A comiXologist recommends:
Rutabaga: The Adventure Chef Vol. 1
by: Hanni Brosh
You’ve been there before: you’re slogging your way through a soupy swamp, or leading your party into the depths of a mushroom-infested dungeon, and at every exotic plant or gelatinous monster you come across, you wonder - could I eat that? Rutabaga the Adventure Chef has been there too, and back! This stout fellow ventures across the land seeking the most rare and magical ingredients to add to his pantry, with a portable kitchen strapped to his back and an enchanted pot following along.
Originally published online and in black and white minicomics by Eric Colossal, this volume brings Rutabaga’s first four stories to the table in full color. His refined palette leads him from the mouth of a dragon’s lair to a king’s dungeon to a back-alley adventurers’ lodge, and he finds himself up against some of the toughest foes he’s ever faced - picky eaters and bad cooking! The real stars of the show are Ru’s recipes, featuring the choicest cuts of monster meat and drawn step by mouthwatering step. Colossal clearly had a lot of fun whipping up ways for Rutabaga to chef his way in and out of trouble, and there’s nothing he encounters that can’t be fixed with a hearty home-cooked meal.
Rutabaga’s world is a delight to explore, full of bright characters that will make you chuckle, work up your appetite, and maybe even move you to tears. Food is a universal language no matter where you travel, and Rutabaga can be enjoyed by readers of any age and warriors of any level. Happy eatings!
[Read Rutabaga: The Adventure Chef Vol. 1 on comiXology]
Hanni Brosh is a Digital Editor. She grinds potatoes for EXP.
Hanni Brosh recommends: reMIND Vol. 1
Do you like cats? Beefy lizards? Sinister mysteries born deep under the ocean? Look no further than (http://www.remindblog.com/) Jason Brubaker’s reMIND, a self-published graphic novel rich with lizards, mysteries and much more.
Our story centers around Sonja, a young lighthouse keeper, whose late father’s supposed encounter with a lizard man spawned an urban legend in their town; and her cat Victuals, who disappears one day and washes back ashore a week later, suddenly able to think and talk. Victuals reveals he is in fact a lizard man - or at least he was, before his brain was somehow transferred into the body of this cat. Desperate to get his true body and his life back, the two plunge underwater to the secret bubbling lizard city below to unravel a plot laid down by a corrupt king and the spiritual force he worships.
reMIND is packed with incredible visual detail, none more breathtaking than the deep ocean vistas surrounding the glass bubble structures of the lizard city. Every page in the book is a double page spread, which allows for a variety of layouts that create a sense of vast underwater depth. It’s not hard to feel like you’re swimming alongside Victuals as he sneaks through the alleys and pipes of his old home. There’s no shortage of action either, so if you like cats battling lizards and lizards battling giant crabs you will not be disappointed!
There are some books you would never know existed if they didn’t fall into your lap at the right place at the right time. When I started working as a Digital Editor two and a half years ago, reMIND was one of the first books I digitally edited, and it has stuck in my memory to this day. So I am pleased to recommend it and I hope it should fall into someone else’s lap! I guarantee it is totally tiger shark.
[Read reMIND vol. 1 on comiXology]
Hanni Brosh is a Digital Editor and loves comics about the ocean.
A comiXologist Recommends:
Hanni Brosh recommends Steven Universe #1
They… ARE the Crystal Gems!
They being the stoic Garnet, sassy Amethyst, fretful Pearl, and Steven, our young hero with a golden heart and a gemstone belly button. Steven Universe, created by rebeccasugar, is the latest animated series to make the jump to the comic page, joining Adventure Time and Bee and Puppycat in BOOM’s impressive cartoon lineup.
Steven balances being a magical Crystal Gem and a regular human boy - a protector of the universe who is still a fun-loving, energetic kid. While his fellow Gems are neutralizing unsavory creatures, Steven keeps their spirits up with his optimistic attitude (and some wacky yesteryear sunglasses). Writer jeremysorese and artist colemanengle make up the main story team and their debut issue is a hit; Sorese captures small character moments among the chaos of battle (notably Amethyst and Pearl’s bickering), while Engle’s bold brushwork and bright colors bring a gaseous rainbow beast to life and send it whizzing through magnificent temple ruins. Three back-up stories round out the issue - an adventure with some side characters, a hot dog recipe, and a charming attempt at birthday cake baking.
Steven Universe is a delight for readers of all ages - rich in creative locales, thoughtfully realized characters, and a good dose of magically-charged brawling. The first issue sets a high mark for the ongoing series, making “Steven” a comic you can believe in!
[Pick up Steven Universe #1 here!]
Hanni Brosh is a digital editor at comiXology. She draws comics and has a really cute dog.