Come on!
Chapter 158: You can take the boy out of Pittsburgh...
Hello again.
As I mentioned before, last week I went to and have now returned from the annual ComicsPro meeting in (occasionally) sunny Pittsburgh, PA. What is ComicsPro, you may be asking. Or not. But I will answer as if you did. ComicsPro is an association of comic retailers from around the world that attempt to address problems in the industry and advocate for comic shops. It’s been a bit of a weird year for the comic industry so I thought it would be a good time to listen to what shops had to say. Also, it is possible I had new *secret* stuff to talk about there.
Since I had no interest in flying or taking a train, I met up with Ed Brisson Wednesday afternoon on his signing tour. We headed down to visit our friends at Third Eye Comics in Annapolis. Ed had a signing and I did not, but I did end up signing a bunch of books for readers of the ol’ newsletter. That was funny. Thank you guys for bringing books.
Then we were off on our 4+ hour drive to Pittsburgh. We ended up getting to the hotel around 3am, where I clearly woke up the very nice woman at the front desk. She proceeded to tell me “we don’t have any housekeeping here so…” The trailing off was incredibly ominous and I’m not sure if it was meant to imply “don’t shit on the floor” or “do you want to clean some rooms while you’re here?” I chose to do both.
The lack of housekeeping seemed to be just the strange tip of the weird iceberg for the hotel, who seemed like they were running on a skeleton crew all week. This turned out to be a good thing because Tyler Boss and his wife Courtney Menard came and brought our editor/their dog Olive. The hotel was dog friendly with a 50 lb limit. How do I put this politely? Olive is not 50 lbs. Half of Olive is maybe 50 lbs. But when your hotel is running like an arctic research facility at the end of The Thing, nobody is bringing out the dog scale.
Besides us talking up WTFPFH?, Tyler was there to promote a new thing he is doing that I can’t talk about yet. And Courtney was there a representative of her new job at The Empire of the Tiny Onion. Courtney is the best and has always been a part of Tyler and I’s books. From doing awesome covers for 4 KIDS WALK INTO A BANK, as well as the map and connecting covers for WHAT’S THE FURTHEST PLACE FROM HERE?, she also helps out generously with production stuff and advice. So I genuinely consider her part of the team. That’s why I was a little shocked to find out then when Courtney was taking Olive around the hotel she was referring to her as “The Tiny Onion” dog. This is 100% not acceptable. Olive is the editor on our book and our damn mascot. She is clearly the “What’s The Furthest Place From Dog?” dog. This caused most of the tension over the weekend and is still a bit of an open wound. I think we’re going to have to Kramer Vs. Kramer this.James Tynion IV I will see you in court. I’m Meryl Streep. You can be Dustin Hoffman.
The only other real drama of the weekend was ordering Indian food and them asking us to pick our spice level between 1 and 10. I don’t think I have ever done this level of self reflection in my life. Between being in a strange land, coming off a cold, and away from my home toilet, I went with a 4 to play it safe. Courtney chose a 5 because she fears nothing. And Tyler…
Tyler chose 1.
It was a bad moment in our decade long friendship. Hard to describe the feeling when our eyes connected after he said “1” and we just knew nothing would ever be the same again. It’s been almost a week and I can still feel us growing further apart. It is still very much a topic of conversation
Other than that, it was fun. Got to hang out with a bunch of friends, talk about new stuff and old stuff with a bunch of retailers, got asked by a bunch of publishers why I’m not writing books I was never asked to write. The usual.
And did I see any of Pittsburgh? Sure did.
From there Ed and I had a signing at the wonderful Pittsburgh Comics before heading home. If you’re in the area they probably still have signed copies of WHAT’S THE FURTHEST PLACE FROM HERE? and Ed’s new book THE DISPLACED. They also have a great selection, and they bought me a really good local chocolate milk, so an all around win.
And to make a fun signing extra fun, WILDC.A.T.S. super fan Christina came through and gave me a little Grifter tote bag full of WildC.A.T.S. goodies she made, plus a very sweet card. And look at that little Grifter popsicle stick man. His mask comes off!
I want to make this very clear. If you come to a signing you don’t ever have to bring me gifts. Just taking the time to pick up a comic I made means more to me than I can ever convey. BUT if you do feel like you need to bring me a gift, Christina just raised the bar so damn high you better really be putting in the work. Also that little card has a sticker on the back that says “Groovy Job” and if an editor ever said “Groovy Job” to me after I finished a book I would work for them for free for the rest of my life.
In summation, it was a very fun and productive week and now I don’t have to leave my house for like 3 months.
While I am busy making a ton of new stuff, I forgot to make the “stuff I have coming out this month” graphic and that means I forgot to even tell people I have stuff coming out. Whoops.
I wrote a 10 page Hellblazer story for DEATH METAL with the amazing Rob Guillory. It’s a really fun little Constantine vs. Constantine story, named after a Power Trip song. I got asked to do this story by me editor Katie Kubert shortly after Riley from Power Trip passed away, and he and I had talked comics a bunch of times over the years, so it seemed a fitting tribute in a book about metal.
They just collected the whole event in a giant omnibus. It’s fun and weird, so go grab DARK KNIGHTS DEATH METAL Omnibus today if you missed it.
Also out this week, in the middle of my JOKER run, we took a brief interlude to explore the Joker’s worst nightmare in the KNIGHT TERRORS event. Turns out it is being boring. So this KNIGHT TERRORS: KNOCKTURNAL CREATURES collection contains my 2 part THE JOKER: KNIGHT TERRORS story with Stefano Raffaele. This was a really fun one, and the whole book is full of weird and creepy stuff. And yes, the solicit doesn’t list our Joker issues in this book, but they are. At least I am pretty sure. I didn’t open my comps. But why would they send them to me if I wasn’t in the book, right?
And no, I have no idea why there is a “k” in front of nocturnal. I guess it’s a play on “Dark Knight” but… Dark Knight makes sense? He’s a knight. Sorta.
It’s Wednesday. New comic day. Here are some comics I think you should buy.
I’m doing things a bit differently this week. I’m going to share the solicit text so you don’t have to just trust my inane summaries of these books. Now you can trust the publisher’s inane summaries.
And since I skipped last week I wanted to highlight two new books that are awesome and if you missed last week you should definitely grab now.
THE SIX FINGERS by Dan Watters, Sumit Kumar, Lee Loughridge, & co. Dan and Sumit bring creepy crime horror that is both smarter than the normal fare, and more engrossing. Definitely pick it up if you were a fan of THE ONE HAND.
“Neo Novena archaeology student Johannes Vale has always been so very in control of his life. But when he commits a brutal murder using the M.O. of a historic and notorious serial killer, everything begins to spiral out of control... primarily as Johannes doesn't remember doing it. What follows is a deadly cat-and-mouse game as Johannes seeks refuge in the rain-soaked streets of Neo Novena. He will stop at nothing to unravel the secrets and ciphers of what he did and why he did it; but each revelation only leads further into the dark heart of his future-metropolis and Johannes' own heartbroken soul. Grippingly written by writer Dan Watter with hauntingly atmospheric art and covers by Sumit Kumar and Lee Loughridge, Six Finger is a miniseries that will keep you on the edge until the very end.”
CEMETERY KIDS DON’T DIE by Zac Thompson, Daniel Irizarri, & co. Zac is about as good as anyone working right now at exploring dread, body horror, cautionary sci-fi, psychological terror, and plain creepiness, but all from new angles. And it’s extra fun because he always looks like he’s going to invite you to hang out on his boat. Anyway, this is his new one and it’s smart and creepy as fuck.
“The 21st century sucks hard, but it's made somewhat tolerable by the latest and greatest media innovations. Enter the Dreamwave: the first gaming console played entirely while you sleep. The obsession of millions around the globe, it's also the one point of solace for four friends known as the "Cemetery Kids," who spend their nights roaming the endless maps of the most brutal horror game ever created as they seek to dethrone the "King of Sleep"-the Dreamwave's biggest, baddest, and most mysterious boss.
Which was fun . . . until one of them doesn't wake up and finds their consciousness locked inside a horror game that is anything but imaginary. Now, the three remaining Cemetery Kids must navigate a forbidden landscape to rescue their friend-and pray that the secret lurking at its center doesn't follow them home.
At the farthest edge of human perception-where science fiction and horror collide-experience 2024's most exhilarating, terrifying adventure, downloading from critically acclaimed writer Zac Thompson (Hunt for the Skinwalker, The Dregs) and blockbuster artist Daniel Irizarri (XINO, Judge Dredd)!”
Onto stuff out this week-
BLOOD OATH byAlex Segura, Rob Hart, Joe Eisma, & co. I love Alex and I love period crime stories. So naturally I loved this book.
“1927. New York. The peak of Prohibition. Hazel Crenshaw just wants to be left alone, to tend to her farm, to care for her younger sister, and to run her business. But her business is inescapably tangled up with the New York gangs that will eventually coalesce into the mafia, and a new, unknown partner. When the Crenshaw farm is attacked, Hazel must not only defend her home, she must cope with the realization that her flirtation with the other side of the law might also put her in the crosshairs of something else-something much more sinister. Collects Blood Oath #1-5.”
THE LONESOME HUNTERS: THE WOLF CHILD by Tyler Crook. Tyler Crook is a true auteur. Just pure cartooning masterwork and writing that works to his strengths makes for such a compelling read. I’m glad THE LONESEOME HUNTERS returned for this series. You can never have too many great fantasy comics.
“From Russ Manning Award-winning and Eisner-nominated Harrow County co-creator Tyler Crook comes this supernatural fantasy about loss, power, and destiny. Monster hunters Howard and Lupe are on their way to get rid of the powerful sword, but car trouble leaves them stranded in a small town that is being terrorized by a magical wolf and a mysterious child in a wolf mask. While waiting for car repairs, Lupe befriends the child and she and Howard are drawn into a war between the townspeople and the deadly beasts.”
MURDER INC. vol 3: JAGGER ROSE Brian Michael Bendis, Michael Avon Oeming, & co. It’s no secret that I probably wouldn’t be writing comics, or maybe even still reading comics if it weren’t for Brian and Michael’s POWERS. While not a sequel, MURDER INC is a spiritual successor and I love every single panel of this damn book. Crime-fantasy is not something people do a lot because… well it seems hard as hell. But MURDER INC always seems effortless in how believable and cool it all is. You should be reading this book.
“From the creators of the Eisner Award-winning, bestselling Powers comes this brand-new world of historical crime fiction like you've never seen before. Discover a world in which the five families of organized crime never lost their stranglehold on the United States. Now, half the country is a smorgasbord of sex and sin ruled by loyalty and "family values" and the rest of the world looks on in awe, rage, or jealousy. Join us as newly "made" Valentine Gallo and Jagger Rose rise through the ranks of the notorious Bonavese family. No spoilers, but Jagger has already proven herself one of the greatest assassins of all time. And, uh, the Pope would like a word. Yeah, that Pope. Huh. Collects Murder Inc.: Jagger Rose #1-6.”
THE BARDIC VERSES by Matthew Summo, Pete Collins, & co. Big week for fantasy stuff I guess. Stories of a wandering bard as he lutes (it can be a verb) his way through various trial and tribulations. Just a really fun fantasy book that calls on classic rpgs and comics as much as fantasy stories. Well worth your bucks.
“The Bardic Verses are the stories of Martiln Swordhand, son of legendary warrior Searoar Swordhand. Instead of picking up a sword and becoming a warrior like his father before him, Martiln chose a lute and became a bard-a singer/storyteller. A love letter to traditional comics, tabletop RPGs, and sword and sorcery books. The stories within pay tribute to noir comics, Disney movies, Bill Watterson, Ryan Ottley, Rob Liefeld, Jack Kirby, and more!”
THE N WORD OF GOD by Mark Doox. A fascinating and thought provoking exploration of race, religion, and the authors own life, all while challenging what a comic can be.
“A dazzlingly illustrated postmodern epic of social commentary by ordained iconographer of the Coltrane Church, Mark Doox, who explores the story of Saint Sambo and Black existential wonder through the prism of his Byzantine and early Italoreligious style.
The N-Word of God is a literary graphic novel of interconnected illustrated stories of social insight, cognitive surprise, wry mirth, and Black existential wonder. Artist Mark Doox transports readers back to the beginning of the universe when God fatefully declared Light and Darkness as opposing forces. Doox then follows this theme through a religious and societal retelling of his own gospel-like myth. With a devil figure that advocates for John Coltrane's philosophy of 'A Love Supreme,' The N-Word of God challenges binary racial ideas making a case for the commonality and the dignity of all human beings.The striking art combines Christian iconography with caricatures and terms that have been used against Black people through which Doox artfully recontextualizes them as religious symbols of resilience, protection, counter-truth, agency,
and new and pertinent revelation. With satirical wit and stunning illuminated manuscript-like illustrations, Doox has created a metamodern masterpiece of African American storytelling and Black signifyin' wisdom. While Doox's focus is always on the empathic center of his illuminating truths, The N-Word of God challenges the reader with unexpected ideas and connections in a must-have work of Black art and Black literature. Mark Doox is a conceptual artist, writer, and long-time iconographer. He is interested in exploring sequential art and issues of life, psyche, race, and spirituality. Born in Columbus, Ohio, his work has been internationally exhibited, collected, and featured
in articles in periodicals such as The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, The New York
Times Magazine, Oxford's Black Theology Journal, and Spin.”
DEADLY CLASS COMPENDIUM by Rick Remender, Wes Craig, & co. I’ve talked about DEADLY CLASS on here a bunch before and how Rick and Wes made the ultimate punk assassin mash-up. It is effortlessly cool, brutally badass, and pure fun. If you missed it before, now you can get the whole thing in a book that also doubles as booster seat for any babies or people with really tall tables out there.
“It's 1987. Marcus Lopez hates school. His grades suck. The jocks are hassling his friends. He can't focus on class. But the jocks are the children of Joseph Stalin's top assassin, the teachers are members of an ancient league of assassins, the class he's failing is "Dismemberment 101," and his crush has a double-digit body count. Welcome to the most brutal high school on earth, where the world's top crime families send the next generation of assassins to be trained. Murder is an art. Killing is a craft. At Kings Dominion School for the Deadly Arts, the dagger in your back isn't always metaphorical. From New York Times-bestselling writer Rick Remender (Low, Black Science) and fan favorite artist Wes Craig (Kaya, Batman) this collects the entire dark, heartfelt, and twistedly humorous story of a group of damaged Gen X teens fighting a system determined to transform them into monsters. Collects Deadly Class #1-56 and the Deadly Class FCBD one-shot.”
That’s it for me. Stay safe. Take care of each other. Leap years? Crazy.
-Matthew Rosenberg
NYC 2/28/24
Si... Fair enough...😅
So does this mean that you are going to the Power Trip show in NYC in August ??