Space Punch

French artist ZD debuts with a fitfully entertaining manga-style superhero story. In a city overrun by organized crime, cocky police sergeant Zack Kazuma zips around on his motorcycle bringing perps to justice, while his younger brother Joe struggles to keep his job as a bicycle delivery boy. During a visit to their family’s cabin in the woods, they dig up their father’s old sports equipment and discover, independently, that Dad’s ball cap and boxing glove grant them superpowers. “I have a burning desire to punch something!” gasps Joe, and in no time he’s knocking out biker gangs and wowing the regulars at the neighborhood boxing gym. Meanwhile, the cap gives Zack headaches and an obsession with justice. The comic takes most of the first volume to establish its premise and barely has time to set up hints of darker twists to come (in a touch of body horror, the magic accessories fuse to their wearers’ bodies). The artwork boasts a retro 1980s–1990s manga look, with unadorned linework and ample speed lines. Though some of the supporting cast, like Joe’s bickering employers, are neatly caricatured, the main characters are blandly designed. The conflict between brothers has potential, but the meandering pace and so-so art keep this from standing out in a crowded manga market. (Jan.)