Archive for May, 2009

Spotlight: Union of Heroes

Monday, May 4th, 2009


What do you get when you take sequential photographs and add word balloons to it? You get Union of Heroes by Arne Schulenberg & Eric Wünsche. I’ve spent some time going through the archive trying to come up with a way to describe this masterpiece only to find I really can’t describe it easily. Take a regular joe, named Marc who wakes up one morning to find a mysterious figure cooking him breakfast (The One Who Knows) and ends up telling him he is needed in a parallel world where superheroes exist not in the pages of comic books but in real life. We discover along with Marc that his doppelganger from this parallel world has gone missing and Marc will need to take his place there. Your head may very well start spinning trying to grasp the concept, but belive me, it is a good kind of dizzy.

From there you are thrust along with Marc on his journey to discover his place in this mirror Earth along with a few other characters that have been introduced thus far in the storyline. Updated every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the story is already into Episode 3. The photography by Jens Sundheim is superb, full of rich scenery that helps you enter this world and believe it could be happening right this very minute. The dialog is crisp with a few typos here and there, but that is only because this gem is produced in Germany and they really don’t distract from being able to read along. You will find yourself immersed in this world and wanting more. But be patient and enjoy the ride as it is far from over. In fact, it has only just started!

The website is fantastic and easy to navigate with archives, character bios, media including buddy-icons, banners, a you-tube documentary about Union of Heroes, podcasts and more. You can also buy comics & graphic novels from Germany through their storefront powered by amazon.de.

So if you want a comic that combines the richness of photography with a story that holds your attention firmly, head on over to The Union of Heroes and strap yourself in, keeping your arms and legs in the car at all times while it is moving. Enjoy the ride!