Kristof’s cinematic graphic novel offers an intimate and unsettling portrait of a city built on the myth of heroism and the quiet decay beneath it. December 1957. Retired hero Captain John “Atomic Ace” McAllister is living in relative peace with his daughter, Kayla, in a city convinced it no longer needs saving. But the city’s peace fractures when an admirer-turned-stalker targets the legacy he worships. When violence engulfs the city, father and daughter must confront an enemy whose devotion has curdled into obsession.
Kristof’s characters are hard-edged and haunted, driven by both regret and conviction. McAllister is a man burdened by sacrifice, grief, and the impossible expectations of a society that prefers legends over truths; his bond with Kayla gives the story its emotional depth. Simon’s antagonism stems not from conventional evil but from a deep, unsettling fixation. His admiration for the Ace warps into something darker, turning hero worship into a motive that exposes buried truths and triggers a wave of violence that feels both personal and unavoidable. Kayla’s transformation remains rooted in emotional and physical reality. Her arc foreshadows a bleak future in which legacy functions as both gift and burden. Paolo Reina and Roberta Sammarco blend subtle noir shading with dramatic color work. In doing so, their illustrations deepen the storytelling and enhance the book’s atmosphere.
Atmospheric, emotionally charged, and morally layered, this is a gripping origin story that examines the costs of heroism while heralding the rise of a new, haunted protector. A relentless page-turner.
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