That Bulletproof Kid #1
Created and Written by Matt Kyme
Art by Arthur Strickland
Letters by Brendan Halyday
Release Date: April 2014
Cover Price: $5.00 ($1.00 Digital)

Life as a teenager is rough, being no longer a child and not quite an adult. And like many of us did, sometimes you just want the power to be something or someone else. That’s pretty much what That Bulletproof Kid #1 is all about: finding your place in the world as it is rather than as you would have it be. Of course it’s hard to fight crime and still get your homework done on time; that’s the point of being a superhero, right?

Anthony Fischer is a typical guy trying to make his way through school (whilst wearing a Black Flag shirt). Trying to explain to friends where he’s been and why he’s been out of touch is difficult; mostly because fighting crime isn’t something you broadcast. Having to contend with bad attitudes and bullies is just another facet of his life. He even catches a bit of grief from Crusader, the hero to whom he is a sidekick, for being late. Going out on a quick mission, things seem typical at first but quickly turn dangerous. When their companion Wormhole disappears, Crusader and Anthony find themselves facing the villainess Monochrome.

Creator (and writer) Matt Kyme has his eye on the ball with this offering. Creating a down to earth character with superpowers isn’t that uncommon, but giving him the same problems and issues with which every teenager deals is something unique. Peer pressure is more than apparent here as Anthony tries to deal with his friends and classmates in a few social settings.

Working with Matt on this project is Arthur Strickland. A relative newcomer to the field, his artwork has tremendous potential. While some panels are far superior to others, overall I like his work and look forward to seeing more of it in the future.

Being an independent comic from Australia, I’m not sure where you can get a physical copy of the book, but the digital copy is available quite easily and is definitely worth a read. Being a huge fan of creator owned and indie comics, I urge you to jump in and see what you think. I bet you like it!