All the work Busiek did setting up the world of Astro City in vol. 1 completely pays off in this fantastic story arc. Instead of one-off stories of citizens of the superhero-laden metropolis, we get an in-depth, intricate view of superheroism from the point of view of a small-town boy moving to Astro City in hopes of becoming a crime fighter. What follows is a moving, personal fantasy that still manages to include a thrilling storyline with great twists and an epic scope.