I was flipping through email messages today and saw that a "beloved cult series" was returning, and that's a phrase that makes a book sound right up my alley. When I opened my email, and saw the art and the description of the series, I immediately knew something was missing from my reading life.

Boom describes the series as "Cursed Pirate Girl, the beloved cult series, launched in 2012 with the story of young Apollonia, daughter of the governor of Port Elizabeth, who meets the enigmatic, no-nonsense Cursed Pirate Girl, a wandering adventurer on a quest to find her lost father, a dreaded pirate captain of the Omerta Seas. Since then, Cursed Pirate Girl’s wild and thrilling adventures have continued in the Cursed Pirate Girl graphic novel and special issue Cursed Pirate Girl 2015 Annual, garnering widespread acclaim for their intricately detailed illustrations evocative of Arthur Rackham and Gustave Dore’s fairy tale depictions."

While the description piqued my interest first glimpse of the art was absolutely BREATHTAKING!

Over the past two years, I've gained my affinity for sketch style art.  There is something about the beauty in both how simplistic and complex it can be at the same time.  I literally could not stop staring at any of these sample panels.  Story be damned, the level of depth and potential symbolism in each page has my mind blown.  

I really don't have a lot to say about the potential of or hope in this series, and maybe I'll follow-up soon, because as soon as I click publish, I'm going to immediately buy the previous books digitally, and hunt for them in print. Needless to say, I'm excited to get my hands on Cursed Pirate Girl: The Devil's Cave in January!

I've always been a big Valiant comics fan....and I instantly jumped at the opportunity to see their first theatrical offering "Bloodshot."  I didn't get to see it on the day it released, however I went to see it on the day after the greenest of beers, to find shortly after I returned home that schools would be physically shuttered for the remainder of the school year (and then worse.....). I thought my life would be tricky managing a work life balance of my spouse and I both working at home with three kids under the age of 5 (with our youngest being slightly over a year old).

That large challenge never allowed me to think about what other folks may be experiencing throughout their pandemic (aside from other parents of young kids, or my students...because thats who I had contact with throughout).

If I were entering the next defining phase of my life (from college to adulthood) I have no clue how I would have attempted to adjust......but "​DAY AND AGE: YEAR ONE" allows me to think down that road!

 Andrew's book offers the perfect weekly self reflection of the trials and tribulations of both the post-college experience as well as the hell of COVID-19 in creating different forms of isolation. From online dating mishaps, to cockroaches to your neighbors getting a dog, to the relation we all unhealthily developed with our AMAZON delivery person.  This slice of one person's life gives us an understanding of what we may have missed out on, but how the pandemic experience may have been more common for all of us than we may have thought.  

I never thought I could become both emotionally connected and a feeling of camaraderie with someone I've never met but only read their work faster than what I did with Andrew's work!  For the low low price of $6.99 you can go on the same rollercoaster I did, and I promise you, you'll love it!

In July, I was lucky enough to be asked to check out Marguerite vs the Occupation from Resistance Comics. A very interesting take on the French revolution.  Luzar (the writer) is at it with a NEW artist and the same creative team as the first book.  Therefore I knew if I loved Marguerite, I would fall in love with Odd Yarns!

Alright, after literally writing "Therefore I knew if I loved Marguerite, I would fall in love with Odd Yarns" above before I read the book, I'm now loudly laughing at a brewery (waiting on the dentist.....) I CANNOT THINK OF A BOOK MORE DIFFERENT FROM MARGUERITE AND IT IS BONKERS AF, AND I WANT IT TO BE MORE THAN A ONE SHOT.....

All I can say to summarize this....imagine if the guy from Short Circuit was creating the anti-MODOK ....put this whole scene in your head with shit going entirely wrong

This book is easly "what the fuck just happened..." "...on acid" for 22 pages, and I'm here for every single second of it!

For one reason or another, it is sometimes difficult for me to stay on top of different webtoons.  In fact, I've reviewed only ONE OTHER WEBTOON which eventually became its own published TPB on amazon.

This book however, is a traditional issue-length comic instead of the short strips like what you find in many webtoons.com productions.  It took me a minute to be able to get through all three issues, but needless to say....I'm hooked on.....

The creative team offered the following synopsis in their solicitation:
"In 1969, occult detective Paul Caine, suffering from psychic trauma after spending decades pushing his mind to its limits in pursuit of esoteric knowledge, uses a singular set of detection methods rooted in urban mysticism to investigate a dangerous new movement called the People’s Project, who work to exploit the harbor town of Fairhaven’s social unrest for its own ends."

Their target audience is: "fans of the crime genre, particularly those drawn to the work of Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka, both of whom often weave super or sci-fi elements into the crime genre, yet always keep it grounded in verisimilitude."

I believe they perfectly reach their target audience, with the stylistic influences they mention as well.  One of the reasons I thoroughly appreciate crime works is when there are solid nods to many of the pulp-origins of the genre.  Which I feel like thy do with their own brand of a private dick who uses any means necessary to dive into cases which have elements of an occult nature.  

In addition to appreciating the influences they gave a nod to, if you loved the AfterShock series Miskatonic, you will also enjoy this series.  I made it through all three issues at a relatively slow pace because I was so drawn into every intricate detail AND WHATEVER THE FUCK THE REEPY MACHINES WHICH KEEPED POPPING UP ARE!

Are we on the verge of socialists attempting to convert the masses by plugging them into the matrix?  What the hell was that prayer?  These folks may not believe that "religion is the opiate of the masses...." which could make their movement terrifying from a multiplicity of ideological angles.

In short, this may very well be one of the best comics on the market right now, that you've never heard of.  You should.  With 16 issues coming in the first "season" of this series, I can't wait to see each individual twist or turn the series takes, because I'm hooked and terrified now, and we are only in Issue #3!

​Again.....did I mention this book is free?  GO READ IT NOW!!!!!

I know I cannot be left alone in believing the best scene in the entire history of cinema is: 

Reading the first several pages of Mad Cave's upcoming offering Speed Republic made me lovingly think of this scene and several other post-apocalyptic rally races throughout the history of literature and film, which excites me!

I loved every heart-pounding second of this issue.  From the flamboyance of the Autocrat beginning the race to the illusion of safety, purge-like gangs of animal masked folks, and a twisted family history keeps the high-octane pace of this first issue alive and well.  I cannot wait to see how the race continues to add new layers throughout each issue.  

This is a creative team who absolutely sings a beautiful harmony like several of my other favorite mad cave creative pairings, and I would love to interview ANYONE from this team on Shop Talk!!!!

​You should definitely add this one to your pull, as I promise you will not. be disappointed!!!!!!!