FanExpo 2016: The Indie Comics You Need to Read
With names like Stan Lee, Joe Quesada, Dan Slott and Frank Miller all appearing at this year’s FanExpo, comic book fans have their choice of story lines to explore. But every convention has so much more to offer than Marvel and DC back issues, Artist’s Alley is filled with independently published comics and small publishing houses who are dedicated to breaking new ground in comics. We scouted a few of the coolest offerings for you to check out.
Valor
One of two anthologies on our list, Valor is a collection of fairy tales reinterpreted to celebrate female heroes. The collection was a Kickstarter success in 2014 and features stories by many successful webcomic creators, most of them kick-ass women in their own right. We met contributor Meaghan Carter who is the mind behind the webcomic Godslave and we knew that we needed a copy of Valor on our shelves. You can pick up your own from Meaghan at booth P15B or online.
Meaghan Carter with Valor
Twisted Dark
For anyone who doesn’t mind, or in fact enjoys the macabre, Neil Gibson’s Twisted Dark series is for you. This collection of stories features a series of artists, but all of the stories are Gibson’s own. The series currently spans six volumes with plans to take it as far as 18! and introduces characters and story arcs that are all subtly bound together. So subtly, in fact, that they are easy to miss until pointed out in later volumes, or simply swing by publisher T Pub’s booth (513) and Neil himself might point some out for you. While you’re there, check out Tabatha and Tortured Life for some more stay-up-late indie reads. If you want to keep up with the series, check out the T Pub website which features some of the comics available for free!
Moonshot: The Indigenous Comics Collection
Our second anthology, Moonshot is a collection of stories created entirely by indigenous artists and writers from across North America. This ambitious project has earned publisher AH! Comics multiple awards and made them a staple in many libraries. The book itself has a beautiful diversity in both it’s art and subject matter, so everyone is likely to find a story to suit their tastes. You can find Moonshot: The Indigenous Comics Collection at Booth A420 and online. Also, check out their Kickstarter campaign for the sequel which is open until September 30th.
1001
If you’ve never seen Sanya Anwar’s artwork, you need to. Now! Her beautiful art lends itself perfectly to her self-published comic, 1001. The story reimagines the tale of Scherezade from One Thousand and One Arabian Knights and follows her adventures as she fights for survival. The book is approaching its fourth issue and can be found online or picked up from Sanya herself at conventions. This FanExpo you can visit her at booth P07A and you can get lost in her artwork on her website.
*Cover image from cover of 1001, courtesy of Sanya Anwar.
