Welcome, dear readers, to another week of comics and commentary at Comics! The Blog! We kick things off, as always, by handing out awards for the Best of the week - beginning with two Award postings, followed closely by the past week’s Best.

The owner is sick, and so he’s cranky as fuck and looking to take out some frustrations. As his dutiful store manager, I am there, taking abuse both deserved and completely baseless while things get sorted. This has gone on for two weeks, and I’m getting a little tired of it - but whatever. I work in a comic store, and the work is great - and if I’m being honest, the owner is definitely the best boss I’ve ever had, minus the increasingly rare human moments where life has got him on the ropes. I push through as I always do, but my mood is understandably altered. Things aren’t as bright and sunny when you’re taking verbal abuse, and the aftermath usually doesn’t clear things up so much as let you stew and fester with a smile on your face.

Anyway.

I’m feeling burnt out and angry, when this high school kid walks through the door, and asks for his file. This kid is fairly new to the world of American style comics, having arrived from the world of Yu-Gi-Oh. On a search for a different kind of narrative, he first grabbed some of the collections of DC’s New 52 content. After catching up with a lot of that, he asked what I think he would enjoy from outside the DC Universe and superhero comics in general. After some thought, I hand him the first issue of Umbral and give him my pitch - a fairy tale fantasy story the hits the nightmare fuel hard and fast, blending magic and horror to great effect. He’s intrigued and grabs the first issue. Months pass, and now, he’s asking for his file. A copy of Umbral #3 is placed on the counter. His eyes light up, and he literally whoops and pumps his fists with excitement.

“Yes! Awesome!”

He quickly explains that he won’t be browsing the shelves today - it is imperative that he consumes this comic as fast as possible. He promises to return a few days later to discuss the story’s contents. As the kid leaves, I can already feel my mood improving. There’s nothing quite like the feeling you get when you’ve helped someone find their new favourite series. It feels even better when the book is one of your favourites as well. Comics like Umbral and the reactions like that kid had are the reason why I work in the store. Yes, it’s a pretty great job, but it’s not all fun and games. Everyone thinks you have all the time in the world to sit around and read comics - and sure, there is some down time, but if you have time to sit and read comics unimpeded, you are clearly doing something wrong. There’s always paperwork to be done, always customers to be helped, always research to do before the next round of orders are due. The work never stops, and during the bad times, during down moments, it can seem overwhelming. And then someone flips out about a comic you love, and all the bad just fades into the background. Vitality returns, and you can move onwards, with a smile on your face.

I’ve been working at the store for over seven years now, and in that time, I’ve watched a lot of folks within the comic book retail community flair up and die. Some are hanging there by the skin of their teeth, bitterly sniping about the week’s new offerings rather than exploring great new tastes that will reinvigorate and recharge. Series like Umbral are vital to this industry for several reasons. It starts from a place of quality, laid down by the likes of Antony Johnston, Christopher Mitten, Jordan Boyd and Thomas Mauer. It lives within the world of fiction where Rascal and her party attempt to navigate through a strange world of shadows filled with teeth, and then bleeds into reality. Within a business dominated by a fairly single minded genre, it offers variety with such a strong authorial voice, it can’t help but burrow into the mind. The story from Johnston building the world brick by brick, the art from Mitten moulding idea into form, letting all linger in shadow while Boyd adds etherial, glowing colour to the mix. Not to be left out, Mauer hits all of his notes exactly right, the lettering moving the eye without ever complicating the action of flattening an image, altering as needed to help build the world in his own way. Each contributes to this book that is so unique, people can’t help but fall in love with it. Sure, it won’t be for everyone, but that’s the point, in a way. Few people develop such emotional responses from projects designed for everyone - they all gravitate towards book made specifically for them.

Umbral is a book made for me. It’s a book made for that kid who couldn’t spend another second in the store once he found out the new issue was in. It’s a book that might be for you. Regardless, it is receiving this week’s Fits Like A Glove Award, because I couldn’t go more than three issues without making a pun out of Mitten’s last name. You’re welcome.

(P.S. You might have noticed that James has a few missives in the letter column for this issue of Umbral. Does that suggest favouritism for exposure? Well sure, it suggests that, but if you think that I’d openly endorse a comic because it encouraged James and his ego, you’re clearly new. Hi. My name is Brandon. Would you like to attend my Quinceañera? No, this is not catfishing, why do you ask?)