“I'm no Hero,” she repeated. “Real
Heroes die young. They're too honest, too good. I can't help playing
dirty. That's why I'm just a sidekick.” She shrugged. “At least I
get to live.”
-“Worthy”, M.E. Garber
When someone decides to write about a
sidekick, they're deciding to write a different kind of story. It
isn't going to be about glory but it might be about honor. It won't
be about power, or at least not about the display of it. It won't be
grand or clean-cut, it'll likely be petty and messy. Murky. And there
isn't nearly as high a chance of getting the girl, or the guy. Of
course, that is why these stories, in both the telling and the
reading, appeal to a different set of people. Pinko socialist that I
am, I just happen to be one of those people.
Sidekicks! is an anthology about the
second string, the background players and the partnerships behind the
heroism and villainy and minor and major plots both to gain and
thwart control. Despite what the cover art may seem to imply, the
tales don't just focus on spandex clad four color warriors. Those are
there, but there are also yarns of serial killers, Sheriffs, third
world regimes, wizards, assassins and more. If you want variety of
genre and style, buddy, you got it here.
I can't go further without mentioning
the introduction, by Pseudopod honcho Alastair Stuart. Normally,
intros are throwaway background or generic back-patting and, as such,
not worth mentioning. But this guy... Lays out a heartfelt,
intelligent basis for the whole damn thing with honest wit that
manages to pull of a true rarity by being as meaningful as the
stories themselves. There's a reason that the analyses on Pseudopod
are as much of a reason to listen as the stories they tell there and
this man is it.
Patrick S Tomlinson's “Coffee and
Collaborators” does a great job of setting the tone with its
irreverent manner and statement that the heroes and villains are
overpowered dolts that would destroy the world and themselves if
their sidekicks did not reign them in. Meanwhile, Donald J. Bingle
explores the machinations behind political power that will have you
looking at whoever is off to the side of the podium rather than the
one behind it with the wondrously named “Second Bananna Republic”.
It's impossible to not mention Matt Betts when he appears with a grim
tale of what happens when the backup oversteps their bounds and runs
the risk of being viewed as the hero in the weird western “The Old
West”. And then there's “Hunter and Bagger”, Alex Bledsoe's of
serial killers and arrogance that plays out like an old Ananzi story.
As good as those stories are, two truly
got what I wanted this anthology to be about. “Hero” may not be
the most inspiring title, but Kathy Watness uses this tale of a
second rate Wizard and his assistant to underline the main value of a
sidekick. Someone to keep the hero grounded, to provide a leg up when
needed. The one who may not be able to beat the bad guy or scale the
mountain, but gives the one who can the extra push needed. All
without intruding or controlling their actions (something that pairs
it well with M.E Garber's “Worthy”). Then there is Alexis A
Hunter's “The Balance Between Us”, a tale of war and muddled
morality where no path is safe or righteous. In such a situation, the
right partner can help prevent the worst decisions when the need for
a choice between horrors must be made. It isn't about ego or pride or
even being right but simply about making it out the other end hoping
to be able to live with yourselves. Damn brilliant, both of those
stories.
Yes, there are a few tales that fall a
bit flat, mostly due to a lack of true narrative to give them a sense
of wholeness, but there aren't any that I didn't at least partially
enjoy. My biggest problem is the overwhelming amount of “The
Sidekick is the Real Hero” stories where in the hero is an
egotistical, bumbling fool who only succeeds because of a sidekick
that does everything for them (much like Without a Clue did
for Sherlock Holmes and Watson). While I get the desire to turn the
trope of the weak, ineffectual sidekick on its head, simply saying
that the sidekick is really the one who is great and the hero is
kinda stupid and always getting into trouble only switches paradigms.
This kind of half-way deconstruction doesn't change anything unless a
new paradigm is established and kinda bugs me.
Despite that rant, and largely due to
some damn fine yarn spinning, I enjoyed myself reading this. I
recommend ignoring the bland title and somewhat single minded cover
art (pretty though it may be) and give this a whirl. I can pretty
well bet you'll find something you like.
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