Comic book artist Ryan Browne and writer Charles Soule join the Capes and Tights Podcast for Episode 113 on June 21, 2023. To prepare for the conversation, we have compiled six comics by Browne and/or Soule you should read now.
Ryan Browne is a Harvey Award winning comic book writer and artist from Chicago, Illinois. Charles Soule is a New York-based, New York Times bestselling novelist, comic book writer, musician, and former attorney.
Here is a taste from the two outstanding comic book creators.
Hell to Pay (Image Comics) // Charles Soule
The Shrouded College will give you magic… but you’ll incur a debt. Until it’s paid, you belong to them. Married couple Maia and Sebastian Stone took that deal. They have worked for the College ever since, using their new abilities to track down 666 cursed coins: qurrakh… aka, the Devil’s Dollar. Only a few remain. The Stones are almost free… but the devil’s in the details.
Hellboy meets Indiana Jones in this supernatural adventure from Charles Soule and Will Sliney (Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren).
The first trade collection of the Shrouded College universe hits local comic shops on July 19 and at bookstores everywhere on July 25. However, in the mean time grab the first six issues via ComiXology.
God Hates Astronauts (Image Comics) // Ryan Browne
God Hates Astronauts follows the story of a group of incompetent, small-minded, super powered narcissists called “The Power Persons Five” who are hired by NASA to stop all farmers from launching themselves into space in homemade rocket ships. Unfortunately, for NASA, this goal is scarcely even addressed and the book focuses more on extramarital affairs, bank-robbing owls, big gross swollen heads, ghost cow heads, olde tyme boxers, tigers eating cheeseburgers in the Crab Nebula, buffalo judges and tons of aggressive swearing.
Not so much a superhero book as it is a parody of basically everything and a celebration of weird that is jam-packed with references to RoboCop and Die Hard.
God Hates Astronauts is available digitally as well as via trade paperback.
Letter 44 (Oni Press) // Charles Soule
Newly-elected president Stephen Blades hoped to tackle the most critical issues facing the nation: war, the economy, and a failing health care system. But in a letter penned by the outgoing president, Blades learns the truth that redefines “critical”: seven years ago, NASA discovered alien presence in the asteroid belt, and kept it a secret from the world. A stealth mission crewed by nine astronauts was sent to make contact, and they’re getting close-assuming they survive the long journey to reach their destination.
President Blades has just become the most powerful man on the planet. This planet.
Grab the trade paperback of Letter 44, it’s less than $10!
Curse Words (Image Comics)
A wizard has appeared in present-day New York! His name is Wizord, and he’s here to save us all from dark magical forces bent on our destruction. He’s the best wizard of all time! Or… he’s not, and he’s lying to everyone, and secretly is the dark magical force, but wants to hang out in our world for a while because it’s so much nicer than the hellhole he comes from.
Secrets, and spells, and talking koalas – Curse Words is a gonzo dark fantasy from Charles Soule and Ryan Browne.
Curse Words is available digitally as well as in trade paperback form or in an omnibus collection.
Undiscovered Country (Image Comics) // Charles Soule
Journey into an unknown region that was once the United States of America-a land that’s become shrouded in mystery and literally walled off from the rest of the world for well over a century. Two small expeditions enter the former US simultaneously-one from the east, one from the west-and travel inward, each seeking their own form of truth as they struggle to survive in this strange and deadly lost continent!
Available in trade paperback or read digitally via ComiXology.
Eight Billion Genies (Image Comics)
If you had one wish…what would you wish for? What if everyone else on the planet had one wish too? That’s Eight Billion Genies. Eight seconds after magical genies grant every person on earth one wish, the world is transformed forever…and that’s just the beginning!
Read Eight Billion Genies digitally or grab the hardcover collection in July!
