Markley’s Fevered Brain: Have you Heard

Wayne Markley

Wayne Markley


by Wayne Markley

I am going to devote this blog to four books I am fairly confident (I would almost guarantee) that you have not read, and I doubt ever heard of. These are great books by some well-known creators, and some unknown ones as well, and they all have in common that they tell a great story and have absolutely nothing remotely super-heroish in them. All of these books are character driven and leave you wanting more when you finish reading it. The topics range from slice of life to roller derby to crime to adventure, they are both black and white and color, and they are all well worth your time (and money) to track down and read. Honest.

Motor Girl #2

Motor Girl #2


Terry Moore is best known for his slice of life drama Strangers in Paradise, as well as his science themed Echo and his horror themed Rachel Rising (all from his publishing house, Abstract Studios). Now he is turning his attention to a combination of genres in Motor Girl, a story about a tough female mechanic that works at a salvage yard, and has a giant talking gorilla as her best friend (assuming he is real), sees aliens here and there and is be hounded by two less than worthy kidnappers. The first three issues are out so far and this book is a joy to read. It is a fun mix of everything you have come to expect from Terry’s storytelling, except this series has a more whimsical take than his last two series. I freely admit I have no idea where he is going with this series, but so far it is a nice mix of psychological drama, screwball comedy, and a hint of something more sinister. I also love how he ties in little things, like this book ties into Strangers in Paradise and how issue three has a subtle homage to Tin Tin. I would recommend this book for Terry’s beautiful art alone, as he is still a master of drawing beautiful women, and his style would appeal to fans of Terry Dodson and Frank Cho, although his storytelling is far superior these two. (As a general rule I love Terry Dodson’s work, but he does not write his own characters, at least yet.) While, like most of the books in this blog, it is in its early going, Motor Girl has me hooked.

Deep #3

Deep #3


Deep is an all ages book from BOOM!’s kaBOOM! imprint and the first issue just came out. It is based on a Netflix series that I was not aware of, but I admit I am now intrigued. It is written by Tom Taylor and has wonderful art by James Brouwer. It is about the Nekton family and their undersea ship, the Aronnax. This is a family adventure tale set under the sea and is in full color. The first issue was such a treat to read. It flowed from panel to panel as if you were on a wave. There was adventure and drama and a giggle or two mixed in and the art was pitch perfect for this lighthearted romp. The book is obviously designed for younger readers but even an old curmudgeon like me was won over by the charm and warmth of this family of undersea explorers. Of course the first issue ends with one of the kids in peril, but I have no doubt he will be fine in issue two. This book really reminded me of the Disney adventure classics or early Aquaman as the art was airy and stylistic and quite striking. Well worth seeking out.

Slam #1

Slam #1


Slam is by Pamela Ribon with art by Veronica Fish and is published under BOOM! Studios BOOM! Box imprint. This book is all about female roller derby, and so much more. While the characters are all part of the roller derby and the stories largely take place at the rink, what makes this book is the characters. Two lifelong friends, Jenifer Chu and Maise Huff, get drafted to two different roller derby teams and this is just the beginning of the stresses on their friendship. The first three issues of this book are a whirlwind of action, both in the ring and out of it. This is not anything like a superhero book, it is like living life. The characters are so real and the dialogue is pitch perfect. Slam leaves you wanting more and more after you reach the end, which is both a blessing and a curse. I wish more books were this well written where the characters are more than just stereotypes from the last 50 years of comics. A great book.

4 Kids Walk into a Bank #1

4 Kids Walk into a Bank #1


My final book of this blog is once again a small title that is a great read and has some buzz about it as the early issue went to multiple printings, but alas, the book is super-slow to come out and is constantly late, which is a real shame. It is called 4 Kids Walk into a Bank and is written by Mathew Rossenberg and art is by Tyler Boss. It is published by Black Mask studios. The story revolves around four friends who are in their early teens, and they discover one of their fathers is involved with a group of bad guys who are going to rob a bank. These four kids decide to rob the bank first to protect the father from doing it. As with the previous three books, this book is heavily driven by the characters and each character is clearly differentiated from each other, in terms of personality, as well looks, and things do not go as planned. This story reminded me of something the Little Rascals would have done in their teens if they ever got that old, or something the Bowery Boys would have done. It has that old time feeling that makes you not want to put the book down. It is set in the present day and has all the trappings of the modern world, but it takes you to a place far from traditional comics. Once again the writing carries this book with its originality and dialogue. Now if they could only get back on time and wrap up this story. Once again, recommended.

That is it for this blog. All of these books I highly recommend as they are all charming and funny and entertaining and richly deserve a broader audience than they currently have. I am so glad I have discovered each and every one of the books as they bring me joy among the endless superhero books that are out there (a number of which I enjoy, but come on, there is more than capes and tights in storytelling). I truly hope you will take some time to track down some of these books, as they are not as popular as say, a Marvel or DC title. It may take a little effort to find these books, but I assure you it is worth the effort,

Everything I have written here is my opinion and does not reflect the thoughts or opinions of Westfield Comics or their employees, but truth be told, I doubt anyone else has read this titles. Have you? What do you think? I would love to know. What other books are you reading and really enjoying? Again, I would like to know. I can be reached at MFBWAY@AOL.COM or on Facebook at Wayne Markley. As always…

Thank you.

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