Comic conventions have a little bit of something for every type of nerd. Some folks go to cons for celebrity meet-and-greets, to congregate with like-minded cosplayers, or to shop for toys and treats on the Show Floor. Personally, when I attend Emerald City Comic Con annually, I am there for one thing: Artist’s Alley. Specifically, I love going to ECCC to peruse local and independent comic releases, to experience the diverse world of comics and graphic novels that I don’t get through my typical weekly dose of Marvel, DC, Image, and BOOM!
Every year, I try to find some comics or graphic novels that deserve attention, but are not as mainstreamly appreciated as they should be. This year, I stumbled upon four comics that immediately caught my eye, and I couldn’t put them down once I got home. There were countless comics to purchase and read, and I implore you to go check out Artist’s Alley for yourself, but below are four that I felt compelled to write about:
Full-Spectrum Therapy – A.L. Kaplan
I have appreciated A.L. Kaplan’s work for quite some time now, seeing as he is a local Seattle cartoonist who loves the X-Men. Truly, what more can you ask for? My office is littered with his work, from a gorgeous depiction of Magik to a romantic piece featuring Hulkling & Wiccan, and even an original piece of Angel. Plus, he has created two volumes of “X-Rated” alongside The Gorgonist, an iconic zine that ranks X-Men characters through RuPaul’s judging system of Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, and Talent.
Kaplan has also found recent mainstream success, creating Circuit Breaker, the first-ever transmasculine superhero at DC Comics. After the success of Circuit Breaker, Kaplan has gone on to do interior work for G. Willow Wilson’s Poison Ivy and Jeff Lemire’s Absolute Flash. Thankfully, at ECCC, Kaplan had freshly printed editions of their webcomic-turned-independently published graphic novel, Full-Spectrum Therapy. Described as a “psychidelic gay science fiction,” Full-Spectrum is a gorgeous comic featuring Kaplan’s uniquely styled art, focusing on the queer, alien-threatened love story between Quin and Damien. Full-Spectrum Therapy is not available to purchase online yet, but hopefully it will be soon, because you all deserve to read this wonderful tale.
Mutiny: Black Girl Magik – FairSquare Comics
I had the distinct pleasure of meeting comedian, writer, and all-around iconic creative Kristal Adams at this year’s ECCC, before purchasing the first issue of her Black female superhero comic Mutiny: Black Girl Magik. Kristal was at ECCC with her talented husband, Fabrice Sapolsky. The two co-created and own the independent publishing company FairSquare Comics, an awesome publisher that emphasizes creator rights and highlights diverse creators with unique stories to tell. In general, you should check out all of FairSquare’s published work, which includes the newly released The Big Lie, a fun spin on the legendary Tintin after the character finally entered the public domain.
It was a blast to read the first issue of Mutiny: Black Girl Magik, written by Adams, with art by Asiah Fulmore and colors by Sapolsky. Honestly, I really regret not picking up the second issue, and I will definitely be buying it online. The comic follows the hilarious and beautiful Moriyah Pleasant as she stumbles upon a Multiversal conspiracy while working in New York City as a dating coach for nearly hopeless incels. It is a super fun origin story that highlights Black culture and powerful women. The art from Fulmore is truly stunning, with a cartoon grittiness that made the experience feel unique and different, and the first issue also features a gorgeous variant cover from Joshua ‘Sway’ Swaby.
Generation Baby – RAD Comics
Wow! I think this is the most impressed I’ve been with a debut independent comic in like… a long time? I stumbled upon Royal Dunlap, creator and owner of RAD Comics, at Emerald City Comic Con, and I am so very glad that I did. I picked up the first, and currently only, issue of Generation Baby from Rad because the cover looked sick, and I am so glad that I did. Rad did everything literally for this unique comic, from writing to art and design. The design is perhaps what I enjoyed most from Generation Baby, with a delightful use of font, unique panelling, and a level of professional ethos that really gagged me.
It was a joy to speak with Rad, who was obviously incredibly passionate and excited about the release of Generation Baby, and I quickly grabbed a beautiful variant cover for the first issue featuring the two superpowered main characters, Ms. Olympia and The Titanessa. The world of Generation Baby focuses on a geopolitical dispute between three island nations, and the atomic-powered heroes they use to fight as proxies for their long-running war. This first issue is long and certainly worth the investment, and the main fight between the two superpowered individuals feels like a manga battle in the best way, which makes sense since Dunlap also wrote and illustrated his creator-owned manga DIE HIBI DIE. Please, give this comic a shot. I think you’ll love it, and if you do, Rad can keep making more issues, of which he has TWENTY FOUR already planned out!
Mary Tyler MooreHawk – Dave Baker
Are you one of those weirdos who has read House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski multiple times, trying to understand it better? I admit I am, and sometimes I think I am sick in the head. Thankfully, I have a new replacement for this twisted obsession in the form of Dave Baker’s Mary Tyler MooreHawk, a blend of graphic novel and meta-fiction prose that will leave you scratching your head in the best way possible. Potentially the least “independent” piece of work in this article, published by the midsize Top Shelf Productions, I still think MooreHawk deserves more attention and praise than it has received.
If you aren’t familiar with Dave Baker, he is the brilliant creative mind behind F**k Off Squad and Halloween Boy, and Emerald City Comic Con is lucky to be visited by him annually. Mary Tyler MooreHawk is… hard to explain. Described as “A compilation of long-lost gee-whiz adventure comics… and a bundle of magazine articles from a dystopian future,” MooreHawk is a “detective-based story” that features multiple variations of a Dave Baker insert character. It is fascinating, different, and altogether wonderful. It is also a truly gorgeous hardcover book that I am incredibly excited to display in my home. I am only halfway through (I stayed up way too late after ECCC Day 2, reading it), and already I know it will be one of my favorite graphic novels this year. Pick it up, trust me.
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