Warning! Spoilers for Astonishing Times #3 ahead!
The co-creator of Variant Comics and comiXology's new collaboration series Astonishing Times believes his superhero Infinite might be the most powerful in all of comics. Astonishing Times tells the story of a time when superheroes are as common as sports stars and treated similarly. It also chronicles one reporter’s attempt to convince the world how great superheroes are and why the world should celebrate them. In a recent video teasing the publication of the series’ third issue, co-writer, and founder of the popular YouTube comic fan channel Variant Comics, Arris Quinones, hints that one of the comic’s main characters might be the most powerful hero in comics. Naturally, it is quite normal for a writer to claim their creation is the best there is. But how does Quinones’ claim stack up against a plethora of overpowered heroes from the comic-book multiverse?
Up until this third issue, the only actual superhero in action that we see is Kokin. From what is presented, Kokin is a legitimate top-level hero who can stop bullets with his sword as easily as Wonder Woman does with her bracelets. He is also, a top-level techie who has developed and employed a super-computer with the ability to track most known villains. Kokin involves himself in the alleged death of his former superhero colleague Gold Rush. Discovering that the DNA of the deceased hero does not match that of the true Gold Rush, Kokin seeks the help of Noah Sanz, a reporter working at a newspaper called The Sentinel who is focused on rebooting society’s interest in heroes by reporting on their life-saving efforts. Kokin sees the relationship to draw from Sanz’s connection with his deceased father, who previously had an extensive connection with some of the most powerful superheroes of the land. Sanz sees this as a fantastic opportunity to revive the Astonishing Times column his father wrote before him.
It is only in Astonishing Times #3 by Quinones, co-author Frank J. Barbiere and artist Ruairi Coleman, that readers meet Quinones’ “most powerful” hero in comics, Infinite. Upon seeing him, Noah refers to Infinite as "The greatest hero the world has ever known. A man who changed the world." Based on what the comic has revealed so far, Infinite might just be authentic. Flashbacks reveal that he is an extremely powerful superhero of Superman-like abilities. He is also shown to be the natural leader of most other heroes. That is, few seem to be his match his comprehensive abilities on an equal level. Quinones, Barbiere and Coleman do make it seem that Infinite is the superhero to beat in any test for superiority in this universe.
But does Infinite's unmatchable abilities in Astonishing Times mean that he is the most powerful hero in all comic book universes? Well, one characteristic that suggests he might be is that Infinite has a genius-level intellect to go along with his superhuman strength and abilities. Rather than using his abilities to simply punch bad guys, he wants to use them to solve "unsolvable problems," such as providing the world with unlimited free, clean energy. Indeed, few superheroes can match Infinite’s “brain and brawn.” In addition, the superhero life has provided Infinite with the financial stability of a Tony Stark or Bruce Wayne. That is, he has deep pockets to ensure that he will never be wanting for funds.
Lastly, and most importantly, there never seems to be an occasion in Astonishing Times where Infinite has lost. When he arrives on the scene, criminals and baddies know their chance for success has all but been eliminated. And his power does not merely apply to himself, as he has begun work to gather other heroes who want to aid in his quest to help the world, extending his influence. This all suggests that Infinite might be the most powerful superhero in Astonishing Times and perhaps all of comics. Only time will tell.