Back Issue Bonanza




‘Tis the season and all that for your local comic stores to have their annual back issue sales.  Even if they’re not, that $20 you got in a card from Grandma is burning a hole in your pocket, and what better way to spend it than on filling the holes in your collection?  God knows she wants you to save it for college or retirement, but then Grandma never did understand the burning need for a complete run of the West Coast Avengers.  I never did either, but that’s not what this rant is about.  No, this time around, I’d like to point out a few of my favorite single issues out there —- I can’t imagine these will cost you more than a few bucks at most, and it’s a great way to introduce yourself to some series you might’ve otherwise passed by.  Transmetropolitan #8 — This series is to Warren Ellis as Preacher is to Garth Ennis, Cerebus is to Dave Sim and Girl Genius is to Phil Foglio (hey, they haven’t heard of you, either).  This brilliant futurist series is for anyone who has both Blade Runner AND All The President’s Men in their personal top ten movie list.  This issue in particular deals with those people who choose to be cryogenically preserved at their moment of death… and whether or not the future will want them around.Through The Woods, Beneath The Moon #1 — A single issue children’s story as good as anything by Edward Gorey or Tim Burton.  A true lost gem.Those Annoying Post Bros. #6 — Two gleefully sadistic interdimensional criminals break into a family’s house and terrorize them, because that world is about to have a nuclear war, and that house will give the brothers a great view for watching the missiles drop. Robot Comics #0 — Surrealist stream of consciousness from Bob Burden, the man who gave us the Flaming Carrot.  I dare you to find something more bizarre than Orson Welles discussing his “secret technique for extracting teeth from Wednesdays”. Cerebus #0 — If you missed the 300 issue series spanning 1977-2003, then this is as good a place as any to start.  Actually a reprint of a few issues left out of the trade paperback collections, it showcases creator Dave Sim’s talent for comedy, background illustrator Gerhard’s flair for impossible detail, and their combined brilliance at storytelling.  Yes, I’m a fan.One Life, Furnished In Early Moorcock — a one-shot written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by P. Craig Russell, it’s an autobiographical tale of Gaiman’s love for one of the best fantasy/sci-fi authors of the 20th century.Next time I do a list like this, I’ll include the superheroes, I swear.  In the meantime, try one of these books — they will not disappoint.

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