Superheroes in text seldom work. Recently a comic novel came out that revolved around a psychiatrist for a superhero group modeled on, as they usually are, DC’s classic Justice League of America heroes. The idea had promise, but the writing was so bad (or at least I found it to be so) that I stopped reading it.However, Soon I Will Be Invincible proved a lot better, and sure, basically because it’s better written. Grossman again bases most of his heroes on the main DC characters…Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Dr. Fate / Zantara, etc….but makes them distinct figures that reflect on the originals in interesting ways, without just copying them.
Moreover, he manages to ping pong the book back and forth between two perspectives, that of novice superhero and distaff Cyborg knock-off Fatale, and that of the main villain, a Lex Luthor type named Doctor Impossible. The latter is given some level of superpowers, enough so that he can fight superheroes without straining credulity that he isn’t taken out with one punch. (Those fights with Doc Ock in Spider-Man II are cool, but c’mon, the first time Spidey connects a good one, he’d take Ock’s head off.) However, it’s Impossible’s super-intelligence that makes him truly dangerous, and the book manages to convince us that this is so.
Both Impossible and Fatale have interesting ‘voices,’ and both are jaundiced about superheroes in (obviously) different ways. Also nice is that the book seems to straddle the line between the Golden Age and more cynical modern age of comics. Doctor Impossible does evil because, well, he’s a villain. Even he seems aware that he’s caught in a loop, but doesn’t quite seem able to break free of it.
Meanwhile, although still living in a universe where heroes and villains seldom actually kill each other, the grimmer tone of more modern comics seems to be staining this universe. Whether Doctor Impossible succeeds in taking over the world or not seems in many ways a battle to see what sort of universe this will remain.The superpowers are used intelligently, the violence is realistic (Doctor Impossible describes his serial pummelings at the fists of various super-foes as being like in a quick succession of car crashes), and again, the characters are well fleshed out. I’m too uptight to root for Doctor Impossible, but he’s believable and understandable, and I genuinely wasn’t sure if he’d prove triumphant in the end. The heroes are often less than sympathetic, much less likeable, but not in an exaggerated fashion.Mr. Grossman manages to comment on comic books without any sense that he feels above them. The book isn’t the greatest thing ever, but it is a solidly crafted effort that is likely to be enjoyed by any comics or sci-fi buff. Like good comics themselves, it’s fun.
*****
I include a link for anyone who wants to buy a copy, but remember your local library is always there to loan you stuff like this for free (aside from the taxes, but you already paid those).
