The comic book world has a long, storied history of rich little boys using their wealth to help the downtrodden, fight crime and serve humankind across the world.
Each iteration of that sort of character (and just about every comic book publishing company has got one) is slightly different from the next.
For every Sylvester Pemberton, AKA the Star-Spangled Kid from DC Comics in the early 1940s, there’s a Royal Roy courtesy of Marvel Comics in the 1980s.
Of course, there was the globally famous Richie Rich from Harvey Comics in the early 1950s that is sort of a template for today’s modern offering.
Despite their breadth of publisher or era in which they were created, those sorts of characters all share one specific trait in common: wealth. Of course.
Well, make that two traits.
In a world where a company like SpaceX can ring a stock market bell and turn itself and its man-child owner into trillionaires in a bat of an eye, why not turn to the fictional rich-boy who looks to do good in the world?
Why not look to The Trillion Dollar Kid #1?
The Trillion Dollar Kid #1
Written by: Geoff Johns and Peter J. Tomasi
Illustrated by: Stefano Simeone
Published by: Image Comics/Ghost Machine
Over the last few years, fan favourite comic book writer and creator, Geoff Johns, has been plying his trade at Image Comics under the publishing banner Ghost Machine. It’s a place that has allowed his many new creations to flourish in an ever-expanding universe (or universes) of their own. One of those universes, known as the Family Odysseys universe is getting a trillion-dollar makeover, beginning with The Trillion Dollar Kid #1, the first issue in a four-part, multiple title crossover event called: Who Are The Unbelievables?
Co-written by Geoff Johns and Peter J. Tomasi and lavishly illustrated by Stefano Simeone, The Trillion Dollar Kid tells the story of Tommy Townsend III, who is the world’s first 13-year-old trillionaire. Sure, he inherited much of his money, but he wasn’t coined that nickname by sitting on his wealthy laurels. No, Tommy is an inventor, making his first trillion by developing an ouch-less bandage, used by doctors, kids and parents the world over.
But wide-eyed Tommy knows that wonders and spectacles abound in our world – that there are extraordinary beings that live amongst us. Unbelievable sort of entities…and he means to find them.
The Trillion Dollar Kid serves to link up the characters of that Family Odyssey universe, their stories and lore, including the titles The Rocketfellers and Hornby & Halo. It’s a catalyst for what will come next under the Ghost Machine publishing banner. And Tommy Townsend, The Trillion Dollar Kid, will serve as a guide for readers everywhere.
For dedicated, deeper-dive reading, there is a multiple-issue Ghost Machine Guidebook comic book series available right now as well that showcases the universes and characters within the current (and future) Ghost Machine series of titles.
You don’t need to break the piggy bank when you make the run to your local comic book shop today. Spend that loose change in your pocket on The Trillion Dollar Kid #1 for a wealth of intrigue and superhero adventures!
You can catch a sneak peek at The Trillion Dollar Kid right here.
