In Elvira: Mistress of the Dark #1, the horror movie hostess met Mary Wollstonecraft; in this issue, there’s another classic figure of the genre introduced. It’s, as Elvira conveniently points out to readers, Edgar Allen Freaking Poe! As written by David Avallone and illustrated by Dave Acosta, the light and funny tone from the first issue continues, along with the fourth-wall breaking and boob mentions. However, there is some plot, and it does move along, as we learn who’s chasing […]

Exactly what it says on the tin. D. Bradford Gambles’ A Lone Deer at the End of the World shows a deer wandering through the snow-covered wreckage of civilization, mostly an abandoned mall overtaken by nature. It’s quietly lyrical, as if you can hear the snow drifting. Larger panels are interspersed with focus images on details, reinforcing the feel of the setting. There’s a rather obvious metaphor for consumerism being behind the destruction of society. I enjoyed the issue for […]

Colonial Comics: New England, 1750-1775 is an anthology of 18 historical comic stories, edited by Jason Rodriguez and published by Fulcrum Publishing, that aims “to focus on the people and events that tend to get ignored in American history classes.” It’s an admirable goal, and one that succeeds, opening readers’ eyes to lesser-known but involving figures and events. Stories such as “The Devil and Silence Dogood”, by J.L. Bell and Braden Lamb, humorously shows Benjamin Franklin’s early days as a […]

I adore Liz Climo’s comics. They’re simple, often just two panels, often just two or three animals in each, but they’re direct and heart-warming. She juggles her characters between their animal behavior and well-observed, more human-like traits. Lobster Is the Best Medicine is specifically labeled “a collection of comics about friendship”, and that’s a welcome subject to dive further into. Additionally, the small hardcover (a bit larger than a pack of cards) would make an excellent gift, as it’s cute […]

Manfried the Man by Caitlin Major and Kelly Bastow features a simple concept. Humanoid cats have little men for pets. It started, as you might expect, as a gag comic. It’s adorable seeing the roly-poly balding ginger Manfried get tied up in his leash, for example, and realistic that he always wants to be on the other side of a door. (Note that, as the pet men are naked, there are tiny little cartoon private parts visible, but they’re incredibly […]

The Carpet Merchant of Konstantiniyya by Reimena Yee is one of those lovely discoveries that remind me why I still have a slush pile. It’s a vampire story, but it’s not about being a vampire; it’s actually an inspiring love story. It’s well-designed, with a unique premise and setting. And it’s got believable characters with varied motivations that I want to spend more time with. Zeynel is a carpet seller in 17th century Istanbul. Well, first, he’s growing up in […]

Michigan: On the Trail of a War Bride has one of the more interesting premises I’ve seen in an European graphic novel. Written by Julien Frey and illustrated by Lucas Varela, it’s the story of Julien, a Frenchman, meeting his wife’s American cousins for the first time. Maud’s grandfather had a sister named Odette, who came to Michigan with an American soldier after World War II. I loved the historical part best since it evoked how much everyone’s life was […]

Canterbury Classics has launched a graphic novel line they call Dark Tales, featuring comic adaptations of classic (and thus in public domain) stories with some kind of horror connection. I was eager to check out Dark Tales: The Hound of the Baskervilles, since my Sherlock Holmes reading group was about to start on the novel by Arthur Conan Doyle. This adaptation is illustrated by Dave Shephard. I should have realized that a novel driven by mood and setting is very […]