After the Apocalypse (a 'Comics for the Apocalypse' tie-in)

This past week has felt like the longest week on record. Of course, this hasn't been helped by a week that has seen the UK re-eenter lockdown and the States have an election where the winner was finally announced after five days (congrats to them, by the way. Our American cousins appear to have dodged the apocalypse).

For me, this longevity has been brutal; with my readthough of Vanguard still incomplete (in what is probably the longest period of time I've read one series yet), fitting in reviews on top of everything else a struggle as those coveted lunch hours in the office were taken away again and just the general exhaustion that comes with the Winter months (at least I think so).

However, I suspect the real culprit for this incredibly long week has been my appearance on Samuel George London's Comics for the Apocalypse podcast, which was recorded last Tuesday but hit the wider world just yesterday (as of the date of posting this).

I have to confess that, prior to my appearance, i found myself incredibly nervous as I feared that it would become apparent just how little about comics I knew. Also, my last podcast appearance on the great Longbox Review a few years ago had always made me feed that I hadn't been a particularly engrossing guest (although not based on anything in particular). However, whole I'm sure my words had the same sleep inducing drone was my previous appearance, I found the entire evening to be an incredibly fun one as rarely am I allowed to come 'of the leash' and just talk my voice away (which I almost did saw) about comics.

Afterwards, I felt that the only thing I could really talk about here was that interview. However, rather than just harp on with the same old spiel Sam and I had already covered (I thought we were rather in depth), I wanted to do something on my end to, at the very least, commemorate the experience but maybe make it a little bit richer. A tie-in or companion piece, if you will (because comics have no shortage of those).

Therefore, I figure that the best I can do to provide context to my answers is to point people in the direction of the comics which I referenced.

So, here goes ...

I don't know what more I can really add about Daredevil Vol's 4-7 by Brian Michael Bendis, Alex Maleev and others beyond what I've already said. While the Man Without Fear has enjoyed some tremendous runs since this series (see Waid/Samnee), I still believe that this is one of the best Daredevil runs going. The art is perfect for the story told, especially at a time when the 'house style' seemed like it was still a thing. Unfortunately, my arc-per book copies are no longer in print. However, you can pick up a collected edition which contains all four of the books I spoke of as well as a couple more. Unfortunately, this edition isn't available on Comixology but you can pick up the ultimate collections volume 1 and volume 2 which contain everything plus a bit extra (and both are also in print).

With Chunks #2 by Matt Garvey by Cris Canfailla, I'm not exaggerating when I class this as my funniest comic. Matt knows how to tell a joke and puts that skill to good use here. Meanwhile Kris' sparse colour on monochrome really does stand out and look gorgeous. If you want further detail, there is a blog post about this issue and issue 1, as well as a review for issue 3. Along with the other issues of the series, is currently available on Comixology for a bargain price of 79p per issue. Unfortunately, the print editions are presently unavailable as Matt's Big Cartel page is currently undergoing a facelift. However, he has confirmed to me if will be back in a few weeks. But, if you want a print copy, find Matt on Twitter, as I'm sure he'll sort you out.

The Vision by Tom King, Gabriel Walta et el is an amazing story which got me right in the gut (and I've gone in depth about it previously). What really broke my heart about it though is that the proposed follow up series by Chelsea Cain was cancelled, depriving us of what would have been a truly interesting sequel. This series is also available on Comixology and in print, although the latter only seems to be available as a full collected edition and not as two separate trades.

The Porcelain trilogy by Benjamin Reed, Chris Wildgoose is also available in print, although it's tough to nail down a where and the best place to go for any info on them is the Improper Books website. You can also acquire it through Comixology, but only in French (Kjndle is a better bet it seems. Much like Vision, this is brutal but addictively engrossing, with truly fall in love artwork. If you want greater detail on Porcelain, Bone China or Ivory Tower then check out my Pipedream reviews.

Transience: An Unforgettable Anthology by Leo Johnson et el is, sadly, only available from Gumroad page as a pay-what-you-want option. Km not sure what more I can say about this comic but if you buy it I'd recommend you offer that fair amount because whatever you offer is going to be a stellar twice the price!! This comic is THAT good (as my review will attest to if you need the info).

Daredevil #500 by Ed Brubaker at el is available on Comixology, which is probably the best place to go to see this cover in all it's glory as any trade or collection containing the issue appears to be out of print. However, here's a snapshot in case neither takes your fancy.

Captain Britain & MI:13 #1 Cover D by Paul Cornell, Leonard Kirk et el is, most likely, unavailable for purchase unless you scour Ebay. However, regarding the series itself, which is phenomenal and worthy of your time to read, it is available on both Comixology and in print, both of which may just have the 3rd printing variant amongst the back pages. If it doesnt though, just imagine issue 1's cover without any colour.

Harvest by A.J. Lieberman and Colin Lorimer is truly underrated in every sense of the word (and I really need to re-read and write about it in 2021). If you have the spare change to pick it up, either digitally (I'd recommend the singles) or in print, you should do it. Also, check out this combined cover.

DC: New Frontier by Darwyn Cooke doesnt really need any more praise than I think I already gave it. However, if you want some, I previously wrote a blog post on the book. It is available both in print and digitally, although the print copy isn't the one I have (although they all still have the same gorgeous artwork, so it's not a downside).

Locke and Key by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodrigues is absolutely what I implied of it in that it's a wonderfully epic story. It treads the fine line between gothic horror and young adult coming of age story better than Joseph Gordon Levitt in the film about the tightrope walker. Unfortunately, I've only noted my thoughts about the third volume (which you can see here) but if those and my words here are enough to swing you, Comixology have the entire series in 6 trades or you can buy a box set bundle in print.

So, there I am done with those notes on the comics I'd take into the apocalypse. Maybe they are totally useless and/or pointless but I enioyed doing it and commemorating the opportunity to talk comics so, on that note, thank you Sam!!

... Oh, and before I forget

I did a review for Burn Residue #1 last week on Pipedream comics and it was a comic I really enjoyed, despite my hesitation over its cover which I thought was a little garish/loud for my tastes (like a Joker-centric crime book). However, once I cracked it open, I found the issue to be far more subtle than I was expecting and, as a result, far more interesting.

I thought the story progressed really well, with the flow and pacing of the issue never stopping even a little and any seeming pauses were well utilized and hidden with the inclusion of the flashback to provide exposition before returning to the present day action. As a result, I don't think there is ever a moment where this became boring or a slog to read. As for the art, though it was a little rough around the edges, I felt that the art style really complimented the story as the issue progressed, giving it its own look while solidifying the crime feel like with other gritty crime books.

It does lack a few pieces of information; how he survived his attack? how he got to where he is now? even what's his name? However, that doesn't detract from the fact that I really enjoyed this comic and think it is well worth people's time to check out.

So, another week down. Hopefully next week will a totally see me complete and write about Vanguard (because, seriously, I've ran put of filler) but as I'm down to the final issue at time of writing, I don't see that being a problem.

Unless the apocalypse commences of course ...