So lately I’ve been researching a new book that contains science and is indeed fiction, but isn’t science fiction per se. Not even alternate history. And this hasn’t left me much time to look at anything sf lately. (sorry) But, life has a way of reminding me that I’m still a fangirl at heart and this time it was the New York Comic Con. I saw it and had to go, rationalizing this need by announcing to friends and family that I have a blog to keep up.

Of course, I did check out what the big comic companies were doing, however if you are really interested in Marvel, DC, Image, or Dark Horse, you probably know where to find them and don’t need my help in doing so. The fun of these conventions aren’t the big guys anyway (okay, so I lie, sitting in a room and listening to Orson Scott Card or Stan Lee and even if I don’t get an autograph or specifically meet them, just being in the same room… well, I’m a fangirl, okay?) But besides that, the fun is learning about the independents that are coming out. Smaller runs, new writers and new artists, or sometimes known writers putting out more difficult work or work that doesn’t fit the big companies.

The independents are where comics get exciting (not that I’m not thrilled about another skrull invasion or another ultimate/final crises or anything. Holding out judgment on those). So instead, here are a couple of independent projects I’m looking forward to.

The first is Leviticus Cross, created and edited by Seth Hays, written by Jose Torres, drawn by Hector Sevilla, and colored by Francisco Perez. This story promises to have gods, demigods, giants, mutant superheroes, and all that kind of good stuff, set in a prehistoric age (superheroes before time. How cool is that?). The art is good, sort of manga inspired. The exposition monster sort of eats up the first half of the first comic (haven’t seen the others yet) so we get a prologue on the cover and then the entire first half of the comic that is explanation and the introduction of a character who had disappeared before our story begins. Is all that exposition important? Not yet, but we’ll see where the story goes. The second half introduces us to Naitia, our main character, a girl with a deformity (and a bit more exposition to explain the town and culture to us). But it is a powerful deformity and she is forced to keep it covered up. Her father is a traveling merchant coming into the city of Leviticus Cross and they are greeted and accompanied into town by the very nice Lord Magistrate (at least I assume he is nice since he helps street urchins steal fruit to eat and punishes the mean vendors who insist on getting paid. I’m not sure he’s entirely thought out his version of civic responsibility, but we’ll go with it) whose presence still makes Naitia nervous. As her father sets up and sells things, she goes off alone. And of course, any shy, young girl with a deformity and powers she must hide is going to get into all sorts of trouble.

The only real problem with Leviticus Cross is I have no idea how to tell you to get your own copy. There is no web address on the comic. If you search under Leviticus Cross you get the creator’s blog and it lists a website, but when you go there, at least when I go there, it says I don’t have permission to go there. So who knows? If you do, leave a comment. Creator blog says he’s ramping up so that all the issues are guaranteed to come out, so when I know more, I’ll let you know.

The second thing I’m excited about is a new Flash Gordon comic, written by Brendan Deneen and drawn by Paul Green. You can imagine with my love of the history of sf that just someone saying “new Flash Gordon” would be enough to make me squeal like a socialite running into her new BFF. Flash Gordon is one of the first heroes of comics. He predates every other comic book hero you can think of (Batman, Spider-Man, etc.–though he started out as a comic strip) and along with Buck Rogers, influenced sf and the way people think of sf. Possibly more so for Flash Gordon because it was also a tv series. Before there were Trekkies and before anyone told Luke to use the force, Flash Gordon was interesting kids in space and science and rebel groups fighting against the big empire. And now there is a new Flash Gordon comic book.

They haven’t actually come out with an issue yet. What they had at the comic con was actually issue #0, a teaser issue with a look at the art work (beautiful artwork that is a mix of modern and retro. Flash himself looks so cool) and a bit from J. M. DeMatteis, editor-in-chief (more squealing) and the first half is a teaser of the actual book.

You don’t need to know the story of Flash Gordon or the characters to jump right in. In fact it might be better if you don’t because then the slow reveal of who are the good guys and who are the bad guys will work better. By the end, you know about this world and what each side is fighting for and our good guys have been summarily trounced and may be dead and Flash Gordon hasn’t even shown up yet!! It’s infuriating! It’s crazy! It makes for a heck of a teaser.

The first issue is supposed to come out in August. Their website (turn sound down if you are procrastinating at work.  Their website makes noise) gives a list of comic book stores that will carry it and the possibility of buying direct (at least I think that’s what I’m reading) but no instructions on what to do. If you click on the link they give you, you get an email, so I guess you email them. Of course, there is still lots of time until August, so you could always go talk to your local comic book store and tell them to buy some copies so you can buy it from them. In fact that would probably be preferable.

Okay, so I have more comics from the con to read, not to mention sf books, and a lot has happened at Nebraska Press I need to catch up on, so I should stop writing and start reading. Enjoy.