Staff Picks (Apr14): Love & Capes — The Complete Collection

Publisher: IDW Publishing

Back in the May 2006 PREVIEWS, Maerkle Press offered the first issue of a comic that became one of my favorite indie titles, Love & Capes.  While it appeared to be a humorous take on the Lois & Clark relationship, creator Thom Zahler gave so much more with Abby & Mark (superhero, aka The Crusader). After a while, Thom moved away from self -publishing Love & Capes under Maerkle Press, and the book found a new home and new readership at IDW Publishing.

After wrapping up the current mini-series, What to Expect, the Love & Capes universe of Abby, Mark, Darkblade, Amazonia, and their friends went on hiatus. This is now the perfect time for IDW Publishing to offer Love & Capes: The Complete Collection, over 600 pages of Abby & Mark from their first date through marriage and parenthood. Zahler takes all the nuances of secret and not-so-secret identities, super hero groups, super friends and friendships, pregnancy and super beings and mixes those comic book staples with humor, and giving a unique perspective to super heroes that didn’t require reboots or brand new days.

While Thom is taking his break from Abby & Mark, I’m hoping he returns, maybe at his traditional FCBD timeframe with new stories as there needs to be stories dealing with first teeth, first steps, first day at school  and maybe one day first date and driving lessons.  Abby & Mark welcome to the world of parenting your life is never the same and never just yours alone.

In the meanwhile, I’ll have Love & Capes: The Complete Collection to allow me to reread these fun stories.

~ Steve Leaf