Most of the comics I read these days are from publishers who aren’t DC or Marvel Comics or are manga. I’m not reading much from DC or Marvel because I find it difficult to follow their universe-busting storylines and because their writers and editors don’t seem to be very concerned about making their comics accessible to readers who have neither the time or energy to juggle the constant barrage of “epics” they publish. The concept of character core values seems to have been dismissed along with the notions of beginnings, middles and ends.
I’m going to try to read more Marvel and DC comics in the future. That’s a recognition of my nostalgia for their characters and their prominence in the current marketplace. In the meantime, let’s see what other comics I’ve read recently.
Last October, I named Be Gay, Do Comics [IDW Publishing; $24.99} as one of the things that made me happy. I described it as “a fun and informative softcover collection presenting dozens of comics about LGBTQIA+ experiences.”
Compiled by The Nib and edited by Matt Bors, the 256-page softcover volume provides a forum for many voices across the spectrum. There are plenty of one-page comics and others of varying lengths. As I recall - it’s been a while since I read the book - the longest runs 15 pages. Among my favorites: “The Life of Gad Beck: Gay. Jewish. Nazi Fighter” by Levi Hastings and Dorian Alexander; “I Came Out Late in Life and That’s Okay” by Alison Wilgus; “Queer Uprisings Before Stonewall” by Hazel Newlevant; “When You’re Invisible in Pop Culture” by Bianca Xunise and Sage Coffey”; “The Wondefully Queer World of Moomin” by Mady G” and “Jussie Smollett Doesn’t Negate the Reality of Hate Crimes” by Mariah-Rose Marie”.
I read Be Gay, Do Comics over two weeks, a few stories at a time, which is what I recommend, the better to appreciate the individual comics. The Library Journal found the book suitable for readers in eighth grade and up. I agree.
ISBN 978-1-68405-777-1
Let’s put this in terms very familiar to super-hero fans. Cheshire Crossing by Andy Weir with artist Sarah Andersen [Ten Speed Press; $14.99] teams up Dorothy Gale, Alice Liddell and Wendy Darling in an adventure that has them fighting for their lives against Captain Hook and the Wicked Witch.
Following their well-know-to-fantasy-fans trips to Oz, Wonderland and Never Never Land, the three young ladies are considered, well, not quite right by their families. Sent to Cheshire Crossing, the titular boarding school, they meet each other and find themselves in a environment where their otherworldly travels are recognized. This doesn’t diminish their aversion to authority.
Before long, the girls are bouncing across their mystical worlds, getting into dire danger at the hands of familiar villains, and, somewhat begrudgingly learning to work together. It’s a fun story and pretty much self-contained, save for a closing scene that keeps the door open for future adventures.
Good writing and art. Great characters. I’m definitely up for more Cheshire Crossing adventures.
ISBN 978-0-399-58207-3
The afore-mentioned Sarah Andersen is the writer and artist of the delightful Fangs [Andrews McMeel Publishing; $14.99], the New York Times bestselling graphic novel story of love between a vampire and a werewolf. “Darkly charming and heartwarming” is how I’d describe this 5.2" x 7.9" hardcover.
Three-hundred-year-old vampire Elsie meets the considerably younger werewolf Jimmy. After deciding she’d rather date him than eat him, Elsie finds herself in a relationship. It’s really sweet how they accommodate one another as they share horror movies, fine dining, romantic strolls and the like. Their story unfolds in a series of one-page scenes. The humor of their lives isn’t so much dark as not bright. I like these two characters a lot and hope that we haven’t seen the last of them.
If I were writing this before Christmas, I would suggest this book could be a pretty great stocking stuffer for your mildly macabre paramours. As it is, I’m thinking I might buy a few of them now and save them for Christmas 2021. Highly recommended.
ISBN 978-1-5248-6067-7
After reading the “Wayneocchio” story from Batman Tales: Once Upon a Crime by Derek Fridolfs and Dustin Nguyen [DC Comics; $9.99] in a Free Comic Book Day issue, I requested the trade paperback from my local library system. That story is one of the four fairy tales-inspired stories in this anthology.
“Wayneocchio” is my favorite story in the book, but the other three were fun as well. “The Princess and the Pea” features the Joker and several of Batman’s female foes. “Alfred in Wonderland” stars our favorite comics butler. Mr. Freeze and his wife Nora are the stars of “The Snow Queen.” While I wouldn’t want an ongoing “fairy-tale” series, an occasional special would be welcome.
ISBN 978-1-4012-8340-7
The other half of the afore-mentioned Free Comic Book Day offering was Batman: Overdrive by Shea Fontana with art by Marcelo DiChiara [DC Comics; $9.99]. This is what I wrote about the 12-page excerpt from that freebie issue:
Young Bruce Wayne is on the verge of getting his driver’s license and restoring his father’s prized 1966 Crusader. The kid is also investigating the murder of his parents, sure the official report of their deaths is wrong. He goes to a junkyard for parts, meets a new friend and gets his first glimpse of the future Catwoman. It’s a well-told excerpt with only one element with which I must raise objection. The movie Bruce attends with his parents on that tragic night is...Captain Carrot? No, that’s just wrong.
Due to my dissatisfaction with whatever the heck current DC Comics continuity is supposed to be, I cherish all the different takes on the company’s classic heroes. I dread the moment when some genius decides to bring them all into continuity, but, for now, it’s fun to see these classic heroes presented in stories that don’t rely on a dozen other titles to be understood but less enjoyed.
Overdrive has solid writing and art. It’s a believable look at an alternate universe Bruce Wayne and it’s entertaining. That’s all I need from most comic books. The suggested reading level is grades 2-4, but it’s suitable for older readers as well.
ISBN 978-1-4012-8356-8
Thanks for stopping by. I’ll be back soon with more stuff.
© 2021 Tony Isabella
I read Cheshire Crossing on Andy Weir's website, with his artwork (the story was the selling point). He hired an artist to redraw it after hitting it big with The Martian.
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