Tag Archives: flux house

If You Find This, I’m Already Dead – Matt Kindt, Dan McDaid, Bill Crabtree, and Jim Campbell’s cosmic sci-tale this February

Posted on by

Dive deeper into the mysterious world of Matt Kindt with If You Find This, I’m Already Dead, a new multi-dimensional cosmic odyssey written by Kindt, illustrated by Dan McDaid, colored by Bill Crabtree, and lettered by Jim Campbell. If You Find This, I’m Already Dead is presented in magazine-sized issues (8” x 10.875”) with exclusive behind-the-scenes backmatter. Arriving in February 2024, issue #1 will include a variant cover illustrated by Brian Hurtt, with future issues featuring cover art by Sumeyye Kesgin and Alice Darrow.

Robin is a big city reporter, embedded with U.S. Marines heading to the hostile pocket universe called Terminus. Ten minutes in, the entire marine squad is wiped out and she has to survive (and report) on her own. Terminus is full of cosmic wonders–and sci-fi “gods” that are in the middle of a political power struggle. The language is alien, and the politics are deadly. Can she survive long enough to figure out what’s going on and get home to tell the story?

If You Find This, I’m Already Dead #1 (of 3), arrives in comic shops on February 14, 2024. It is now available to pre-order for $7.99 at your local comic shop.

Subgenre #1 takes us down a meta rabbit hole

Posted on by
Subgenre #1

A man is living two lives. He is a private detective in a dystopian cyberpunk future trying to solve a triple murder. But when he falls asleep–he wakes up as a wandering adventurer in a barbaric fantasy world where magic exists. Is he two separate people? Or is he a third person that has undergone a psychotic split? He jumps back and forth from sword-wielding barbarian to jaded private eye trying to solve the brutal crime. But the bigger question is, can he merge these realities without losing himself? Subgenre #1 is another intriguing beginning from writer Matt Kindt who sucks you into a layered read that makes you think.

Matt Kindt is a writer whose stories suck you in with an almost ride like experience. They’re often weird, usually wonderful, and always entertaining with a style that straddles mainstream and indie comics. Often, you’re sucked into a spiral like adventure going deeper into a world where the reader is unsure what is reality and what’s not. Subgenre #1 is another example of that delivering a familiar ride that’s also a bit more meta.

I often dislike the self referential releases but Kindt does what he does best using the weird to drive a story but not dwelling on the specifics right away. Here, the world’s entertainment is created by one major mega corporation using AI. A few murders at that corporation leads a detective onto a path that involves cults and printed books. Those printed books… we’re not spoiling it but those who have read Kindt’s past work will appreciate it all.

Subgenre #1 is an interesting start, with a concept we’ve seen before but also something that’s rather topical. It digs needles into digital and physical media. It pokes at giant corporate comics (ironically its publisher Dark Horse was gobbled up by an cross media IP farm after being independent). It feels like there’s potentially a lot more than the surface level adventure of a detective trying to solve some murders.

The art by Wilfredo Torres is solid and entertaining. Along with color by Bill Crabtree and lettering by Jim Campbell, the comic’s two parts work well with subtle differences. And that art is part of the fun and what makes the issue so good. For those who read the back material, Kindt gives his notes that include changes to the color and lettering, or is it all part of the rabbit hole we’re being dragged into? When you can’t tell if the backmatter is just extra behind-the-scenes material or part of the story, you’re in for an adventure. But, back to the art, it delivers a future that’s not quite grimy but overall feels beaten down, a logical extension of where we’re at. It’s futuristic without being totally distracting with a nice tinge of sci-fi oddity thrown in for good measure.

Subgenre #1 is a weird start that dances around and pulls off something so many other comics have failed at. Where it goes with it all is key but I have faith in Kindt who has shown time and time again he can balance short entertainment with long term payoff. The fact he has this reader looking for clues shoes he’s “trained” his readers well to look over every detail, as you’ll never know what will matter.

Story: Matt Kindt Art: Wilfredo Torres
Color: Bill Crabtree Letterer: Jim Campbell
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Dark Horse provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: TFAW – Kindle

Hairball #4 wraps up the series’ sinister ways

Posted on by
Hairball #4

Things take a sharp turn in Hairball #4 as the mysteries between the black cat Bestie and its sinister ways seem to be linked to an ancient Egyptian past.

Writer Matt Kindt wraps up the series in Hairball #4 with so many questions left unanswered and a lot of wtf moments. The series has been about a girl terrorized by a cat who seems to want to harm those around her and also seems like it can’t be killed. The series has come together with weirdness that isn’t explained in a finale that creates even more questions.

The series would have you believe the cat is somehow tied to ancient Egypt and gods but left unanswered is what is up with the worm things, the mark is sort of answered, and just generally why it has gone about its reign of terror. There’s something about protection but all we’ve seen is a cat that drives people to harm others before tragedy befalls themselves. It’s all rather convoluted in a way.

Still, Tyler Jenkins‘ art with lettering by Tyler and color by Hilary Jenkins continues a beautiful yet unnerving style. There’s an interesting look to the comic where even the most benign moment still comes off as slightly disturbing. It’s a perfect combination of visuals and the story itself.

Hairball #4 is a rather frustrating finale. It hints at some answers to what’s going on while others feel like they’re out of left field leaving us to wonder if our narrator is really just out of her mind. It leaves things almost too open ended and up for interpretation that’ll leave some readers unsatisfied after such a solid build up.

Story: Matt Kindt Art: Tyler Jenkins
Letterer: Tyler Jenkins Color: Hilary Jenkins
Story: 7.05 Art: 8.1 Overall: 7.15 Recommendation: Read

Dark Horse provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – Kindle

From Matt Kindt, Wilfredo Torres, and Bill Crabtree comes Subgenre

Posted on by

Flux House Books and Dark Horse Comics present Matt Kindt’s newest series, Subgenre. Co-created with Bang! partner Wilfredo Torres, Subgenre is a mind-bending, multidimensional murder mystery that stretches across many of Kindt’s previous books and all of genre-fiction itself. Kindt will write the series, with art by Wilfredo Torres and colors by Bill Crabtree. The first issue will also feature a variant cover by Brian Hurtt. Each issue of the series will also be presented in a larger pulp magazine-sized format.

A man is living two lives. He is a private detective in a dystopian cyberpunk future trying to solve a triple murder. But when he falls asleep–he wakes up as a wandering adventurer in a barbaric fantasy world where magic exists. Is he two separate people? Or is he a third person that has undergone a psychotic split? Who is he really? And who is the murderer? But the biggest question is, can he merge these realities without losing himself?

Subgenre #1 (of 4) arrives in comic shops September 27, 2023. It is now available to pre-order for $7.99 (32 pages, 8” x 10.875”) at your local comic shop.

Hairball #2 continues the wtf moments

Posted on by
Hairball #2

There was something very unnerving about the debut issue of Hairball. The series is about an adopted girl, her dysfunctional parents, and the cat that might be trying to kill them all. It’s horror in a way that the unknown disturbs as much as what is shown. Hairball #2 continues all of that with the fallout of the events of the first issue and teasing the shocking events to come.

Written by Matt Kindt, the issue disturbs and I can’t totally tell you why. It’s not necessarily scary in any way, but there’s a creepiness to it all that unnerves. There’s also a kind of pointlessness to it all so far that makes it also rather freaky. The comic itself is entertaining but the pointlessness is in the cat’s actions. The family is dysfunctional and the parents horrible, but there’s nothing mean being done to the cat at all, it’s actions are a mystery and unknown. It’s just a force of disturbance. And that seems to be some of the themes of the comic and why it works so well.

So much science fiction and horror stands out not because of the action, the kills, or the scares, but due to the underlying themes, the reflection of society underneath. The cat feels like the uncontrollable factors in our lives, so many compounding over these past few years. And in this issue, we see the young girl begin to take steps to end that chaos, she fins her agency in a way. Now, it sounds like how she goes about all of that has issues unto itself but there’s something there and what’s going on in society. All of these x-factors and forces out there and so many taking control by lashing out and causing damage of their own. Kindt has given us something to ponder.

The art by Tyler Jenkins is fantastic. With coloring by Hilary Jenkins, the comic continues to look great. The small details and sparseness at the same time creates a combination that gets rid of distractions but also teases small things. Little creatures roaming about are easy to focus on without a cluttered background and world. The cats eye which changes its look unnerves as much as anything else. The art and story are a marriage made in uncomfortableness.

Hairball #2 is another fantastic issue that hints at the deeper themes and the direction the series will go. It does an excellent job of continuing to make the reader uneasy with everything feeling a little… off. It’s a psychological twisting story that gives the reader just enough to leave them unnerved and coming back for more.

Story: Matt Kindt Art: Tyler Jenkins
Letterer: Tyler Jenkins Color: Hilary Jenkins
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Dark Horse provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – Kindle

Hairball #1 is an unsettling start to the series

Posted on by
Hairball #1

I generally didn’t have pets growing up. There was a tortoise and some fish, but beyond that it wasn’t until college where I lived for a long time with an animal that could do whatever it wanted. Since, there’s been some small stints with cats, who liked me far more than I liked them. In recent years, I’ve thought about bringing a cat into our family, maybe one of the strays that wander our yard. After reading Hairball #1, I’m rethinking that.

 The story focuses on a very dysfunctional family. A young adopted girl must witness her new parents fight and marriage meltdown as a new cat acts rather mysteriously. Is this “beast” behind all of the troubles? The parents fighting? The girl’s sickness?

Written by Matt Kindt, the comic is creepy in so many ways. Simple acts are turned into moments of horror and dread as they slowly spread and infect the story. And while Kindt delivers slowly building horror, the real horror is the parents themselves.

An abusive father. A mother who might be an alcoholic and also abusive. Finances melting away. It’s all moments that are very human and grounded that makes the comic’s true scares the family dynamic itself. Nothing is healthy in any way when it comes to anyone in the comic.

All of the ominous dark clouds that hover through the comic are enhanced by Tyler Jenkins‘ art. With beautifully haunted colors by Hilary Jenkins and lettering by Tyler, the comic has a look that feels both grounded and supernatural. But, like the dynamic of the parents, the details of the visuals really stand out. A frayed wire, an electronic being knocked off a shelf near a bath, it all comes together to add small amounts of dread as you expect things to spiral further into horror.

Hairball #1 is an interesting comic. It leaves you pondering which is scarier, whatever the cat is up to or the adults? It perfectly delivers a haunting dark cloud hanging over the issue, building a vibe that’s unsettling. There may be a cute cat on the cover, but what’s inside is anything but.

Story: Matt Kindt Art: Tyler Jenkins
Color: Hilary Jenkins Letterer: Tyler Jenkins
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Dark Horse provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

Posted on by
Hairball #1

Wednesdays (and Tuesdays) 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

Each week our contributors choose what they can’t wait to read this week or just sounds interesting. In other words, this is what we’re looking forward to and think you should be taking a look at!

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

Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #2 (DC Comics) – The first issue was a bit slow but we want to see Jon deal with some of the worst versions of Superman out there.

Disney Villains: Scar #1 (Dynamite Entertainment) – The Lion King villain gets the spotlight. So far, Dynamite’s “Disney comics” have been pretty solid.

Hairball #1 (Dark Horse Comics/Flux House) – Matt Kindt and Tyler Jenkins do horror. Yeah, this is on the list easily.

Junk Rabbit #1 (Image Comics) – A new hero rises from mountains of consumer waste, mass homelessness, and devastating climate change. A hero rises from climate disaster. We’re intrigued.

Magic #25 (BOOM! Studios) – The series wraps up here and we’re not sure how it pulls it all off in an issue.

The Nasty #1 (Vault Comics) – A story about the perception of evil, the power of genre, the love of fandom, the need to create art, oh, and crap-your-pants TERROR! A new horror comic? There’s been a solid run of new releases so far.

Planet of the Apes #1 (Marvel) – We’re excited to see what this new era of this classic franchise brings.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Dog of War #1 (IDW Publishing) – A “lost episode where Quark purchases an extremely rare purebred corgi from Earth.

Samurai Doggy #5 (AfterShock) – The art has been amazing with every issue in this western meets sci-fi.

Second Coming: Trinity #1 (AHOY Comics) – Jesus Christ, the Son of God, tackles his biggest challenge in 2000 years: babysitting a child with super powers! That bit alone has us hooked.

Where Monsters Lie #3 (Dark Horse) – The series about what happens in a community where serial killers spend their time off has been amazing so far.

Preview: Spy Superb #1 (of 3)

Posted on by

Spy Superb #1 (of 3)

(W) Matt Kindt (A/CA) Matt Kindt
From New York Times bestselling and Harvey award-winning graphic novelist Matt Kindt comes the latest Flux House humorous espionage adventure.

It’s John Wick meets Wes Anderson in this mystery-thriller about a secret organization that’s developed the perfect spy. Who is the perfect spy? A spy who doesn’t even realize they are a spy. AKA the “useful idiot.” This particular useful idiot is named Jay. Jay is sent on missions without even realizing he’s on a mission. Until he picks up the wrong phone with the wrong secret intel and now Russian hit-squads and elite assassins are after him. But Jay believes he was a sleeper agent-and really is the “spy superb”. His complete obliviousness and lack of survival skills may be the only thing that saves him in this globe-trotting espionage tale . . . where nothing is what it seems . . . but also . . . kind of actually is what it seems.

Spy Superb #1 (of 3)

Preview: Spy Superb #1 (of 3)

Posted on by

Spy Superb #1 (of 3)

(W) Matt Kindt (A/CA) Matt Kindt
From New York Times bestselling and Harvey award-winning graphic novelist Matt Kindt comes the latest Flux House humorous espionage adventure.

It’s John Wick meets Wes Anderson in this mystery-thriller about a secret organization that’s developed the perfect spy. Who is the perfect spy? A spy who doesn’t even realize they are a spy. AKA the “useful idiot.” This particular useful idiot is named Jay. Jay is sent on missions without even realizing he’s on a mission. Until he picks up the wrong phone with the wrong secret intel and now Russian hit-squads and elite assassins are after him. But Jay believes he was a sleeper agent-and really is the “spy superb”. His complete obliviousness and lack of survival skills may be the only thing that saves him in this globe-trotting espionage tale . . . where nothing is what it seems . . . but also . . . kind of actually is what it seems.

Spy Superb #1 (of 3)

Flux House and Dark Horse cough up a Hairball with Matt Kindt, Tyler Jenkins, and Hilary Jenkins

Posted on by

Timed to National Cat Lover’s Month, Flux House and Dark Horse Comics have announced Hairball by bestselling writer Matt Kindt and artist Tyler Jenkins with colors by Hilary Jenkins. In this supernatural thriller from the Eisner-nominated creators of Fear Case and Apache Delivery Service, a dysfunctional family’s mounting problems may or may not be caused by an unlikely culprit: the family’s cat. This frightening, four-part mini-series is Matt Kindt’s latest series with frequent collaborators Tyler Jenkins and Hilary Jenkins.

In Hairball, a young girl named Anna begins to suspect that her black cat is behind all her troubles: her parents’ fighting and the strange whispering in her ear at night.. As she tries her best to rid herself of this creature, she finds that it’s not so easy to kill. But just maybe, the cat is the only thing standing between her and an even greater evil that threatens to destroy her life.

Hairball #1 is out April 2023 with a cover by Kindt and a variant cover by Martin Simmonds.

« Older Entries Recent Entries »