Image © Rob Williams & Simon Coleby.

In many superhero stories the character who gains power is the weakling, the downtrodden, the unlucky victim. It’s wish-fulfillment for readers, and perhaps writers and artists, too. This series goes in the complete opposite direction, giving powers to the royal families of Europe. Already privileged politically and financially, they have the added benefit of superhuman abilities. Yet, to keep the balance of power, they’ve all agreed NOT to use their abilities to help the regular citizens in wartime, instead allowing their country’s soldiers to die in droves while they play in their palaces. One young royal finds this as reprehensible as we, the readers do, and he decides to buck the trend. The result is momentarily heartening, but…will it simply bring more destruction when the other royals join in?

This series owes something to Alan Moore’s MIRACLEMAN, and making the title characters likeable is going to be an uphill battle, if that’s the plan, but the first issue is a good read, and I’m interested to see where it goes. The art and writing are both well done.

Recommended.