Comics about unusual friends showcase unlikely pairings that forge strong bonds. Whether it's a human and an alien, an army of water warriors, or the reaper and the spirits of those passed, these comics explore the dynamics of relationships between characters who are vastly different from each other. Through humor, action, and heartwarming moments, these stories from today's Fresh Friday Features celebrate the power of friendship to transcend differences and overcome obstacles.
This week, Ben from Comic Book Squares and ArtCrumbs have picked out four titles that they feel deserve more reads! In our line-up this week, we've got one comic from each category to give you a varied list of must-reads for your weekend!
- Comic - Aliengaged: Blinded by love, Garrett is blissfully unaware of his apocalyptic surroundings as he strolls through the mania to pop the question to his girlfriend, Claire.
- Comic - Prolong: Death is not wanting to say goodbye to someone they care about
- Manga - Cloudship Kumo: After a chance meeting on the surface, a tropospheric trio of strangers find themselves on the run from dangers above and below.
- Webcomic - Tell Me Where We're Bound: Angelo and Russell find each other by chance, and will have to navigate the dangers of running in a town swimming with Made Men.
Now that we've met our four fresh picks, let's dig into each of them!
Aliengaged, 80 pages - Published by Literati Press Comics & Novels, (cc/ @lcomics-novels)
As an alien attack rampages the city, Garrett accepts that his time has finally come. It's the end of life as he knows it... as a single man, that is. Blinded by love, Garrett is blissfully unaware of his apocalyptic surroundings as he strolls through the mania to pop the question to his girlfriend, Claire. Meanwhile, Garrett's best friend, Morris, races through the city to save them both.
Story and Art by Colin Ingersol and Greg White
Comments from Ben @comicbooksquares:
Have you ever thought, “Gee, I wish someone did a story that was equal parts ‘Shaun of the Dead,’ ‘War of the Worlds’ and ‘Baby’s Day Out’?” Well, guess what - that’s what you’ll get with “Aliengaged”!
Greg White and Colin Ingersol have delivered a hilarious take on the alien apocalypse. Their story follows Garrett, a lovable slacker and hopeless romantic, whose world is shattered when it seems that his girlfriend Claire breaks up with him. He’s so heartbroken, in fact, he doesn’t realize that aliens have invaded the city and are taking over the minds of the citizens. What ensues is an uproarious tale in which Garrett continuously thwarts - albeit by accident - the aliens’ attempts to assimilate him while Clair and Garrett’s best friend Morris try to find him.
Within the first three issues of “part one,” Greg and Colin expertly bring the laughs while still creating fully fleshed out characters who we can’t help but root for. Claire discovers her inner badass while Morris overcomes feelings of inadequacy (and a nasty hangover) to save his best friend. And Garrett … well, you’ll have to read it to see.
Greg’s artwork deftly incorporates alien blood and guts alongside slapstick humor in a way that feels cohesive. Plus, his attention to detail - signs hanging up in a bar, graffiti on a wall, objects strewn about a bachelor pad - makes the world feel lived in and real, even as the fantastical happens.
If you’re into apocalyptic comedy, I highly recommend “Aliengaged.” You might even try to find the “Nuke the Whales” drink recipe like I did.
Prolong, 24 pages - Published by Kristian Herrera, (cc/ @kristianherrera)
Prolong is a comic about Death not wanting to say goodbye to someone they care about. This comic is a 20-page story that I wanted to share with the world for free. This story has helped me through a rough year. I hope reading this comic brings you joy as much as it brought me making.
Story and Art by DAMIÁN L. FELITTE, DEVIN ARSCOTT, HERNÁN GONZÁLEZ, KRISTIAN HERRERA, TOBEN RACICOT
Comments from @ArtCrumbs:
Prolong is one of those comics you can read and it can uplift us and remind us of the things that matter. It's a short comic, but it's been one of my favorites for some time. I'm excited I can finally share it with you all.
Death has a job to do and they do it well. However, when he meets and unusual young man who has passed away, he can't help but wish he didn't have to say goodbye. So he doesn't. Death makes an off choice and in the long run, teaches us about saying goodbye and what matters most. It's a wonderful short story that lives forever with me. I hope that it will positively impact you as well.
Cloudship Kumo, 49 pages - Published by Sealbro, (cc/ @sealbro)
CLOUDSHIP KUMO is an all-ages original English-language manga for fans of Steven Universe and The Expanse. After a chance meeting on the surface, a tropospheric trio of strangers find themselves on the run from dangers above and below. Lucky they have that ship...
Story and Art by Sealbro
Comments from @ArtCrumbs:
What's in a rain drop? Apparently it's these amazing warriors! This was such a fun manga to read on the concept alone! I've never even thought or seen anything close to this. So the originality here is maxed out! Fantastic idea Sealbro!
On to the actual story, what does this team do? These "Hydronari" have weapons called "harvesters" trying to avoid being evaporated. There's all kinds of firey beings they have to fight. Everything seems normal and straightforward until they meet an injured Hydronari who remembers them, but have they met before?
I'm not going to spoil too much, but the manga continues to be incredibly creative with lots of twists from here. I very much enjoyed it and look forward to a new update!
Tell Me Where We're Bound, 69 pages - Published by Felix Whetsel, (cc/ @felixwhetsel)
[On Hiatus until April 20th, 2023] Las Vegas, 1967. An accountant stuck co-owning a struggling casino with his resentful cousin. A man chasing the high of a new life, in over his head at the blackjack tables. Angelo and Russell find each other by chance, and will have to navigate the dangers of running in a town swimming with Made Men if they want out of the Vegas heat. It features a trans male lead, family drama, and the politics of doing what you have to in order to stay in business. Updates every other Thursday.
Story and Art by Felix Whetsel
Comments from @ArtCrumbs:
Russel seems to have gotten himself into a little bit of trouble, and now he's desperately looking for a way out of his debt! When Angelo comes calling from the Casino, Russel asks for options for repayment, and offers his services as a bodyguard. An inexperienced one, anyway!
I've only read the first two chapters, and I'm definitely needing to read more over the weekend. Music is a very clear motif here and gambling is a main theme. I'm loving how the art and vertical scrolling are used together. It's a very beautiful comic and flows easily. I'm intrigued with what trouble these two will get into, and I'm loving the mystery in the air. There's clearly some reading between the lines I haven't caught onto yet, so I'm looking forward to finally solving some mysteries! The tension is thick!
Amazing job, Felix! I can't wait to read more!
That's all for now, but we'll have another set of Fresh Friday reading recommendations next week. If you're looking for more recommendations, make sure to opt-in for our weekly reading list email! You can find that in your User Profile Notification settings. You can also browse through our Featured Comics news section!
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