Crushing Krisis

Comic Books, Drag Race, & Life in New Zealand

comic books

Crushing Comics includes definitive comic book guides, essays about characters and titles, collecting strategies, comic reviews, and more!

The return of THIS WEEK IN X, every week during X of Swords!

by

I’m SO EXCITED to announce that Fariha, Tyler, and I are bringing back my weekly series “This Week in X” to dissect the massive X of Swords event every week on YouTube starting this Thursday!

(We might even eventually see Zach make his return from the resurrection protocols. I’ve been assured top men are on it.)

Want to know as soon as we publish our first episode? Subscribe to my YouTube channel now! To get warmed up, we’ll discuss some of our favorite parts of Dawn of X tomorrow before we dig into X of Swords on Thursday.

Dawn of X Review: HiX-Men Report’s Favorite Series (so far)

by

Join 3/4ths of the reformed HiX-Men Report – Peter, Fariha, & Tyler – as we catch up for the first time in nearly a year to discuss our favorite elements of Dawn of X. We’ll talk about what we loved the most from the end of HOXPOX to the beginning of X of Swords, including each of our favorite series from the line.

Want to relive the deepest dive into HOXPOX on the entire internet? In 2019 we recorded nearly 24hrs of content covering House of X and Powers of X (with me providing musical interludes for most of the episodes) on The HiX-Men Report.

Need help making sense of the X-Men? Visit my comprehensive guides to reading and collecting Marvel Comics or my definitive X-Men Reading Order.

on Artists Writers & Artisans (AWA) and supporting new publishers

by

Earlier this year, the comics world saw the debut of a new publisher – Artists, Writers & Artisans (AWA). The new indie was founded by industry heavy hitters Axel Alonso, Bill Jemas ,and Jonathan Perkins Miller, with its debut book The Resistance anchored by superstars J. Michael Straczynski & Mike Deodato Jr.!

I know MANY of you know me because of Marvel Comics and their X-stuff, but one of my other favorite things about what we’ll call my “Third Era” of comic reading is supporting new publishers from their first issue onward.

I love to be the first one to know if something cool emerges, regardless of if it comes with huge names attached. I think having more perspectives in comics publishing is always a good thing! Plus, there have been hints that some AWA books will be in a shared universe, which I love! The problem is just finding the time to read them.

I’ve now read four series from the new AWA line, and I enjoyed half of them. That’s not bad, and I still have more of their launch line to get through!

I dug the first issues of Grendel Kentucky andBad Mother, but I didn’t connect with the opening three issues of The Resistance or Archangel 8.

   

Supporting new publishers when they launch helps us grow the comic marketplace and bring new perspectives to all readers.

It also gives new creators entering the industry more places to gain experience before they become our favorites – whether that’s at indie, Big Two, or both!

Over the past few years I’ve read Aftershock, Black Mask, Lion Forge Catalyst, Vault, Black Crown, Ahoy, Humanoids’ H1, and now Artists Writers & Artisans from the start – plus discovered smaller pubs like Amigo, Cave Pictures, Red 5, and Mad Cave. Most of those produced AT LEAST one memorable title.

I guess what I’m saying is I hope you take a chance on a book when you see a new publisher. It’s only $4 to sample something! Don’t wait for friends or critics to tell you if it’s worth reading, because by that point it might be too late for that series (or publisher!).

For my part, when I talk about indie books all around the internet I need to do more to explain WHY I like or dislike books from these small pubs throughout the year BEFORE I get to my big year-end countdown. It’s not enough for me to just say, “I dug it.” That tells you nothing. I want to invite more of you along for the ride.

Doom Patrol Guide – now available to the public!

by

Big news: My new Doom Patrol guide is now available to all readers of CK! Thank you to CK’s Patrons for making this guide possible.

Before you watch the new season of their TV show, browse the complete reading order of the rise, fall, & rebirth of DC’s weirdest Silver Age heroes.

I’ll donate all profit from this page thru July 31 to The Marsha P. Johnson Institute.

I’ve recently delayed some planned comics content due to the weighty things happening in both comics and the wider world. I’ve decided to move forward with this first one, but use it to support an organization that protects and defends the human rights of black transgender people.