I make it a point to read the first issue of any new comic starting, because, hey, you never know, and I spend more than three bucks a week on crappy ’80s hits, so why not buy new issues?
And honestly, a lot of the time I’m disappointed: the stuff ranges from OK to “Alpha Girl” in quality. But this week has actually seen two new series that genuinely make me want to pick up the next issue.
The first is “Hoax Hunters”, if for no other reason than the “hoax” the book centers around: a Mercury astronaut suit stuffed full of crows. The basic setup of the book is a “Mythbusters”-esque show, except the on-camera team are actually cryptid hunters: think the BPRD, but less baroque. It’s really engaging from the first page, and doesn’t beat any of its conceits into the floor or spoon-feed us anything.
The best new book of the week, though, is “Smoke and Mirrors”. The basic conceit is that it takes place in a world where instead of science and physics, everything is powered by magic: iPods, cars, the whole nine yards. Then a rebellious teenager stumbles across a sleight-of-hand artist who isn’t from this universe…and is baffling everybody with basic card tricks. The book sets up what’ll be its overarching plot simply, with an off-hand comment or two, and ends on a simultaneously funny and menacing note.
So, if you’re in the mood for a new book, check these out: they’re worth reading.
image courtesy IDW