Comics I’m Picking Up the Week of May 22, 2019

Here are the books I’m looking forward to seeing at my local comic store the week of May 22, 2019.

Drawing Blood: Spilled Ink #1

Publisher: Kevin Eastman Studios
Words/Story: Kevin Eastman, David Avallone
Art/Colors: Kevin Eastman, Troy Little

“[A]n inside look at the turbulent life and times of a once-successful cartoonist on the skids, Shane “Books” Bookman. Once upon a time, Books co-created The Radically Rearranged Ronin Ragdolls: a gritty, funny indie comic that became a billion-dollar global franchise. Now, years later, the partnership dissolved, the corporate buy-out all spent, Books is struggling to recover from the hit-and-run driver called early success . . . and looking for the will and the joy to create something new again.”

Category: Tried and True Creator

Why I’m Excited: I’m sure this isn’t the first Walk Tall or Pop Star: Never Stop Never Stopping of the comics medium. It’s rare to have a creator of Kevin Eastman’s influence take a stab at his own success. The original TMNT had its share of quippy dialog—eclipsed by the cartoon series in wackiness—but I assume that David Avallone was invited on board for his script punch-up skills. My only reservation is that I hope there’s been a growth in his ability with female characters.

Kevin Eastman Studios

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the the Freshman Force: New Party, Who Dis?

Publisher: Devil’s Due Comics
Words/Story: Josh Blaylock, Dean Haspiel, Pat Shand, Shawn DePasquale, Various
Art/Colors: Hoyt Silva, Jill Thompson

“It’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the ‘Freshman Force’ (of Congress) vs. the establishment in this all-new special! Comic creators converge to celebrate the election of the most diverse group of freshman congresspersons in history, and spare no one in this satire that takes aim at Washington.”

Category: Tried and True Creator

Why I’m Excited: Recently, political humor comics have been dominated by making fun of 45. That’s here, of course, but I’m glad that we have a foil for that mug. Taking Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s viral Twitter posts as jumping-off points to explore the absurdity of Washington, DC, these creators have a few pages each so I knew this was going to be a laugh riot when I saw the preview page based on her set of “looking for Mitch” posts. I used to think turtles were adorable. Now I can’t unsee the similarity.

Devil’s Due Comics

The War of the Realms: Strikeforce The Land of Giants

Publisher: Marvel Comics
Words/Story: Tom Taylor
Art/Colors: Jorge Molina

“The God of Thunder is trapped in the land of ice and snow . . . And it’s up to Captain America to rescue him before all is lost! Taking up Thor’s ax, Jarnbjorn, Cap and his team—Spider-Man, Wolverine, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist—invade the Frost Giant realm in search of their fellow Avenger. But this rescue mission will cost far more than they expect.”

Category: Like They Need My Help

Why I’m Excited: Cue the Zeppelin and mount your pegasuses (or is that pegasi?). I am very much enjoying this latest of Marvel’s epic crossover events. Not since the misunderstood (IMHO) Secret Wars and the Avengers v. X-Men has a cross-over event been so well coordinated and executed. I suspect that this set of tie-ins has been gestating in Jason Aaron’s mind since he started Thor: God of Thunder in 2012 and might just make me forget the mess that was Original Sin. With the disappointing Game of Thrones finale in the rear-view, I’m looking forward to some fun fantasy.

Marvel Comics

Rust Belt

Publisher: Secret Acres
Words/Story: Sean Knickerbocker
Art/Colors: Sean Knickerbocker

“Some people aren’t invited to the Resistance. They meet no definition of the Other. Identity politics excludes them. They’re called unlucky when they fall victim to economic injustice. They even take the blame for our national crises—but who are these people? Rust Belt looks right at the underemployed, the working poor, and the dreamers of America’s changing, post-industrial cities.”

Category: Support Emerging Creators

Why I’m Excited: I’ve never been a fan of the term “Rust Belt”; it implies that there are things that have been left out to decay. What I see instead, with the opening of China in the ’80s, is that the invisible hand found a labor force more desperate for work than those in Europe and the US. I prefer the metaphor of the eaten apple to describe the once-thriving communities along the shores of the Great Lakes. Minneapolis resident Sean Knickerbocker puts the spotlight on the characters left struggling in the wake of massive economic upheaval. From the excerpts of the floppies this collects I can see a deep sympathy as the characters struggle for meaning in a world that never seems to have a place for them.

Secret Acres

See you at the racks!