Life is an endless set of cycles, and the titles for this week's Fresh Friday Features spotlight the rejuvenation of life. It could be working your way through a physical or mental winter, literally entering a new world, or finding a new purpose, let these comics inspire you!
This week, @ArtCrumbs picked for this week:
- Comic - It's Lonely At The Centre Of The Earth: Cartoonist ZOE THOROGOOD records six months of her own life as it falls apart in a desperate attempt to put it back together again in the only way she knows how.
- Comic- The Spire (Volume): When a string of grisly murders is committed just as a new Baroness of the Spire is about to be sworn in, Sh will have to find the killer and bring them to justice.
- Manga - The Fox Came From the Woods: A horror adventure series that follows Frankie as she searches to unravel the mystery of what happened to her younger sister Anastasia.
- Webcomic - Another Path Taken: In a fit of anger, Han ranted in a comment section of a tragedy novel he had just finished. Shortly after, in a freak accident, he got teleported into the world in the book!
It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth, 194 pages - Published by Image Comics, (cc/ @GCpartnerships)
Cartoonist ZOE THOROGOOD records six months of her own life as it falls apart in a desperate attempt to put it back together again in the only way she knows how. IT'S LONELY AT THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH is an intimate metanarrative that looks into the life of a selfish artist who must create for her own survival. A poignant, slice-of-life-style story perfect for fans of Adrian Tomine's The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist.
Story and Art by Zoe Thorogood
I actually read this comic over a month ago, for the first time. Since then, I've revisited this comic numerous times. Having been someone who has struggled similarly with my own ideations, though for different reasons, it's incredibly refreshing to see a different perspective on those struggles. We often feel so isolated in our own thoughts, and the chaotic changing of the art and narration style felt so familiar. Our own minds as people are chaotic as well, and it felt nice to not feel so abnormal or so alone. I hope this book can help others, I hope Zoe is doing well now, and I can't wait to see what she makes next.
The Spire (Volume), 212 pages - Published by BOOM! Studios, (cc/ @GCpartnerships)
From the celebrated creative team behind Six-Gun Gorilla, The Spire is a sprawling fantasy noir that Vulture called one of the "Ten Best Comic Books of 2015." At the Spire, a sprawling mountain of metal and stone in the middle of a radioactive desert, Sh , the Commander of the City Watch, is tasked with keeping the hodgepodge of forgotten technology and new biology safe. When a string of grisly murders is committed just as a new Baroness of the Spire is about to be sworn in, Sh will have to find the killer and bring them to justice.
Story and Art by Jeff Stokely and Simon Spurrier
A colorful mixture of desert, fantasy, old and new, The Spire presents an entire new world with an old set of problems. Murder mysteries abound and the tiers of the Spire are rife with people you can't trust. I really liked seeing small snippets of so many characters' lives through the visuals and dialogue. It's incredibly well-written and full of clues and context. I've not quite finished it yet, but it's one of those books that I am absolutely positive that will have a lot of re-read value. I can't wait to go back and see what I missed the first time, well done!
The Fox Came From the Woods, 42 pages - Published by Rum Punch, (cc/ @RumPunch)
The Fox Came From the Woods is a horror adventure series that follows Frankie as she searches to unravel the mystery of what happened to her younger sister Anastasia. She disappeared a year ago, is she dead? Alive-- or are there darker, more mystical forces at work on this small island town?
Story and Art by Rum Punch
What a dark and gruesome start with amazing art! Please read this until the last page, I was not expecting that at all. It's a fantastic start to what I'm sure will be a fun and mysterious story with lots of comedy along the way. Sometimes you gotta make a deal and rules are meant to be broken! I loved the inkwork and the dynamic paneling and angles. Strong contrast and clean lettering too! Stellar work, Rum Punch! Don't forget to support their Kickstarter, happening now!
Another Path Taken, 13 pages - Published by lorphis, (cc/ @lorphis)
In a fit of anger, Han ranted in a comment section of a tragedy novel he had just finished. The author asked him if he wished to change the ending and he said yes. It was a fatal mistake because immediately after, he was struck by lightning and got teleported into the world in the book! Now he had to turn the protagonist, Jiang Ruhua, and the antagonist, Alwyn, into morally upstanding heroes. Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Action
Story and Art by lorphis
The premise is creative and something I've not really heard of before, being put into the story that they criticized after a freak accident with lightning. I've not been a big Isekai reader, but the idea that you now have to fix the story you criticized by living in it (and it not going as planned) is amazing. I love it and I'm totally invested. There's something incredibly satisfying seeing the "snarky comment guy" get his just desserts. Fantastic work.
That's all for now, but we'll have another set of Fresh Friday reading recommendations next week. You can also browse through our Featured Comics news section!
Check out more amazing stuff from @ArtCrumbs below.
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