Panel selection from Sweetness and Lightning, Chapter 36. Illustrated by Gido Amagakure. Photo courtesy of Kodansha Comics.
Though the comic industry is in the midst of a hot summer full of tentpole events, there are plenty of small, strange surprises to be found on the physical and digital comic racks. Take, for instance, Hand of Abaris, reviewed below, a comic comprised of photographs of clay figures acting out a classic adventure story; or DC Comics' Flintstones #1, a realistically illustrated take on the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon, which manages to serve up some of the classic comedy of the series with a healthy dash of cultural critique. And they say comics aren’t surprising anymore…
Cover for The Flintstones #1. Illustrated by Steve Pugh. Photo courtesy of DC Comics.
Flintstones #1 opens in a museum in the modern day, with a Neanderthal preserved in a glass case. The museum guide explains that this figure was found in Bedrock Valley, and then we flash back 100,000 years to the past. Fred, Wilma, Mr. Slate, Barney, and Betty are all here, and the story centers on Fred showing three Neanderthals a “good time,” because Mr. Slate wants them to stick around Bedrock and work for him for free. The ensuing story is one of class struggle and the plight of the artist (yes, seriously). The artwork is in a more realistic style, feeling vaguely like The Flintstones live-action movie from 1994, but this is one of the most heartfelt comics coming out this week. It’s existence on shelves is, frankly, baffling. Highly recommended.
Cover for Throwaways #1. Illustrated by Maiko Kuzunishi. Photo courtesy of Image Comics.
Throwaways is the story of two young people on the run from a shadowy government organization trying to track them down. The term, “throwaway,” in this case refers to secret agents used for a single assignment, who are meant to be terminated after completing their mission. Our protagonists, a punk with an infamous dad, and a veteran with severe PTSD, also have hidden powers unlocked with codewords. This comic is a good spy comic, one that confronts racism, the effects of war, and even casual homophobia, head-on, but it’s a little “gun heavy,” considering all the terrible news going on right now. So read with a trigger warning in mind—pun unavoidable—or skip this one for lighter fare.
Cover for Hand of Abaris #1. Illustrated by BW Swartz. Photo courtesy of Sorcerer’s Rock Sequential.
Hiding deep in this week’s “Indie” releases on Comixology is Hand of Abaris, written and with art by BW Swartz. The comic follows the story of Abaris, a mummified hand that works with its host body to stop the incursion of an evil, extra-dimensional consciousness. The artwork, as seen on the cover, is all clay photographs. Swartz does amazing work creating a sense of pace, movement, and action in these photographs, and though the sculptures are bright and colorful, one still feels the creep of the mummy’s tomb around them. The minimalism of the set pieces almost add to the urgency of the scene, sweeping the reader up in the classic left-to-right action of the page.
Cover for Sweetness and Lightning Chapter 36. Illustrated by Gido Amagakure. Photo courtesy of Kodansha Comics.
For readers who need a bit of levity and tenderness in their comic pulls this week, one of the brightest lights on the shelf is the Japanese import Sweetness and Lightning. This is a truly wonderful, heartfelt manga about a widowed math teacher trying to raise his young daughter, and how they and a friend try to cook together to bond as a family. In each issue, along with a youthful, fun, sweethearted story, there’s an integrated recipe complete with detailed cooking instructions and beautiful food illustrations. Each issue even has a cooking advisor to oversee the item being prepared. Full of kind sentimentality, this comic is classic family drama and a good culinary lesson, too.
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