I like to say that I’m on a relentless search for quality storytelling, and that means I’ll sample books from creators and companies I’d previously never heard of at times.
Granted, there are some comics and graphic novels I wish I could forget or at least get some of the time and money back that I spent on them, but these days I’m finding more good comics I want to tell people about from “new” comics companies.
Also, I find that many comics creators are having their terrific material published by a variety of companies. For example, Joshua Williamson, one of my favorite writers these days, first came to my attention via Masks and Mobsters at MonkeyBrainComics.com. These days, he’s scripting RoboCop for BOOM! Studios, Ghosted and Nailbiter for Image, and Captain Midnight for Dark Horse. Thankfully, he has a blog that helps me be aware of what’s coming out from where, which you can find here: http://bbcinnercircle.blogspot.com/.
All this makes me more open to checking out the product of what I call “up and coming” comics companies, and I want to bring several to your attention this week! Most of the books listed below can be found at comixology.com if they aren’t in your local comics stores.
DARK SIDE GLOBAL
Dark Side Global is a Florida-based company that’s created a new world around the futuristic Gateway City, with a wide variety of characters and situations they’re going to explore. Their first comic, Max Hunter: Snow Fall Part 1, was recently released, and I enjoyed it quite a lot. There’s more on the way soon, I understand!
Their website is DarkSideGlobal.com, and you can buy their products at this link!
FUTUREDUDE ENTERTAINMENT
“We dare to be smart and fun at the same time,” notes their website. “We are a beacon back to the world of tomorrow. We are Futuredude Entertainment.” You can buy their products at this link: http://futuredude.com/store/.
This is the company I most recently discovered, and I loved the first two issues of Brainstorm as well as the first Parallel Man. They are “a transmedia production company that delivers innovative and disruptive sci-fi entertainment products. We take advantage of today’s amazing creative technologies while using a thoughtful and reasoned approach similar to that of the 1960s and 70s.” I’m fascinated by their goal of integrating video games, animation and comics. They also put the “science” back into “science fiction!”
You’ll hear my interview with Jeffrey Morris, Futuredude’s founder/CEO/CCO, during the next Wayne’s Comics Podcast, coming this Sunday!
LEGENDARY
Much better known for their movies, Legendary has been moving into the comics marketplace on a steady basis for a year or two now. You may have heard about Frank Miller’s Holy Terror, which came out from them a while back, and The Tower Chronicles from Matt Wagner and Simon Bisley. Currently, they’re releasing new books such as Annihilator from Grant Morrison and Frazer Irving and A Town Called Dragon from Judd Winick and Geoff Shaw. Great reading all!
For more information, go to their website at http://www.legendary.com/comics.
THINKALIKE PRODUCTIONS
Another Florida-based comics group, ThinkAlike Productions has published two issues of a great comic called The Agency, which is described this way: “The United States has created the International Agency of Magic to control the use of magic and stop magical related crimes across the globe. While the Chief of the IAM, Embry Eskyll, orders his agents to locate and detain a fifteen year old boy, a new threat emerges.” There’s a lot more on the way from these creators, so now’s the time to check out their books.
For more information, their website is at this link: http://thinkalikeproductions.com/.
A FINAL RECOMMENDATION OR TWO
Now, please know that I continue to search for other great companies and still love me some longjohns storytelling, so I still read a lot of DC and Marvel. I also enjoy a lot of what BOOM! Studios, Image, IDW and Dynamite are providing, so be sure to catch up on their great books as well! Add Titan Publishing from the UK to this list with Alien Legion and several Doctor Who comics among their offerings.
But it’s really encouraging to me to see “new blood” coming into the industry, telling great stories and moving the industry ahead!
One last note: There are other great reads coming out from other book publishers, and one I particularly like is a great graphic novel called The Hockey Saint coming from Howard Shapiro and Animal Media Group. It’s a powerful story that discusses friendship much more than hockey, and I will be reviewing it soon. It’s more likely to be found in local book stores than comics shops, but you can pre-order it at Amazon’s website at this link: http://www.amazon.com/Hockey-Saint-Howard-Shapiro/dp/0991255011/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412002547&sr=1-1&keywords=hockey+saint.
Here at MajorSpoilers.com, we’re looking for great comics storytelling we can recommend to you, so be sure to check out our reviews, sneak previews and news regularly! If you thought the comics industry was dying, I think the folks listed above would disagree with you pretty strenuously!
