Indie Comic Review: Fisticuffs 2 & 3

Fisticuffs isn't necessarily a superhero story. I mean, it is in that it deals with superpowers and heroes, and monsters... But that's mainly the vehicle to tell a much different kind of story. If you go into the issues expecting traditional superhero flair, you'll probably be disappointed. And that's kind of the point, the same way if you go into the television show Shameless looking for a hopeful character drama. Shameless isn't This Is Us the same way that Fisticuffs isn't Superman. But it does address the superpower question in a unique way, involving comedy, degeneracy, and a surprising amount of heart.

The first issue ends with Nick exploding a woman in his friend's bedroom. The second issue picks up in the aftermath of the incident as Nick has to go home and reconcile with the fact that he now has these superpowers that can get him into a lot of trouble. Stories like this tend to fall into familiar territory as the protagonist begins experimenting with their powers, but that's not what happens here as Nick doesn't want to be a hero. He attempts to as monsters attack and he goes out in search of crime in issue 3, but he's in way over his head and winds up beaten up by... Well, I'm not going to spoil it for you. 

Shameless is a great comparison for the book as that show routinely tried to scrape the bottom of the barrel with its characters. Nick is an alcoholic with no aspirations, and yet he finds himself in a very rare position with superpowers. He's torn between wanting to live his life and doing the right thing, and yet, as a screw-up, he finds it very hard to succeed. Because of this, traditional superhero fans won't understand the nuance the story is taking. There isn't world-ending stakes or flashy battles. But there's something endearing about Nick struggling between apathy and trying to find the right path as he attends his mandatory AA meetings. It's not always a pleasant journey, as Shameless can often be, but the odd combination of sci-fi, degenerate comedy, and specks of hope make for an interesting read.