The superheroes-as-celebrities genre gets a pro sports twist in F.A.R.M. System

F.A.R.M. System
(Image credit: Top Shelf Productions)

Superheroes are often celebrities in their universes, and with their power sets and abilities, they even rival professional athletes. In Rich Koslowski's new graphic novel from Top Shelf Productions, F.A.R.M. System, superheroes face many of the same career struggles as athletes in our world - including the desire to be placed on a winning team.

(Image credit: Top Shelf Productions)

F.A.R.M. System explores a titular structure wherein superpowered individuals are guided by agents, managers, and experts through the recruitment process for superhero teams. In addition to psychological evaluations, hopeful superheroes have to attend harassment and sensitivity seminars, costume design meetings, and workshops on marketing and endorsement.

Basically, they have to be trained for the job, even if they ultimately don't get chosen for placement on a team.

Some recruits in the Farm System will make "the Bigs," AKA the A-list superhero teams - think the Avengers or the Justice League. But these teams only have so many spots, and they're reserved for the best of the best.

Some recruits will get a small taste of glory, but ultimately won't make the cut, and a substantial few will struggle in the System for years but never get recruited at all. Of course, there's always the option to join a less reputable team... And others who don't make it to a team - or even the field - will take what the book calls "Blue Cowl" gigs and become bodyguards for the rich and famous.

To get a hint as to how the Farm System works, check out a preview of the graphic novel below.

F.A.R.M. System will be available November 8.

Meet the best non-Marvel or DC comic book superheroes.

Samantha Puc
Editor, Newsarama

Samantha Puc (she/they) is an editor at Newsarama and an avid comics fan. Their writing has been featured on Refinery29, Bitch Media, them., The Beat, The Mary Sue, and elsewhere. She is currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative nonfiction at The New School.

Read more
Batman, Superman, and...?
DC's 2025 Free Comic Book Day plans include a preview of Superman Unlimited and the first appearance of a mysterious new Absolute Universe character
Superman flies with Krypto.
The Man of Steel's world is about to change forever as former Amazing Spider-Man writer Dan Slott launches new series Superman Unlimited at DC
Marvel Rivals characters with a background of Marvel Comics covers
Marvel Rivals: 10 comics that are perfect for fans of the smash hit hero shooter
Marcos Martin's cover for Marvel: Unforgettable Stories
Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - "Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"
Marvel Rivals Infinity Comics promo image
Marvel Rivals has what it takes to shake up the PvP shooter genre if it can maintain its hero fantasy while also making balance changes
Absolute Batman in action.
Absolute Batman innovates by presenting us with a Caped Crusader who is still a work in progress
Latest in Comics
The Punisher holding two machine guns in the rain
Daredevil: Born Again - Learn the bullet-riddled comic book history of the Punisher before he officially joins the MCU
Jay, Silent Bob, Archie, Betty and Veronica.
Snootch to the nooch! Mallrats director Kevin Smith is writing an Archie Comics/Jay and Silent Bob crossover
Absolute Batman in the snow.
Absolute Batman writer Scott Snyder teases the arrival of Robin, crossovers with Superman and Wonder Woman, and building up to the Joker
King Kong wrestling a giant squid monster
The Monsterverse expands with Return to Skull Island, a comic tying into Netflix's King Kong-centric animated series
Close up on Emma Frost's face as she sits on a throne on the cover of Emma Frost: White Queen #1
"Bow down to the White Queen" as Emma Frost gets her own X-Men solo comic that flashes back to her time as a villain
The Biker Mice From Mars.
Oni Press's new Biker Mice From Mars comic will take a "hard-hitting approach to the stories" and "definitely won't pull any punches"
Latest in News
True Detective
Matthew McConaughey still thinks his own season of True Detective is the best one: "It was one of the great events in TV"
Diego Luna in Andor season 2
Andor season 2 showrunner Tony Gilroy calls Cassian “Star Wars Jesus” ahead of the show’s return on Disney Plus
Fortnite's Lara croft skin in front of a building
Fortnite has had Tomb Raider's Lara Croft locked away in battle pass exclusivity jail for almost 4 years, but she's reportedly getting a new skin very soon
Mind Rot card art (showing a human screaming in agony) with two meme Spongebob Squarepants Secret Lair cards laid over top
MTG's meme-filled Spongebob Secret Lair is enough to kill the average player from the 1990s
Julian McMahon as Doctor Doom in 2005's Fantastic Four
The Doctor Doom actor from 2005's Fantastic Four thinks Robert Downey Jr.'s take on the role in the next Avengers movies will be "pretty extraordinary": "I love watching his work"
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes trailer
My Hero Academia prequel series lands streaming date and brand new trailer, and it looks just as action packed as the original show