Midlife Or How to Hero at Fifty! Series Brings Back Together Buccellato and Simeone

Midlife Or How to Hero at Fifty! Series Brings Back Together Buccellato and Simeone

Image Comics is thrilled to announce an exciting new superhero series, Midlife Or How to Hero at Fifty!, written by Brian Buccellato and illustrated by Stefano Simeone. This character-driven ongoing series promises to captivate readers with its relatable protagonist and unique perspective on the superhero genre.

Meet Ruben Kwan, a 50-year-old firefighter who has battled a lifelong fear of fire. Instead of fighting flames, he finds himself pushing papers, living in the shadow of his heroic late father. After a quarter-century in the LAFD, Ruben’s life takes an unexpected turn when his new wife becomes pregnant and a moment of courage reveals that he is FIREPROOF! Suddenly, Ruben finds himself delving into a middle-aged superhero journey with unforeseen consequences.

Buccellato, known for his work on No/One and The Flash, is eager to share this personal and multifaceted story. Drawing inspiration from his Aftershock series, Chicken Devil, Buccellato infuses Midlife with a blend of grounded realism, humor, darkness, and absurdity. He aims to explore the life of a fifty-year-old rookie hero, navigating newfound powers while dealing with the challenges of aging, a bad back, and creaky knees.

Buccellato also embraces a fresh perspective by depicting a protagonist who is biracial—half Chinese and half Puerto Rican—drawing from his own life experiences as a father starting a new family at fifty.

Simeone, acclaimed artist known for his work on The Last Days of Black Hammer and Radiant Black, brings his unique illustrations to breathe life into Ruben’s story. Reflecting on his personal connection to the series, Simeone expresses his relatability to Ruben’s journey, drawing parallels with his own experiences as a new father.

He hopes that readers will appreciate the heartfelt and action-packed narrative of Midlife and find solace in a character like Ruben, someone who can protect us all, even in the real world.

Midlife Or How to Hero at Fifty! #1 will arrive at your favorite local comic shops and digi000tally on October 11, 2023.

Check out the short preview below:

A variety geek who enjoys geeking out with friends over video games, comics, or movies/TV shows. An avid wrestling fan since the days of the Attitude Era and N64’s No Mercy, he now spends much of his time reading and collecting comics. All of my puns are intended.