When Your Hero Is Real (Olympia #1 Review)
Updated: Jan 25, 2020
OLYMPIA #1
Writers: Curt & Tony Pires
Artist: Alex Diotto
Colorist: Dee Cunniffe
Letterer: Micha Myers
Publisher: Image Comics
Rating: 8/10
I love when I pick up a new book, have know idea what it's about and then absolutely love it. That was the case for OLYMPIA. Somehow I completely missed it when I was looking through the November solicits. But when I saw this cover I knew I had to learn more. It's not often a cover grabs me that quickly, but there was just something about it. Maybe it was the old school four coloring, or maybe just the simplicity of the image of a hero sitting back and looking at me. But I had to learn more.
Upon reading it I was instantly enamored. We're taken to the fictional world of New Olympus where are hero, the Olympian, is being attacked at his doorstep. Next thing you know, the camera pans out and we're looking down on the page of a comic book. It's here we meet Elon, the real "hero" of our tale. He's just your average comic book loving kid reading some comics when a meteor strikes down in the woods where he's hanging out. Next thing you know, after walking over to the crash site, we see that the hero from his comics is real. With his hero knocked out he seeks out a way to revive Olympian. It was his initial reaction that made me laugh out loud. He handled it much like most people would "What the F&^%!". Of course how else would think to save someone other getting him some "pills".
He's not exactly one of the popular kids and gets bullied, which makes perfect sense as to why he would get lost in his comics. But once he helps revive Olympian, it's there the hilarity ensues. These magic pills that he gives the hero (Vicodin and antibiotics) are like a miracle to this fabled hero. Again I couldn't help but laugh out loud. As the story concludes Olympian is looking to find his way home and that villain from the opening pages has somehow made his way to Earth.
The Pires' have created a story full of heart and humor and give the reader just enough to captivate and bring them back for more. Not to mention the art of Alex Diotto. I don't know where this dude has been hiding but I loved his art. Those opening pages had such a great Kirby vibe and he contrasted that with real world to the point that it almost felt like 2 different artist. Kudos dude.
In a marketplace that is full of such a wide range of genres and publishers, it's not always easy to launch new titles or stand out from the pack. This book did it for me though. I hope you all give this book a shot, it's definitely worth the price of admission. It's a fun read and the perfect book for those days when you need a break from the seriousness of life.