History YMMV / AstroCity

* CommonKnowledge: So, everybody knows that Samaritan is supposed to be ComicBook/{{Superman}}, the First Family are expies of the ComicBook/FantasticFour, and Jack-in-the-Box is really ComicBook/SpiderMan, right? Actually, nope. WordOfGod says Astro City characters are supposed to be... themselves, and are simple drawn from general archetypes common in superhero fiction and beyond, and not meant to be direct references to any specific Marvel/DC characters. This is a pet peeve for Creator/KurtBusiek.

* CommonKnowledge: So, everybody knows that Samaritan is supposed to be ComicBook/{{Superman}}, the First Family are expies of the ComicBook/FantasticFour, and Jack-in-the-Box is really ComicBook/SpiderMan, right? Actually, nope. WordOfGod says Astro City characters are supposed to be... themselves, and are simple drawn from general archetypes common in superhero fiction and beyond, and not meant to be direct references to any specific Marvel/DC characters. This is a pet peeve of Creator/KurtBusiek.

* CommonKnowledge: So, everybody knows that Samaritan is supposed to be ComicBook/Superman, the First Family are expies of the ComicBook/FantasticFour, and Jack-in-the-Box is really ComicBook/SpiderMan, right? Actually, nope. WordOfGod says Astro City characters are supposed to be... themselves, and are simple drawn from general archetypes common in superhero fiction and beyond, and not meant to be direct references to any specific Marvel/DC characters. This is a pet peeve of Creator/KurtBusiek.

** [[FauxAffablyEvil Deke "the Deacon" M(a)cManus]] has no superpowers or doomsday plans, but more than makes up for it in sheer ambitious depravity. After serving as the top lieutenant for mob boss Joey "The Platypus" Platapopoulous for many years, the Deacon made his move for power by igniting the most awful gang war Astro City has ever seen, bombing gangs turfs and killing the bosses' loved ones, then framing other crime lords for the acts to instigate bloody battles throughout the city. As hundreds of people are caught up in the bloodshed, the Deacon [[TheStarscream murders Joey]], unleashes the psychopathic [[PsychopathicManchild Jitterjack]] onto the city, and manipulates Black Velvet into murdering the criminals who once brutally tortured and experimented on her, something the Deacon himself had a hand in. Upon assuming control of the annihilated gangs, the Deacon cornered the market on drug running, arms trades, and human trafficking throughout Astro City, and continues to be a plague upon its civilians and heroes alike to this day.

*** Issues #5 ("Thumbtacks & Yarn") & #38 ( [[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate Dr. Aegyptus]] is an Egyptian-themed supervillain from the early 1900s in Astro City. First introduced having stolen a mystical time-traveling artifact, Aegyptus uses it to kidnap black men, women and children, taking them back to the 1700s and [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil selling them into slavery]] to use the proceeds to buy magical artifacts in the past before anyone is aware of their true value. Later resurfacing with a new plan, Aegyptus plans to sacrifice a crowded theater full of innocent people in 1917 to summon an EldritchAbomination to hand the very world over to it, resulting in everything that lives being devoured in return for Aegyptus gaining ultimate power.

** [[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate Dr. Aegyptus]] is an Egyptian-themed supervillain from the early 1900s in Astro City. First introduced having stolen a mystical time-traveling artifact, Aegyptus uses it to kidnap black men, women and children, taking them back to the 1700s and [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil selling them into slavery]] to use the proceeds to buy magical artifacts in the past before anyone is aware of their true value. Later resurfacing with a new plan, Aegyptus plans to sacrifice a crowded theater full of innocent people in 1917 to summon an EldritchAbomination to hand the very world over to it, resulting in everything that lives being devoured in return for Aegyptus gaining ultimate power.
** "Sorrowsday": [[BloodKnight Krigari Ironhand]] started out as an entity native to the Unterverse who [[AsskickingLeadsToLeadership slaughtered his way to a position of power and strength]], becoming a [[GalacticConqueror galactic tyrant]] with a perpetual lust for war and blood. Decimating entire worlds and races with the few survivors forced to toil at his armies with slaves and destroying billions of innocents, Krigari's psychotic crusade takes him to Earth once the disguised Quiqui-a, Eth, tells him he is destined to be defeated at the hands of Astro City's Honor Guard. Repeatedly attempting to destroy Earth, Krigari ultimately binds his soul to an artifact called the Dark Opal to make himself invincible and crush all his enemies, with only the HeroicSacrifice of the noble Stormhawk putting an end to Krigari's [[OmnicidalManiac universe-destroying crusade]].

* HilariousInHindsight: The "Confessions" arc features a race of shapeshifting aliens manipulating public opinion against superheroes in order to soften the Earth up for an invasion. This is eerily similar to Marvel's ''ComicBook/CivilWar2015'' and ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion'' events some years later.

* ArcFatigue: Experienced by fans during the ScheduleSlip of the earlier issues, more recently due to the years of publishing time dedicated to the 16-issue "Dark Age" storyline.

** ''The Dark Age'': [[DarkIsEvil Aubrey Jason, later known as Lord Sovereign]], was a [[AncientConspiracy PYRAMID]] operative who killed a random couple to escape superhero pursuers, resulting in the couple's children growing up with a burning hatred towards him. Later pursuing him, the brothers force Jason to leave PYRAMID and go on the run. Attempting to escape them, Jason causes a massive amount of terrorist attacks that claim multiple innocent lives to throw them off his trail until he harnesses mystical energies to make himself into a superpowered being. Christening himself "Lord Sovereign", Jason threatens to force the brothers to relive their parents' murder for eternity and intends on draining the minds of everyone in Astro City to make them his slaves while repeating this process across the world.

** Issue #17--"Sorrowsday": [[BloodKnight Krigari Ironhand]] started out as an entity native to the Unterverse who [[AsskickingLeadsToLeadership slaughtered his way to a position of power and strength]], becoming a [[GalacticConqueror galactic tyrant]] with a perpetual lust for war and blood. Decimating entire worlds and races with the few survivors forced to toil at his armies with slaves and destroying billions of innocents, Krigari's psychotic crusade takes him to Earth once the disguised Quiqui-a, Eth, tells him he is destined to be defeated at the hands of Astro City's Honor Guard. Repeatedly attempting to destroy Earth, Krigari ultimately binds his soul to an artifact called the Dark Opal to make himself invincible and crush all his enemies, with only the HeroicSacrifice of the noble Stormhawk putting an end to Krigari's [[OmnicidalManiac universe-destroying crusade]].

** Issue #17--"Sorrowsday": [[BloodKnight Krigari Ironhand]] started out as an entity native to the Unterverse who [[AuthorityGrantsAsskicking slaughtered his way to a position of power and strength]], becoming a [[GalacticConqueror galactic tyrant]] with a perpetual lust for war and blood. Decimating entire worlds and races with the few survivors forced to toil at his armies with slaves and destroying billions of innocents, Krigari's psychotic crusade takes him to Earth once the disguised Quiqui-a, Eth, tells him he is destined to be defeated at the hands of Astro City's Honor Guard. Repeatedly attempting to destroy Earth, Krigari ultimately binds his soul to an artifact called the Dark Opal to make himself invincible and crush all his enemies, with only the HeroicSacrifice of the noble Stormhawk putting an end to Krigari's [[OmnicidalManiac universe-destroying crusade]].

* HilariousInHindsight: The "Confessions" arc features a race of shapeshifting aliens manipulating public opinion against superheroes in order to soften the Earth up for an invasion. This is eerily similar to Marvel's ''ComicBook/CivilWar'' and ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion'' events some years later.

** ''Samaritan'': [[ArchEnemy The Infidel]] is one of Astro City's greatest threats and a wicked contrast to his enemy's unfailing virtue. Born [[FromNobodyToNightmare Kiyu]] and possessed of an ever-constant curiosity of the world and how it worked, Kiyu eventually absorbed the power of the Empyrean fires and slaughtered those who would defy and oppress him. Branded a monstrous infidel, Kiyu [[AppropriatedAppellation happily takes the title for his own]] and travels across reality to use countless people from across time to use as fodder for experimentation, slaves, or his own pleasure, goading many into becoming subservient to him by saving them from many of the world's greatest disasters only to enslave them. When fought against by the Samatarian, the Infidel devastated the world and tried to destroy or enslave those close to his enemy countless times, even obliterating the entire world before finally making a pact of peace with his enemy when both realized the fight would be never-ending. Even in the present day where the Infidel seems to be a RetiredMonster, he still actively schemes to subtly corrupt the Samatarian during their annual peace meetings, with even the prospect of a potential redemption for the Infidel left doubtful in lieu of the Infidel's perpetual crusade to slake his curiosity and trump over his nemesis no matter who has to suffer.

** One-shot villain [[BloodKnight Krigari the Ironhanded]] started out as an entity native to the Unterverse who [[AuthorityGrantsAsskicking slaughtered his way to a position of power and strength]], becoming a [[GalacticConqueror galactic tyrant]] with a perpetual lust for war and blood. Decimating entire worlds and races with the few survivors forced to toil at his armies with slaves and destroying billions of innocents, Krigari's psychotic crusade takes him to Earth once the disguised Quiqui-a, Eth, tells him he is destined to be defeated at the hands of Astro City's Honor Guard. Repeatedly attempting to destroy Earth, Krigari ultimately binds his soul to an artifact called the Dark Opal to make himself invincible and crush all his enemies, with only the HeroicSacrifice of the noble Stormhawk putting an end to the Ironhanded's [[OmnicidalManiac universe-destroying crusade]].

* MoralEventHorizon: Doctor Aegyptus' mass kidnapping on its own would be bad enough, but then it turns out he's exclusively kidnapping black people, taking them back to before the American Civil War, and ''selling them into slavery''.
* NightmareFuel: Gormenghast, and what he does to Crackerjack. The man may have been a jerk, [[spoiler:but violently harvesting him for tissue samples to make an army of clones isn't what anyone deserves.]]
* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: Nadia First in the backstory of the First Family. She ditches Augustus the instant the chance to marry someone with more wealth and power comes up, then runs back to him the instant ''that'' becomes untenable.

** One-shot villain [[BloodKnight Krigari the Ironhanded]] started out as an entity native to the Unterverse who [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking slaughtered his way to a position of power and strength]], becoming a [[GalacticConqueror galactic tyrant]] with a perpetual lust for war and blood. Decimating entire worlds and races with the few survivors forced to toil at his armies with slaves and destroying billions of innocents, Krigari's psychotic crusade takes him to Earth once the disguised Quiqui-a, Eth, tells him he is destined to be defeated at the hands of Astro City's Honor Guard. Repeatedly attempting to destroy Earth, Krigari ultimately binds his soul to an artifact called the Dark Opal to make himself invincible and crush all his enemies, with only the HeroicSacrifice of the noble Stormhawk putting an end to the Ironhanded's [[OmnicidalManiac universe-destroying crusade]].

* IdiotPlot: In the "Victory" arc, the Council of Nike cuts off Winged Victory from a significant portion of her power, inhibiting her ability to prove her innocence and nearly discrediting her entire female-empowerment organization... all because they disapprove of her relationship with Samaritan and her membership in the male-dominated Honor Guard. This may have been invoked deliberately to show their micromanaging and leanings toward a StrawFeminist stance were doing Winged Victory more harm than good and thus lent more motivation to her reaffirming what ''she'' wants to do.

* DiagnosedByTheAudience: Atomicus looks and talks like an adult human being, but is emotionally underdeveloped. It's implied that this is because he is YoungerThanHeLooks.

* UncannyValley:
** American Chibi is meant to invoke this anyway, with her oversized head and giant eyes, but when drawn in Alex Ross's photorealistic style, it's the stuff of nightmares.
** Beautie is a deliberate case of this, where her proportions and appearance are borrowing their appearance from a fashion doll. She's unnervingly thin and long-necked, her expression never changes, she has visible joints in places, and her clothes have a tendency to rumple and not fit in the same way a doll's clothes do. Even the way she moves and poses is deliberately stiff, as if it takes her effort to bend her knees and elbows.

** Beautie is a deliberate case of this, where her proportions and appearance are borrowing their appearance from a fashion doll. She's unnervingly thin and long-necked, her expression never changes, she has visible joints in places, and her clothes have a tendency to rumple and not fit in the same way a doll's clothes do. Even the way she moves and poses is deliberately stiff, as if it takes her effort to bend her knees and elbows.

** Beautie is a deliberate case of this, where her proportions and appearance are borrowing their appearance from a fashion doll. She's unnervingly thin and long-necked, she has visible joints in places, and her clothes have a tendency to rumple and not fit in the same way a doll's clothes do. Even the way she moves and poses is deliberately stiff, as if it takes her effort to bend her knees and elbows.

* UncannyValley: American Chibi is meant to invoke this anyway, with her oversized head and giant eyes, but when drawn in Alex Ross's photorealistic style, it's the stuff of nightmares.

* HarsherInHindsight: In the "Victory" arc, Winged Victory is accused of EngineeredHeroics, leading to her detractors chanting "LOCK HER UP! LOCK HER UP!" A few years later, "Lock her up!" would become a major slogan in the Donald Trump Presidential campaign against Hillary Clinton.

* NightmareFuel: Gormenghast, and what he does to Crackerjack. The man may have been a jerk, [[spoiler:but violently harvesting him for tissue samples to make an army of clones isn't what anyone deserves.]]

** One-shot villain [[BloodKnight Krigari the Ironhanded]] started out as an entity native to the Unterverse who [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking slaughtered his way to a position of power and strength]], becoming a [[GalacticConquerer galactic tyrant]] with a perpetual lust for war and blood. Decimating entire worlds and races with the few survivors forced to toil at his armies with slaves and destroying billions of innocents, Krigari's psychotic crusade takes him to Earth once the disguised Quiqui-a, Eth, tells him he is destined to be defeated at the hands of Astro City's Honor Guard. Repeatedly attempting to destroy Earth, Krigari ultimately binds his soul to an artifact called the Dark Opal to make himself invincible and crush all his enemies, with only the HeroicSacrifice of the noble Stormhawk putting an end to the Ironhanded's [[OmnicidalManiac universe-destroying crusade]].

** [[FauxAffablyEvil Deke "the Deacon" M(a)cManus]] has no superpowers or doomsday plans, but more than makes up for it in sheer ambitious depravity. After serving as the top lieutenant for mob boss Joey "thr Platypus" Platapopoulous for many years, the Deacon made his move for power by igniting the most awful gang war Astro City has ever seen, bombing gangs turfs and killing the bosses' loved ones, then framing other crime lords for the acts to instigate bloody battles throughout the city. As hundreds of people are caught up in the bloodshed, the Deacon [[TheStarscream murders Joey]], unleashes the psychopathic [[PsychopathicManchild Jitterjack]] onto the city, and manipulates Black Velvet into murdering the criminals who once brutally tortured and experimented on her, something the Deacon himself had a hand in. Upon assuming control of the annihilated gangs, the Deacon cornered the market on drug running, arms trades, and human trafficking throughout Astro City, and continues to be a plague upon its civilians and heroes alike to this day.

** ''Samatarian'': [[ArchEnemy The Infidel]] is one of Astro City's greatest threats and a wicked contrast to his enemy's unfailing virtue. Born [[FromNobodyToNightmare Kiyu]] and possessed of an ever-constant curiosity of the world and how it worked, Kiyu eventually absorbed the power of the Empyrean fires and slaughtered those who would defy and oppress him. Branded a monstrous infidel, Kiyu [[AppropriatedAppellation happily takes the title for his own]] and travels across reality to use countless people from across time to use as fodder for experimentation, slaves, or his own pleasure, goading many into becoming subservient to him by saving them from many of the world's greatest disasters only to enslave them. When fought against by the Samatarian, the Infidel devastated the world and tried to destroy or enslave those close to his enemy countless times, even obliterating the entire world before finally making a pact of peace with his enemy when both realized the fight would be never-ending. Even in the present day where the Infidel seems to be a RetiredMonster, he still actively schemes to subtly corrupt the Samatarian during their annual peace meetings, with even the prospect of a potential redemption for the Infidel left doubtful in lieu of the Infidel's perpetual crusade to slake his curiosity and trump over his nemesis no matter who has to suffer.

* IdiotPlot: In the "Victory" arc, the Council of Nike cuts off Winged Victory from a significant portion of her power, inhibiting her ability to prove her innocence and nearly discrediting her entire female-empowerment organization... all because they disapprove of her relationship with Samaritan and her membership in the male-dominated Honor Guard.