Okay. Today's comic actually came from the recent collection I bought. There's not a lot more information revealed in today's comic. It's more a continuation of the escape that ends the previous issue. We're still somewhat in the dark about who the Next Men are and what and how they can do things. Having lived in a virtual reality all their lives, there are moments where the differences between the real world and the virtual world are pointed out. At one point Danny, the speedster, has to stop because he has blisters on his feet that he's never had there before. And Jack tries to "make" a weapon like the guns being used against the group out of thin air, perhaps suggesting that there was an aspect of wish fulfillment in The Greenery, their virtual prison.

Once again, brilliant layout work, and, given the era, a very different take on superheroes. It's worth remembering that this is the time of Liefeld and McFarlane over at Marvel and then Image, so Byrne's work here is not only reacting to that, but demonstrating, at least to me, a different way superheroes went during a traditionally pretty silly era.

I have the first 8 issues consecutively, so I'll probably make my way through those this week. More to follow.

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