New Comics, No Capes – Part One
Non-superhero comics seem to be really picking up lately, with major publishers like DC and Image really pushing some innovative, interesting titles. Within the last few months a bunch of new books have hit the stores and because I’m a little crazy, I’m apparently trying to read all of them – or at least a good percentage. This week and next week I’m going to do a roundup of all the titles I’ve recently picked up – some fantasy, some sci-fi, some…other…but all non-superhero and all straight off the presses.
Hinterkind
Latest Issue – #2 | Publisher: DC Vertigo | Artist: Francesco Trifogli | Writer: Ian Edginton
Hinterkind is not what I expected it to be. I didn’t read much of the description, instead deciding to pick it up after seeing the gorgeous scenery art and getting interested in the mysterious first few pages that seemed to set up a post-apocalyptic (in this case something called ‘The Blight’) human civilization mucking out a living in a world gone back to nature. I saw it quickly thought it was going to be maybe another zombie book, as the overgrown huge cities reminded me of I Am Legend’s naturalized New York. However, I realized I was reading something very different when within the first issue, a supporting character is revealed to have grown a tail. Over the next few pages I was greeted with D&D style monsters and a world far more fantastic than I was expecting.
While I really dig the scenery and action art (the characters’ facial art really leaves something to be desired), I’m not sure how long I’ll be keeping with this book. So far the dialog and characters aren’t particularly enthralling, as the story seems to follow stubbornly willful Prosper and her best friend Angus, settlement-raised teenagers who venture out into the world at the end of the first issue. It’s not a really original story so far, though issue two begins introducing some fantasy politics that caught me off guard and make me tentatively excited to see where this could go. If Hinterkind’s story can kick up the pace, this could turn into something really great, but it can’t afford too many more plodding issues.
Sex Criminals
Latest Issue – #2 | Publisher: Image | Artist: Chip Zdarsky | Writer: Matt Fraction
Sex Criminals is going to be this year’s breakout hit. Witty, clever, interesting, pretty, engaging – I could fill up this article just with positive words about it. A story definitely not for kids, this book has a super weird premise – it follows the misadventures of Suzie, who discovers as a teenager that she can stop time at the moment of orgasm. She meets a man with a similar ability and they do the obvious – turn to a life a crime.
NO, NO, STAY WITH ME HERE.
Sex Criminals takes this bizarre premise and puts it in a framework of a coming of age story, a love story and an adventure story, starring surprisingly realistic characters. These characters are incredibly well written in their humanity despite their wacky situations. I’ve never read a comic book that captured exactly what it’s like to be a teenage girl: there’s a part where Suzie, around 13 years old and having just discovered her power, is desperately trying to find out more information about sex from any where she can, but nothing really tells her the truth. Her mother is too caught up in her own depression, school is embarrassing and clinical and the ‘slutty girls’ terrify her with their completely ignorant but very creative descriptions of sex acts. This happened to me. Nearly exactly. I still shudder and remember the phrase ‘froggy style,’ over a decade later. Life at that age is just that ridiculous, and Sex Criminals captures it beautifully. I’m extremely excited to see where the second issue’s bombastic ending leads, as we’re moving from the backstory into the present-day criminal hijinks action. Read this book if you like laughing, gorgeous art, panel lay outs and coloring and if you’ve realized that sex is not only funny but completely ridiculous.
Rat Queens
Latest Issue – #2 | Publisher: Image | Artist: Roc Upchurch | Writer: Kurtis J Wiebe
When trying to sell Megan on this comic, I referred to Rat Queens as the tale of a ‘dysfunctional, drunken all ladies’ D&D party’ and I stand by that description. Rat Queens takes place in a very stereotypical fantasy world populated with Dungeons and Dragons-style adventuring groups, one of whom are the badass Rat Queens. The Rat Queens are all around fun loving ladies who have little to no problem with dark magic, psychedelic mushrooms and brawling and usually end up sowing great chaos in their wake. The characters are great, and very much the centerpiece of this book, with each Rat Queen taking a traditional D&D role (dwarven tank, elvin mage, human cleric, halfling rogue) and turning it on its head with charm, style and foul language.
I love this group and their exploits are really entertaining to read about, even only two issues in. The art is really charming, with bright vibrant colors and excellent character designs – the character designs were what originally attracted me to the comic. The Queens’ designs aren’t pandering for the sake of titillation but they are attractive, showcasing diverse body types, and in a happy moment for typically white-washed fantasy, SKIN COLOR. Rat Queens hits the all the right notes (comedy! art! action!) and hits them very quickly, making it a funny and entertaining read.
Coffin Hill
Latest Issue #2 | Publisher: DC Vertigo | Artist: Inaki Miranda | Writer: Caitlin Kittredge
I almost can’t believe how gorgeous Coffin Hill is. Dark and brimming with atmosphere, this comic makes each and every panel visually meaningful. It’s the first comic book to make me homesick for the sometimes spooky forests of the East Coast, filled with long shadows, creeping sunsets and freshly fallen snow. Coffin Hill follows Eve Coffin, apparently the last surviving member of an old money New England family filled with dysfunction and witchcraft. Told in a series of flashbacks, we follow the story of Eve’s trouble teenage rebellion, her successful time as a rookie cop and the tragedy that takes her back to the place she hates, the family estate of Coffin Hill.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this title and I’m still not entirely sure where the story is going, but I know I like it so far as the mysteries of Eve’s past (what did her friends unleash in on Halloween night?) unfurl, with the talk of witchcraft in her family line and death in the dark forest. Moody and interesting, so far Coffin Hill is a notch above most horror comics in its elegance, though it doesn’t shy away from the bloodshed. Coffin Hill has a ton of potential but I’m a little worried it might miss the mark on characterization. Eve’s character design (white streaked hair, facial scar, one black sclera) is unique to the rest of the cast and what little we’ve seen of her current personality comes off as making her a condescending special snowflake. These put together make Eve seem like little more than a cooler-than-thou goth kid plunked in a comic with the creeping atmosphere more suited to a Lovecraftian or Victorian style of horror. If Eve can get some more characterization or we can see the development that took her from rebellious teenager to star rookie cop, I think Coffin Hill will really go places. And I think it’ll be a lovely, horrifying ride.
Next week I’ll cover new comics Rocket Girl, Umbral, Alex + Ada and whatever else shows up at my local comic store!
