I’m a genre person drawn to fantasy, steampunk, and science fiction, but I had the opportunity to pick up a free download of Shadow of the Knight. On a whim, I got it and discovered it was a nice break from my usual routine. A solidly written, fast-paced psychological thriller, it explores the dark descent of a woman trying to improve her life after surviving an abusive relationship.

If you are just joining the series, I would recommend that you start with Issue #1, as the story will make more sense; however, if you’ve been keeping up… good news! This issue tackles the complex backstory of Inspector Davitika Deal.

Would you destroy the world to save your daughter? Or would you be willing to sacrifice her to save it? These and many other questions are the underlying themes in the series Snowfall, written by Joe Harris with art by Martín Morazzo.
In Issue #5, the White Wizard imprinted enough of the formulary onto Anthony Farrow to draw the Cooperative’s mercenaries into a trap, but the ensuing firefight leaves both him and the former student and terrorist injured. Still free and in control of the formulary, his daughter, Chloe, clearly has a different agenda and seeks out the detained Inspector Deal to help her.  Now, with snow falling on Old New York City for the first time in decades, who really controls the formulary?

I have this really big pile of unread books and comics in my office, but I was delighted when the anthology The Sea is Ours: Tales of Steampunk Southeast Asia finally got to the top.  It came from a successful Indiegogo campaign that I backed some time ago, and it feeds into my desire to read Steampunk set anywhere but in England.  (Full disclosure: One of the editors took my “Crowdfunding for Independent Creators” class.)  Coming from an aesthetic very different from British-dominated neo-Victorianism and Steampunk, these stories explore technology, alternate history, and retrofuturism from a Southeast Asian viewpoint. I’m happy to say that each of these stories succeeds in their own way.

What do process servers who serve superheroes and villains do in their downtime? In the comic series Serving Supes, apparently, find themselves in more trouble—and love it.

Personal monsters takes on a whole new meaning in this compelling and unique universe by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda.

If this was how the west was won, I’m glad I wasn’t there to see it.

When aliens invade the old west, Captain William Beadle decides to lead the battle and organizes the building of a giant mechanical steam man to destroy them and protect Earth. They are successful but soon learn that they were helped along by the Earth’s germs—fatal to the invaders; however, they soon discover a greater threat is upon them. Known as “The Dark Rider,” he has unleashed Hell on Earth in the form of cannibalistic beasties with a very familiar name. Captain Beadle’s mission changes and becomes personal when “The Dark Rider” brutally murders his wife. Joined by Mike Hamner (his first officer), Alfred Blake (the engineer), and John Feather (the navigator), they travel a road that takes no prisoners.

We last saw the White Wizard track his daughter (and the formulary) to what remains of New York City. Kidnapping Anthony Farrow and taking him with him, the White Wizard runs into a gang called the “Down Boys” in the Bronx.  He negotiates a deal with them to find safe passage into the heavily protected and sealed off city (now called Saved New York City). Meanwhile, Chloe has escaped the clutches of Hazeltyne, and Inspector Deal must face the consequences of her failure to retrieve the formulary.

We are back with Stephen Stern and Matt and John Yuan’s less-than-efficient team of process servers in Serving Supes, but this time they may have a real shot at success; however, that’s only because they actually have the address of the person they are supposed to serve.

The White Wizard (a.k.a. Dr. Reasons) may no longer be a threat, but Inspector Deal discovers the moisture farm has more insidious secrets.  The good doctor has bonded the snow formulary to his daughter, Chloe, and he has tried to use Anthony Farrow to jumpstart his own powers.  Taking Chloe and the formulary back to the Cooperative, the Inspector abandons the hapless college student Anthony Farrow to his own fate.  I don’t think Inspector Deal ever had a day like this.