Alpha Male is an interesting thought experiment about the world of superheroes and their actions, but the areas where superhero stories usually shine, the characters and the action, it falls a little flat.
Thanks to Alpha Male, the city has grown quiet. As a result, few people see any real need for him and treat him either as a celebrity or a washed-up attraction, until a new super villain comes to town, anyway. With the city looking to him once again for protection, can Alpha Male rise to the occasion? Or have his days of catching common criminals caused him to lose his edge?
I have to admit, Mays have done a brilliant job exploring the long-term and far-reaching effects a traditional superhero would have in a big city. From the police force to the lives criminals live after Alpha Male has captured them, to the manifestation of the resentment people feels due to Alpha Male’s collateral damage, Mays put a great deal of thought into how the hero exists in his world. Not a stone is left unturned and there were quite a few that I hadn’t expected to show up, which as impressive. So, if you enjoy more idea-driven books, especially of the sci-fi/fantasy type, I think Alpha Male would be a good piece to add to your reading list.
If you like more story or character driven works, however, you might not enjoy this as much. I still can’t put my finger on why, but none of the characters really clicked for me, Alpha Male least of all. To me, he’s just not an enjoyable character to watch, which really hurt the story since we’re supposed to want to see him save the day. In a similar vein, while the action is passable and definitively has some creative scenarios, it never felt as exciting as one would expect from a superhero piece.
Overall, Alpha Male explores some really interesting ideas and scenarios, which definitely make it worth your time if you enjoy books with that sort of focus. If you’re looking for the fun characters and exciting action that usually comes from the superhero genre, you may want to keep looking.