St. Me Day is just winding down so what do I decide to do? Finally finish my comic pull list posts! It's been a long time coming so when I finish this I can get back to what really pulls you guys in to read this thing.
Anyway, comics not published by Marvel and DC may not be as popular, but there are some hidden gems among them. I only recently got into these after I started working at a comic store, being more aware of them. Here are the ones I currently read.
Gargoyles published by Slave Labor Graphics: I know what you're thinking. "Gargoyles? That Disney Cartoon from the 90s?" Yep. This is the official continuation of the series. Season Three, if you will. The series starts right after the end of Season Two, and ignores The Goliath Chronicles completely. It's written by Greg Weisman, the creator of the series, and carries on the series as he originally intended. With storylines involving Thailog, The Quarrymen, the Illuminati, and Goliath and Elisa's relationship, this is a must read for any Gargoyles fan. The only thing that annoys me is that the series is bimonthly. I want to read it more often! The first trade was recently released, so I suggest checking it out. As a side note, a spin-off miniseries, Gargoyles: Bad Guys, is also being published. It follows several "bad guys" from the series, like Dingo, Matrix, and others, and is again written by Greg Weisman.
Walking Dead published by Image Comics: For those of you who like zombie stories, this one is for you. Written by Robert Kirkman, it's an ongoing zombie survival horror comic. It follows a group of people in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. What's interesting about it is, the zombies aren't the real threat of the comic. The real danger are the other survivors in this zombie filled world. The book is more about relationships and human emotion than it is about the walking dead, and that's what I like about it. That, and you have NO IDEA what's going to happen next. The writer plans on sticking around for quite a while, so I don't see any end in sight for now. Pick up the first trade, and you'll be hooked. Guaranteed.
Hero by Night published by Platinum Studios: This is a nice superhero title written and illustrated by D J Coffman. It's about a guy whose father makes him the landlord of a down-trodden apartment building, and finds the secret lair of a superhero from long ago. His first idea was to make a fortune selling this old stuff but what he didn't count on was the old hero's arch nemesis still being alive! This title is just good plain fun, and there's just not enough of it in today's comics.
Black Summer published by Avatar Comics: This is a weird but compelling miniseries. What if the biggest superhero in the world finally took matters into his own hands and killed the President of the United States and his Cabinet for crimes against the world? And what happens to those other superheroes he fought with for years? Written by Warren Ellis, it's more than a political commentary, it's balls-out action and thrills.
Megas published by Virgin Comics: This miniseries is written by the guy who directed Terminator 3 and U-571, as part of Virgin Comics' Directors Cut line of comics. What if the founding fathers of the US didn't create a democracy, but instead founded a monarchy? It's an interesting idea, and this series deals with a murder that must be solved in this alternate present. I think what I like most about the series is the strikingly white hair of the Megas, that is, those with power and linked to the monarchy. Look it up, you may be surprised.
Drafted published by Devil's Due Publishing: In this ongoing series written by Mark Powers, the human race is drafted into an interplanetary war between two alien races. Okay, it may sound cheesy, but it's really really good. It's less about the aliens than it is about the relationships drawn between people who are suddenly on even ground again. What happens to a President who no longer has any hold over people? Or a doctor who was cured of cancer only to fight in a deadly war? Or an Israeli forced to fight alongside a Palestinian?
Those are the main independent comics I pick up. I'll occasionally pick up a miniseries or graphic novel, but those are better left for individual posts. What I like about independent comics is that there's a lot of talent there that no one knows about. And If I ever publish my own graphic novel or comic or whatever, it will be through one of those publishers, or my own company. There's good things out there if you look hard enough.
Now that I finally finished my pull list, I can get back to writing about other things. I hope you enjoyed my reasoning into buying the comics I do. And again, if you have any questions about any of these books, feel free to ask me.
Out.
