A while ago I took at look at the first issue of Mark Russel, Steve Lieber, Dave Stewart, and Dave Sharpe’s One-Star Squadron and its approach to a heroic office comedy. At the time, the book was this oddity of a mini-series: Red Tornado, Power Girl, and a collection of z-tier characters from the DC Universe get involved in the gig economy. It was supposed to be something fun critiquing work for hire jobs and our own capitalistic hellscape from the perspective of down-on-their-luck heroes. But I should have known that the writer behind the beautifully tragic Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles was going to draw tears using a character whose superpowers only last sixty seconds.

One-Star Squadron is a look at how superheroes would work as an app service. With so many characters existing in the DC Universe, they need to make a living somehow. But from that initial point, the creators evolve the premise beyond the usual jokes of tech bros, NFTs, and office politics. Red Tornado is the manager at the local HEROZ4U office and has to deal with being hated by most of his coworkers while also helping out an old hero with amnesia and another who just wants a shot at true heroism. Unfolding from there is that office drama and jokes about tech bros, but also a look at people caught up in a system that refuses to treat them with dignity due to who they are as lower tier heroes.

I wrote previously on how One-Star Squadron is a comedy series that draws you in before knocking you down with its view of humanity and that’s continued throughout the series. And in the case of a hero like Minute-Man, we get to see that develop more than anyone else. Known by his hero name, or simply Terry, he’s a joke before he speaks his first line. He gets his powers from a pill that lasts only one minute in his system, so he’s derided for being next to useless for any kind of gig outside of birthday parties and store openings. But he knows he can do more if he’s given the chance. And Red Tornado wants to do right for him—even if he neglects the others in the office, he can make sure at least one hero is able to make his way in the world. And despite the missteps, the coup in the office, and the fire, he does make sure Terry is able to make it.

I didn’t think I would ever cry over an “employee of the year” medal someone made for themselves. That’s the power of this story and the way it reminds us of those incongruous pieces of ourselves. As much as we would like to imagine the good we would do if given superpowers, sometimes the only good we can do is to help one person. And that’s more than enough. 

Get excited. Get helping. 

Drew Barth (Episode 331, 485, & 510) resides in Winter Park, FL. He received his MFA from the University of Central Florida.