I am a big fan of comics, ever since I first immersed myself in the illustrations of the Funny Pages I have been an avid comic reader, and although I cannot draw I love looking for new gems to immerse myself into and invite others to become enchanted by the magic of the Ninth Art. This is why I have created this series to talk to people about the illustrated stories, old and new, that remind me why I love Comics.
For my first episode I would like to start with an ongoing webcomic, a piece of fan fiction that masterfully fuses two of my personal favorite superhero stories, refining the elements that made them successful, while at the same time exploring the potential ideas neither series had gone too in-depth with.
This is My Hero Academia 10 – B. (Read More)
In a world that turns the aliens of Ben Ten into Quirk users of the world of My Hero Academia The story follows Izuku Tennyson, Izuku from the original My Hero Academia, who, by means unknown to him, has become the wielder of the Omnitrix. Like both source materials the journey of Izuku to become a hero is everything but conventional, where the amalgamation of the universes of Ben 10 and My Hero Academia are expertly fused into the Tokyo of My Hero Academia.
In 10 – B Izuku is a fourteen year old orphan, he has already rescued and acts as an older brother to Ari, the girl from the Yakuza Ark of My Hero Academia with the power to rewind things back in time, together they do their best to live honest lives while helping on the sidelines, using the original ten aliens from the Ben 10 series as a rotating mutant quirk known as “Ten” that provide support to a world ruled by the My Hero Academia Laws.
The first thing that stands out to the reader is the creators “Mariboops” astonishing art. A very stylized anime-inspired aesthetic that carries a touch of Johann Vasquez and Vivzie Pop in it. The stylized art makes the characters stand out even more than in their original series, an amazing task in which the creator has fully translated the original creations of the My Hero and Ben 10 Universes into its own style. But more impressive is the new design for the original Ben 10 Aliens, each of them have been redesigned to match closer the My Hero world, with emphasis in its Japanese roots. Some changes are obvious, like Heatblast who has been re-imagined into the amazing “Tokyo Devil”, XLR8 turn into the dinosaur-like “Blue Ferrari”, and especially Ripjaws, the one cool fish now is the far more cooler “Poseidon”. Other Aliens remain more or less the same, but all have their names changed to fit the new environment, a clever way to show that although they are the same characters they are in a completely different world.
From the first chapters show us Izuku saving the lives of people and helping those in need, with the cast focusing on secondary characters and members of class 10 – B of My Hero Academia. This choice is very influential to the story, as not only many events unfold differently thanks to Izuku’s actions before the first chapter of the comic, but also naturally guides the story into one of the main themes of the story: “Prejudice”. Yes, Izuku has one of the most amazing powers in the world, but he is very well aware that the world of Superheroes is a world of image, he knows that there are many heroes that have to work extra hard for approval due to body or power God gave them, while others are blessed for the very same reason. Izuku knows his transformations can help people, but he know very well that most people see his ten forms first and foremost as “Monsters”. Such detail is an excellent shout to Toji’s arc in My Hero Academia, and how those born with different bodies, especially less human ones, have to work harder for acceptance.
10 – B mixes action, comedy, and drama in a very organic way. Seeing Izuku or other heroes use their powers is a feast to the eyes, and Mariboops keeps getting better and better in each chapter. Seeing Izuku nerd out or being obsessive can really make you smile.
Extra emphasis has been given particularly to the My Hero Academia Tertiary Cast, most of it consisting of Ben 10 and My Hero characters who were glanced over in their original franchises, now brought forth and center to become recurring characters in the story. Midnight, a fan favorite from the My Hero Academia World, becomes Izuku and Ari’s adoptive mother, taking in the duo and truly bonding together into a found family where Midnight shines as mother and mentor with her exuberant personality bringing much light to the world, balancing Izuku’s gloomier demeanour, and Ari’s child-like wonder. Head teacher of class 1 – B, Vlad King, is brought forth and mixed with Grandpa Max into an older no-nonsense type of mentor figure who helps Izuku get up to speed with his training, his coarser persona from My Hero Academia is refined into a teacher that seeks to develop the best in those under his care by acting as a Drill Sergeant. Vlad is also a devoted grandfather of Shihai Kuroiro and Reiko Yanagi from class 1 – B, who are now cousins under the Kan surname, which are in turn children of Thumbskull and Frigthwig from the Ben 10 Universe and become Izuku’s first true friends, and later on classmates.
It is great to see so many fun characters brought forth and having the personalities given in My Hero Academia expanded and tweaked, I especially love how Yanagi is given a more of a shut-in persona with Izuku’s original obsessive side, which shines later on when she takes the hero exam in a way that is nothing short of astonishing and homaging My Hero Academia in a big way. There is also Pony Tsunotori, who is basically Applejack from Equestria Girls, complete with Twi and the gang saying a tearful goodbye to their friend as she departs to Japan, and there is Derpy too.
Other fan-favorite characters also are shown in a new light, particularly Mirio Togata and Sir Night Eye who act as Izuku’s first major antagonists. I know it sounds weird to hear Mirio be an antagonist, but the way Mariboops weaves the story you cannot help but nod and agree with the logic, which is accompanied by some amazing visual metaphors to help sell the idea that good people can make big mistakes when acting in fear, but that is something I suggest you experience by reading it yourself.
All Might, Rook Blonko, Bakugo, Vulkanus, Uraraka, Tsuyu all make appearances as relevant characters to the story, although there is a stronger emphasis on the My Hero Academia cast as supporting cast.
The Comic has only began its fifth chapter as the writing of the script, Mariboops has gone deep in its themes, and has been keen to show some of the uglier side of the My Hero Universe, particularly in Chapter Four, displaying how much marketing influences the student selection process. Spoilers alert, Mariboops makes class 1 – B, which becomes Izuku’s class, into the class of the less marketable heroes, those who, despite their potential, have skills, powers, personalities, or simply accents, that make them less appealing to the camera. An unfair affair that is acknowledge as an open secret that keeps the world spinning.
All and all My Hero Academia 10 – B is a series I recommend to everyone who is a fan of My Hero Academia and Ben 10, if anything check it for its art alone. In my opinion this is an excellent example of how to truly make a fanfiction into its own story.
Go Read My Hero Academia 10 – B, support Mariboops, leave a like if you like this, and Thanks for Watching.
B.A.S.H. MEDIA 