This week marks the release of Judge Dredd: Under Seige, the latest bit of societal upheaval from Mark Russell. The current master of comedic satire in sequential art, Russell’s career has been a longstanding testament to the power of “going for it.” And just about his entire resume can be picked up here at FP. Here’s a brief rundown of some things you might be interested in.
One never thinks that a comic book about the Flintstones could put one into a three-day existential funk, but that is precisely where one is wrong. Tackling everything from wealth inequality to the Vietnam War to marriage rights in the prehistoric age, this is one of the funniest comics out there and twelve of the best issues around.
Topping my list of the best comics of 2018 is Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles. Snagglepuss himself is a gay playright in New York. At the height of the Red Scare, Snagglepuss must put it all on the line for his friend, at the risk of losing everything. It is also very funny and yes, it is about the cartoon cat Snagglepuss.
Lex Luthor & Porky Pig/Green Lantern & Huckleberry Hound
Continuing Russell’s anarchic reign over the bizarre offshoots of DC Comics is a pair of stellar single issues. Watch the rube Porky Pig become a cog in Lex Luthor’s corporate system. Read as John Stewart and Huckleberry Hound tackle racism in the 70s. Be dumbfounded that somehow these books just keep getting approved!
A miniseries about the first kid president… and just what a good job they’d do. In a world where politics is a jam-packed pigsty, maybe you need an idealistic kid in the highest seat in the land. Also featuring a dynamite subplot of one murder robot’s quest for religion and humanity.
Russell’s breakout work is a book-by-book re-adaptation of the Bible. What does it actually say? Can jokes be added to it? What truly are the lessons hidden within? All is revealed in this hilarious tome.
There’s loads still to come from the Russell camp. He’s currently writing the Lone Ranger series. Next year, he’s rebooting the Wonder Twins and debuting a new Vertigo book called Second Coming, in which Jesus & Superman hang out. Mark Russell is one of the best and most dynamic voices in comics today and you owe it to yourself to check out his completely unique catalogue of work.
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