Due to the general inability to hit up our local comic shops right now and/or get new issues right now, our usual ‘Comics Should Be Cheap’ format doesn’t really work. But all of us have those comics that we’ve wanted to read, but fo whatever reason, never got around to. So, this week, we present ‘Comics Should Be New,’ where we talk about what new to us books we may read instead of the books on our pull list.
Erik’s Picks:
“Joe Golem: Occult Detective Vol. 1: The Rat Catcher and the Sunken Dead” ($5.99 on comiXology) – I’ve been an on-again/off-again Mignolaverse fan since I started reading comics. While I’ve always intended to check out “Baltimore” and “Joe Golem,” I pushed them aside knowing they weren’t directly related to the greater canon shared by Hellboy, Frankenstein, the B.P.R.D., and others. Now that we learned of a new universe featuring “Baltimore” and “Joe Golem” dubbed ‘The Outerverse,’ I wanted to jump in and try and find the plot threads that tie these two stories together. I’m not really sure what to expect with “Golem” either, but the covers scream noir and horror, so I’m definitely game.
Greg’s Pick:
Seconds ($4.99 on Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Google Play) – I’ve been a fan of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s writing and art since encountering his Scott Pilgrim story while living in Vancouver BC. “Scott Pilgrim” was a reminder of how much I love video games and his more recent book “Snot Girl” with art by Leslie Hung has taught me I do actually enjoy weird romance stories. As someone who really loves to cook, likes his unique manga/animation influenced art, “Seconds” was a must have for me and I scooped it up when it arrived at the bookshop I work at, put it on my shelf and promptly never read it for five years. I’ve read so many good things about this book and it’s weird fairytale like storytelling about second chances. We’ll see, perhaps it will keep me distracted from the daily worry and anxiety. Be well everyone.
Kate’s Pick:
The Complete Works of Fante Bukowski ($22.49 on comiXology) – About a month ago, I had the opportunity to attend a talk at Columbia University with Noah Van Sciver and Kim Deitch about their work. It was here that I first learned more about Noah past a last name he shares with another comics creator (who himself is famous for all the wrong reasons). Living in the New York area, I’ve seen my fair share of literary poseurs such as Fante, and I welcome the opportunity for some highbrow humor.
Jason’s Picks:
The Walking Dead Compendium Vol. 1 ($23.99 on comiXology) I know, it’s crazy that I’ve never read an issue of Robert Kirkman’s “Walking Dead”. I have glanced through the series while it was going on, yet never once did I read any of it. Then one day I say Barnes and Noble having a great sale and I picked up the first volume. After that, Amazon had the second Compendium on sale, I bought it. So, I have a lot of comics to read! I should really start on them when I’m not working!
Mark’s’s Pick:
“Starman: Sins of the Father” ($12.99 on ComiXology) – Back in 2018 I read this comic by Jeff Lemire and Max Fiumara called “Doctor Star and the Kingdom of Lost Tomorrows” and I loved it. (To date, I still think it’s the best “Black Hammer” spinoff, although it seems like “Skulldigger + Skeleton Boy” has the potential to equal it.) Any way, I was chatting to a friend about it, trying to get him to read “Black Hammer”, and he mentioned that it sounded a bit like James Robinson’s Starman. Considering Doctor Star’s alter ego is called Dr. James Robinson, this didn’t exactly come as a surprise―it’s not exactly a subtle homage (although Doctor Star has since been renamed “Doctor Andromeda,” so it’s more subtle than it was before). I’ve got a pretty big blind spot as far as Marvel and DC are concerned, but even I got it.
Continued belowAnyway, since I loved “Doctor Andromeda” so much, my friend recommended “Starman: Sins of the Father,” which I believe kicks off the 1994–2001 run of the character (at least if ComiXology is accurate). I still haven’t gotten around to it and I’m long overdue.
Vince’s Picks:
The Metabarons ($20.99 on comiXology) – So I’m a hair over the official CSBC price limit here, but I don’t think you can argue with the value of getting 8 volumes of Jodorowsky’s epic tale for this amount of money. I’m familiar with the Jodorowsky/Moebius “Incal” stuff, but I’ve never taken the time to branch out into the rest of the Jodo-verse. This seems like a tremendous deal that’s hard to pass up. Having to beat your dad in combat in order to become the next Metabaron has so much potential psychology to it, that I can’t wait to dive in. Jodorowsky’s never steered me wrong before.
Brian’s Pick:
Box Office Poison ($9.99 on comiXology) – When I was in college, a few friends swore by this comic, and they were persuasive enough that I bought it. Yet, they must not have been that convincing, as it has sat, unread, on my shelf for the past 17 years. I am, at this point, probably past the target audience for a book about a group of young adults in New York City, but that isn’t going to stop me from digging in and seeing what all the 2003 fuss was about among my friends.
