Love Letters #5

We’re fortunate enough to be able to talk to so many different kinds of book fans at the markets that we sell at, and because the stock we have is constantly changing, we feel like we’ve seen pretty much the entire spectrum of “comic” buyers. Whether people are dedicated to authors, characters, brands or genres, if they’re in it for the collecting or in it for the reading, even people who fell off the wagon long ago and young kids who are just finding and exploring the bredth of what really works for them; they all get that same look in their eye when you start up the conversation about their book. We can get so attached to these stories like they’re parts of our own family, and finding an outlet to talk about them can be so cathartic, that we’ll often have people hang out at our stalls who just want to have that conversation rather than buy something. That’s okay by the way! It’s legitimately what motivates us to keep doing this, and is a massive part of our hopes for where we can take things in the future. Love Letters is, for me, very much the same thing, except I get shout about what I’m loving into the ether, and you get to choose at which point of my ramblings you’ve had enough of me. So speaking of what I love... 

One World Under Doom #1 

Writer: Ryan North Artist: R.B Dilva Colour Artist: David Curiel 

Hellllll yeahhhhhhhh. I don’t mark out for much, but I do mark out for Doctor Doom. The king of pettiness, the emperor of arrogance, the sultan of self-righteousness, not to mention the current sorcerer supreme of the Marvel universe and the star of this new event series, where he’s ready to take control of the world once and for all, and finally has the kind of absolute power needed to do so. Ryan North is the perfect writer for this event, able to merge large scale ideas with timely and darkly relevant realism, and most importantly, make it funny. At the very least humorous. Doom works by far the best when his brand of villainy is the goofy, moustache twirling kind, combined with the confidence and knowledge that he’s basically always right, and One World Under Doom looks to be giving exactly that. This first issue set up for the event sees Doom broadcasting himself to the entire world, essentially letting them know he’s taken over, and he’s going to show them all how that’s actually a good thing. By the end of the issue he’s done exactly that, turning the world against the heroes who would try and stand in his way as well as taking down a squad of nazi’s, and he does it all while riding a T-Rex (yeah). There is so much here that could have been cringey, overblown, way too edgy, or even just plain boring in someone else's hands, but it’s turned out exactly how I hoped it would, and let me tell you if I was a score giving kind of guy, this one would be an easy perfect 10. 

The Seasons #1 

Writer: Rick Remender  Artist: Paul Azaceta Colourist: Matheus Lopes 

If you told me there was a comic that felt like a marriage between Tintin and Hayao Miyazaki, where almost nothing happens in the first issue, and the tone was slapstick playfulness with a sinister, spooky undertone – first of all I’d need a minute to digest what all of that even means, but secondly I don’t think in I’d guess it was written by Rick Remender in a hundred tries. Of course, that’s a great thing, and speaks to the vast creativeness of his creator-owned books like this one, especially over the past few years, you just never know quite what you’re going to get. Now despite very little happening this issue, the world-building is off the charts as we follow a character chasing a letter caught in the wind through the streets of her town. We get plenty of character development living in our main characters head, and the world around her is truly brought to life by Azaceta’s gorgeous art. This book feels fresh in so many ways, and definitely gives the sense of something very special coming together here, I’m really looking forward to seeing what direction it takes off in. 

NYX #8 

Writers: Colin Kelly, Jackson Lanzig Artist: Francesco Mortarino Colour Artist: Raúl Angulo 

Man this is a bittersweet one, NYX has been my favourite of the new run of X-Men books since they relaunched last year, and just after finishing what I think was it’s best issue, I read that the series is coming to an end at issue 10, such is the way of the comics machine at the big publishers. It's an all out character piece on Hellion, who had been an unexpected villain in the story until now with a great side focus on Wolverine (Laura, or X-23 to the old heads) as they come face to face in the back of a police truck and get to talk through the mess of an experience they’ve both been going through since book began. It really grows Hellion’s character in a massive way, making up for the fact that he’s hardly been used in books in an important way for years, exploring his anger, frustration, grief and uncertainties in a way that’s really touching, the line, “Life isn’t some noble quest, it’s a hammer, and the only heroic thing a nail can do is not break.” was wonderful, and really hit home in the way I imagine the writers were hoping for when they put it there. It’s the most gorgeous book of the series too, so many 10/10 pages here, in no small part thank to the incredible colouring, it massively stood out in this issue. Bonus points for a one panel background appearance from my number one guy Glob Herman, as the cherry on top of an all around banger. 

Smoking Behind the Supermarket With You Vol 1 

Story and Art by: Jinushi 

Another great slice-of-life manga I’ve discovered this year, Smoking… is very much a slow burner, but manages to be constantly heartwarming and funny the whole way through, and it takes a lot of joy in subverting classic tropes in a very “Way of the Househusband” kind of way. Main character Sasaki is an overworked and over-stressed corporate drone, and the high point of his day is going to the grocery store and being served by the unwaveringly positive Yamada. He smokes a cigarette in the alley behind the supermarket with a new friend named Tayama, and is naïve enough to not realise that the two women are the same person, one’s just on break from her shift and is playing games with him. Really simple premise that comes in short bursts each chapter, each one just a few pages showing what happens at the next smoke break – be it Sasaki making a fool out of himself, the two characters growing their friendship or peeks into their lives outside of the breaks. It was a relief that they leaned in to the playfulness and charming silliness of the premise, rather than taking it in a more creepy, seedy direction that some mangas move towards. This one was a real comfort-food book and I'll definitely be back for seconds.