Indie Edge: The Witch Boy

by Andrea Purcell

If you've ever browsed through a PREVIEWS catalog, you know how packed full each issue can be. It's so packed, that you might have overlooked a choice comic tucked away on one of its many pages. There are so many sections to look through each month, it can be almost impossible to search out all of the awesome comic books that you want to pre-order at your local comic shop. The Indie Edge column is made to help by taking a look at just some (and trust us, there's a lot) of the amazing small press, alternative, and indie titles currently available in this month's catalog!

The "indie" umbrella can be wide, and these comics cover a lot of different story types and styles, but you can find just about any comic you've ever wanted and maybe a few you never knew you needed. Take a look at the books highlighted below and if anything is begging to be read, wander over to your local comic shop to pre-order these comics and anything else from this month's PREVIEWS catalog!

There’s so much to choose from in August's Indie Edge column! This month, The Witch Boy debuts its first volume, Tom Gauld returns with Baking for Kafka, Fantagraphics wows readers with Zahhak, and more!

 The August PREVIEWS catalog is full of amazing books that you might have overlooked. Dive into the small press side of comics with Indie Edge!

Expansion

Malachi Ward and Matt Sheean are back with Expansion (AUG171119), a new science fiction epic from AdHouse Books perfect for fans of Prophet and Ancestor. Travel back ten thousand years as agents of an advanced civilization battle with a cult of pacifists as they fight to control their prehistoric human society. This mind-twisting time-bending tale will make you question your past and your future as Ward and Sheean twist the rules of storytelling. Packed with bonus comics from fellow Prophet alumni Brandon Graham and Simon Roy, Expansion is a mind altering experiment sure to please. 

Baking with Kafka

The inimitable style of award-winning Brishish cartoonist Tom Gauld is back on display with his latest hardcover graphic novel from Drawn & Quarterly, Baking with Kafka (AUG171647). As the title may suggest, this collection of panels are simultaneously silly and serious in a way that only Gauld can deliver. Droll, yet timely, Gauld’s cartoons cover everything from the health hazards of being a bestselling writer to a list of must-have magical items for fantasy writers. With his distinctive visuals and deadpan humor, Gauld is in top form with this latest collection. 

Zahhak: The Legend of the Serpent King Pop Up Book

Fantagraphics have outdone themselves with a beautiful story told in an unconventional way with Zahhak: The Legend of the Serpent King Pop Up Book (AUG171697). A classic myth from the Persian Book of Kings, this one of a kind pop up book tells the tale of the misguided Prince Zahhak who murdered his father to usurp the throne. Cursed to bear monstrous snakes that grow from his shoulders, he rules with an iron fist for one thousand years before his defeat. Lushly illustrated in a traditional Middle Eastern style with huge pop up elements on every page guiding readers through the story, Zahhak is an exceptional reading experience that fans of unique stories will enjoy.

The Witch Boy

Molly Knox Ostertag is bringing a sorely-needed story to comics with the first volume of her new series from Graphix, The Witch Boy (AUG171754). Taking place in  a community where gender roles are tightly divided — all girls are raised to be witches and all boys grow up to be shapeshifters — thirteen year old Aster just doesn’t feel like he belongs. Aster has yet to start shifting, and he’s fascinated by witchery, even though he’ll be exiled for crossing the line drawn by his elders. But now a mysterious threat is looming and Aster knows he can help – as a witch. Aster must gather the courage to betray his community’s expectations to save those in need, and truly be himself.

Mercenary Definitive Edition

NBM is celebrating its 40th anniversary in style with a re-release of one of their best-selling series ever, Mercenary. Vicente Segrelles’ grand opus has never looked better than in the Mercenary Definitive Edition (AUG171854), as each page becomes the piece of artwork it was destined to become. Featuring all new scans of Segrelles’ original oil paintings, this quarter bound hardcover collectors edition is a must-own for fans of fine and sequential art. A perfect blend of 1980’s European high fantasy and Frazetta inspired oil painting, Mercenary is a gorgeous treat.

**********

Andrea Purcell is a Web Content Writer for PREVIEWSworld.com and a part-time assistant to busy comic creators. Her favorite past times are singing karaoke at comic conventions and memorizing obscure trivia about random pop culture.