Lee: What a great time to have a huge chunk of indie books to look at! Christmas is over and there is nothing to do until New Year’s but read the blog and ooohhh and aaahhhh over the cool books coming in the next couple of months.
Jim: Indies, what the heck is this stuff. it has been a long time.
215 Ink
Footprints GN by (w) Joey Esposito (A) Jonathan Moore
Bigfoot and his gang of cryptozoological deviants enter a crime noir world full of mystery, horror, monsters and conspiracy. When Foot's estranged brother Yeti is murdered in the Arctic, Foot reunites his old team of Jersey Devil, Nessy, and Megaldon for one last case that spans back to their very long history together. See the official page with lots of previews here. $11.99
Lee: These posts are always about trying something new and this appears to be it. Maybe not wildly new but if you're only reading Marvel/DC this could be a good place to start. I'm always up for a good Bigfoot story so we shall see.
Jim: The series from Image called Proof did a good job with a bigfoot character and this seems to be a direct rip off.
:01 First Second
Friends with Boys GN by (W/A/C) Faith Erin Hicks
A coming-of-age tale with a spooky twist! Maggie McKay hardly knows what to do with herself. After an idyllic childhood of homeschooling with her mother and rough-housing with her older brothers, it's time for Maggie to face the outside world, all on her own. But that means facing high school first. And it also means solving the mystery of the melancholy ghost who has silently followed Maggie throughout her entire life. Maybe it even means making a new friend, one who isn't one of her brothers. Funny, surprising, and tender, Friends with Boys is a pitch perfect teen graphic novel full of spooky supernatural fun. One of here webcomics can be found here and her main site is here. $15.99
Lee: Hicks wrote the wonderful "Zombies Calling" back in 2007 which made me a fan of her work. She is a really skilled artist and writer and this is a sure fire winner. If you've never read anything by her then you may as well start here. You won't be disappointed.
Jim: Sounds more like a chick flick which lowers it down in interest scale.
AAM Markosia
Turkey Grove Farms GN by (W) William Bienz (A/C) J. C. Grande
Something is amuck at Turkey Grove Farms. Jasper's dad, the famous face of the farm's commercials, hasn't been seen since before Thanksgiving. Why is Jasper telling anyone who will listen of a great turkey uprising? Has Jasper gone crazy or is this just another publicity stunt? One thing for is certain, business is booming and the turkey has never been more delicious. Everything evolves, why not turkeys? $15.99
Lee: I would think this would have been a better solicit at Thanksgiving but it's still good for Christmas. This seems to have just the right amount of silliness to make you smile.
Jim: It did miss it's time, but funny is funny.
AC Comics
Bizzare Thrills: Paragon Publication's Story SC
A compendium of Bill Black's legendary Paragon Publications line of comics prozines of the 1970s! Black wanted to create a line of comic-book based periodicals that incorporated the idea of design and featuring his own original characters in ongoing, interconnected stories; a universe, if you will, of superheroes and adventurers. From roughly 1970-1980, Paragon did that, fueled not only by Black's tasteful sense of visuals, but also a healthy dose of the one aspect fairly rare in the mainstream newstand comics of the day - strong female characters. See what the AC Comics empire was built on, with never-before-reprinted stories starring Synn, Tara, Paragon, Scarlet Scorpion, The Shade, and more! $29.95
Lee: I’m not sure what the disconnect is with this book. Could it be the description of “strong female characters” juxtaposed with the cover of a… well slightly indisposed heroine? Might be. That said, having read a couple of AC books back in the day, they are not nearly as gratuitous as the cover implies.
Jim: And the material was never that strong.
Adhouse Books
American Barbarian HC by (W/A/C) Tom Scioli
A red-white-and-blue-haired hero must defend a post-post-apocalyptic world from the immortal Two-Tank Omen. Created by Tom Scioli, the co-creator of the Eisner-nominated series Godland and the Xeric-winning UnMortals: The Myth of 8-Opus. $19.95
Lee: I was wondering what Scioli would do now that Godland was wrapping up. Or maybe never finishing… but whatever. I am curious to see how much he learned about story telling by working with Casey and I love his Kirby-esque art so I’ll probably check this out.
Jim: Pass, never got into Godland.
Archaia Entertainment LLC
Genetiks TM Vol. 01 HC by (W) Richard Marazano (A/C) Jean-Michel Ponzio
Following the success of The Killer, Okko, and The Secret History, GenetiksÖ is part of the wave of new French titles Archaia is bringing over to English-speaking readers! Genetiks is a pharmaceutical company on the cutting edge of biological science. Thomas Hale is one of thousands of employees in the Genetiks labs. Like his colleagues, he had agreed to give a drop of blood to his employers - a drop of blood that will allow the researchers at the company he works for to decode his entire genome. GenetiksÖ is a topical story on the intersection between commerce and biological science, touching on many hot-button issues such as genetic manipulation and the rise of corporate power. 104 pgs. $19.95
Lee: Ponzio's art appears to be typical french with clean lines and solid structure so that shouldn't disappoint. As for the story, it certainly sounds interesting too. I am a little leary because while I loved Okko and Killer, Cyclops was a little bit of a miss for me.
Jim: Cyclops was a miss, but this is worth a gander at least.
Judge Bao Vol. 01: Judge Bao & Jade Phoenix HC by (W) Patrick Marty (A/C) Chongrui Nie
To combat the scourge that goes along with great prosperity, Chinese Emperor Ren Zong gives broad magistrate powers to Judge Bao. He becomes a symbol of justice for the people of the land. His aversion to corruption and dedication to justice make him a popular hero, with many enemies. Bao finds himself in a small village where a mother mourns her son, languishing in prison, caught in a complicated love triangle and accused of a murder he says he did not commit. Will Judge Bao find the real murderer? 160 pgs, 7” x 5.25” (landscape), Previews can be seen here, all text in French but you can see the art. $14.95
Lee: When I saw this was landscape I wasn't really sure. Then I thought of some of the other great landscape books like Bayou and read the hype again. It sounds like a good historical crime fiction story and the art looks really good too. It's worth the risk to see this.
Jim: For $15 why not.
Ardden Ent/Hell Freezes Over
Multiverse Magazine #1
It's finally here: the magazine I, Vampire writer Joshua Fialkov describes as beautifully designed, with a modern, smart sensibility about mainstream comics that's been missing from print comics journalism for a long time. Alongside the title's regular news and reviews sections, each issue of Multiverse also includes exclusive interviews with established creators as well as up-and-coming talents, many accompanied by rarely seen art. Each issue ships with an extra bonus free preview comic book, too! $4.99
Lee: I have to question the motivation behind this book. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a great idea but what are they aiming for? Wizard went down in flames. TCJ went down this past year too. Can a print magazine compete with the internet? I hope it works but it’s a really tough sell.
Jim: Will never succed.
More tomorrow...
Jim: Indies, what the heck is this stuff. it has been a long time.
Footprints GN by (w) Joey Esposito (A) Jonathan Moore
Bigfoot and his gang of cryptozoological deviants enter a crime noir world full of mystery, horror, monsters and conspiracy. When Foot's estranged brother Yeti is murdered in the Arctic, Foot reunites his old team of Jersey Devil, Nessy, and Megaldon for one last case that spans back to their very long history together. See the official page with lots of previews here. $11.99
Lee: These posts are always about trying something new and this appears to be it. Maybe not wildly new but if you're only reading Marvel/DC this could be a good place to start. I'm always up for a good Bigfoot story so we shall see.
Jim: The series from Image called Proof did a good job with a bigfoot character and this seems to be a direct rip off.
Friends with Boys GN by (W/A/C) Faith Erin Hicks
A coming-of-age tale with a spooky twist! Maggie McKay hardly knows what to do with herself. After an idyllic childhood of homeschooling with her mother and rough-housing with her older brothers, it's time for Maggie to face the outside world, all on her own. But that means facing high school first. And it also means solving the mystery of the melancholy ghost who has silently followed Maggie throughout her entire life. Maybe it even means making a new friend, one who isn't one of her brothers. Funny, surprising, and tender, Friends with Boys is a pitch perfect teen graphic novel full of spooky supernatural fun. One of here webcomics can be found here and her main site is here. $15.99
Lee: Hicks wrote the wonderful "Zombies Calling" back in 2007 which made me a fan of her work. She is a really skilled artist and writer and this is a sure fire winner. If you've never read anything by her then you may as well start here. You won't be disappointed.
Jim: Sounds more like a chick flick which lowers it down in interest scale.
Turkey Grove Farms GN by (W) William Bienz (A/C) J. C. Grande
Something is amuck at Turkey Grove Farms. Jasper's dad, the famous face of the farm's commercials, hasn't been seen since before Thanksgiving. Why is Jasper telling anyone who will listen of a great turkey uprising? Has Jasper gone crazy or is this just another publicity stunt? One thing for is certain, business is booming and the turkey has never been more delicious. Everything evolves, why not turkeys? $15.99
Lee: I would think this would have been a better solicit at Thanksgiving but it's still good for Christmas. This seems to have just the right amount of silliness to make you smile.
Jim: It did miss it's time, but funny is funny.
Bizzare Thrills: Paragon Publication's Story SC
A compendium of Bill Black's legendary Paragon Publications line of comics prozines of the 1970s! Black wanted to create a line of comic-book based periodicals that incorporated the idea of design and featuring his own original characters in ongoing, interconnected stories; a universe, if you will, of superheroes and adventurers. From roughly 1970-1980, Paragon did that, fueled not only by Black's tasteful sense of visuals, but also a healthy dose of the one aspect fairly rare in the mainstream newstand comics of the day - strong female characters. See what the AC Comics empire was built on, with never-before-reprinted stories starring Synn, Tara, Paragon, Scarlet Scorpion, The Shade, and more! $29.95
Lee: I’m not sure what the disconnect is with this book. Could it be the description of “strong female characters” juxtaposed with the cover of a… well slightly indisposed heroine? Might be. That said, having read a couple of AC books back in the day, they are not nearly as gratuitous as the cover implies.
Jim: And the material was never that strong.
American Barbarian HC by (W/A/C) Tom Scioli
A red-white-and-blue-haired hero must defend a post-post-apocalyptic world from the immortal Two-Tank Omen. Created by Tom Scioli, the co-creator of the Eisner-nominated series Godland and the Xeric-winning UnMortals: The Myth of 8-Opus. $19.95
Lee: I was wondering what Scioli would do now that Godland was wrapping up. Or maybe never finishing… but whatever. I am curious to see how much he learned about story telling by working with Casey and I love his Kirby-esque art so I’ll probably check this out.
Jim: Pass, never got into Godland.
Genetiks TM Vol. 01 HC by (W) Richard Marazano (A/C) Jean-Michel Ponzio
Following the success of The Killer, Okko, and The Secret History, GenetiksÖ is part of the wave of new French titles Archaia is bringing over to English-speaking readers! Genetiks is a pharmaceutical company on the cutting edge of biological science. Thomas Hale is one of thousands of employees in the Genetiks labs. Like his colleagues, he had agreed to give a drop of blood to his employers - a drop of blood that will allow the researchers at the company he works for to decode his entire genome. GenetiksÖ is a topical story on the intersection between commerce and biological science, touching on many hot-button issues such as genetic manipulation and the rise of corporate power. 104 pgs. $19.95
Lee: Ponzio's art appears to be typical french with clean lines and solid structure so that shouldn't disappoint. As for the story, it certainly sounds interesting too. I am a little leary because while I loved Okko and Killer, Cyclops was a little bit of a miss for me.
Jim: Cyclops was a miss, but this is worth a gander at least.
To combat the scourge that goes along with great prosperity, Chinese Emperor Ren Zong gives broad magistrate powers to Judge Bao. He becomes a symbol of justice for the people of the land. His aversion to corruption and dedication to justice make him a popular hero, with many enemies. Bao finds himself in a small village where a mother mourns her son, languishing in prison, caught in a complicated love triangle and accused of a murder he says he did not commit. Will Judge Bao find the real murderer? 160 pgs, 7” x 5.25” (landscape), Previews can be seen here, all text in French but you can see the art. $14.95
Lee: When I saw this was landscape I wasn't really sure. Then I thought of some of the other great landscape books like Bayou and read the hype again. It sounds like a good historical crime fiction story and the art looks really good too. It's worth the risk to see this.
Jim: For $15 why not.
Multiverse Magazine #1
It's finally here: the magazine I, Vampire writer Joshua Fialkov describes as beautifully designed, with a modern, smart sensibility about mainstream comics that's been missing from print comics journalism for a long time. Alongside the title's regular news and reviews sections, each issue of Multiverse also includes exclusive interviews with established creators as well as up-and-coming talents, many accompanied by rarely seen art. Each issue ships with an extra bonus free preview comic book, too! $4.99
Lee: I have to question the motivation behind this book. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a great idea but what are they aiming for? Wizard went down in flames. TCJ went down this past year too. Can a print magazine compete with the internet? I hope it works but it’s a really tough sell.
Jim: Will never succed.
More tomorrow...
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