The Store Is Now Open!

We are officially open for business.
Check out our new store site and stay tuned. Like the page says, we are going to have more than just comics to sell!

A Dedication...

by Dylan Cassard

I was bike riding home today from work on this beautiful Boxing Day. And as my ears numbed from the cold wind, I was brought back to my pre-teen years making the twice weekly 2 mile trudge in the deep snows of Michigan winter just to get to the warm hearth and sanctuary of "Magnum Opus Comic & Card Cafe."

Look at that sign! Such character.

Magic cards eventually made way for Japanese candy.

This was the place where I discovered the world of independent comics. My young mind was a sponge devouring everything they had in stock. Vertigo, Tundra, Kitchen Sink, Antarctic Press, Oni, I read it all. Diving through their quarter bins for titles like A Distant Soil, Swamp Thing, The Invisibles, Preacher and the occasional shojo manga like Call Me Princess (I'm kind of a sucker for the stuff). The experience probably warped my young mind beyond repair.

In fact, I distinctly remember little 11 year old me trembling nervously as I asked the owner if he had anything that was "like a bad acid trip" to which he smirkily grunted and passed me The Frank Book by Jim Woodring. 

The staff knew my group of friends so well we were exempt from the store's "No More Than One Kid Under 18 In The Store At A Time" rule. We were like Peter Bogdonavich and his crew going to speak to the cinema masters on weekends when they were studying film. Or young Marv Wolfman and his friends hanging out at Jack Kirby's watching the master at his drafting table. These guys KNEW comics. They were excited to see us getting into something other than super heroes (which were sold at the neighboring comic book store three blocks over). Maybe they were just happy for the business? Either way. They weren't condescending or snarky, and they were ready to help you find the series you never knew existed, but had always been dying to read.

What book store is complete without cats?

Magnum Opus showed me that comics could be more than just capes and tights before I ever could develop a prejudice. Weirdly enough, with all of this sequential art education, I didn't even read Watchmen until my junior year of high school.

Though I've been away from Michigan for over 5 years now and I've frequented many comic book stores since, none of them have been able to really keep that promise of unbiased attention to the sequential art world. Every time I went home I made sure to stop in and say hi and pick up a book. But two winters ago when I visited my family, I found out that Magnum Opus had closed. A void had been created in my comic book landscape. And it will be difficult for anything to replace it.

But what does all of this have to do with CBotMP?

                 

Well, starting with Luci's Let Down, we are now going to be carrying select featured books in our digital store. And I hope that the spirit of Magnum Opus can live on through this venture. 

From now on, any time we get a creators consent, listeners will be able to buy a copy from our site directly. This deal will help us not only bring new and exciting independent books to your attention, but also help us pay for hosting so we can continue spreading the word about these unsung books to people all over the world.

Thank you for all of your continued support. We appreciate it more than you could possibly imagine,

The Comic Book Crew

P.S. If you would like to purchase a print version of Luci's Let Down, you can purchase it from Babayaga Books.

Dylan's Favorite Books From His Magnum Opus Days

"Below is a list of a couple seriously underrated books that I have read and re-read over the years that I wish we could cover on the podcast. They are either out of print, or don't quite fit the show's format so we may never get to cover them. For your personal enrichment, my desert island indie comics."

Athena by Dean Hsieh

"Athena is a retired Olympian who is living out eternity as the lead singer of a punk rock trio. The book is jam packed with tons of crazy ideas that just keep coming. From gangs themed on demi-gods, to synth-wave music that transmits a mood to your brain which you interpret as music. It's an American made manga that kindled my love for punk rock."

The Sandman, Vol. 5: A Game of You by Neil Gaiman, Sean McManus & Bryan Talbot

"Many people site Season of Mist as their favorite Sandman story. But because this book is a loving nod to Oz, Middle Earth, Earthsea and Narnia for the GLBT crowd, it nestled in my heart and just won't leave. Sean McManus' cartoony pencils create a lush dream world that contrasts (in later issues) with Bryan Talbot's realistic over rendered version of reality."

House of Secrets: Foundation by Steven T. Seagle and Teddy Kristiansen

"If Generation X were a comic, this would be it. A runaway named Rain living in Seattle, is chosen to be the witness for a jury of history's most unjust dead. The supernatural court seems out of nowhere, but the secrets Steven T. Seagle rends from the accused are often heartbreaking and moving. In a culture about image and hiding one's nature, Seagle creates a very interesting story of self-discovery."

And Crow: The Dead Time by J. O'Barr and Alex Maleev

"This 'sequel' to the Crow has stunning art by Alex Maleev before he teamed up with Brian Michael Bendis and started stiltedly photo-referencing. Some of his layouts in this mini-series are inspired. And I'm sad he hasn't produced much work of this caliber since."

Indie Spotlight #1!

Chris, Dylan, Keith & Nicole polish off a recording marathon with a 45m+ Indie Spotlight. A really special thanks goes out to Jeremy Whitley who graciously gave us several Action Lab Entertainment books to cover (Which we continually botch by calling it Action Labs. DOH!)

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 We cover Snowed In written by Shawn Gabborin and drawn by Rick Lundeen, where five people find themselves faced with a monster they can't see. It's Lovecraft meets cabin fever (the mental state, NOT the film) in this fun little indie romp with moody lighting and interiors lovingly rendered by Rick Lundeen.


  Back in the Day written by Dave Dwonch and drawn by Daniel Logan, tells the story of three friends going back in time to the far out 80s to save their past selves from their inevitably boring future. Along the way tragedy ensues and the three friends have to set things right, and it's all drawn with Daniel Logan's slick pen. Definitely not like any other comic out there... IN A GOOD WAY.

  Vapor Trails: Chapter 1 by Will Strode, shows us a dystopian future where human's are caught in a battle between aliens and animals... maybe? He only has chapter one up so far, and what's there is hysterical and leaves you hungry for more!


Doctor Muscles #1 written by Austin Tinius & Robert Salinas and drawn by Andrew Whyte, where Austin Tinius gives us yet another classic sci-fi adventure like you've never seen before... Yet feels as familiar as your worst nightmares as a kid.


 And we cap off the night with the fun and frolic of Princeless #2 written by Jeremy Whitley and drawn by M. Goodwin! This book has not let the crew down yet! After the first issue seemed to lay out a pretty straightforward course, Jeremy Whitley manages to show you just how rich this little world really is, all while amazing you with the expressiveness of M. Goodwin's art. AND ISSUE THREE IS COMING TO A COMIC STORE NEAR YOU SOON!


The intro song is "Indier Than Thou" by MC Frontalot from the album "Nerdcore Rising"


And remember! Next month is Luci's Letdown by Marjee Chmiel and drawn by Sandra Lanz. Which we will soon be selling digitally in our online store for only $5! We will let you all know when it is available. Or if you're not yet down with the digital revolution, you can order a print copy from Marjee Chmiel and Sandra Lanz as well.

Episode 11: The Arrival

 

Chris, Dylan, Keith & Nicole spend 46 minutes discussing Shaun Tan's AWESOME graphic novel. We are a bit at a loss for words on this one, because it really has to be read to be believed. The crew discusses the wonders of a book that can be influenced by  art from before the 1960's, the universality of the immigrant story and how we all want an egg mouse for Christmas.

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The music at the beginning is "Pièces froides: Trois airs à fuir" written by Erik Satie and performed by Pascal Rogé.
The song at the end is "Presumed Lost" performed by Splashdown.

Our next featured book will be Luci's Let Down by Marjee Chmiel and Sandra Lanz.