David Lapham’s Stray Bullets debuted in 1995, setting itself as both the revival and precedent of crime comics of the early 20th century and the early 21st century respectively, right around the same time the crime genre was being revitalized in the movies by Tarantino and Boyle, among others. Here’s Oliver Sava discussing the series at length over at AV Club.
It’s a phenomenal, ground breaking work and unfortunately one which doesn’t get enough praise. Furthermore, I feel without Stray Bullets, you might not have gotten a lot of the crime comics being done since, even titles like Criminal and 100 Bullets.
You can buy almost all of Stray Bullets for barely over $40. I know that’s a good chunk of change, but even just grabbing the first volume alone is well worth it (and come on, that’s like a coffee and a half), but I can almost guarantee that results in wanting to snatch up the subsequent volumes. I already have the single issues and trades of this and find the Comixology deal too good to pass up.
You can get Glory Vol. 1 by #CreatorOfTheWeek mooncalfe & friend of the show joekeatinge for 50% off ($4) when you use the code GLORY in your cart before you check out!
Offer expires tomorrow at midnight EST so get to it!
INDIANA JONES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY! Marvel Knights: Hulk and GLORY writer JOE KEATINGE teams up with artist extraordinaire LEILA DEL DUCA for her Image Comics debut in an all-new ongoing series combining the urban fantasy of Fables and the globe-spanning adventure of Y: The Last Man. Kate Kristopher, once the most famous explorer of an Earth far more fantastic than the one we know, is forced to return to the adventurous life she left behind when a family secret threatens to destroy everything she spent her life protecting.
A comiXologist Recommends: Kate Kasenow recommends Shutter #2
In just two issues of Shutter, Joe Keatinge (joekeatinge) and Leila del Duca (assortedfoliage) have captured the imagination that epitomizes fantasy, sci-fi, and futuristic comics. Alongside other fresh Image titles like Pretty Deadly and Rocket Girl, the pages of Shutter #2 give readers a thrilling female-driven tale.
Keatinge’s writing is fast-paced and quirky—a perfect fit for the colorful world he’s created to support his cast. When the story began, our star Kate Kristopher was already a seasoned professional when it came to danger; in fact, she seemed pretty bored of it all. In the second issue, escaping a kidnapping attempt and the mysterious mention of possible siblings intrigues her, making it look like Kate might be back in action. With every issue, the breadth of this comic expands and delights. Not only do we have a fascinating female protagonist, but we have an ever expanding cast of interesting friends, enemies, and yet to be revealed characters that may just be a little of both. Keep an eye on Kate’s sentient clock-cat—he’s my personal fave!
A perfect compliment to this incredible world is del Duca’s fantastic illustrations paired with Owen Gieni’s vibrant colors. What has been set up in this story is any artist’s dream—a vast canvas filled with anything and everything from Irish gangster lions to ghost ninjas—and both del Duca and Gieni illustrate it all with grace and strength reverberating through every panel.
Keatinge and del Duca have not only introduced a new version of reality, they’ve also hooked this reader into a massive and mysterious adventure. Jump into the story now to follow this amazing series!
Kate Kasenow is a comics artist from Indiana currently living in Manhattan. She works at ComiXology as a Lead Digital Editor and spends most of her spare time re-reading J. R. R. Tolkien.
Comics printing is based on four colors, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Key (black). Though these colors are part of the fusion of elements that comprise how we view sequential narratives, they have rarely been the basis for the conceptual vision of comics, until now. This week, Vertigo launches their new anthology Vertigo Quarterly: CMYK. The artists and writers contributing to this intriguing new series were given a color from the CMYK model and asked to represent it within their narrative, be it in terms of theme or mood, or as an element of the plot, or a visual motif.
Unlike previous Vertigo anthologies, such as Strange Adventures and Ghosts, Vertigo Quarterly: CMYK eschews big name creators in favor of up-and-coming talent, and the result, in this first issue, is a very rich and varied collection of unique and original voices and visions across a variety of genres and styles, all based, in sometimes ingenious ways, around the blued hues of Cyan.
In Shaun Simon and Tony Akins’s sly, E.C. Comics-inspired horror story, the color pops up as a grim punchline. Amy Chu and Alitha Martinez’s “So Blue” uses the color deceptively, the title suggesting a tale of depression but delivering something darkly humorous instead. Death Sentence creator Monty Nero and artist Al Davison use the color as a striking visual cue in their smart sci-fi story , which is otherwise in black and white.
Concept aside, CMYK presents a refreshing breadth of diverse, intelligent stories by emerging voices in the comics world, in genres ranging from sci-fi and horror to crime and fantasy. It’s a fun and thoughtful read for comic fans who like some ideas and vision along with their entertainment.
Harris Smith is a Brooklyn-based comics and media professional. In addition to his role as a Senior Production Coordinator at comiXology, he edits several comics anthologies, including Jeans and Felony Comics, under the banner of Negative Pleasure Publications. He’s also the host of the weekly radio show Negative Pleasure on Newtown Radio.
EXTREME’S ORIGINAL WARRIOR GODDESS RETURNS! After missing for almost a decade, Glory’s whereabouts are uncovered by a lone reporter, but the globe-spanning conspiracy keeping her hidden from humanity could make her return more dangerous than anyone ever anticipated! This first issue of an brand-new saga written by Eisner & Harvey-award winner JOE KEATINGE and illustrated by Wet Moon and Shadoweyes creator ROSS CAMPBELL sets up Glory’s future by expanding on her past in a way promising to shock long-time fans and excite all-new readers!
When Comixology asked about selecting some of the titles I’m most excited about in the French language offerings on comiXology, I wanted to give a good overview of titles most people new to Bande Dessinée may not be familiar with, from a cross section of publishers I think are all doing interesting work in a variety of genres in a huge diversity of styles. There are a number of great titles available and I skipped over ones I think most people will be aware of (for instance, I highly suggest Julie Maroh's Le bleu est une couleur chaude from Glenat, but given that the film adaptation, Blue is The Warmest Color is a massive success, you’ve likely found it or will find it on your own) and wanted to give you a sample of recent works for you discover.
I’ll read anything illustrated by Frédéric Bézian, but the story he’s crafted with writer Christmas Simsolo seems tailor made toward my interest, taking place in Paris in 1920, in which a murder by poison on a train leads to a strange murder mystery with roots in everything from Fantomas to the era’s European surrealists.
I discovered Ankama’s Love series last year and am absolutely enthralled. Beautifully illustrated, silent stories of grand subject in naturalistic settings anyone can enjoy. (comixology’s note: There are no words in this book, so you can pick it up and enjoy it even if you don’t speak French! The art speaks for itself.)
Like many people, I was a massive fan of Alessandro Barbucci’s work on Skydoll and am loving this fantasy series just as much. His already masterful storytelling and character emotion has only increased since Skydoll, so this is one you cannot miss.
I have to admit a slight bias with Hollywood Killer, as I’ve worked with Fabrice Sapolsky on the French comics magazine, Comic Box, but I really enjoyed his collaboration with Ariel Olivetti. A Tarantino-esque crime series set in Hollywood with a biting humor I find makes for a really solid comics cocktail.
Another bias has to be copped here as Delcourt’s the publisher of my work with Ross Campbell, GLORY. However, as I mentioned with Docteur Radar, this is a story tailor-made for me, with an alternate history set in the early 20th century, with a world never faced the horrors of World War I, centered around a macabre murder mystery. Beautiful work.
