Luke!

Chapter 147: Ragtime, Death Metal, and Hotel Rooms...

• We’re having a summit and you can’t come!

• Other People’s Stuff!

• The Mixtape!

Hey!

I almost got this one in under the wire, huh? Unless, of course you are not in North America, in which case this is very much late. Or maybe early? I don’t really underestand where the international dateline is. Anyway, I have a good excuse this time, I promise.

This week we’re doing a little summit for WHAT’S THE FURTHEST PLACE FROM HERE?. We do this every few months to build what’s coming. We know most of it, but we like the keep some things vague and loose so that we have room to get excited and chase weird ideas as they come to us. There is something to be said for having tight outlines and sticking to them, and we’ve done that many times in our work. But there is beauty in exploring and getting a little lost too. So we make sure we always know where we’re going, but sometimes we have to try and see if there is a more fun way to get there.

So this week we’re going over some fine details for the next arc, discussing some stuff that goes a bit beyond the comics (cryptic!), and scheming on some other projects Tyler and I are working on that we will be sharing more news on very soon. I’d share some pictures but it’s just me and Tyler in a hotel room. It’s not very glamorous but sometimes we listen to wild-as-hell 1930’s jazz songs to set the mood. I still like to call it a summit though so it makes it feel like I have a real job.

Speaking of, WTFPFH? #17 is in stores today. It’s a fun one. Tim from Comicbook.com gave us a very nice 5 out of 5 and someone emailed me to tell me “this issue fucks” so I really don’t see how you could skip it.

The B cover is this sweet bit of awesomeness by illustrator Bayard Morse. It’s his first ever comics work. One of the things I’ve really enjoyed the most doing this book is the balance of getting some of my favorite artists in comics to draw our characters and getting some newer voices a chance to do the same. It’s equally as fun in very different ways.

And if you’re keeping score at home- the other thing I’ve enjoyed most about making the book is sitting in a hotel room in Williamsburg with the most thinly veiled double entendres played by some sort of ragtime sex pest blast from my computer speakers while I just stare at Tyler until he gets so uncomfortable he tells me what should happen in our book. He’s not always right, but he’s always uncomfortable, and that’s what counts.

It’s Wednesday!* That’s new comic day! Here’s some stuff that came out today I think is cool and you might want to check out.

*Sorta

HELLBLAZER: DEAD IN AMERICA #1 by Si Spurrier, Aaron Campbell, & co. When people ask me what my favorite DC book in recent years is, I say “Oh there are so many great ones” because I’m polite and it is true. But the real answer is it’s Si and Aaron’s previous run on Hellblazer. It’s everything I love about one of the best characters in comics. Well it got cancelled because the world sucks. But it’s back now because the world is also beautiful. Go buy it. Be wowed.

JAMES BOND 007 #1 by Garth Ennis, Rapha Lobosco, & co. There is, for my money, not a better writer of badassery in all of comics than Mr. Garth Ennis. Well, now he’s writing James Bond. Sort of a must read really.

COBRA COMMANDER #1 by Joshua Williamson, Andrea Milana, Annalisa Leoni, & co. Josh knocked it out of the park last month with DUKE #1. Just an absolute joy to read for this lifelong Joe fan. Not content to kick ass just once, he’s back this month to introduce us to the head of the snake himself. Expect equal badassery and nods to old continuity as well as a great jumping on point for new readers.

THE WEATHERMAN #1 by Jody LeHeup, Nathan Fox, & co. One of the most fun sci-fi books in recent years has been the previous 2 volumes about local weatherman turned suspected terrorist. It’s a fun, gorgeous, and pretty weird book that keeps you guessing. Well it’s back for it’s third and final arc and, as always, it’s a must read.

COMMUTE by Erin Williams. A fascinating and intimate look at the thoughts and memories of a woman as she explores her sexual history, and all the guilt, shame, objectification, and vulnerability that come with sex, sexism, and sexuality. It’s somehow a frighteningly broad and deeply personal work and a remarkable bit of comicbooking.

SURVIVAL by Sean Lewis, Bryndon Everett, & co. A super fun story of survival in the remote wilderness. What it takes to live when you’re facing nature, the elements, and a crashed plane full of Russian vampire soldiers. If that last part sounds as awesome to you as it does to me, than you’ll dig this book.

And that’s it. There are a ton of good things in shops this week. Go try some new ones. Feed your curiosity.

I’m not much of a metalhead. I’ve had my moments, but it’s just not really for me. But watching death metal legends Dying Fetus play a hardcore festival earlier this month and be so fully embraced was my first real feelgood moment of 2024. I understand that to civilians the difference between what Dying Fetus do and what a lot of modern hardcore bands do is a to-may-to /to-mah-to situation, but to people who live and breathe this stuff there is a world of difference. Well, maybe not a world. But it’s different. So watching the hardcore crowd go off and get excited really felt like a good reminder that we should all be opening ourselves up to new ideas, new people, and new experiences as much as possible. And having some fucking fun where we can.

And honestly I spent a very good part of my youth at hardcore shows and the fucking joy coming from that crowd when the breakdown at 2:50 turns into a halftime breakdown is about as much fun as I can imagine at a hardcore fest. Just made me laugh so I’m sharing it for the .001% of you that will get it.

And also they played their Integrity cover and that just rules.

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That’s all.

Stay safe. Take care of each other. Circle pit!

-Matthew Rosenberg

NYC 1/18/24