Astro City: Astra #2

By Kurt Busiek

Background on a fool called Donato a.k.a. Armageddon, who wanted all existence to end when he did, so endeavored to create a reverse Big Bang, which Astra's fam had attempted to stop the destruction, with Astra doing the heavy work. She explains to Matt how this memory he saw had been a decade ago for her, but 10 million years ago "universal time". Matt deduces Astra created where they currently were, the Gordian Knot, she having helped support the stability of the universe with her mind for a few years before developing a generator. Astra mentions of where the Knot is bound, the connecting universes being able to inter-trade with each other, as well as some people even starting to help the more merged planets stuck closer to where the destruction began.

When Matt inquires of her plans to help more closely with the merged planets, she states of it being up in the air for her, still and then the chat devolving to the fake news company, and Matt's weird insecurity for being halfheartedly paparazzi'd. Then, they're met by another ex, Prince Gavrad, telling her of a party and bantering before flying off. Astra decides to take Matt to the party after sharing Gav also had a gf, Carissa. Astra leads Matt to a spot where he could fly with strap-on wings, Astra saving a girl who flew too close to the outside, she taking the sex hungry Matt further away from the antigrav sex rooms to the nucleus of the Knot where the rescue team had already successfully extracted 3 planets in the last year.

Astra explains this is what she was offered to help with, she then finally asking what'd been on her mind, Matt stutteringly trying to play dumb, but Astra knowing he had recording devices on him, but were disabled. Matt comes clean with getting paid by the fake news company, he knowing her hedging him for so long had meant she'd be dumping him soon. Astra clarifies she hadn't even known, yet and Matt finally starts apologizing, he next helping her realize, the way she was talking about the Knot made it sound as if she'd made up her mind already on working there. She realizes the truth of this, Matt next offering the possibility of staying together, which she doesn't, but thanks him when he states of not sharing anything with the tabloid and wouldn't take their pay, which shows to be bullshit.

Astra then meets Gav again after a few hours, he showing her how her break up had already made news. Angrily, Astra steams about it for a moment before resolving to take the job to help the Knot, and also join Skysweeper, Jason's team. There's a narrative of Astra having relayed all of this to her ma, and not being able to complain about what the future held. Fair enough story, definitely a quick read. After I finish the 5 issue set connected to this, I don't think I'll be continuing any further, unless I somehow get touched by the art or story. This is fairly typical fare, though.