The basic plot is simple yet creative. Captain Dynamo was a great superhero with numerous abilities who protected Tower City. He married an intrepid reporter (and secret agent) named Maddie Warner. However, Captain Dynamo was also an unfaithful letch and constantly cheated on his wife, fathering numerous illegimate children. After Dynamo is murdered, Maddie gathers five of these illegimate children (each with a different aspect of Dynamo's powers) and forms Dynamo 5 to protect Tower City.
What makes the comic great is Faerber's excellent story telling and focus on the family dynamic aspect to the book. This is not new territory as Faerber, who is also the creator behind Noble Causes. I should mention that Image recently released two very affordable archive editions for Noble Causes (V.1 and v.2). Both are must reads and actually feature the first appearance (and death) of Captain Dynamo. I guess that makes Dynamo 5 a spin-off of Noble causes.
I have gushed enough. Go out and read these books. Although the series comes out monthy, I buy it and read it in trade. The third one came out this week, which prompted this post.
The trade titles and descriptions are:
Dynamo 5 Volume 1: Post-Nuclear Family--He was the world's greatest hero, but Captain Dynamo was not a faithful husband. Now he's dead and his family is trying to piece their lives together. As his enemies descend on his unprotected city. Captain Dynamo's widow rounds up his five illegitimate children, each of whom have inherited one of their father's super-powers. Can these total strangers come to terms with their powers, their father's legacy and each other as total chaos erupts?
Dynamo 5 Volume 2: Moments Of Truth--As the Dynamo 5 team's personal lives begin to overlap with their super-hero adventures, some of their deadliest ememies decide to join forces, which may spell doom for Image's newest super-team!
Dynamo 5 Volume 3: Fresh Blood--Dynamo 5 has disbanded! As super-villains mount an all-out attack on Tower City, Scrap gathers together four new heroes to become a new Dynamo 5. But does this new team have what it takes? Or will their mission end in tradedy?