Astro City #24

While offering glimpses into the world Sticks left behind, and his reasons for doing so, the latest issue of Astro City concludes the warrior-ape turned drummer turned super-hero turned nomad's story which includes a stint with the super-group Reflex 6 who, among other adventures, fought to close illegal alien speakeasies in Astro City where human brain chemistry and dreams were the drug of choice for an elite clientele. Like super-apes who play the drums are known to do.

As with the opening issue to this two-part tale Astro City #24 offers some twists and turns as Sticks struggles to find his role in Astro City where it's too dangerous to be a drummer and too hard to be a hero. His solution, thanks in part to an unexpected pep-talk from the Samaritan allows the character to create an unorthodox solution that not only allows him to live the life he's always wanted but still find a way to put his obvious skills to use. And if he's got to occasionally dress up in a monkey suit, so to speak, well that's a small price to pay for finding the freedom to play beautiful music. Isn't it? Worth a look.

[Vertigo, $3.99]