Sidekick

J. Michael Straczynski and Tom Mandrake teamed up for this 12-issue Image Comics series (2013–2015) that flips the superhero script by focusing on the unsung, often brutal life of a sidekick. After his mentor, the world's greatest hero, is murdered, a young man must navigate a corrupt system of legacy, exploitation, and his own dark secrets. Straczynski’s sharp, character-driven writing paired with Mandrake’s moody, expressive art creates a gritty, psychological deconstruction of the sidekick archetype. It’s a taut, self-contained story that matters for its unflinching look at the cost of hero worship.