Union of Heroes has been a favourite webcomic of mine for almost as long as Fera has existed. After being introduced to it, I do not know where, I found myself engrossed in this amazingly well produced tale of superheroes and parallel worlds.
We follow the story of Marc as he is transported to a parallel world where Super Heroes not only exist but his counterpart is missing in action. Thus far we’ve seen legends come to life, several heroes and villains have stepped into and out of the spotlight and all of this adds up to an amazing story from a talented group of people.
You see, Union of Heroes is in a comic form that within the community is often given bad press. We’ve all seen the photocomics showing lego characters photographed at awkward angles with lighting that is abysmal at best, yes? Sadly that is what springs to most of our minds when the term “photo comic” comes up. The humble photocomic has finally come of age with this production simply in how cleanly and professionally the comic has been produced- not to mention the brilliant writing.
Arne Schulenberg’s work with Union of Heroes, an amazing cast of characters (and actors) as well as a very professional photographer have proved that this particular form can be produced well and there are gems there if we look hard enough. I can see Union of Heroes becoming a flag ship for this form, as well as reviving a dying breed of Super Hero comics that rarely seem to offer anything new since the golden age.
As for our heroes, we have met a few so far- though none stand out so much as Marc Ridbeck, Lynn the Eternal Victim and the mysterious One Who Knows. In this universe, due to a latent mutation caused by his grandfather drinking contaminated water during a mining accident Marc now has the ability to absorb and manipulate metals- and once he becomes fully trained this should be a distinct advantage over the foes that are already rallying against him. Sadly THIS Marc, is not the fabled Erzengel of the heroes universe so it may take some time for him to take up the mantle that this new world desperately needs.
Lynn is by far my favourite character in UoH, as the Eternal Victim she struggles to maintain a normal life whilst cursed to take the place of any innocent who dies at the hand of another. A tragic history with a possible hidden lineage makes her character intriguing and a great counterpoint to Marc’s slightly less worldly nature.
The only short coming in Union of Heroes (if there is any at all) would be in the occasional awkward English translation of dialogue. Arne does his best, and those who have been assisting with this have done a fantastic job but it does on rare occasion crop up. For a comic being produced in two languages simultaneously by one man- this is an amazing feat and one or two unusual wordings are to be expected though he always manages to get the point across.
All in all, despite my initial concerns when told a year ago “there’s this really cool photocomic”, this is one that I have bookmarked and always take the time to read the latest posts. If you like Super Heroes, Drama, even just witty comics with a great story… or for those of you who really just want to look at good looking people for a change lol. You can’t get much better than Union of Heroes- in my eyes it does what the American TV show Heroes is attempting to do, it redefines what a super hero is once more, and this time with a larger helping of classic lineage in the comic world. If you want something that makes Heroes look like an amateur attempt at making a great super hero story for a modern audience- check out Union of Heroes. You won’t be disappointed.
