Claw marks in the frozen peas

Ultimate Spider-man 100 by Joe Lambert (via Covered) (click to embiggen)

Heathcliff was the gateway into the world of comic books when I was 6 or 7 years old. My brother went to a middle school that had a comic shop adjacent to the campus. He would pick up the latest issue of Heathcliff, and later Transformers comics, every month and bring it home for me to devour. I couldn’t get enough of that rascally fat cat.

Bone by Jeff Smith

I read the first volume of Echo this weekend, and I’m officially hooked. I haven’t read Strangers in Paradise yet, Terry Moore’s career defining work, but I do plan on reading it soon.

Echo is about Julie Martin, a woman who is in the middle of a life crisis. She’s reluctant to finalize her divorce, her sister was admitted to a mental hospital, and a liquid metal rained down upon her as she was out in the desert photographing wildlife. The substance that adheres to her skin leaves her with a malleable yet impenetrable shiny coat of armor that, she will come to realize, harnesses the power of a nuclear bomb. Julie finds herself on the run from the government who is seeking answers to a weaponized suit of armor that has gone missing in the explosion that she found herself witness to.

The art is fantastic, and Moore has a special talent for story telling and dialogue. The characters just seem real. This definitely isn’t your run of the mill superhero/sci-fi fantasy book. Go read it. Now.

Cortina by Fábio Moon (click to embiggen)

The Joker by uminga

Batman/Batgirl by Phil Noto

I think it’s a little funny that these artists put so much thought and care into creating these covers. These comics are read once or twice and then stored away in a cardboard box, so why not frame them?

I didn’t want to invest in custom frames, which would’ve cost a fortune. Instead, I bought matted 11x14 frames, and placed the books on top of the matting with pieces of tape holding them in place on the backside. The cool thing about framed comic books is that they can be swapped out out for another book for around 2 or 3 dollars if I ever get bored of the current array. I can’t be bothered to actually hang them on my wall right now, so they’re just sitting on my floor leaning in a neat stack against my wall. Although, I would like to add a third row when I get around to hanging them.

Alan’s War: The Memories of GI Alan Cope by Emmanuel Guibert

This graphic novel came about from a chance encounter by its creator while traveling. Alan Cope described his adventures to the author in French, which was later translated to English. The story of Cope’s life from World War II to post-war America and Europe deeply touching. He hardly sees any battles in Europe, and most of his stories involve the different characters he meets along the way, all of whom have influenced his path in life.

I found myself unable to put the book down as I was reading it. However, by the end of the book I actually felt strong resentment for Cope. I determined that he was an uninteresting person that lived an interesting life. He never seemed to make the most of every situation he found himself in, it seemed as though he took everything for granted. It wasn’t until later in life that Cope took the time to analyze his life and had some regrets about some of the decisions he had made.

I really enjoyed this quiet and quirky memoir that had classic cartooning and a style of storytelling that seemed as though Cope was telling me his stories directly. When I read books, I have a tendency to flip the pages to smell the scent of the paper and ink that wafts towards me. Alan’s War is one of the better smelling books I’ve read recently, and if that won’t convince you to pick up a copy, then I don’t know what will.

Joe the Barbarian no. 1 by Grant Morrison and Sean Murphy

I read this first issue last night and was immediately blown away with the art by Sean Murphy. There are gorgeous full page and two page spreads with detailed art that help establish this fantasy world. The story is about a kid named Joe who has type 1 diabetes, his father was killed in Iraq, his mother has financial troubles, and he’s a social outcast amongst his peers. By the end of the first issue, he finds himself transported to the world of his toys after it has been attacked, but is it real or is he hallucinating because of his diabetes? You can read a preview here. This first issue sells for a dollar and I think it’s well worth it.

Loner by Tim Daniel and Ming Doyle - Read the full story.

Glamourpuss no. 3 by Dave Sim

If you’re looking for an offbeat comic book to read, I suggest that you try Glamourpuss. The premise of the book blends a parody on fashion magazines with hand drawn photorealistic art and a surreal super-heroine story.

New Mutants by Patricio Oliver (via covered)

Transmetropolitan: Edgy Winter by Warren Ellis & Darick Robertson