Tag Archives: alterna comics

Underrated: Comics Not In Diamond’s Top 200 Sellers In August

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This is a column that focuses on something or some things from the comic book sphere of influence that may not get the credit and recognition it deserves. Whether that’s a list of comic book movies, ongoing comics, or a set of stories featuring a certain character. The columns may take the form of a bullet pointed list, or a slightly longer thinkpiece – there’s really no formula for this other than whether the things being covered are Underrated in some way. This week: Comics not in Diamonds top 100 sellers for June.

This week we’re going to be looking at a list of comics that are all fantastic, but don’t get the attention that they deserve. Now I’m not even going to pretend to have a definitively exhaustive list of underrated comics here, because we’re hoping  that you decide to check at least one of these series out next time you’re looking for something new either online or at your LCS, and giving you a huge list to check out would be counter productive to that. Instead, you’ll find four to six comics that are worth your attention that failed to crack the top 100 in sales. You’ll notice that there’s only one comic from a publisher featured – this was done to try and spread the love around, rather than focus exclusively on one publisher.

Where possible, I’ve also avoided comics that have appeared on the last version of this list, but the only hard stipulation for this week: not one of the comics made it into the top 100 for May’s comic sales, according to Comichron, which is why tresspasser 2they’re Underrated.

Trespasser #2 (Alterna)
August Sales Rank/Comics Sold: Unknown
The series about a father and his daughter struggling to survive in a post plague world on a farm, or in the rural countryside, when they’re visited by a harmless injured alien (a little green man type of alien to be specific). After starving for so long, once the alien leaves the family have some food again… The comic is a psychologically chilling tale that explores how far you would be willing to go to provide for your family, and whether sometimes a short term gain is really worth the anguish it will cause eventually.

SexCriminals_20-1.pngSex Criminals #20 (Image)
August Sales Rank/Comics Sold: 297/5,691
When the two lead characters have sex they freeze time; the first time this happens they decide to rob  a bank (because why not?). The series has developed into a cult following, and it’s quality far exceeds the sales numbers on show here.

Unholy Grail #2 (Aftershock)
August Sales Rank/Comics Sold: 254 /7,340
Set around the legend of King Arthur and Merlyn, this series reimagines the old wizard as a demon inhabiting an old man’s flesh. Kinda creepy, but a whole lot of awesome. If you’re a fan of comics without superheroes you could do a lot worse than checking this series out.

DIVINITY_ZERO_COVER-A_RYPDivinity #0 (Valiant)
August Sales Rank/Comics Sold: 229 /8,692
Valiant’s Divinity is a fantastic story that spans three four issue miniseries, and four tie-in comics, which could be a little intimidating if you were to dive into them all at once (but it’s totally worth doing, however) which is where this zero issue comes into play. By giving you an in-story overview of the event Divinity #0 will both prepare you for the next chapter in this exciting series and refresh (or bring you up to date) with the story so far.

 

Unless the comics industry ceases any and all publication look for a future installment of Underrated to cover more comics that aren’t cracking the top 100.

Underrated: Comics not in Diamonds top 100 sellers for July

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This is a column that focuses on something or some things from the comic book sphere of influence that may not get the credit and recognition it deserves. Whether that’s a list of comic book movies, ongoing comics, or a set of stories featuring a certain character. The columns may take the form of a bullet pointed list, or a slightly longer thinkpiece – there’s really no formula for this other than whether the things being covered are Underrated in some way. This week: Comics not in Diamonds top 100 sellers for June.

This week we’re going to be looking at a list of comics that are all fantastic, but don’t get the attention that they deserve. Now I’m not even going to pretend to have a definitively exhaustive list of underrated comics here, because we’re hoping  that you decide to check at least one of these series out next time you’re looking for something new either online or at your LCS, and giving you a huge list to check out would be counter productive to that. Instead, you’ll find four to six comics that are worth your attention that failed to crack the top 100 in sales. You’ll notice that there’s only one comic from a publisher featured – this was done to try and spread the love around, rather than focus exclusively on one publisher.

Where possible, I’ve also avoided comics that have appeared on the last version of this list, but the only hard stipulation for this week: not one of the comics made it into the top 100 for May’s comic sales, according to Comichron, which is why they’re Underrated.

 

croak 2Croak #2 (Alterna)
July Sales Rank/Comics Sold: Unknown
Alterna’s range of newsprint comics have been a fantastic addition to my pull list, with the stories on offer crossing numerous different genres and styles, and each one easily being worth the price of admission (sometimes several times over). This campfire horror story style comic is creepy, atmospheric and really well written; priced at a buck and a half you can’t go wrong at all.

Pestilence #3 (Aftershock)
July Sales Rank/Comics Sold: 250 /5,771
What if the Black Death wasn’t the bubonic plague? What if something else was responsible for the mass death of almost a third of Europe in the 1300’s wasn’t a disease, but zombies? Yup, more medieval zombies – and they’re great.

Wicked + Divine #29 (Image)
July Sales Rank/Comics Sold: 149 /13,910
You’ve all heard about this series one way or another, but judging by the sales numbers… This contemporary fantasy story focuses on a group of people with superhuman powers known as “The Pantheon”. Each member of The Pantheon was at one point a normal person before being chosen to merge with the spirit of a deity, and will – apparently – die within two years. Check this series out and learn why there’s such  a strong cult following.

SW_002_SECOND-PRINT_COVER_ALLENSecret Weapons #2 (Valiant)
July Sales Rank/Comics Sold: 224 /7,910
You’ll notice this series makes a repeat appearance, and that’s because it keeps getting better issue after issue. Seriously, check this out. Last week I said that this is “an offbeat series about a group of rejects with powers that are basically useless (think turning your skin into a statue like hardness… but then being unable to move, just like a literal statue) have to band together in order to face off against a killer who is much better equipped to take them down. Beyond this, the sense of camaraderie and family among the rejects echoes back to the early X-Men comics; this miniseries did better in the sales charts than I expected, but it’s still an underrated gem.” I still stand by that.

 

Unless the comics industry ceases any and all publication look for a future installment of Underrated to cover more comics that aren’t cracking the top 100.

Alterna Reviews: The Chair #2, Scrimshaw #2, Mother Russia #2, Trespasser #2 and The Wicked Righteous #1

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chair 2Over the past two months and change Alterna Comics have been publishing comics on newsprint paper, which has had the effect of dropping cover prices on these bi-monthly titles to as low as $1 in the case of The Chair, but the majority have been priced at the still ridiculously low price of $1.50. Consequently, despite Graphic Policy probably receiving some review copies, the following comics were all reviewed from the print versions that were purchased at a physical location. This had the benefit of allowing me to have a multilayered experience not only reading the comics but literally feeling the newsprint between my fingers as the distinctive smell drifted toward my nose; yeah, it’s safe to say that these gems tugged at my nostalgia for a bygone era (and bygone prices).

As already mentioned, the following comics were all purchased, and took a grand total of $6 out of my pocket (closer to $8 Canadian dollars if you need specifics), and all are worth the money I paid for them. Now some of you may be wondering why I say $6 when there were five newsprint comics released this week, and the answer is that my LCS didn’t get The Chair, so I did read the review copy for that (were it not for this review roundup I would have waited for their order to arrive before reading).scrimshaw2

Let’s start with the review copy, shall we?

Written, inked and lettered by Peter Simeti with art by Kevin Christensen The Chair will cost me $1 when I eventually buy it. This issue is in-fucking-tense. From what I understand prison is never going to be all sunshine and rainbows, but the prison in The Chair gives an entirely new meaning  to the phrase “hell hole.” The dark and murky artwork is a little clearer than last issue because I didn’t read this on paper, but the grime and stark horror of the story stands out. The Chair #2 is a much more psychologically disturbing issue than the last, and the art and lettering are powerful and effective in allowing your brain to see what isn’t shown. For $1, this is a fantastic buy. Overall: 8.5

Up next, and in the order that my LCS put them in the bag, is Scrimshaw #2. Written by Eric Borden, with art by Dave Mims and letterer Spike O’Laochdha, this comic is a blend of post apocalyptic high seas adventure featuring a European samurai that blends science and sword play in  way that technically shouldn’t work yet kind of does. I’ll be honest with you, Scrimshaw is the series that’s grabbed me the least out of Alterna’s newsprint comics for the same reasons that a lot of people will love it; where they may see a perfect blend of numerous genres, all I can see is a story that doesn’t quite know what it wants to be. Still, it’s worth picking up all the same. Overall: 6.75mother russia 2

Part two in a three part World War Two era miniseries, Mother Russia #2 by Jeff McComsey starts with the Russian sniper realizing that the man who just saved her and the newborn baby she seems to be caring for from a horde of zombies is a German soldier. This issue focuses on whether the two of them can learn to live together in a world that has ended, or whether old enmities are still worth pursuing. I love the art direction here, and with McComsey handling everything he’s able to lead you through the beats effortlessly whether it’s silently or with words. This short WWII zombie comic series doesn’t strive for the overly complicated action sequence driven story, but as with all great zombie stories it focuses on the interactions between the characters within the comic. trespasser 2Absolutely worth your time and money. Overall: 8.25

The next comic from the stack is the oddly chilling Trespasser #2 written by Justin M. Ryan with art by Kristian Rossi and lettering by DC Hopkins, the story is about a father and daughter slowly starving to death in the American south somewhere who come across an alien. What is essentially an almost psychological horror story with a healthy dose of E.T., Trespasser is a really interesting read – you feel that you’re missing something, that something isn’t quite right, but that’s not because Ryan has forgotten to tell us anything, but rather he’s able to effortlessly convey the sense of unease that the characters are feeling. There’s an understated terror here, and it makes for some uncomfortably exciting reading. Overall: 8wicked rigteous #1

Finally this week there is The Wicked Righteous #1 by writer Terry Mayo, artists Lucas Romero, Colourist Christopher Hall and letterer Brandon DeStefano, this is actually a comic I reviewed for Graphic Policy earlier this year. You can read how I thought about the comic back then, but after reading it on the newsprint paper version in my hands I realized that I may have been a little harsh. Whether that’s because the price of this version is significantly lower, or it caught me in a different mood, I enjoyed it more than I did the last time hence the higher score. Overall: 8

As I said earlier all of these comics are worth picking up when you next visit your LCS which is why there’s no Buy/Read/Pass rating attached, so if you’re curious about a couple new series then you can’t help but love the affordable entry point.

Alterna Reviews: Croak #2, Adam Wreck #2, Amazing Age #2 & Lilith Dark #2

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Over the past two months Alterna Comics have been publishing comics on newsprint paper, which has had the effect of dropping cover prices on these bi-monthly titles to as low as $1 in the case of The Chair, but the majority have been priced at the still ridiculously low price of $1.50. Consequently, despite Graphic Policy probably receiving some review copies, the following comics were all reviewed from the print versions that were purchased at a physical location. This had the benefit of allowing me to have a multilayered experience not only reading the comics but literally feeling the newsprint between my fingers as the distinctive smell drifted toward my nose; yeah, it’s safe to say that these gems tugged at my nostalgia for a bygone era (and bygone prices).

As already mentioned, the following comics were all purchased, and took a grand total of $6 out of my pocket (closer to $8 Canadian dollars if you need specifics), and all are worth the money I paid for them

croak 2The first of the four comics I read was the second issue of Croak (8.50/10), which can best be described as a campfire horror story given comic form. You remember sitting around a campfire telling horror stories, or did you tell them huddled under blankets with a flashlight under your chin? Which ever you did (or wanted to do) will give you an idea of what’s on offer here as the issue reveals a little more about what has befallen a group of unwitting campers.

Cody Sousa‘s writing is incredibly atmospheric and panic laden, though I may have chuckled a couple of times as I read the comic, and he effortlessly captures the sense of a truely interesting horror/thriller comic. Couple that with Francesco Iaquinta‘s art and Chris O’Halloran‘s colour work bringing the comic to a nightmarish life. I’m well and truly hooked on this series.

Up next is Adam Wreck #2 (7.75/10), a science fiction yarn about a young teenage boy adam wreck2who has been travelling through space for two years, and is now just incredibly bored. Or at least he was until his ship was attacked by space pirates and he was sent in an escape pod all by his lonesome. Michael S. Bracco is the creative force behind this series, handling both the art and writing duties for this fun and well paced story. There’s a very Han Soloesque vibe to Captain Voric as he hunts for treasure before fulfilling his end of the bargain he made with Adam to save his family. There’s not a whole lot of depth on offer here, with the comic rated E for Everyone, but that’ not to say you won’t enjoy this issue; Adam Wreck #2 is the kind of comic you’ll be able to just chill out and enjoy purely on face value. The art has a wonderful quality to it which belies it’s relatively simple colouring scheme while bringing to life the far reaches of space. You can pick up the entire three issue miniseries (when the 3rd issue is released) for $4.50, lilith dark2which is an incredible price for a story this enjoyable.

Up next is Lilith Dark #2 (7/10), a comic by Charles C. Dowd that centers around a little girl with an overactive imagination who is always seeing little monsters that aren’t real. Except… what if they are? When the monsters in the closet are real, and they anoint Lilith their queen, then you get the kind of comic that mimics almost every child’s fantasy – no matter the age of the child. Fittingly, this is an all ages comic, which makes the story super easy to follow (especially in the parts where there’s minimal narration and dialogue), as well as being quite enjoyable.

The final newsprint comic on offer from Alterna this week was Amazing Age #2 (7.25/10), written by Matthew D. Smith, with art by Jeremy Massie and colours provided by Christine Brunson. The story has echoes of Axe-Cop  in how much of it amazing age2stems from the mind of a young writer: the nine year old Matthew D. Smith. Amazing Age #2 picks up as three highschool kids have been transported to another dimension where they’re quickly confronted with the realization that superheroes exist here in a world that’s eerily familiar to them as one of their number used to create comics, the heroes of which are currently standing right in front of them. It’s a fantastic concept that is geared toward younger audiences with the plot having an easy-to-follow flow that takes you swiftly from one moment to the next, but part of me can’t help but wonder how the same concept could be handled with a slightly more mature vein (though that doesn’t mean that all audiences won’t enjoy it either).

 

As I said earlier all of these comics are worth picking up when you next visit your LCS, and with three of them being perfect for all ages, you can’t help but love the affordable entry point for those looking to get into comics.

Alterna Goes Back to Print for Multiple Series with a New Printing Logo System

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Alterna Comics titles are going back to print as orders have seen a spike at both comic shops and newsstands thanks to a newsstand distribution deal with PDG. Publishing quality creator-owned stories printed on newsprint and with a cover price of $1.50 or less, early sales have garnered an increase on issue #2 orders which have warranted second printings.

The first four Alterna Comics titles to immediately go back to print are: Adam Wreck #2 (of 3), Amazing Age #2 (of 5), Croak #2 (of 3), and Lilith Dark #2 (of 4).

To help customers discern between first, second, and potentially third printings, Alterna has come up with a color coded logo system.

Each printing will have a color coded Alterna Comics logo on the left side of the cover. First printings may feature an Alterna Comics logo in a variety of colors, but second printings will feature a gold Alterna Comics logo and third printings, should they occur, will feature a silver Alterna Comics logo.

There are also plans for second printings of the first eight #1 issues at Alterna.

These printings are scheduled to occur over the next three months.

All 8 initial titles have already sold out multiple times at the distribution level, though copies still may be available at local comic shops.

Alterna Comics in October 2017

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MOTHER RUSSIA #3 of 3

AUG171135
(W/A/L) Jeff McComsey

Mother Russia and her new ally fight their way through a sea of the undead. With impossible odds stacked against them, it’s guaranteed that someone will become zombie food before the sun sets. Printed on newsprint. Perfect for fans of 28 Days Later and Sgt. Rock.

In Shops: Oct 25, 2017
SRP: $1.50
32 pages, Black & White

SCRIMSHAW #3

AUG171136
(W) Eric Borden
(A) Dave Mims
(L) Spike O’Laochdha

Cornered in a dangerous Chinatown alley, Taipuitea is forced to unleash one of the most brutal beatdowns in all of comics! With assassins at every turn, can the crew of the Runaway Horse get out in one piece? Printed on newsprint. Perfect for fans of X-Men and Suicide Squad.

In Shops: Oct 18, 2017
SRP: $1.50
32 pages, Full Color

THE CHAIR #3 of 4

AUG171137
(W/A/L) Peter Simeti
(A) Kevin Christensen

The lines between good and evil have been blurred and with each passing day, Sullivan loses his grip on reality. The tables have been turned and Sullivan must figure out if he wants forgiveness or vengeance. Printed on newsprint. Perfect for fans of The Punisher and Arkham Asylum.

In Shops: Oct 25, 2017
SRP: $1.00
32 pages, Black & White

TRESPASSER #3 of 4

AUG171138
(W) Justin M. Ryan
(A) Kristian Rossi
(L) DC Hopkins

While Hector’s illness escalates, Maria begins to piece together what happened. Stress and anxiety take their toll, driving a wedge between father and daughter. Turns out that both of them have been keeping deadly secrets. Printed on newsprint. Perfect for fans of The Walking Dead and The Road.

In Shops: Oct 11, 2017
SRP: $1.50
32 pages, Full Color

THE WICKED RIGHTEOUS #2 of 6

AUG171139
(W) Terry Mayo
(A) Lucas Romero, Chris Hall
(L) Brandon DeStefano

Lucas and his group find themselves cornered by the deadly Horsemen and are forced to put their trust in the mysterious Cross if they hope to make it out of the wastelands of San Diego alive. Printed on newsprint. Perfect for fans of Stranger Things and Mad Max.

In Shops: Oct 11, 2017
SRP: $1.50
32 pages, Full Color

Alterna Comics Brings Comics Back to the Newsstand in Distribution Deal With PDG

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On the heels of successfully bringing back newsprint comics to comic shops across the world, creator-owned comic book and graphic novel publisher Alterna Comics has signed a deal with PDG to distribute their comic books to newsstands as well.

Over 300 stores will be part of the initial test market for titles, which rolls out in full on August 1st but has already begun at larger chain retailers like Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million.

Alterna is also currently considering expansion into Five Below and Toys “R” Us stores and has begun talks with both retailers.

The Alterna Comics newsprint line features titles priced between $1.00 to $1.50 and includes all ages titles as well as titles for teens and adults.

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!

We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Joe

Top Pick: Kill or Be Killed Vol. 2 TP (Image) – The fantastic crime thriller with a demon (yeah that’s right) keeps getting better. This is the second collected volume of the second arc that follows Dylan’s path into darkness.

Action Comics #984 (DC Comics) – You get a Superman! And you get a Supergirl! And you get a Super… Lex? This arc has been a blast. Take all of Supes’ big bad and put them against his super friends. It’s going down!

Black Hammer #11 (Dark Horse) – Lemire has been a writing machine as of late, and the quality hasn’t dipped. This is probably his best work, but that’s tough to say since he’s doing great work on a few series now.

Saga #45 (Image) – The best in the business keeps it interesting. Whether you read this book in single issue or trade, you’re always left on the edge of your seat. This is a truly special piece of art we are getting, and it’s going to go down as a classic.

Infamous Iron Man #10 (Marvel) – I was skeptical with this book for awhile, and have gone back and forth, but either way, I’ve still enjoyed almost every issue and loved Maleev’s beautiful art as well as the mystery Bendis is building with momma Doom.

 

Alex

Top Pick: X-O Manowar #5 (Valiant) – Without question the best looking comic right now, these issues never feel long enough – which for me is a good sign. If you’re even remotely curious as to Valiant’s comics, then this is a great place to start. Especially if you’re into what is essentially Conan mixed with Old Man Logan set in Star Wars.

Faith and the Future Force #1 (Valiant) – This is a bit of a cheat because I’ve already read this awesome issue. Time travel, a hero that loves comics and a brilliant blend of philosophically aware humour add up to a must (re)read for me on Wednesday.

Adam Wreck #2, Amazing Age #2, Croak #2, Lillith Dark #2 (Alterna) – So four entries in one? Because all four are a part of Alterna’s newsprint line and cost $1.50, and they’re all well worth every penny. Depending on what you’re looking for, there will be something for you among these issues – whether you pick one or all of them up, for the price the’re going for? You honestly can’t go wrong.

 

Brett

Top Pick: Tomboy #12 (Action Lab: Danger Zone) – The mix of horror, manga, and teenage angst wraps up and if you haven’t read an issue you need to go back to the beginning. One of the best comics that’s under the radar.

All-Star Batman #12 (DC Comics) – This series has been knocking it out of the park and this latest arc which dives deeper into Alfred’s history has been an interesting one showing how you can layer on something new even with a series that has that much history.

Captain Canuck 2017 #1 (Chapterhouse Comics) – A reboot of the recently launched character. How it’ll differ? No idea, but I’m intrigued to see.

Heavenly Blues #1 (Scout Comics) – A really interesting concept involving the afterlife that had me entertained with the first issue and looking forward to the second. Basically, it’s a heist comic involving angels and demons.

Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #10 (Marvel) – This series has been knocking it out of the park with each issue and the fact that it revolves around a brand new character is even better. A prime example of how to expand the Star Wars universe and deliver something new.

Underrated: Comics not in Diamonds top 100 sellers for June

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This is a column that focuses on something or some things from the comic book sphere of influence that may not get the credit and recognition it deserves. Whether that’s a list of comic book movies, ongoing comics, or a set of stories featuring a certain character. The columns may take the form of a bullet pointed list, or a slightly longer thinkpiece – there’s really no formula for this other than whether the things being covered are Underrated in some way. This week: Comics not in Diamonds top 100 sellers for June.

This week we’re going to be looking at a list of comics that are all fantastic, but don’t get the attention that they deserve. Now I’m not even going to pretend to have a definitively exhaustive list of underrated comics here, because we’re hoping  that you decide to check at least one of these series out next time you’re looking for something new either online or at your LCS, and giving you a huge list to check out would be counter productive to that. Instead, you’ll find four to six comics that are worth your attention that failed to crack the top 100 in sales. You’ll notice that there’s only one comic from a publisher featured – this was done to try and spread the love around, rather than focus exclusively on one publisher.

Where possible, I’ve also avoided comics that have appeared on the last version of this list, but the only hard stipulation for this week: not one of the comics made it into the top 100 for May’s comic sales, according to Comichron, which is why they’re Underrated.

 

mother russia 1Mother Russia #1 (Alterna)
June Sales Rank/Comics Sold: 361 /3,298
Alterna’s range of newsprint comics have been a fantastic addition to my pull list, with the stories on offer crossing numerous different genres and styles, and each one easily being worth the price of admission. Mother Russia is set toward the end of the second World War and stars a Russian sniper as she faces off against hordes of zombies to save a child. For a buck and a half, you really can’t go wrong with this gem.

Catalyst Prime Accell #1 (Lion Forge)
June Sales Rank/Comics Sold: 347 /3,644
A rather unique take on the whole speedster idea where Accell doesn’t speed up like characters such as the Flash and Quicksilver, but rather can move faster than thought for a limited time… and when he slows down all the injuries he would have sustained catch up to him. As a take on a speedster, it’s fun and a fresh character that you can’t help but want more of.

Pestilence #2 (Aftershock)
June Sales Rank/Comics Sold: 253 /7,056
A medieval zombie series that reimagines the Black Plague as something with a little more shuffling and biting. Absolutely brilliant stuff.

SW_002_COVER-B_SAUVAGESecret Weapons #1 (Valiant)
June Sales Rank/Comics Sold: 125 /21,938
An offbeat series about a group of rejects with powers that are basically useless (think turning your skin into a statue like hardness… but then being unable to move, just like a literal statue) have to band together in order to face off against a killer who is much better equipped to take them down. Beyond this, the sense of camaraderie and family among the rejects echoes back to the early X-Men comics; this miniseries did better in the sales charts than I expected, but it’s still an underrated gem.

 

Unless the comics industry ceases any and all publication look for a future installment of Underrated to cover more comics that aren’t cracking the top 100.

Underrated: Alterna’s Newsprint Comics

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This is a column that focuses on something or some things from the comic book sphere of influence that may not get the credit and recognition it deserves. Whether that’s a list of comic book movies, ongoing comics, or a set of stories featuring a certain character. The columns may take the form of a bullet pointed list, or a slightly longer thinkpiece – there’s really no formula for this other than whether the things being covered are Underrated in some way. This week: Alterna’s Newsprint Comics

Today I wanted to take another look at Alterna’s newsprint movement. If you’re unaware, and judging by the sales numbers* over the past few months a few of you may not be, so allow me to catch you up (very) quickly. Alterna have been releasing comics on newsprint paper, the stuff that all the old comics were released on up until around the mid to late 90’s. By printing some of their comics(all miniseries, I believe) on newsprint, Alterna have been able to drastically reduce their cover price to between $1 and $2, which means that in some cases you can buy the entire miniseries for the price of a single Marvel comic.

Alterna’s newsprint movement is one I am all for and have purchased each and every one of those comics, without question, as they’ve come out because I love the feel of the newsprint when I’m reading the comics. As some of the comics are reprints, doing this has introduced me to stories that in some cases I missed when they first came out. I don’t know which are reprints because I haven’t sought out too much information about these comics prior to buying them because I just want to enjoy reading them for reading’s sake.

alternanewsprint.png

So, in alphabetical order, shall we have a quick chat about these comics – or at least the ones that have been released on newsprint as of this writing?

Adam Wreck | Price $1.50 Micheal Bracco’s story about a boy who grew up in the stars is a delight to read. The artwork has a simple colour scheme that’s deceptive in its beauty, and his use of perspective is fantastic. If you can find this innocent gem, then I highly recommend you do so.

Amazing Age | Price $1.50 The first of the newsprint titles that I read, Matthew D. Smith and Jeremy Massie’s comic about a teenager pulled into the old comics he used to create is fantastic. The golden age imitation art is wonderful, and almost feels like it came from the Batman: The Animated Series school (but with much less darkness), but the undercurrent throughout the comic – of how life moves on faster than we’d like – is a powerfully simple one. I’d have paid twice the price for this and it would still have been a bargain.

Croak | Price $1.50 Confession time: I didn’t know this was a horror comic when I picked it up, not that that would have stopped me from doing so at this price, so when I sat down to read it I felt like a kid again not knowing what was around the corner. Written by Cody Andrew Sousa with art by Francesco Iaquainta and colours by Chris O’Halloran, Croak is a moody, atmospheric tale reminiscent of all the best campfire horror you remember as a kid.

Lilith Dark | Price $1.50 Charles C. Dowd has crafted this amazing fantasy story that will transport you places you forgot you ever visited. A fun, charming, and innocent tale about a young girl with an active imagination, Lilith Dark is the kind of comic you want to relax with.

Mother Russia | Price $1.50 The WWII/Zombie comic by Jeff McComesy pits a Russian sniper against two million zombies for the sake of a child. It’s a good, fun comic in the vein of a great zombie story, and honestly the one I expected the least from – so it was a pleasant surprise when I realized how much I enjoyed it.

Scrimshaw | Price $1.50 A post apocalyptic tale with all the elements from various fantasy and action movies that you probably love, Eric Borden and Dave Mims Scrimshaw is possibly the comic that I enjoyed the least on this list. That’s not to say it’s bad… just that I enjoyed the others more. There is a full review coming this weekend of the comic so you’ll read more about it there. Still, for the price I paid for it, it was well worth it.

The Chair | Price $1 Perhaps one of the comics I was most surprised about. I honestly only picked this up because of the price tag and utterly fell in love with Peter Simeti and Kevin Christensen’s horror story about a man facing death row for a crime he didn’t commit. The harsh artwork on the black paper works so incredibly resonant that you feel dirty just holding the comic that is, apparently, a ten year old story (I found this out after raving about it on Twitter, to which Peter Simeti replied that he was happy a ten year old story still held up).

Tresspaser | Price $1.50 Written by Justin Ryan with art by Kristian Rossi, Tresspasser is a story about a very hungry family who are visited by an alien. It’s an oddly touching, emotionally brutal tale about a man who just wants to protect his family no matter the cost, and the first issue is almost a complete story in and of itself. This comic took me by surprise in many ways, and I loved every second of it.

These comics are all currently on their first issue, and because they’re published bi-monthly then you can still easily check them out – if you can find them. Anything that publishers do to lower the cost of comics is something I will (probably) always be behind.

*even though the comics aren’t selling in huge numbers, they are still selling out of the relatively small print run.

There we have it. Are there other comic book related stuff out there that is, for whatever reason, underrated and under-appreciated?

Absolutely.

Because of that, Underrated will return to highlight more comic book related stuff  that either gets ignored despite it’s high quality, or maybe isn’t quite as bad as we tend to think it is. In the meantime, though, if you do get a chance check out the characters in thisUnderrated, then you may need to hunt through the back issue bins for some, but others do have some stories collected in trades.

Until next time!

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