Welcome back to Waiting on the Trade, a monthly comics book club for people who don’t have time for monthly comics!
In this episode, guest host Jonathan Gurney introduces us to the shockingly wild world of packaged young adult fiction, as we discuss Anthony Del Col, Werther Dell’Edera, and co.’s Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: The Big Lie.
Recently, I re-read the first issue of Jason Aaron, R.M. Guéra, and co.’s Scalped – and was surprised to realize just how exactly it adheres to the first issue structure that writer Kieron Gillen later laid out on his tumblr, in 2018:
For various reasons, it’s been tough to enjoy reading or talking about comic books recently. So this week – little to no comics talk. Instead, here are some non-comics-reading ways you can spend your free time, if you’re looking to step away from comics for a while. (For those looking for comics talk, I’ll hopefully have some for you in a couple weeks.)
I don’t know that any recent Batman story has made me feel more joy than Batman Universe. Together, writer Brian Michael Bendis, artist Nick Derington, and the rest of the Batman Universe team have crafted a humorous, action-packed story that positions Batman as a reader’s guide to the wider DC Universe – which is a wondrous place packed full of Hawkpeople, dinosaurs, immortal villains, telepathic super-gorillas, and so much more.
Excuse me as I indulge in a bit of self-promotion! The wonderful Kathryn Prince (a.k.a Red Phacelia) and I just put out a new zine, and if you like this blog, I think you’ll dig our zine, too. Especially if you are a fan of “Marvel’s” “Thanos” (an entirely new character who is obviously legally distinct from Marvel’s Thanos):
Want to learn why Thanos should have paid attention in biology class? Then click this link to purchase the first issue of Extra Crunchy Fun from Gumroad for just $1. You’ll not only get Kat’s three-page Thanos comic, but also a couple short prose stories, an excellent no-bake cookie recipe, a Star Wars-themed crossword, and more! Which is actually quite the bargain.
If you purchase the zine, definitely come back here afterward and leave a comment letting us know what you thought of it. We’re already planning our next issue, and we’d love to use your feedback to make it even crunchier.
