Yesterday kicked off Indy Comic Book Week. Since the big two comic publishers each only shipped one new book this week (DC’s Blackest Night #6 and Marvel’s Origins of Siege #1), independent comic creators seized on the opportunity to fill the new issue racks with their own books.  I picked up a couple of titles and was awfully pleased with what I got.

David Hopkins’ One Night Stand is a digest sized black and white book with a sexy, red cover.  Hopkins scripts each of the one-page stories while a host of indy artists ink the pages.  The stories range from sweet to raunchy, heart-felt to hilarious.  There’s a lot to like in this book.  For instance, THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE IN BED illustrated by Tania Kaufmann tickled me to no end with it’s seven suggestions of bed-based activities.  I have lived the Chad Thomas drawn THE REJECTION OF BARNEY (Dogs have VERY cold noses, ’nuff said). My favorite of the bunch has got to be OMG drawn by Vinh-Luan Luu which tells the tale of intimacy captured digitally.   I thoroughly enjoyed One Night Stand.

Senryu is Matthew Warlick’s entry for ICBW.  Despite the amazing art he’s previewed for the work, I have to say I was dubious on this one.  After all, Warlick brands it as a “stream of consciousness narrative in comic form.”  Yes, there’s poetry.  Normally, this would have kept me away from the book.  I am after all a hardcore supers guy.  I can appreciate poetry, but I don’t usually groove to it.

Not usually.

Senryu is the happy exception.  Warlick suckered me in with his lovely artwork and hit me hard with his thought-provoking verse.  The book is an anthology of illustrated stories set to lyrical poetry.  In my head, there’s a soundtrack to this book.  There’s a certain element of Fantasia to it.  Nicely done, Mr. Warlick.

Before I tell you what I think of Solomon Azua by Jake Ekiss of Space-Gun Studios, I suppose I should fully disclose that Jake is a buddy of mine who’s generated a ton of fantastic artwork for me.  I think a lot of Jake and his talent.  So, my opinion here is not altogether unbiased.

That said, I loved Solomon Azua #1 and not just because it had an awesome letters page (hint: Jake published my letter).

From the back cover:

Solomon Azua is the galaxy’s most reckless adventurer and thief.  He retrieves the gems of the universe from the jaws of death.  If angels fear to travel there, Solomon’s already gone and come back…

The books stands on its own as an entertaining romp on a backwater spaceport where ships crash and things blow up.  Yet is is also a terrific first issue setting up the characters and scenario within a far-future space setting.  This is the first of six issues in this limited series.  As Ekiss told us in our Indy Comic Book Interview, he has production scheduled and expects issues to publish throughout 2010. I really dig Solomon Azua.  It’s a beautiful, full-color book expertly produced with wit and style.  Yea on you, Mr. Ekiss.

My only question is where do I get my Solomon Azua t-shirt?

I have not yet read Hall and Bradford’s Robot 13: Colossus.  But a casual flip through its pages reveals it to be stunningly illustrated with a strong hint of  Mignola.  I cannot wait to read this one.  Check back for more on this one.

I am terrifically impressed by the books I’ve seen thus far out of Indy Comic Book Week.  And there’s lots more.

In fact, a whole lot.

Stay tuned for an awesome announcement concerning the books of Indy Comic Book Week.