In an ongoing effort to both give ourselves something to read while new comics are delayed, as well as diversify our reading, we are presenting ‘Prose Should Be Cheap,’ where we offer suggestions for non-comics books that we enjoy. We’ll be doing this once a month until comics are back to normal.
Kate’s Pick:
Slugfest: Inside the Epic, 50-year Battle between Marvel and DC by Reed Tucker – The rivalry between these two titans is so strong I once (jokingly) asked two of my favorite comic book nerds when they were expecting if they were going to raise their child “Marvel or DC.” (Wisely, they did not answer, though the Instagram post announcing they were expecting featured Jason Momoa, so that may have tipped their hand.) This is a well detailed history of this friendly and sometimes not-so-friendly rivalry that doesn’t appear to play favorites, but just lays out the facts and the timeline. Sure, the feud is maybe not as hot and heavy today, but if you want a look back to a more competitive time, this will do nicely.
Greg Lincoln’s Pick
Vicious by V.E. Schwab – I had other fantasy boos in mind for this before starting but as I begun I remembers how much I loved Victoria’s unique tale on superheroes, super villains and those stuck in between. Vicious introduced a believably morally questionable hero and villain in Eli and Victor and the beginnings of a fascinating cast or weird characters with and odd mix of powers and flaws. As with most superhero worlds the side characters have so much vitality and life to them you want to see them more and more as the story unfolds. She’s written two novels in this hopefully continuing series and the sequel Vengeful beautifully expands and complicates the world around Victor and Eli in fascinating ways. Schwab is more recognized for her swashbuckling fantasy series that started with A Darker Shade of Magic but this is the book that won me as a fan.
Kevin’s Pick:
The Mirror and The Light by Hilary Mantel – Awhile back I wrote up a fun We Want Comics piece on the sexy and much-maligned (but still sexy) Showtime series The Tudors. In it I wrote about how I think comics in general are a great medium for history and historical fiction stories, which is absolutely true. I made mention of author Hilary Mantel in the piece saying in my dream world she would write a comic about Thomas Cromwell. Mantel has won two Man Booker Prizes for Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies the first two parts of her trilogy on the life of Henry VIII’s number two, and the third part hit stands in March: The Mirror and The Light. All three novels are transcendental, ghost-filled, and minutely detailed, as if Mantel has figured out how to make the dead speak. I’m about halfway through The Mirror and The Light and it’s just as mesmerizing and engulfing as the first two books. I encourage you to check out all three novels, they span about 2,000 pages so they’ll keep you plenty busy!
Jason’s Pick:
The Oubliette by JC Stearns – Fun fact, I actually grew up reading more novels then comic books. My parents honestly weren’t fans of spending money on comics. Nonetheless, in recent years I find myself reading novels less and less, which makes me sad. But, then a mutual was posting about a new horror book that they were reading, The Oubliette and I feel in love with the cover. The thing is, its part of the Warhammer Universe, granted you don’t need to know anything of said universe. I instantly bought the book and it has been collecting dust on my nightstand with a bookmark. I’ll read it sometime soon!
Brian’s Pick:
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell – I forget exactly how I stumbled upon this novel a few years ago, but boy am I glad that I did. The book is, ostensibly, a science fiction story about encounters with an alien race, as well as a treatise on faith. It is told by zigzagging between two time periods, both before and after a horrible event that mars the technological and sociological triumph of Earth sending emissaries to another planet. The Sparrow is one of the most engaging and moving stories I’ve read in years, and while dense, a quick read. This is the perfect novel for thinking about a time when we aren’t confined just to our homes, nor our planet.
