Rugg and Maruca survey the decades long existence of the baddest, black hero of them all, Afrodisiac. By using a variety of art styles and storytelling methods, the duo provide a fascinating chronicle of the changing superhero and the black identity in comics. The gorgeous volume includes covers (with coffee stains, creases, and random pen markings), toy advertisements, and even a promo for the animated series. Some of the stories are complete, some not. Through frequent origin changes -- Alan Deashler gets his powers from a deal with the devil, nuclear waste, an old beat up stick (his "pimp stick"), and a top secret government program (he was a skinny white kid before the experiments) -- and a wide of range of genres from adventure to super hero to horror to romance, Rugg and Maruca manage to craft a cohesive story in this extraordinary graphic novel. ( )

Hmmm, interesting. A little confusing for this less-than-veteran graphic novel/comic book reader; it read more like a scrapbook with experimental storylines and drawings and random ideas scattered throughout. ( )