It's been twenty years since people gifted with incredible supernatural powers began appearing across the globe. Battles straight out of comic books became commonplace, with battle lines being drawn between those who followed the law and those who broke it. The "heroes" are sanctioned by the government to fight crime as agents of the law, while "villains" are those who abuse their powers for personal profit.
Meanwhile, Junho Lee's superpower allows him to flawless copy the appearance, clothing, and voice of anyone whose face he's seen. But without the ability to copy the powers of others, he can only eek out a meager existence as a doppleganger for heroes who want to keep their Secret Identity. Junho expects to continue his (somewhat illegal) hustle until he can retire in his early fifties. That plan went out the window when Justice, the first and greatest hero, knocks on Junho's door and requests his services with the promise of a fat paycheck at the end. Things seem to be looking up until Junho stumbles upon a horrific sight when he shows up to work.
One thing leads to another; and it isn't long before Junho finds himself impersonating Justice for the sake of maintaining order. Even more strangely, Junho has suddenly developed the ability to replicate Justice's unrivaled strength and speed. With billions of won, the fate of superhuman society, and his life at stake, can Junho successfully substitute for the greatest hero?
Rental Hero is a webcomic written by PORTO with art by KOBET. It follows Junho as he's hired by Chrome to substitute for Justice, the greatest superhero, after Justice is found dead in his office.
An official translation began in November 2023 and can be read here.
Rental Hero contains examples of:
- 20 Minutes into the Future: The story takes place in a world like the present day but twenty years after people with superhuman powers began showing up.
- Dark and Troubled Past: When he was sixteen years old, Junho's family was attacked by a villain. But since his powers didn't let him imitate the powers of others, he was helpless to prevent his family from being devoured in front of him.
- For Great Justice: Justice was the first and greatest hero who fought not for profit or self-gain but solely to protect the lives of others. He founded the Guardians, a group of likeminded heroes who prioritized the safety and welfare of civilians. This is in stark contrast to the other hero executives who are either self-interested, see themselves as Ubermenschs, or are are willing to do anything to eradicate villains at the source.
- Innocent Blue Eyes: Inverted. Junho has bright blue eyes but begins the story as a largely cynical and self-interested individual only focused on getting paid and surviving after losing his family when he was sixteen.
- Lightning Bruiser: Justice was widely believed to be unbeatable thanks to his overwhelming speed, strength, and toughness. Even the inexperienced Junho can more or less see attacks coming in slow motion while using Justice's powers and hurl others into walls with the slightest effort.
- Punch-Clock Hero: Junho is initially convinced to impersonate Justice by the enormous paycheck Chrome offers, taking him from Rags to Riches. While Junho never loses his love and desire for money, he gradually becomes more idealistic and invested in helping others and changing the system.
- Rags to Riches: Orphaned and only able to find employment through his illegal side hustle, Junho began the story struggling to pay his bills and only having a Limited Wardrobe of workout clothes. Once Chrome starts paying him two billion won a month to act as Justice, Junho's bank account balloons in size. But he still maintains his thrifty habits until Chrome forces him to get some nicer clothes to look professional in his cover as a new rookie hero.
- Shout-Out:
- The tentacle-wielding villain that Junho encounters at the beginning of the story is a clear sendup to Doctor Octopus.
- Junho later encounters an Elemental Shapeshifter with the ability to turn into a hardening mud. The villain's MO is to drown his victims in mud to render them helpless, but is ultimately beaten by someone dispersing his body with a Super-Strength-backed Ground Punch. This scenario is instantly familiar to fans of My Hero Academia, as All Might saves protagonist Izuku Midoriya from a similar sludge villain with the exact same method.
- Temporary Bulk Change: Junho's powers allow him to imitate the appearance of anyone whose face he's seen. Even differences in height and build aren't a problem for him, letting him impersonate Justice despite the latter being a head taller than him and twice Junho's weight. This is then subverted as Junho's body permanently bulks up to handle using Justice's powers.
- With Great Power Comes Great Hotness: Junho begins the story as a man of average height and build. But as he uses Justice's powers, his body bulks up to handle the power coursing through it. By Episode 24, passerby comment on his impressive muscles and speculate that Junho is Chrome's boyfriend based on his looks alone when he visits her at the hospital. Even after getting a new wardrobe to accommodate his new size, his tops cling tightly to his broad chest and bulging arms, leaving little to the imagination.
