Astro City Metrobook Volume 5 (Paperback)

Star creators Kurt Busiek, Brent Anderson, Alex Ross and friends bring you more stories that changed how we think about superheroes.

Quarrel and Crackerjack have been crimefighters for years, but now face aging and retirement. Former super-criminal Steeljack helps an old lover solve a dangerous mystery. The First Family face peril on a far-flung planet. Plus much more, from dangerous dreams threatening Samaritan, the world’s greatest hero, to a day in the life of a sorcerer’s assistant. Comics legends Kurt Busiek, Brent Anderson, Alex Ross and friends continue to showcase the human within the superhuman.

Collects ASTRO CITY Vol. 3 #11-16 & 25-34

Kurt Busiek broke in as a comics writer in 1982, with stories in Green Lantern #162 and Power Man & Iron Fist #90, both out the same day. Since then, he’s worked on just about everything from Action Comics to Zot!, including runs on Avengers, Iron Man, Superman, Conan, and others, along with co-creating Thunderbolts, The Power Company and more. Best known for his work on the multiple-award-winning Marvels and ASTRO CITY, he’s been turning more and more to creator-owned work of late, including such projects as ARROWSMITH, Superstar, Shockrockets and THE WIZARD'S TALE, and is currently working on more ASTRO CITY along with his new series THE AUTUMNLANDS, drawn by Benjamin Dewey.

Born in Portland, Oregon, and raised in Lubbock, Texas, Alex made his artistic debut at three when, according to his mother, he grabbed a piece of paper and drew the contents of a television commercial he'd seen moments before. By age 13 he was scripting and drawing original comic books. Ten years later? He was hired by Marvel Comics to illustrate Marvel's central characters in the comic book event, Marvels (1994).

Having established himself creatively and financially with superhero projects, Ross turned to the real world with Uncle Sam, a 96-page story that took a hard look at the dark side of American history. Like Marvels, the individual issues of Uncle Sam were collected into a single volume - first in hardcover, then in paperback - and remain in print today. Ross would eventually go on to win the Comic Buyer's Guide Award for Favorite Painter. He won so many times that the award was officially retired.

Alex's work has celebrated the 60th anniversaries of Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman with fully painted, tabloid-sized books, depicting each of these characters using their powers to inspire humanity as well as help them.

In recent years, Ross has applied his artistic skills to outside projects with comic book roots, including a limited-edition promotional poster for the Academy Awards. In 2015, Alex was chosen by Apple Corps LTD to be commissioned as the first artist in over 30 years to paint the Fab Four. Driven by the Beatles legendary music and inspired by the generation's new trends in art, "Yellow Submarine" is a classic of animated cinema. Alex has often been referred to as 'the Norman Rockwell of comics' yet his "Yellow Submarine" piece reveals the similarly powerful influence of master surrealist Salvador Dali, whom Alex has also recognized as a guiding influence on his style.

Forty years ago, Spider-Man learned that with great power comes great responsibility. Looking at Alex Ross, it's obvious the lesson took.

Looking back, it makes perfect sense that Alex Ross would become one of the world's most preeminent and well-respected comic book artists. It's a job he's been preparing for nearly all his life.

Brent Anderson is an American comics artist known for his work on X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills and the comic book series ASTRO CITY.

Jesús Merino is a Spanish comic book artist, best known in the American comic industry for his collaborations with penciller Carlos Pacheco.

Merino is known for his work on Avengers Forever, Superman/Batman and Green Lantern, Justice Society of America, Superman, Batman, and ASTRO CITY.

Joe Infurnari is an acclaimed comics writer and illustrator living in Brooklyn. His work has been recognized with multiple Eisner nominations. He is the illustrator of First Second’s Mush!

Gary Chaloner is an Australian comic book artist, writer and publisher. He is known for his creations The Jackaroo, Flash Damingo, Red Kelso and The Undertaker Morton Stone, as well as his work on Will Eisner's John Law.