It's cost effective.
Did you know that the trade for this title is only going for $10?
That's right, just ten measly dollars for the first four issues of this little gem. That's not too shabby when compared to the $3.99 cover price per issue.
So why haven't more people picked this title up yet?
I have no clue.
Personally I feel it's pretty remarkable. It's not the greatest thing since sliced bread but it's definitely found its way into the top five books that I'll be waiting for each month. If you're familiar with my attitude towards modern comics then you would know that's a strong statement.
There are some draw backs… The issues are short. I've found that a decent 20% of the comic is usually dedicated to a preview for another "BOOM!" comic and that's become annoying. That's not even including advertisements! Another problem is the cost per issue. I mentioned above that it's about $3.99 per issue and when compared to the actual content I sometimes feel like I'm getting gypped. But if you're one of those folks who enjoy promoting and contributing towards small press companies then maybe you won't mind as much. Personally, even with the discount I receive for having a pull list at my store, I feel a little cheated.
But in the end the story is so good that by the time I reach the last page all those issues are completely forgotten.
In this issue we find out how the Plutonian was responsible for the sonic virus tragedy which occurred while The Paradigm was still together. We also find out about a big secret that one of the old members has been fostering for a few issues. Bette Noir keeps taking steps to hide her elicit affair with the Plutonian even if it means risking her life and the life of her friends…
The pleasure I take in this series is how Mark Waid handles a superhero falling apart. In all the flashbacks with the Plutonian you see little by little how this guy is just drowning within himself. What's worse is that I can hardly blame him. The demands put on the Plutonian are completely unreasonable. This guy has impervious skin but not an impervious psyche. What's revealed in this issue with how the Plutonian was responsible was kind of sickening because it’s something you or I or anyone else could have done. Because we're humans, we make mistakes, we slip up, but heroes aren't allowed to. So this is what happens when a hero drops the ball and can't mentally hack it.
I highly recommend this.