[LIST] SEPTEMBER STAFF PICKS ⋆

Check out what the Geek’d-Out staff is recommending this month!

Muriel Truax: He Never Died (2015)

He Never Died is my favorite horror comedy and one of the most underrated films on Netflix. Henry Rollins stars as Jack, a man who is as tough and solitary as he is lovable. Jack possesses vampiric qualities and a mysterious past that is about to catch up with him. The film is bloody, yet light-hearted. It’s one that I don’t mind watching over and over again.

Michael Farris: Echolands #1 (2021)

You are not ready for this book.

Seriously. It’s almost like nothing you’ve seen in comics before. Echolands introduces us to Hope, who possesses a certain set of magical powers that she doesn’t quite understand. With that limited knowledge, she is able to make off with a sacred gem that happens to belong to the dictator of her world, Teros Demond. Part heist, part fantasy, part everything under the sun, Echolands manages to capture everything that makes comics comics.

I can shamelessly plug my more expansive review of this book here, or I could just point out that it’s being rushed back to a second printing, but either way, this comic hits all the right notes story and art-wise while feeling completely like a watershed moment in comics history.

Anelise Farris: Y The Last Man (2021)

I have thoroughly enjoyed every comic I’ve read that is written by Brian K. Vaughan–Y The Last Man being one of my favorites. But I’m not here to recommend the comic (though of course I definitely do), I’m here to discuss the television adaptation that premiered on FX on Hulu earlier this month. I am not one of those book lovers who bemoans when adaptations change any little thing. That’s the beauty of it! It’s an adaptation. It’s someone else’s creation that is inspired by an existing work. And I think that’s what makes them so exciting. Why would I want the same exact story given to me the same exact way?

All of this to say, FX’s Y The Last Man exceeded my expectations. It has all of the core elements from Vaughan’s series: Yorick, the unlikely last man standing, Ampersand, his adorable monkey, and the badass-as-ever Agent 355, coming together to survive in a world where (mostly) all of the men are dead. It’s character-driven post-apocalyptic storytelling at its best, and the cast is phenomenal. Plus it’s just different enough from the comicbook series that it feels fresh to me. Highly recommended.

Greg Brothers: Ordinary Joe (2021)

In life we are faced with hundreds of choices every day. Most have very little impact on our daily lives. Others, however, can have a major impact on our life’s trajectory. Ordinary Joe introduces us to Joe Kimbreau on the day of his college graduation. As the ceremony wraps up, Joe is presented with three choices, each of which send him down a different path.

When it comes to unique ideas, it is not the most original. But to me it is the presentation that provides a fresh take. Instead of just seeing what the results are, each of the three storylines are followed in the first episode. It feels as if the idea of fate is going to be explored at some point since there are certain events in each storyline that mirror each other. The acting is on point, especially from James Wolk. After the first week, enough has been done to convince me to jump on and enjoy the first season.

Jonathan Boes: Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang (2020)

This year, Dragon Hoops won the Eisner award for Best Publication for Teens. Not a teen? Read it. What’s that? You don’t like sports? Neither do I. Read it.

This is a brilliant, heartfelt graphic novel about the writing life, the history of basketball, and all the human stories that surround one high school sports team. It’s an absolute joy of a book. Read it.

Check back next month as we share what Geek’d-Out staffers are enjoying in October!