HAPPY HOUR #6
(W) Peter Milligan
(A/C) Michael Montenat
April 28, 2021
$3.99
Lachrymose last issue! In the near-future America where sadness is illegal, the odyssey of miserabilist fugitives Jerry and Kim comes to an off-beat end. EXTRA: forlorn fiction and dejected drawings in the AHOY manner.
AHOY Comics is the latest comic publisher to sign a deal with Simon & Schuster to deliver their releases to bookstores as of March 2021. The publisher also announced its fall publication schedule which will include trade paperback editions of several of its comics. Diamond will continue to distribute AHOY’s titles into comic shops.
AHOY also announced its fall publication schedule which will also include trade paperback versions of several of its popular series from earlier in the year: Happy Hour, The Wrong Earth: Night and Day, Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Blood, and Second Coming: Only Begotten Son.
Publication dates and summaries for AHOY’s fall titles are below:
HAPPY HOUR
(W) Peter Milligan, (A) Michael Montenat
August 25, 2021 (Bookstores: September 7, 2021)
In future America, being happy isn’t just a right—it’s the law. While the Joy Police brutally enforce the cheery code, two young people go on the run, searching for a haven of melancholy where they can safely bask in the blues. A timely tale by superstar writer Peter Milligan (X-Statix, The Prisoner) and artist Michael Montenat (Dominion, Hellraiser Annual).
THE WRONG EARTH: NIGHT AND DAY
(W) Tom Peyer, (A) Jamal Igle / Juan Castro
September 8, 2021 (Bookstores: September 21, 2021)
The vengeance-dealing Dragonfly sticks it to the man! The acrobatic sleuth Dragonflyman assists the police! These alternate-earth versions of the same masked crimefighter meet face-to-face for the first time in this new series by the original creators of the smash-hit The Wrong Earth! Will their impossible encounter result in a team-up… or an all-out war?
EDGAR ALLAN POE’S SNIFTER OF BLOOD
(W) Paul Cornell, Dean Motter, (A) Russ Braun
September 22, 2021 (Bookstores: October 5, 2021)
Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Blood continues to cheaply exploit the great Edgar Allan Poe’s reputation! The collection combines 6 issues worth of anthologies including a take on how the 1% would fare in “Masque of the Red Death” by Tom Peyer and Alan Robinson, Sherlock Holmes’s investigation of murders from two Poe stories by Paul Cornell (Doctor Who) and Greg Scott, a update on the “Tell-Tale Heart” and more. Oh, and did we mention the new Cereal Monsters story from Mark Russell and Peter Snejberg?
SECOND COMING: ONLY BEGOTTEN SON
(W) Mark Russell, (A) Richard Pace, Leonard Kirk
November 3, 2021 (Bookstores: November 16, 2021)
The long-awaited second volume of the book ComicsBeat called “the world’s most dangerous comic book and the most lovely.” As superhero Sunstar anticipates becoming a father, he agonizes over how—and if—he can use his powers to make a better world for his child. And as Jesus Christ loses his bedroom to a nursery, he struggles to find a new place in a society that distorts and exploits his message for profit.
The first volumes of THE WRONG EARTH and SECOND COMING are available now for reorder from Simon & Schuster, along with all other titles in the AHOY Comics backlist.
HAPPY HOUR #5
(W) Peter Milligan
(A/C) Michael Montenat
March 17, 2021
$3.99
Having fled the USA’s regime of brutally enforced bliss, Kim and Jerry are prisoners of the revolutionary pro-misery cell they sought to join. The first step to acceptance: survive a swarm of Joysuckers, razor-toothed vermin specifically bred to sniff out happiness! Plus the usual AHOY illustrated prose features.
HAPPY HOUR #5
(W) Peter Milligan
(A/C) Michael Montenat
March 17, 2021
$3.99
Having fled the USA’s regime of brutally enforced bliss, Kim and Jerry are prisoners of the revolutionary pro-misery cell they sought to join. The first step to acceptance: survive a swarm of Joysuckers, razor-toothed vermin specifically bred to sniff out happiness! Plus the usual AHOY illustrated prose features.
HAPPY HOUR #4
(W) Peter Milligan
(A/C) Michael Montenat
February 10, 2021
$3.99
In a near-future America where sadness is illegal and punishment is extreme, rebel fugitives Kim and Jerry start to succumb to the irresistible stirrings of romance and—to their horror—happiness!
Extra: the best short prose stories and illustrations in all of comics!
HAPPY HOUR #3
(W) Peter Milligan
(A/C) Michael Montenat
January 6, 2021
$3.99
In a near-future America where unhappiness is a crime, paranoia poisons the relationship between fugitives Jerry and Kim at exactly the wrong time: they’re abducted by a town that’s throwing a pageant to celebrate joy, with their slow execution as the weekend’s entertainment! Plus the usual AHOY assortment of illustrated prose stories.
Wednesdays (and now 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.
Batman/Catwoman #1 (DC Comics) – We read the first issue and mixed about it but this one is on a lot of people’s radars.
Black Widow #4 (Marvel) – This series has been fantastic so far. Full of action and humor, it’s just beyond entertaining, and this issue ups the “holy crap” factor.
Captain Canuck Season 5 #1 (Chapterhouse) – If you’re looking for superhero comics not from the big two, check this one out.
COVID Chronicles (AWA Studios) – Chronicling ten personal accounts from the frontlines of COVID-19. A perfect example of graphic journalism.
DCeased: Dead Planet #6 (DC Comics) – The series begins to up the action as numerous plot threads begin to come together for a hell of a battle.
E-Ratic #1 (AWA Studios) – A new superhero series staring a 15-year-old who can only use his powers for ten minutes at a time. The concept sounds interesting and it’s from the talented Kaare Andrews and Brian Reber.
Far Sector #9 (DC Comics/DC’s Young Animal) – Things become much clearer in this issue as we continue to question who we can trust.
Happy Hour #2 (AHOY Comics) – In a world where you can’t be unhappy, the state will go to horrific lengths to make that happen. The first issue was an intriguing concept and we want to check out more.
Hellboy & the BPRD: Her Fatal Hour (Dark Horse) – The follow up to “The Beast of Vargu”, Hellboy is always a good time to read.
Justice League: Endless Winter #1 (DC Comics) – The mini-event kicks off here and it feels like an old-school DC storyline.
Kill a Man (AfterShock) – The highly anticipated MMA graphic novel is here and it exceeds our expectations. A great mix of focusing on characters and grappling.
King in Black #1 (Marvel) – Marvel’s next big event kicks off here and it’s a hell of a start.
Knock Em Dead #1 (AfterShock) – A new series from Eliot Rahal who we’ll read no matter what it is. This is a supernatural horror taking place in the world of stand-up comedy. We’re intrigued.
Lumberjanes: End of Summer #1 (BOOM! Studios/BOOM! Box) – The beloved series wraps up.
M.O.D.O.K.: Head Games #1 (Marvel) – We laughed multiple times during this issue that’s a lot of fun. We can’t wait for the second issue.
Overwatch: Tracer – London Calling #1 (Dark Horse) – The hit game comes to comics and it’ll be interesting to see how this one goes over with that crowd.
Red Atlantis #2 (AfterShock) – The election thriller continues and we really want to know where this one’s going. Very timely and not a direction we’re expecting.
Seeds of Spring #1 (Microcosm Publishing) – A Canadian teenage exchanges books and tapes with a pen pal. The series juxtaposes the main character’s life with that of 19th-century Russian anarchist Peter Kropotkin.
Strange Adventures #7 (DC Comics/DC Black Label) – A hell of a reveal in this issue.
The Walking Dead Deluxe #4 (Image Comics/Skybound) – It’s been interesting reading these newly colored releases in the age of COVID. The context definitely has changed a bit since they were first released.
HAPPY HOUR #2
(W) Peter Milligan
(A/C) Michael Montenat
December 2, 2020
$3.99
Electric Funny Sticks! Bloodsucking Joy Leeches! The cuddly horrors of Puppy Treatment! These and other state-enforced “remedies” for unhappiness drive Jerry and Kim to escape the Readjustment Center in the world’s most depressing clown car! Plus extra prose stories and illustrations.
“I bet everyone here is fake happy too.”-Paramore
Writer Peter Milligan, artist Michael Montenat, and colorist Felipe Sobreiro create a high concept dystopian comic in Happy Hour #1. The book’s premise is that being unhappy is a crime and gets you thrown in A Clockwork Orange-style re-education camps (But with better food) where you’re basically tortured into having a Joker smile even when you feel pain, discomfort, or in a state of emotional distress or grief. For example, one of the main characters, Jerry, is thrown into a re-education camp by the Joy Police because he’s sad that his sister has passed away while his mind-screwed mom and the doctor are laughing and making jokes about her looks. This is bad, but one of his fellow inmates at the camp, a bit of a wildcard named Hamm, keeps talking about Landor Cohen, who has a “paradise” in Mexico where anyone can be as miserable as they want. However, in keeping with Happy Hour‘s cynical tone and Milligan’s self-aware writing style, this isn’t as it seems.
Michael Montenat’s mixture of caricature and photorealistic art a la Michael Gaydos (Alias, Pearl) is well-suited for the terrifying supporters of the Joy Police and the status quo with their rictus grins and laughs that look like those infamous stock photos of women laughing at salad instead of genuine merriment. Colorist Sobreiro adds a little juice to the line work during any of the torture or indoctrination scenes from regular electric shocks to a truly traumatizing treatment that is enacted on Hamm towards the end of the issue as the guards grow tired of him jabbering about Landor Cohen. He turns on the reds and then returns to skin tone and then reds again as Milligan and Montenat drop the issue ending cliffhanger.
Plotwise, Peter Milligan has really dug a hole for the characters we meet in Happy Hour #1, and I’m eager to see them try to dig out of it (Or get brainwashed while trying.) over this six issue miniseries. With the exception of Kim, who was an Olympic level athlete, he doesn’t endow Happy Hour‘s leads with a lot of practical smarts or skills to either pull off a prison break, much less any kind of revolution. Montenat draws Hamm like a chiseled, grizzled anti-hero, but he’s no Daredevil in a bar fight, and despite his charisma and machismo, he ends succumbing to the Joy Police easily. He talks a big game, but can’t perform when the chips are down.
Bouncing off this, the protagonists of Happy Hour are truly underdogs instead of badasses Hollywood-coded as underdogs. They’re self-described “miserable bastards”, who just want to rock a resting bitch face occasionally, feel a little pissed about getting a bronze medal, or in Jerry’s case, actually feel honest emotions about the loss of a loved one instead of being forced to smile and conform to a false reality. In the flashback sequences, Milligan and Montenat get in some quick satire about the American opioid and mental health crisis even though there seems to be a bit of a distance and reliance on well worn tropes instead of engaging with Americans’ complex relationship with pharmaceuticals and the pharmaceutical industry. They fare much better in the crafting of the main characters from the entertaining, yet very Philosophy 101 introduction to their shared experiences in the reeducation camp ranging from their dedication to being miserable to their begrudging acceptance of the gourmet meals provided.
With a genuinely rag tag group of characters, a touch of intellectual wit and real emotional honesty from Peter Milligan’s script, and some downright unsettling art from Michael Montenat, Happy Hour #1 is the perfect comic for folks who want to feel their feelings instead of embrace Stoic philosophy like the rest of the fake happy influencer crowd.
Story: Peter Milligan Art: Michael Montenat
Colors: Felipe Sobreiro Letters: Rob Steen
Story: 7.9 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.2 Recommendation: Buy
Ahoy provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: comiXology – Zeus Comics
Wednesdays (and now 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.
Black Widow #3 (Marvel) – The first two issues have been fantastic and we’re expecting more as we figure out what exactly is going on with a now domestic and married Black Widow.
Crossover #1 (Image Comics) – We’ve read the first issue and it lives up to the hype. Comic characters have crossed over into the real world and caused a seismic shift in everything. Read our review then make sure to get this comic this week.
Happy Hour #1 (AHOY Comics) – It’s a future America where everyone has to be happy… it’s the law. The concept is intriguing and unique. We’ve read the first issue and it definitely stands out as something different from everything else on the shelf.
La Diabla #1 (Albatross Funnybooks) – It’s Eric Powell… that alone has us wanting to check this out. Who’s La Diabla? She’s a “fuel injected Latina suicide machine sent to strike down the unroadworthy!” Yeah… sold.
Mighty Morphin #1 (BOOM! Studios) – It’s a whole new era for the Power Rangers… Unlimited Power! Who’s the new Green Ranger? Find out!
Origins #1 (BOOM! Studios) – It’s a thousand years since artificial intelligence killed humans but they’ve brought back to life the person who created the technology that destroyed humanity. Can he restore humanity and stop the AI overlords he created?
Pantomime #1 (Mad Cave Studios) – Kids committing crimes seems to be a popular theme for comics lately and this latest entry has some unique aspects to it, like it taking place at a school for deaf children, has us wanting to check it out.
Red Atlantis #1 (AfterShock) – It’s election day and violence has popped up in various locations across the United States. What’s behind this mystery? Is it the Russians!? The first issue has a very X-Files vibe about it.
Savage Circus #1 (Heavy Metal Magazine) – A gang of criminals descends into a town on Christmas Eve but in their escape, they let loose dangerous circle animals who now terrorize a town!
Sweet Tooth: The Return #1 (DC Comics/DC Black Label) – Jeff Lemire’s beloved series is back with a whole new volume! It’s a fresh start for new readers and of course long time fans can dive in and return to the characters they love.
Tales From the Dark Multiverse: Batman: Hush #1 (DC Comics) – These “what if” stories have been great so far and in this one, Bruce goes to live with his friend Tommy Elliot instead of being taken care of by Alfred.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Jennika II #1 (IDW Publishing) – Jennika has been a hit character and the breakout character is getting a second miniseries. The first was a solid read and we’re expecting much of the same for this.
U.S.Agent #1 (Marvel) – Christopher Priest is writing with Georges Jeanty art in this miniseries that has John Walker now operating as an independent contractor. Priest writing this makes it a must-read and buy for us.
Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story (DC Comics) – A new graphic novel about a young Victor Fries meeting Nora Kumar. It’s a tragic tale about living life to the fullest and what it truly means to love…and to let go. These graphic novels from DC have been amazing so far and this one has us really excited to read it.
The Walking Dead Deluxe #2 (Image Comics/Skybound) – The Walking Dead is back and now in color with extras but it’s reading this series in the age of COVID that’s the most intriguing thing about it right now.
Wolverine: Black, White, & Red #1 (Marvel) – We’ve read the first issue of this anthology and it’s a fantastic start. It’s definitely mature and full of action but each story is a top-notch read. Well worth picking up and a solid comic you can just read and enjoy and not have to read anything else. Check out our review.
