Indie Edge: Flying Couches, Demons, and Skeptics

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! Learn about the bonds of family in Flying Couch, face death with Jason Shiga’s Demon, deal with the hysteria of the Cold War in The Skeptics, and more! This month’s PREVIEWS catalog is full of amazing books that you might have overlooked. Dive into the small press side of comics with Indie Edge!

Flying Couch

A tale spanning three generations of women, Amy Kurzweil’s memoir Flying Couch (AUG161289) is an intimate look into the intricacy of family and the impact of history. This touching coming-of-age tale weaves together the life of Amy, the young Jewish artist; her mother, a psychologist; and Bubbe, Amy’s grandmother who escaped from the Warsaw Ghetto. As Bubbe tells Amy the stories of her childhood and harrowing escape, Amy tries to cope with what she learns by turning to art and teaching herself to draw. An intertwining memoir of the impact generational stories have, Kurzweil’s story is bold and engrossing. 

Alterna Anniverseries

Alterna Comics is celebrating ten years of publishing with an anthology of the creator owned stories they’ve helped bring to life in Alterna Anniverseries (AUG161118). With an incredible range of genres and styles, this collection is an eclectic mix of the best in black and white stories from Alterna. Featuring over 400 hundred pages of content, from space-traveling children, World War II zombies, the littlest monster slayer, and so many more; this anthology is a true feast of indie comics. This oversized sampler of the history of Alterna Comics is the perfect entry point for readers looking to expand their indie comic library.

Jason Shiga's Demon

Darkly devious and oftentimes outright bizarre, Jason Shiga’s Demon (AUG161645) pushes comics to the edge and stares into the abyss. Jimmy, the main character of Demon, cannot die but it’s not for lack of trying. This suicidal insurance actuary keeps trying to kill himself to no avail as his consciousness simply takes over the body of the living person in closest proximity to him. But when a shadowy government agency starts hunting him and his family down, Jimmy will do anything to protect them. Full of curious twists and turns, this elaborate cat-and-mouse game will leave readers guessing until the very end. 

Indoctrination

A chilling crime tale from Michael Moreci and Matt Battaglia, Indoctrination (AUG162150) is startlingly relevant with a plot that almost seems ripped from the headlines. Two FBI agents are all that stand in the way of an infamous terrorist bent on bring about the End Times, and they dive deep into the underbelly of the American southwest to stop him. As the agents get closer to stopping this madman they must face death cults, sleeper cells, serial killers, and apocalyptic nightmares as they are pushed to the brink of sanity to save the world. 

The Skeptics

A pre-punk period piece about the hysteria of the Cold War, The Skeptics #1 (AUG161292) is the latest series from Black Mask Comics. Taking place in the 1960s, the Russians are pulling ahead of the United States in the Cold War as they announce the most terrifying weapon of all – a pair of super powered teenaged psychics. The United States franticly starts their own search for psychic Americans, but what they find is not what it seems. Dr. Isobel Santaclara, an eccentric grifter has recruited two American teenagers for the con of the century, they must try to convince the world into believing their non-existent powers. A stylish political caper that will leave readers breathless, The Skeptics is a daring look at the frenzy of the Cold War.