When it comes to the world of superhero comics, the power of flight seems kind of passé. In a world where people have rings that could create anything they wish for, can manipulate the molecular make-up of matter or even travel through time under their own power, just being able to fly pales in comparison.

But think about how being able to fly would help you in the real world. You can get places faster, find your car in a crowded parking lot easier, or never have to use an elevator ever again. The power of flight, if humans could possess it in the real world, would be really cool.

Bizarre New World taps into this. This is not your typical superhero book. Instead, it is a story of a man just like you or me who develops the power of flight.

Paul Krutcher works in Post Production at a Hollywood movie studio. One late night, while stretching, Paul finds himself on the ceiling of the room that he is working in. Somehow, someway, he has gained the ability to fly. He just has to figure out how it happened and what he’s going to do with his newfound abilities.

And that’s pretty much what the miniseries is all about. No bad guys wanting to take over the world, no alien invasions to fight off, just an ordinary man struggling to deal with an amazing life change.

This is not to say the story is boring. It’s not. It’s filled with loads of charm and humor and features a lead character you can’t help but to like and root for. And even though the subject matter is fantastic, the story is grounded in reality. The characters, the situations they are in and their reactions to them, all ring true. You can image that if this really did happen in real life, it would happen a lot like this.

A lot of credit should go to writer Skipper Martin. In the wrong hands, the story very well could have been dull. Martin balances humor, action and plot development to good effect so the reader never loses interest.

The only thing that detracts from the story is Martin’s panel structure. He needs to employ more economy when it comes to portraying his scenes. In other words, whereas other comic writers use two panels to go from point A to point B, Martin uses seven, making the comic feel a bit padded. This is only a slight distraction, but a noticeable one.

The art by Christopher Provencher complements the story nicely. His characters are unique and expressive and his storytelling is top notch. I don’t think it will be long before Marvel and DC coming calling, if he even considers working for them a career goal.

All in all, if you are looking for a charming alternative from all the mainstream comics out there, but one that still features a character with superpowers, give Bizarre New World a try. You’ll be glad you did.