The Geeky Brummie Pull List with What’s The Furthest Place From Here?
It’s another small but perfectly formed Pull List this week. In the main list we have a book that we’ve been looking forward to for some time, What’s The Furthest Place From Here? and of course it’s our Comic of the Week. Rounding out the Pull List is the latest issue of Excalibur which looks to be Braddock heavy. We only have one new comic to look out for On The Radar which is the third issue of Mazebook.
In Meanwhile… we take a look the formation of a union by workers at Image Comics
If you want to send any comics or comic related events we should feature, feel free to reach out to me at keith@geekybrummie.com.
Now on with the comics…
Title: What’s The Furthest Place From Here?
Issue: 1
Publisher: Image Comics
Written by Matthew Rosenberg : Art By Tyler Boss
TRIPLE-SIZED FIRST ISSUE! A postapocalyptic coming-of-age story from 4 Kids Walk into a Bank’s TYLER BOSS & MATTHEW ROSENBURG.
The world has ended. All that remains are gangs of children living among the ruins. But Sid believes there must be something more out there. When she disappears into the wastelands, her gang will risk everything to bring her home. A story about the things that matter most—your survival, your loved ones, and your record collection.
OMG! It’s finally here. I can’t tell you how much I’ve been looking forward to this series. 4 Kids Walk into a Bank was one of my favourite comics of recent years, so having that team back together is something to get excited about. What I’ve read about this series makes it sound like something special and certainly worth the wait. I’m a little disappointed the limited edition 7″ vinyl records that come with the deluxe edition of this series is very difficult to get hold of here in the UK but I hope they’ll make those songs available to download elsewhere as it appears to play an important part in the story they’re telling. There are some nice variant covers to look out for as well. Highly recommended.
Title: Excalibur
Issue: 25
Publisher: Marvel Comics
- Written by Tini Howard : Art by Marcus To : Coloured by Erick Arciniega
THE ONE TRUE KING RETURNS! And he’s here to exterminate the witchbreed! King Arthur and his army turn Otherworld into a battlefield—again. Backed into a corner, Betsy Braddock makes a desperate choice that will reshape the realm—and mutantkind—forever. The fate of the Starlight Citadel is at stake, and if the Citadel falls…so falls all reality.
This is the penultimate issue of the series and we continue to build towards the conclusion of this Otherworld saga. It’s been an enjoyable run and I wonder how much the current status quo will be shaken up in these final issues. I like Betsy as this version of the Captain and I want to see more of this team but I’d love them to lean into a more Marvel UK style of stories and make more of England as their base of operations. Still a fun series and one worth catching up on.
On the radar this week some other comics not on the Pull List but well worth checking out:
Mazebook #3
Dark Horse Comics
Written and Illustrated by Jeff Lemire
Will’s a melancholy building inspector who’s been grieving the loss of his puzzle-loving daughter for years. After getting a mysterious phone call from a girl claiming it’s her and that she’s trapped in a labyrinth Will sets off on a journey fighting through the corridors, tunnels, and monsters of his city on a mission to bring her back home. “At times somber, haunting, perplexing and ultimately consoling, this book drops us into the rabbit hole of memory and explores how the editing suite of our minds can shape us, break us and hopefully renew us.”–David Dastmalchian
United In Comics
A few weeks ago the works of Image Comics formed a union named Comic Book Workers United. The announcement was made via Twitter, with a summary statement and a link to their new website, which contains a list of goals for the union. This is the first time a major modern comics publisher has had its employees unionise. This new union’s goals include salary and workload transparency, continued remote work options for employees, an actionable plan to address a lack of diversity, and the addition of a collective voting option to immediately cancel publication of any title whose creator or creators have been found to have engaged in abuse, sexual assault, or bigotry.
For years, comics publishing workers have watched our professional efforts support creators and delight readers,” states the Comic Book Workers United’s website. “Sadly, we have also watched that same labor be taken for granted at best and exploited at worst. Keeping our heads above water was the new normal before the pandemic and since its onset we have been expected to take on even larger workloads with fewer resources. Our workforce, and the comic book and publishing industry as a whole, is overtaxed and undervalued. This is detrimental not only to general staff but also to the creators we are paid to serve and the audiences they in turn work to entertain.
Now that the union has formed, Image’s management had the option to choose to voluntarily recognise the union and enter into collective bargaining. As of this date they have chosen to not voluntarily recognise it and now a formal vote on its formation will have to take place. Had Image elected to voluntarily recognise the union then they likely would have gone into a mediation to work out the specifics. Since they’ve elected to force a vote on the matter it will require a majority of their employees to to cast a ballot in favor of the union’s formation. Should that occur Image will be legally required to recognize the union. Their most recent statement reads:
Earlier this week, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) filed a representation petition with the National Labor Relations Board asking to hold a secret-ballot election so that eligible members of the Image Comics office staff can determine if they want the CWA to represent them in their employment with Image. The NLRB is currently reviewing that petition to determine when that election will be held, where it will take place, and who can vote….Everyone at Image is committed to working through this process, and we are confident that the resolution to these efforts will have positive long-term benefits.
Image has always believed in the fair and equitable treatment of staff and has always strived to support employees to the best of our company’s ability with regard to their employment.
The Comic Book Workers United represents only the staff of Image Comics and not the creators of the comics series. Comics creators are generally classified as independent contractors, who cannot currently organise as a union in the US.
For a company founded by employees who felt exploited by their employers it’s not a great look for them. You can find out more about the union and sign their letter of support on their website
Your Local Comics Shops
Your local comic shops are now open and you can pop in for your geek fix. Listed below are some of the best shops across the county with links to check the very latest information including opening time and covid safety measures. When visiting these shops please be patient and respectful to all the staff who are doing an incredible job.
FORBIDDEN PLANET INTERNATIONAL (VARIOUS) – includes Worlds Apart Birmingham
Please check with stores for any changes to opening times and services.
Follow the stores social media pages for updates!
FORBIDDEN PLANET (VARIOUS) – includes Birmingham Megastore
Check their website for more information –
https://forbiddenplanet.com/stores/
GOSH! COMICS (LONDON)
Check their website for more information –
https://goshlondon.com/the-gosh-blog/the-gosh-authority-130620-reopening-news/ and https://twitter.com/GoshComics
OK COMICS (LEEDS)
Follow the stores social media pages and website for updates!
http://www.okcomics.co.uk/ and https://twitter.com/OKComics
PAGE 45 (NOTTINGHAM)
Check their website for more information –
http://www.page45.com/ and https://twitter.com/PageFortyFive
TRAVELLING MAN (VARIOUS)
Check their website and social media for more information –
https://travellingman.com/ and https://twitter.com/TravellingManUK
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