I’m not going to turn this into a long-winded proclamation of my love for comic books, but I’ve got a couple of things to say – and I am going to wrap this up with three trade paperbacks that you should get your hands on asap.
I came up in the 1990s reading comic books; an era where Jim Lee was drawing X-Men, Todd McFarlane came out of nowhere with Spawn, and Rob Liefeld redefined the look of mutants and superheroes when he delivered us a juiced-up character called Cable, who came complete with veins and over-sized guns from some dystopian future that we’re still just figuring out.
It was a period of change and growth for the industry – and comic book stores were learning centers for us wayward wonders who wanted to see Batman get his back broken by Bane.
At that particular point in time, I was reading a little bit of everything – because everything was worth reading.
And then I went to college – and all the comic books got bagged and boxed and have lived in various closets and crawl spaces ever since. But I never stopped reading them.
But I got wicked particular.
I abandoned all my favorite heroes and mutants for one comic – and one comic only – “The Walking Dead”. It was my first horror brand of comics and it played into my way of thinking in my late twenties and early thirties: the possibility of surviving through anything.
I have a bunch of issues – the first appearance of Michonne, her saga with The Governor – sitting in a drawer in an old dresser in my shed.
They’re either worth a mortgage payment or nothing at all…
When that started to trend downward, I really got into trade paperbacks. Those collections allowed me to be a reader – instead of a collector – and brought me back, forth, and in between a bunch of different brands and titles – all in one place.
That’s how I got into “Watchmen”, which is still,
hands down,
one of the best comics ever written.
So, that all said – I wanted to share three TPBs that I have read in the last couple months that think are worth your time and money:
“The Last Ronin” | IDW Publishing
I grew up in the era of the Ninja Turtles, so to read about the end of the era – the possible passing of the torch, warts, and all – was a real trip for me. I actually read this issue by issue – which took about a year – and wanted more the minute I hit the last page. The TPB scratches that itch.
“Niourk” | Dark Horse Comics
This was a library find (libraries are the best for trade paperbacks) – randomly sticking out on the shelf for me to find. It’s a post-apocalyptic story – but it’s not your average storyline. It follows this kid and his encounters within and outside of his safety net. This one was so damn good that I bought it the next day. I’ve read it twice since.
“Batman: White Knight” | DC Comics
This is a stellar Batman/Joker story that flips the script on the narrative and puts the Joker in the spotlight as the hero. The story is great, but the art is even better – especially when it gets down to paying attention to details in the background. I especially love the focus on the collection of Batmobiles, which has been a draw for me since Tim Burton reinterpreted the Dark Knight in 1989.
I didn’t link these to any particular site or online shop, as I think people should hunt them down on their own – either to borrow or to own.
I would totally recommend starting at your local library as that turns into a wonderful rabbit hole where you’ll always find your next title – but I would behoove anyone looking for an adventure to find them in a comic book store – brick and mortar – near where you live.
Not only does that support a local business, but you’ll find it easier to feed your new addiction if it’s just down the street.
Tribe Of Flannel 