Griffin’s Picks for the week of 2/4/2026
1: Crickets #9 - Fantagraphics
Crickets #9 marks the beginning of a new serialization from Sammy Harkham, entitled “The San Fernando Kid” along with two short stories at the beginning and end of the book. If you’re not familiar with Harkham, he was the editor for the Kramers Ergot anthology and also did a book called The Blood of the Virgin that you should pick up if you haven’t read it already.
“The San Fernando Kid” is about the trial of a ‘Californio’ named Felix Alvarez who’s being accused of stabbing a man to death, stealing his horse and the subsequent theft of $600 that was on his person. The story is funny, thoughtful in its creation and unfortunately poignant for taking place in 1865.
I wish that all comics were like Crickets #9. Harkham’s cartooning is simple, yet evocative of old western movies despite the story feeling tonally distinct from a Clint Eastwood or John Wayne film, and the coloring captures the feel of sun-soaked California with warm pink and orange shades. It’s so refreshing to read something so cinematic that doesn’t feel like a storyboard for a movie or a tv show. More and more modern independent comics feel hollow to me because they’re a stilted pitch for some sort of adaptation and the embarrassment for the medium they currently exist in is palpable. But the way that Harkham paces the story and uses the amount of panels on a given page in order to reflect his writing is well thought out and results in a more satisfying reading experience than the majority of current comics. $14 might be a steep price point, but you aren’t going to blow through it in a matter of 5 minutes like you would with a current Marvel comic.
2: Twilight Zone #4 - Image
Written and drawn by Eisner award winner Nate Powell who’s most well known for his graphic novel trilogy, March, this issue of Twilight Zone returns the comic series back to the tone of the show.
“False Bottom” is all about reflections, in their various forms. When Laura, her husband Gabe and her twin brother, Chet spend the weekend in a house-boat on the lake, they find a hole in the bottom of the home that goes directly into the water. As you might expect, things take a Twilight Zone turn when Chet and Laura have a significant difference in their experiences when they jump into the water.
While I’ve enjoyed each issue of IDW’s Twilight Zone, I’ve noted that a few of them don’t tonally feel like episodes of the show but more like their own stories that got a few things tweaked to make them fit the title. This one and the first one are the closest thing to sitting down and watching a rebooted, modern version of the original series.
3: Marvel Treasury Edition #28 - Marvel/DC
Written by Jim Shooter and Marv Wolfman, this is the second time Marvel and DCs most iconic heroes cross paths! With pencils by John Buscema and inks by many different Marvel and DC artists of the time, this is a facsimile you don’t want to miss.
In this second crossover between the Man of Steel and the Spectacular Spider-Man, Superman and Spider-Man have to go up against Doctor Doom and Parasite respectively. But if that wasn’t tough enough, Superman has to square up against the Hulk while Spidey and Wonder Woman duke it out! The story isn’t anything ground breaking, but as someone who loves this era Superman and Spider-Man that adds to the charm. Unlike the first one, I own the original Marvel Treasury Edition #28 and the reproduction quality is remarkable, but if the thought of tracking down the 1981 version has been too much of a headache this is a great alternative.
Despite my attempts at avoiding reprints, this is my third facsimile pick of the year and I’m not sorry. Like I said with the Superman Vs The Amazing Spider-Man Treasury edition for last month, this is the perfect gift to give to a kid that has even a slight interest in comic books. We also still have the first crossover between these two iconic characters left at Time Warp but they won’t last forever!