MFR Newsletter 12/6/2020 — I'm not even supposed to be here today
Hey there, comics people! EIC Anthony here, coming at you on a Sunday with the usual comic book chatter.
It’s been a bit crazy lately over here, between the day job, renovating our house, looking for a new house, helping my brother move into a new apartment, and just the usual holiday season craziness. But the weather finally broke here in Central Florida, and nothing recharges my batteries quite like getting to pull out my chilly weather clothes.
I’ve managed to carve out a few precious moments here and there to sit outside and read, which is glorious. This time of year can be super stressful — and even depressing — under normal conditions, and this year has been anything but normal. Remember to take some time to yourself every now and then, and find solace in life’s little joys.
Interview: Dan Watters Talks THE PICTURE OF EVERYTHING ELSE
I interviewed writer Dan Watters about his upcoming Vault book, THE PICTURE OF EVERYTHING ELSE. It’s a beautiful and unsettling horror story about art, friendship, vanity, and so much more, and it’s all based in the lore of Oscar Wilde’s Picture of Dorian Gray.
Review: KING IN BLACK #1 — An Action-Packed Blockbuster With Heart
MFR Publisher Matt Sardo reviewed Marvel’s KING IN BLACK #1 this week, and gave it FIVE STARS. Listen, I’ve known and worked with Matt for more than a few years now, and this is a big flipping deal.
I’ve been a fan of Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman’s VENOM run since the start, so I’m glad to see all of their big plans finally paying off.
Five Non-Fiction Graphic Novels You Should Read
Elizabeth Buck is here with a list of non-fiction graphic novels you should ask for this holiday season. In a medium dominated by science fiction and big, over-the-top storytelling, non-fiction graphic novels maybe don’t get the recognition they deserve. Which is a shame, because they can be GREAT.
Out of this list, I’ve only personally read FUN HOME (which is incredible and I also highly recommend it), but I will definitely be checking out the rest.
Interview: Brian Hawkins and Patrick Foreman Talk BLACK COTTON From Scout Comics
AJ O. Mason chatted with Brian Hawkins and Patrick Foreman about their upcoming series BLACK COTTON, and the two also provide some great advice for aspiring comics creators.
Review: BATMAN CATWOMAN #1 Isn’t About Batman and Catwoman
Zac Owens reviews the first issue of BATMAN/CATWOMAN, the long-awaited series from Tom King, Clay Mann, and company, and he calls it “the start of a rule-breaking, ass-kicking series that’s going to leave a mark on Gotham City forever.”
Recent Reading Recommendations
I read two A+ horror comics this week:
SEA OF SORROWS #1 just came out in the last couple of weeks from IDW, by Rich Douek, Alex Cormack, and Justin Birch. It’s about a salvage crew who goes looking for a sunken U-boat supposedly full of gold in the North Atlantic. I’ll level with you all: I am petrified of the ocean. I abhor the idea of being out in the middle of the sea where I can’t see the shoreline, and I can’t even describe how I feel when I imagine going down to the dark ocean floor. SEA OF SORROWS hits me where I live, and I loved it. Cormack’s art — especially his use of black — makes the ocean more terrifying than in my worst nightmares. And I haven’t even mentioned the mysterious sea creatures.
HOME SICK PILOTS #1, meanwhile, is coming out this Wednesday from Image Comics, by Dan Watters, Caspar Wijngaard, and Aditya Bidikar. It’s a haunted house story told through the lens of a 90’s high school punk rock band. Watters is one of the preeminent horror writers working today, and that’s because he understands that good horror comics live and die by their characters (this is something I spoke with him about in our recent interview). Gorgeous doesn’t even begin to describe Wijngaard’s work. The way he juxtaposes hot pinks and cool blues somehow strikes the perfect balance between “creepy ghost story” and “punk rock badassery.”
COMIC STRIP • TALES OF MFR #76 + 77
Got a double-sized strip for you all this week!
Catch up on the series here: TALES OF MFR
The war between monkeys and robots has raged on for eons; these are the stories that have survived. With art by Jamie Jones and the occasional words by Matt Sardo, Tales of MFR hits the web every Sunday.
For more reviews, interviews, and “Legends of the Longbox”, head over to the website to see what the team’s been working on this week:
That’s all for now! Remember: Darkseid is… but so are we.
Until next week,
Anthony Composto
@The_Great_Ace
@monkeys_robots
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