Oh New Comic Book Day, how I've missed you
Hello all! Anthony here, Editor-in-Chief of MFR, and I’ll be bringing you this newsletter every week from here on out. We’re back in full swing!
I went to a plant nursery with my fiancé this week (while wearing appropriate PPE and social distancing, of course), and all I could think was “is this how it feels when I drag her to comic shops all the time?”
The major publishers have started releasing weekly comics again, so we at Monkeys Fighting Robots have some new books to talk with you about! Plus we’re continuing our “Longbox Legends” series, talking about some of our all-time favorite stories, and stick around to the end of the newsletter for some REALLY exciting stuff we got in the pipeline (spoiler alert: we’re putting out a magazine!!).
Review: FRIDAY #1 Patches Together A New And Brilliant Genre
You’ve probably heard of FRIDAY by now, but if you haven’t checked it out, do yourself a favor and go read it. It’s up on Panel Syndicate, which has a “pay what you want” structure.
Review: RED SONJA #15 Finds Sonja In A Lose-Lose Scenario
RED SONJA is back, and it’s still one of the best monthly series going on. It’s just as much about politics and strategy as it is swords and sorcery. If you like Game of Thrones, this is a series you should be reading.
A Conversation With Dan Abnett: RAI, COVID-19, And The Future Of Comics
MFR founder Matt Sardo sat down with writer Dan Abnett and chatted about Dan’s work at Valiant, how he’s coping with the pandemic, and his expectations for the next ten years of comics.
ELECTRIC SOUP: Frank Quitely’s Origin Story
Writer Darryll Robson chronicles the early days of Frank Quitely’s work, from getting thrown out of the Glasgow School of Art to his work on ELECTRIC SOUP, before the artist became a superstar for his work on We3, All-Star Superman, and Batman & Robin.
Review: PLUNGE #3 Is The Perfect Balance Of Mystery And Horror
Joe Hill. Stuart Immonen. Dave Stewart. Deron Bennett. PLUNGE is back!
For more reviews, interviews, and “Legends of the Longbox”, head over to the website to see what the team’s been working on the last few weeks:
WRITE IT IN BLOOD is a 4-issue series that just came out during the pandemic. I read the whole thing this week, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. It’s a gritty neo-Western crime noir that perfectly balances gunfire and action with small, humorous character moments. Essential reading for fans of the Coen Brothers or Brubaker/Phillips.
On the eve of their retirement, two hitmen, Cosmo and Arthur Pryce drive through the Texas countryside with a hostage, the infamous Little Harkness, in the trunk of their car. The brothers are meant to deliver Harkness to their boss, but matters become complicated when Arthur’s recklessness jeopardises Cosmo’s retirement plans and puts a target on their backs.
The whole series is available now on Gumroad: WRITE IT IN BLOOD
TALES OF MFR • COMIC STRIP
Our webcomic is up to chapter 58! Read the latest chapter here, or catch up from the beginning: 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.
And now for the big news:
WE’RE PUTTING OUT A MAGAZINE!!!
Yes! An honest-to-Odin magazine that you can hold in your hands and flip through. We’re hard at work putting it together right now, but it’s going to have all-new articles, as well as comic strips, fake ads, and who knows what else?! This is us at our most punk rock, and we’re working with some incredible writers and cartoonists to bring you all the best mag possible.
Here’s a little tease of the cover by Geoffrey Michael Krawczyk. The full thing is going to melt your brain:
If you want to lock down a copy, check out our new Patreon that we launched last month. Patrons at Level 2 and above are guaranteed a copy of the magazine, which we’ll be putting out twice a year (Summer and Winter). And keep and eye on our social media and this newsletter for other ways to secure your copy of the magazine and support the team; we should have more news on that soon.
That’s all for now, but remember: with weekly comics returning and shops starting to reopen, your local comic shop is going to need your support. Give them a call and see if they’re doing mail-order or curbside pickup.
Until next week,
Anthony Composto
@The_Great_Ace
@monkeys_robots
ABOUT US
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