It's like regular Christmas, but in May and the comic book stores hand out free loot. We all know the drill and hit the trail eager for this year's goodies.
Unfortunately, recent years haven't offered as phenomenal a buffet of free comics as have previous years.
The experience, however, is as good as it's ever been!
Cosplayers, local talent, discount merch, and, sometimes if you're very lucky, some free eats. Nerds from all walks of nerd life conglomerate and shoot the breeze with each other and, in more metropolitan areas, perhaps a pro of two.
Not in my desolate neck of the Midwest, but in some areas...
My hometown recently opened a comic shop, fingers crossed they do well, and they went all out for their inaugural FCBD. Tables heaping with loot and cake awaited us.
Cake!
Three other stores in a 20 mile radius were plundered by yours truly, netting several free funnybooks and some dirt cheap hardcover Marvelman reprints.
The point, dear readers, the meat and potatoes, your reason for reading, however, is the freebies.
So without further ado:
Free Comic Book Day 2017 (Secret Empire)
I'm saving my full nerd-rage over this bullshit for another day, but eff this storyline. Eff Nick Spencer, whose Spider-villains book I enjoyed immensely, but eff his hamfisted political garbage and eff the editorial backing his play.
The FCBD offering showcases a battle betwixt heroes,HYDRA, and some Marvel Cinematic Universe Chitauri ( because of course...)
Big reveal: Cap says, "hey, y'all, I'm in HYDRA, deal with it!"
Bigger reveal: he is able to hold aloft Mjolner.
Because Nazi Cap is worthy...
I'm waiting for the masterstroke of writing that'll redeem this, causing Alan Moore to gasp aloud as if millions of voices cried out in anguish and were suddenly silenced because it's THAT DAMN GOOD.
But I'm not gonna hold my breath in the meantime.
The highlight here is actually the Spider-Man backup. Somehow Chip Zdarsky (of Sex Criminals fame...) landed a Spidey book.
I've not been overly aroused by Zdarsky's other works; Howard the Duck was alright, and Sex Criminals is entertaining enough (and dirty as hell!), but Spidey?
Turns out it's awesome. Chip Zdarsky fancies himself, I think, a bit more clever and funnier than he is in real life but Spider-Man's bread and butter is shitty jokes, so Chip's a natural here.
Boy, talk about a backhanded compliment...
I wasn't thinking about buying this book, but now I may.
Unfortunately, this is little more than a commercial for the two respective titles in the long run.
Not as unfortunate as Captain America turning into a Nazi, though.
Malika: Warrior Queen
Not an oozing sexpot kind of sexy, but that lithe, deadly kind of sexy.
Between the covers we have the story of Queen Malika, a warrior woman who rules a large kingdom in either ancient Africa or a fictional cipher thereof. My knowledge of ancient Africa is admittedly minor, and I didn't recognize any place names. What I don't know about Africa could fill the Serengeti.
Or some other clever joke.
In any case, Malika is crusading to put down a revolt in her kingdom brought about due to questionable legitimacy to the throne and the fact she's (gasp!) a lady and not a man.
All the while, agents of the Ming Dynasty creep into the kingdom...
Again, I'm not sure if this is the historical Ming Dynasty or a fictional version thereof.
The book's great and I hope a series follows. Ancient Africa isn't exactly something that gets a lot of play, especially in comicdom, and I'm glad to see some representative fiction in the setting. The culture and technology are (in my opinion) fascinating and the story could go anywhere. Hopefully something great grows from this FCBD seed.
The Incal
These two are giants in their craft but are sorely underrepresented in the comics community. Between Alejandro Jodorowsky's insane, sometimes psychedelic writing and Jean 'Mœbius' Giraud's jaw-dropping art these two oughtta be lauded higher than they are currently. Sure, pros and multitudes of fans are in the know, but plenty of others are in need of the work of this pair.
Potentially part of this problem is price point. Humanoid, Inc. publishes Incal and the other Jodoverse books in handsome editions that are not cheap.
"Ah, you'd like to read about the Metabaron? Well, fifty bucks, please!"
Not for budget-conscious fans, is what I'm getting at...
That in mind, if Humanoids is gonna hand out some free Mœbius, I am all over that offer.
This freebie details the first 25 pages of the seminal Incal graphic novel, which I thought I'd read parts of in mouldy old Heavy Metal magazines but I'm pretty sure that was actually Arzach. In any case, the fuse is lit when a private detective named John DiFool is handed an artifact called the Incal by a dying alien. You all know this story. Some hapless shlub gets a macguffin, all sorts of unsavory characters want to get their hands on it, and hijinx ensue.
You ain't never seen the story told like this, though.
Jodorowsky and Mœbius tell a phenomenal story in the opening chapter involving aliens, mutants, corrupt aristocracy and a dystopian society that reminded me of Mega City One mixed with Blade Runner and Akira or maybe Ghost in the Shell.
Alright, Humanoids, you might end up with a boatload of my money after all.
It was a great sales pitch...
Kid Savage
Kid Savage certainly seems to fit the bill.
Our titular character is exactly as described. A young man somewhere between a caveman and a Tarzan, wandering a wilderness beset with bizarre alien life. Accompanied by his animal companion (which appears to be two weasels connected at the ass to make one weasel...), Kid Savage is discovered by a family of space-faring humans and a fish out of water story seems to be a-brewin'.
These FCBD commercials are doing a bang-up job, because I'd like to see how this story pans out.
Hopefully it's not like the movie 'Iceman'.
You guys remember that movie, right?
Stay turned for part 2 of my treatise on Free Comic Book Day 2017...
No comments:
Post a Comment