Indie Comics Corner - Women With Crab Hands and Other Strangeness

So far my posts have been, in some way or another, very focused on the mainstream. Time to dip into the deeper, weirder end of the pool.

Hopefully this will be a semi-regular "feature" in which I'll give brief introductions and reviews for an assortment of eclectic comics fare from truly Indie publishers; there not only won't be any DC or Marvel stuff here, but no Boom!, no IDW, no Adhouse or Top Shelf. These publishers are usually going to be one man or woman with a dream and the will to create, and the results can be interesting and memorable, if not always polished.

I've had the first two issues of Reich for quite a while now. They are among the only comics published by Sparkplug that I own, and with the recent, untimely passing of publisher Dylan Williams, I thought it was time that I finally checked them out.
Reich is the biography of Wilhelm Reich, an eccentric psychoanalyst who studied, among other things, "orgastic potency." Writer/artist Elijah Brubaker has researched his life and work, attempting to separate fact from the considerable rumor and fiction such a divisive and unusual figure has bred, and successfully writes a captivating story about a largely unlikable man. His large headed and expressive figures convey personality and emotion well, further drawing us into Reich and his world.

There appear to be eight issues of this series completed so far; I recommend them to fans of biographical fiction, raconteurs, orgastic potency, and Chester Brown's Louis Riel. All eight issues of Reich and a LOT more are available at: Sparkplug Comics.

The New 52...On a Budget

I'm one broke-ass comic collector lately. I don't really have anything to complain about; like a lot of the members of family Comicus Collecticus I have shelves full of unread material that my current budgetary restrictions are an open invitation to catch up on. What it has meant, however, is that even if I were inclined to sample some of the DC relaunch titles I would have to pick and choose which ones to buy very carefully. When it comes to comics, I don't do restraint well. And I don't particularly like missing out on the conversation. So what can I do?

Read previews, that's what. Normally, I don't read previews. In this case, it's all I have the chance to read, so read them I shall. This is really an experiment on several levels: reading previews in the first place, and trying books (like Superboy) that I would ordinary have only the slightest interest in.

These "reviews" should be taken with an entire shaker of salt. I don't really believe it's fair to judge or review a book based on 3-5 pages of it. These are my half-baked impressions based on those previews and you should not place any value on them whatsoever. You have been warned.