Many comic-book heroes have spent decades forgotten on a dusty shelf for good reason. Some are silly concepts, others wear ludicrous costumes, and most don't have the wherewithal to make it in the 21st century.

Of this, writer J. Michael Straczynski seems well aware. And yet, he unearthed a dozen risable heroes from the World War II era -- and made it work.

Volume one of The Twelve begins near the end of World War II. As more marketable heroes -- such as Captain America, Bucky, Namor and the original Human Torch -- were stealing headlines in Berlin, 12 costumed adventurers entered an S.S. bunker hunting snipers. They weren't a team, they just happened to be there at the time. And they were trapped and frozen for later experiments by Nazi scientists who didn't survive long enough to tell anyone they were there.

They are unearthed in the 21st century during construction of an apartment complex. They are whisked back to the States for a gradual reintroduction into society, where the U.S. government hopes to employ them as heroes who are willing to toe the government line -- and stop going rogue like so many heroes seem to do.

But it's not that easy. These 12 heroes are out of time; they have lost family, friends and careers.

Since this is the first of two volumes in the collection, it's hard to know where it will take us by the end. It's clearly a grim destination, however; the foreshadowings on that point are pretty clear. Even the heroes who seem to be adapting well to their brave new world don't seem to be very happy to be there.

Don't judge them entirely by their names, which are as silly as the outfits they wear: The Blue Blade, Laughing Mask, Phantom Reporter, Electro, Black Widow, Dynamic Man, Master Mind Excello, Mister E, Fiery Mask, the Witness, Rockman and Captain Wonder. Their stories are a little sad, a little surprising, sometimes a little funny, too. I'll be waiting to see what kind of a place they make in the modern world.