Snelson: Comedy is Dying #5
(W) Paul Constant
(A) Fred Harper
(C) Fred Harper
December 22, 2021
$3.99
Last issue, a.k.a. the punchline! Comedian Melville Snelson’s career-restoring flirtation with the online alt-right descends into crisis when he learns that his newest, loudest, and most loyal fans can also be described as “angry” and “gun-toting.” Plus: AHOY-style prose & pix.
Snelson: Comedy is Dying #4
(W) Paul Constant
(A) Fred Harper
(C) Fred Harper
November 17, 2021
$3.99
Cue up the laugh track! Comedian Melville Snelson doesn’t know how many oxycontins he took. (Laughter) His shows are bombing. (Laughter) His website is attracting trolls who threaten violence. (Laughter) A comic he identifies with just committed suicide. (Laughter, applause) Time for a near-death experience with the possibility of a fatal encore. (Crickets) Plus: prose & pix, AHOY-style!
SNELSON #3
(W) Paul Constant
(A) Fred Harper
(C) Fred Harper
October 13, 2021
$3.99
This sharp, satirical look at faded hipsters, fringe media, and false cries of “cancel culture” continues. Faintly famous comedian Melville Snelson braves the blindingly pristine office of his intimidating book editor—with zero writing to show for his high-dollar advance. Extra: prose fiction, illustrated.
Snelson: Comedy is Dying #2
(W) Paul Constant
(A) Fred Harper
COVER A: Fred Harper
COVER B: Sergio Aragones
September 8, 2021
$3.99
Snelson’s standup comedy is two decades past its sell-by date, and hecklers now outnumber fans. His interpretation of this rejection—as “cancellation” for being edgy—propels Snelson to the fringes of alt-right podcasting. All AHOY titles include bonus illustrated prose stories. Issue 1 features a variant cover by MAD legend Sergio Aragones.
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.
Artie and the Wolf Moon (Graphic Universe) – Artie sneaks out at night to discover their mother is a werewolf!
Avengers Tech-On #2 (Marvel) – The first issue was a lot of fun as a powered up Red Skull strips the world’s heroes of their powers.
Bad Sister (First Second Books) – A middle grade graphic memoir following a young girl who undergoes a crisis of conscience, realizing that she is a “bad sister.”
Batman #112 (DC Comics) – “Fear State” kicks off as the Scarecrow’s plan for Gotham unfolds.
Bountiful Garden #1 (Mad Cave Studios) – In the year 2200, a team of teenage scientists are sent on a terraforming mission to a distant planet. When they are awakened abruptly, ten years early, halted above a strange planet, the teens are tasked with trying to figure out why they’re stalled – or what stalled them.
Deadbox #1 (Vault Comics) – We have an early review and praise this debut.
Glamorella’s Daughter #2 (Literati Press) – The debut issue was fantastic introducing us to a new hero and her daughter who’d rather read books than punch bad guys.
Ka-Zar: Lord of the Savage Land #1 (Marvel) – Ka-Zar is back! We always want to see what’s done with this character that never quite catches on.
Last Flight Out #1 (Dark Horse Comics) – Humanity has chosen to evacuate Earth as a father attempts to make amends with his daughter during the end of the world.
Mazebook #1 (Dark Horse Comics) – Jeff Lemire. Nuff said.
The Nice House on the Lake #4 (DC Comics/DC Black Label) – This series has been amazing with a great mix of horror, mystery, and a focus on the characters. This one delivers some twists that have a major impact.
Nine Stones #1 (Behemoth Comics) – Disturbing dreams shake Alistair “Allie” Jacobi’s nights. But his daytime life is not much better.
Not All Robots #2 (AWA Studios) – In the year of 2056, robots have replaced human beings in the workforce. Mark Russell and Mike Deodato deliver more brilliant commentary.
Savage Circus #6 (Heavy Metal Entertainment) – Strange creators on the loose and a group of thieves. The series has been a lot of fund mashing up genres.
Search for Hu #1 (AfterShock) – A son must protect his parents who a feud breaks out between the two sides of his family.
Snelson #2 (AHOY Comics) – The first issue was interesting looking at “cancel culture”. It didn’t quite deliver the commentary we hoped for but it was enough that we want to see what the second issue has to say.
Star Trek: Mirror War #0 (IDW Publishing) – Star Trek and the Mirror Universe are two things together that always have us interested.
Whistle: A New Gotham Hero (DC Comics) – When Willow discovers that her “uncle” Edward and his friends are actually some of Gotham’s most corrupt criminals, she must make a choice: remain loyal to the man who kept her family together, or use her new powers to be a voice for her community.
Snelson: Comedy is Dying #2
(W) Paul Constant
(A) Fred Harper
COVER A: Fred Harper
COVER B: Sergio Aragones
September 8, 2021
$3.99
Snelson’s standup comedy is two decades past its sell-by date, and hecklers now outnumber fans. His interpretation of this rejection—as “cancellation” for being edgy—propels Snelson to the fringes of alt-right podcasting. All AHOY titles include bonus illustrated prose stories. Issue 1 features a variant cover by MAD legend Sergio Aragones.
Snelson: Comedy is Dying #1
(W) Paul Constant
(A) Fred Harper
COVER A: Fred Harper
COVER B: Peter Bagge
August 4, 2021
$3.99
In the 1990s, “edgy” standup comic MELVILLE SNELSON had it all—but twenty-five years later, his jokes come off as tired and offensive. Desperate for a comeback, Snelson sets out on tour with a group of young, socially conscious comedians. Can a ’90s has-been hit the big time, or is Snelson about to be cancelled for good? A hilarious, definitely adult contemporary satire that mocks the dying breaths of white male entitlement, from the writer of AHOY’s PLANET OF THE NERDS.
All AHOY titles include bonus illustrated prose stories. Issue 1 features a shocking variant cover by Peter Bagge (Hate).
There’s a lot of debate today about what comedy works and whether old routines would be allowed to be performed today. “Humor is being canceled”. While there’s absolutely an interesting discussion to be had about how comedy changes over time, that discussion isn’t really being had. Enter Snelson: Comedy is Dying #1, a new series which focuses on a former 90s “edgy” standup comic.
Written by Paul Constant, Snelson: Comedy is Dying #1 is about Melville Snelson, a once popular comedian who has had better days. His old jokes are a bit tired and offensive, not to mention the “incident”. Snelson isn’t done yet so decides to tour with a group of young, socially conscious comedians in the South. How’s that going?
Snelson: Comedy is Dying #1 has moments of interesting commentary but as the issue goes on and finally wraps, what was interesting never quite lands. Constant gives Snelson a reason to go back to his “old ways”. Where he recently had to work on new material, Snelson wraps up the issue with a tired rant about how the old days don’t work today. It’s a bit of an eye roll of an end of the issue. Where the comic had promise of generations of comedians debating what does and doesn’t work the comic really winds up showing they’re all a bit self-centered and people to not like or cheer for. The punchline feels like “what’s the point?”. Part of that problem is the nature of monthly comics and serialization so we’ll see where Constant takes things.
The art by Fred Harper is interesting delivering a design that feels a bit like throwback underground comics in some ways. The characters and situations are over the top enhancing the laughs to some extent. The style and look would have had no problem fitting in to comics of the past that pushed the concept of “adult” comics. There’s more than enough details added to help tell the story more then the dialogue lets on. Body language and the look of characters adds to the ups and downs of the story.
Snelson: Comedy is Dying #1 leaves things in an interesting place but it never quite sets things up well enough to care. By the end, a lot of the characters are just unlikeable and it retreads concepts from the film Funny People. It’s hard to cheer for any of them. There’s also not a lot of gray area within, it presents characters and a plot whose enjoyment may solely rely on one’s worldview. It’s a comic that has potential but based on the first issue I’m not confident has it to say something really smart about the world and its characters.
Story: Paul Constant Art: Fred Harper
Story: 7.0 Art: 7.85 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read
AHOY Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: Zeus Comics
Snelson: Comedy is Dying #1
(W) Paul Constant
(A) Fred Harper
COVER A: Fred Harper
COVER B: Peter Bagge
August 4, 2021
$3.99
In the 1990s, “edgy” standup comic MELVILLE SNELSON had it all—but twenty-five years later, his jokes come off as tired and offensive. Desperate for a comeback, Snelson sets out on tour with a group of young, socially conscious comedians. Can a ’90s has-been hit the big time, or is Snelson about to be cancelled for good? A hilarious, definitely adult contemporary satire that mocks the dying breaths of white male entitlement, from the writer of AHOY’s PLANET OF THE NERDS.
All AHOY titles include bonus illustrated prose stories. Issue 1 features a shocking variant cover by Peter Bagge (Hate).
Melville Snelson was killing it. He was the talk of the stand up circuit. He had a TV sitcom in development! He even had a date with Janeane Garofalo (although, to be fair, she denies it). But that was the 1990’s — and that was a long time ago.
Welcome to Snelson: Comedy is Dying, an all-new series from AHOY Comics, written by Paul Constant, featuring art by Fred Harper, colors by Lee Loughridge, and lettering by Rob Steen. This 5-issue series chronicles the misadventures of a washed-up comedian whose career peaked when Dawson’s Creek was still on the air. Bitter because he missed his big break in the ‘90s, Snelson is struggling with the idea that he’s a victim of cancel culture or, even worse, forgotten altogether. The debut issue, featuring a collectible variant cover by legendary cartoonist Peter Bagge, will be published by AHOY Comics on August 4, 2021.
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