This week’s lead review is FML #1, a story of empathy and understanding about the issues facing young people today. add, The Wednesday Comics team typically lists new #1 comics, finales, and other noteworthy issues from non-Big 2 publishers, all of which you can find below…enjoy!
FMML #1
writer: Kelly Sue DeConnick
artist: david lopez
Colorist: Chris Peter
Writer: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: dark horse comics
Comments by Jared Bird
Industry legend Kelly Sue DeConnick (Captain Marvel, quite deadly) again with david lopez (New Wolverine) in the brand’s eight-issue series dark horse comics. That in itself would be killer promotion for a comic, but it’s even better than that. This series, which focuses on a group of high school students growing up in a strange yet perfectly normal world, was one of my biggest surprises this year. With the talent involved, I knew it would be good, but I had no idea how timely it would be for today’s youth.
Follow teenagers Savage Slaughter, Glory Holgate, Riley Maloney and Lydia, as well as Riley’s mother Patty and sister Lil, FML At its core, it’s a coming-of-age story. It’s unlike any other coming-of-age story you’ve seen before, partly because of its incredible world-building. The setting of the story is somewhat surreal, fantastical and unique, and its delivery is both subtle and obvious, depending on what the story calls for. This gives the book an “anything is possible” feel, which makes it even more exciting to read. You’re never sure what the next page will contain.
DeConnick is a legend in the industry, so it’s no surprise that her writing here is top-notch. Her feel for dialogue is fantastic, and the dialogue throughout the issue is very effective in conveying the plot and story, is entertaining, and easy to read. Her knack for creating interesting, complex characters continues here, as our main cast all feel individual and unique, with their own quirks and flaws. I found Lydia to be a particularly funny character – we all know Lydia, or have been Lydia.
Lopez’s vibrant artwork is a highlight of the book. He balances style and tone well and creates incredibly funny visual jokes by breaking up the book’s semi-consistent art style. It complements DeConnick’s script so well that every time the book changes style or tone, the two are in perfect sync. It makes for a great reading experience. Chris Peter and Clayton Cowles Also done well on the coloring and lettering work respectively.
30 pages in total FML Make a great first impression. The laughs are hilarious and full of heart, seeming to approach youth with genuine empathy and understanding. I’m sure this book will be welcomed by interested readers like myself, and it features excellent writing from DeConnick and Lopez. I think it’s a real attempt to connect with and understand today’s young people in a wonderful way that’s not condescending or judgmental. This book is important to many people and is worth reading again and again.
fade #1
writer: Abria Iyengar
Art: Mari Costa
color: Angel de Santiago
letter: Jim Campbell
Publisher: Prosperity! Studio/Boom! box mark
reviewer Clyde Hall
If you remember a time in your life where escapism was not only desirable but necessary for your mental and emotional health, or if you’re experiencing this feeling right now, don’t worry. No matter what generation you belong to, and whether the appeal of novels, comic books, tabletop RPGs, MUSHing/MUDDing, or video games feeds your soul and helps you cope, you are not alone. You will find affirmation in wonderful “prosperity” this week! released by the studio fade #1.
This is part of BOOM! Box YA imprint and author Abria Iyengar Cleverly weaving her experiences as a tabletop gamer and general manager into the story of Jenny Dube. Once a standout high school student with creative storytelling potential, she’s now a college freshman and experiencing all kinds of changes in her life in a short period of time. As adulthood approaches, she feels unbalanced, uncertain, and anxious about daily challenges.
It’s an atmosphere conducive to escapism and creative expression. Immersing yourself in a story that’s not your own to escape stress, especially if it’s a difficult hero’s journey, can be cathartic. A viral internet trend called “The Fade” beckons our protagonist, and a message on her MishMosh feed about how to use dreams to easily enter Fade mode quickly goes viral.
Before she could say “Mirror, mirror,” a fantastical realm of elven adventures opened up to her. But like all forms of escapism, how will it impact another world, a reflection on family and friendships on the other side? Will it hold up, empower her, or lead her further astray as she balances the real and fantasy worlds? Which is which?
In the first part, Iyengar Bringing Jenny’s struggles into focus is poignant enough to shock anyone who’s been through a phase like hers. All these emotions about social anxiety and laying the groundwork for your more mature self can be a recipe for waking nightmares, rising fears, and immersion in the magical water that is the only prevention against drowning. Like us, Jenny realizes that pruning these fantasy streams compromises accountability, but fading may be her irresistible siren song.
The writing presents the opening scene as relevant and honest. The art maintains this rhythm, a very down-to-earth everydayness, and a perfectly matched realism in the fade dimension, thanks to Mari Costa and Angel de Santiago About art and color art respectively. There may be a temptation to make the “real world” seem bland and make the realm of fantasy aesthetically overwhelming. Although one has magic and the other has modern technology, making them compatible better serves the theme and the creative team models it with a strong, defining style. This approach once again raises the question: which world is “real”? Which “character” are we, the one we have when we are awake, or the one we express when our imaginations are breathing freely?
This book may be aimed at younger readers, but its excellent treatment of these concepts makes fade #1 A must read for those who are young at heart or have been young at heart. Because we know that the struggle between two beings is real.
Wednesday Comics Review
Exit City #1 (Crazy Cave Studios): It’s increasingly difficult to imagine a dystopia as something far removed from our current reality, so when a hyper-capitalist country secedes from the United States and is allowed to function as a territory, I just think it “makes sense.” The cool thing is how the writer presented this scary idea Mark London;Cities are interconnected and float on man-made structures in the ocean. It’s a cyberpunk future filled with technology and unethical experimentation to push this further.
What is a liberal paradise without police? We met two police officers and quickly got acquainted with their dynamic, one dirty, the other more by-the-book. They are paired up and assigned a grizzly bear murder case, which they must navigate together while navigating each other. The first issue sets up the pieces and players, all of which create a sense of intrigue throughout.
art Carl Most It feels reminiscent of Frank Quitely The clean lines feel at home in the polish of a cyberpunk future that’s easily shattered by the grime and blood spilling beneath the surface. To this point, there’s an excellent closing sequence that just establishes another layer to this investigation and generates more interest in said experiment. David Barron’s Color and light bathe the image in light and warmth, the letters Dave Sharp Everything ties together really well, especially the little talking bottles in McCormick’s detective jacket and how they are handled. This is a solid first issue that does a lot of work on the ideas the team came up with and even more by the end of the book. —Khalid Johnson
Wolf’s Hour #1 (Crazy Cave Studios): exist Wolf’s Hour #1 from the cave of madness, writer Mark London has crafted a chilling story and a solid first comic book issue that establishes concept, mystery, and tone in just 20 pages. There’s a classic horror-comedy vibe to this, and it’s divided into a world that feels a little outrageous and a world filled with occult horrors. The reality of an empty home and marital conflict is a gateway to the unsettling. A series of superhero narratives underpin this through a mysterious antihero investigating a sinister conspiracy. To me, a star is Danilo Belushi’s Cartoonized, with creative layouts and a powerful ability to control revelations and scares. Color by Fabi Marks Gorgeous and rich, full of eerie greens and yellows. I’m not a huge horror fan, but this was enough to make me curious to read more. —Tim Rooney
progress report
AD 2000 2407 (Rebel Publishing): I’ll be blunt – it’s good to get lost in this issue on Wednesday morning, you know, because of a few things. It launches a new horror story with an action-packed first chapter Mike Carroll, Ben Wilsher, and anne parkhouse. That’s great, but the most important thing to me is Azimuth-The Legendary Basilisk Part 2, An interdimensional tale of rogue artificial intelligence co-starring Judge Anderson. it is made of Dan Abnett, and art Tadzio Betin, Color by Matt Sophie, and letters Jim Campbell. The art for part two is fantastical and absurd, starting with the large panel at the top of the first page. It’s a brilliant, dense piece of hyper-visual science fiction, and a wonderful escapism for today, distracting in equal measure with fantasy and complexity. It really hits home. As always, you can get a digital copy of this week’s Avant-garde here. —Zach Quentins
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