The Gosh! Authority 19.05.21

Hello!

No news of note, but just a reminder that although restrictions are easing this week, there are still requirements around social distancing and mask wearing that need to be observed. With a new variant on the rise, we do still need to be considerate of one another's safety. Covid hit us pretty hard in the early days of the pandemic (and long covid is still taking its toll on some), so we take it seriously around these parts! Thanks to everyone who helps to make our new tasks as amateur complaince officers a little easier.

No invoice as of Friday, so this week's blog is (once again) based on the advanced shipping lists for this week. The odd item may ship late, or there may be some extras.

HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK

• RED ROOM #1 - Hip Hop Family Tree creator and Comics Kayfabe co-host Ed Piskor's much-anticipated new title arrives at last with a double-sized first issue! Inspired by the splatterpunk outlaw comics of the 80's, Red Room explores a dark world of streamed murder on the dark web. Each issue of the 12-issue mini opens the door of the Red Room, where we meet the murderers, the victims and the consumers. Piskor's craft has really gone to the next level with this series, though we should strongly caution that the content might get pretty crazy. Enter at your own risk (we certainly will be).

• WONDER GIRL #1 - Yara Flor, the breakout star of Future State, returns (or rather begins) in her own series set in current continuity. The always amazing Joëlle Jones is back on writing and art as Yara explores her destiny in the mythological pantheon of Wonder Women, travelling from her home in Boise, Idaho to the Amazonian jungles of Brazil.

• IN: A GRAPHIC NOVEL HC - Acclaimed New Yorker cartoonist Will McPhail hits the graphic novel scene hard with his full-length debut. It's an understated, semi-autobiographical account of a young cartoonist struggling to find connection with other people. Full of wit and feeling, McPhail really stretches his illustrative and storytelling wings in a way that will surprise those only familiar with his one panel work. 

• CYCLOPEDIA EXOTICA GN - Aminder Dhaliwal's follow-up to Woman World, one of our Best of 2018 titles. Through the short stories of her latest graphic novel we experience the daily struggles of the Cyclops community, an immigrant minority facing open hostility and discrimination. From the difficulty of performing simple daily tasks without struggle or abuse through to the internalised hatred experienced by Cyclops youth, the stories in this collection are as pointedly unsubtle as they are depressingly familiar to many who will read them.

• QUARANTINE COMIX GN - Throughout the first lockdown of the pandemic, Rachael Smith drew daily short comics about how she was dealing with the isolation, fear and uncertainty of the time. Relatable, comforting and also very funny, the open, sometimes raw, emotional honesty Rachael puts into her cartoons speak perfectly of that very strange beginning to the journey we're currently on.

• POISON FLOWERS AND PANDEMONIUM HC - The final work of the late, great Richard Sala, originally conceived as a series of four short graphic novels, now released as one oversized hardcover. Completed shortly before his death, the stories encompass all the things that made Sala great: B-movie tropes; twisty mysteries; a love of expressionistic cinema; and a dash of gothic horror. A fitting, if tragically early, capstone to a unique career.

• FANTASTIC FOUR LIFE STORY #1 (OF 6) - Mark Russell and Sean Izaakse give the FF the Life Story treatment, following them across the decades in real time from their debut in 1961 through to present day (in the same manner as Chip Zdarsky and Mark Bagley's Spider-Man Life Story). And we start here, n the depths of the Cold War, with a group of intrepid amateur astronauts obtaining fantastic powers after a terrible accident.

• IMMORTAL HULK TIME OF MONSTERS #1 - Al Ewing and Alex Paknadel write a one-shot Immortal Hulk tale. We're going aaaaall the way back on this one, ten thousand years to be precise, where we meet the boy who will become the first Hulk. Sounds good, and looks good too, with Juan Ferreyra doing some brilliant visuals.

• LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #1 - The return of the classic Batman anthology series! Darick Robertson gets the honour of kicking off the new series with a 3-issue tale of Batman trying to track down a dealer of dangerous chemicals who is supplying the likes of the Joker, the Penguin and Mr Freeze. Worth keeping an eye on this as the creative teams revolve: you never know who might pop up!

• INVISIBLE KINGDOM TP VOL 03 IN OTHER WORLDS - At last, the conclusion of G Willow Wilson and Christian Ward's excellent , Eisner-winning space opera. As with the other Berger Books titles, the series has eschewed single issues for its final arc, releasing as an original graphic novel instead. Rest assured, we'll be filing copies for all Invisible Kingdom standing orders. 

• SHANG-CHI #1 - Shang Chi is now the head of the Five Weapons Society, a secret (and formerly sinister) organisation he intends to wield as a force for good. Not so easy to reform it's reputation, however, and his new role brings him on a collision course with the earth's mightiest heroes. Gene Luen Yang & Dike Ruan bring the action.

And that's the news that's fit to print! See you next week, all.

Andrew.