I’m Not A Plastic Bag
Story and Art by Rachel Hope Allison
Forward by Jeff Corwin
Edited by Rebecca Taylor
Design by Fawn Lau
Archaia Entertainment
Release Date: May 8, 2012
Cover Price: $19.95

I’ve read comics with some pretty strange protagonists before, but this one was definitely a first. The main character of I’m Not A Plastic Bag is a large island made entirely of garbage, based on an actual place — specifically, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a large spot in the Pacific Ocean which, due to currents, collects most oceanic debris. By debris I mostly mean trash that washes out to sea, water bottles, tires, plastic bags, etc., and by large I mean estimated to be twice the size of Texas. So, very, very large.

Writer and artist Rachel Hope Allison‘s book is an odd and pretty ballet. This large, unruly mass of trash (loosely resembling Aqua Teen Hunger Forces‘ Meatwad) tries desperately to interact with the beautiful oceanic landscape it exists in, only to destroy whatever it touches, meanwhile getting bigger and bigger. There are touches of the Frankenstein monster here, which I suspect is what Allison was coyly referring to in the title. It’s almost entirely wordless with beautiful colors that tastefully know when to incorporate photography and mixes crazy layouts with lovely splash pages.

Genetiks
Story and Layouts by Richard Marazano
Pencils and Inks by Jean-Michael Ponzio
Lettering by Fawn Lau
Script translation by Edward Gauvin
Archaia Entertainment
Release Date: May 2, 2012
Cover Price: $19.95

Genetiks is the story of Thomas Hale, an engineer at a powerful company that deals in the research and development of scientific innovation, primarily in the field of genetics. Hale submits his DNA code to Genetiks, his employer, as a way of accepting his life as an engineer for a large firm, and when it’s his DNA code that finally gets cracked, he’s more than happy to give his life to the company. Things starting shaking up, though, when Hale starts having violent and disturbing flashes of hallucinations or memories which leads him to question his company’s motivations. Rightly so, as what they are up to is not for the faint of heart. While the concept and story of Genetiks are highly intriguing, I was not in love with the final product.

The Dark Crystal, Vol. 1: Creation Myths
Written by Brian Holguin
Illustrated by Alex Sheikman & Lizzy John
Lettered by Deron Bennett
Prose Stories by Barbara Randall Kesel
Pinup by David Petersen
Additional Lettering by Dave Lanphear
Designer Fawn Lau
Concept, Character Designs, and Cover by Brian Froud
Archaia Entertainment
Release Date: December 28, 2011
Cover Price: $19.95

What I took away from The Dark Crystal Volume 1: Creation Myths was WAY different than what I thought I would, but it’s my own fault. I have fantastic memories of my mom and dad taking me to see that movie and I remember reading the comic adaptation until the cover fell off. While I was expecting to revisit that world and thoroughly enjoy it, which I did, but on a totally different level. The only problem — I haven’t seen The Dark Crystal film since 1982.