Ryan S. Pond

Finally found some time over the weekend to read a few #kickstarterrewards. I had a great time with each of these books! - I read @covenant_comics CROSSBONES #1 earlier this year and I have been psyched for #2 ever since! This book has been a lot of fun, with a style somewhere between THE CROW and BREAKING BAD. I can't wait to back #3 whenever the opportunity arises! - I've been a fan of @curtiswriterc since before I even read one of his books. THE WILD COSMOS was good, BEASTLANDS was great, and now, SLIGHTLY EXAGGERATED is my favorite series of his. This is a fun fantasy/adventure story that kind of takes INDIANA JONES and HAN SOLO, turns them into a single character with a time limit. There are also a ton of great hints and references that help build out the world and I can't wait for more adventures with Mia & Winston. - PABLO THE GORILLA comes from the mind of @nguyeningit and it is about a pizza delivery gorilla. A pizza delivery gorilla with a dark past that gets ambushed and pulled into a Kraven-esque "most dangerous game" style 20+ page fight in a "no time to explain" type of story. It is a fast paced action comic that delivers on the fun. - @ampersand1988 & @clarkbintart have created something dark, twisted, and unique in FRANK AT HOME ON THE FARM. When the main character seems just crazy enough that even he can't trust what he is experiencing, it leaves the audience with a lot of questions. But when you place that character in a world that isn't quite right, it takes you on a journey with him. Is something off? Is the world messed up? Or is Frank? I just backed issue #3 on @kickstarter and I can't wait to make my way further into this crazy situation and find out what is on the other side! - #crossbones #slightlyexaggerated #pablothegorilla #frankathomeonthefarm #selfpublishing #indycomics #igcomicfamily #igcomiccommunity #igcomix #comicbooks #comics (at Houston, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5AnW0dBZcR/?igshid=bcams2e74v78

Today was #motivational . #chew #halfpricebooks #dailyjournal #keepitsimple @thecheerstocomicspodcast (at Houston, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/B48t3AWBuIQ/?igshid=cqlu7nia6qi

Finally took the time to read a few books last night! All of these books were so good in so many different ways! - I don't actually have the 1:25 variant of GO GO, but I would kill to have it! That is an amazing cover and probably my favorite since the THE IRON GIANT homage cover from GO GO #18(?) or so. The story was great and it revealed a lot for the audience as well as the Rangers. Can't wait for MIGHTY MORPHIN'! - USAGI YOJIMBO has crushed it 6 issues straight. I wish I could convey how fun, interesting, and unique the art and storytelling are in this book. It reminds me of SAMURAI JACK in some ways, especially this latest issue. #6 was a great one-shot that harkens back to the first appearance of Miyamoto Usagi in 1984 with a retelling/reworking of that story for the 35th anniversary. - I know I am a week or 2 late on UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY but this book was every bit the banger I had heard. It was everything it promised, and yet surprisingly deep and complicated at the same time. I was blown away and I love the sense of adventure and discovery embedded deep into the story from page 1. I also enjoyed the essay and design notes in the back as well as the overall aesthetic of the book. Excited to see where this goes. - FOLKLORDS was another book with a heart full of adventure. This story hooked me pretty quick because Ansel has got to be one of the quirkiest and funny characters I have seen in a while. He almost reminds me of a doctor with the unique dress code and his thirst for adventure. This is another book that I can't wait to read more of. The art is perfect and the story is fun and adventurous while dancing around common folklore. - That was most of my haul for the week. What did you grab and what did you read? - #igcomicfamily #comicbooks #idw #boom #imagecomics #ncbd #november #folklords (at Houston, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/B42R8FxB-6b/?igshid=13q70cyu15oit

Let's go! Every little bit counts and it is a no risk proposition! So why not help dreams come true? Unless you have something against good stories. Link in @curtiswriterc bio! Follow and back please! #comics #kickstartercampaign #selfpublishing #igcomicfamily #DREAMS (at Houston, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4DFDaFhWl5/?igshid=194cm76dp110y

Based on my history with BOOM books, the beautiful artwork, and the interesting title I grabbed this gem! - Herring is an american spy embedded in Eastern Berlin. He does what he can to smuggle people over the wall and escape to the west, but when things go wrong, his face may have become known to the best German "Rat catcher" in the east. - Herring is able to escape capture when some sort of comet flys overhead and crashes in the distance. But no government knows what it is and Herring is forced to embed himself even deeper into the enemy state to find out. - This book is a lot of fun, especially my 2nd and 3rd read through. There are so many small details that bring this world and story to life. The dialogue is exactly how I imagine cold war spies spoke. There is even a line about living or dying that I immediately fell in love with! - The art does a great job of setting a certain mood and tone for the book. There is a lot of great shadow work that really keeps things in the realm of secrecy, covert ops, spies, and mystery. Don't worry though,  you see enough to recognize the characters so you are never confused. - The story is laid out really well, and it makes it easy to understand the rules and how this world works. Through a series of missions you learn various aspects of the world we are operating in. - The first mission is an escape attempt gone wrong. This mission sets up the main conflict and introduces us to the violence and brutality brought against those that try to leave East Germany. - In the 2nd mission, we learn what it takes to embed a spy in the German military, but we also learn that everyone in this story is a spy. They are everywhere, and they are always watching/listening/searching for spies. - Herring's 3rd mission is to find out if a soldier that came into contact with the crash site is telling the truth. This mission reveals that there is scifi in this world and that the main character has some secrets that we aren't even privy to, yet. - I had a great time with Strange Skies #1. Can't wait for #2! - #strangeskies #eastberlin #lisandroestherren #boom #spygames #alien #parasite #igcomicscommunity #coldwar #sovietrussia #comicbooks (at Houston, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3rdELdhkNM/?igshid=q1qvfnksj0p9

I don't remember why I grabbed THUMBS #1 but I don't regret it in the least! This is my series of 2019! @seanchrislewis / @seanlewis6026 & @cleanlined - #thumbscomic is the story of a young man that wakes up from a 6 year coma at the end of a war against technology. He was injured in the war and wakes up to a world where his best friend Nia has lost an arm, his sister Tabitha has been indoctrinated by the power, and his only help is a MOM app that raised him so that his parents could work more. - It is under these conditions that Charley aka Thumbs wants his sister back and for the war to end. This story tracks his journey to find his friend Nia and storm the power. - Along the way, we find out that Adrian Camus built an army of children by influencing and controlling them by giving away free tech. We learn that the power was created by two individuals that lost children because of cyber bullying. And we learn that sometimes sacrifices have to be made to get what you want. - What I think makes this story so much better than most is that it never gets too preachy. This is the story of a young man trying to reconnect with his sister during a war where they are on opposite sides. Along the way we learn about the tech junkie children, the propaganda from the power, and the lack of parenting for a whole generation. - Camus is preached as a guy that used tech to manipulate children. But you can't help but wonder if it wasn't the lack of parents that made it easy for him to become their parental figure. The power believes tech is bad because they lost children, but what if they had been more engaged parents before? Would their children still be alive? - Everything in this story is presented in a way that makes you think and wonder, but never does it say technology is good or bad. I think the hubris of the characters is there to support the idea that no one side is right about the issue and that it takes balance and moderation to truly be free. - What do you think? Is this a cautionary tale or just a story? - #comicbook #igcomicfamily #imagecomics #dystopia #technology (at Houston, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3o5D2qB_Em/?igshid=1xvh3r126ojul

The 2 part HERO story arc of Usagi Yojimbo told a powerful and simple tale of heroism. And taught me Japanese literature too! - This story arc starts with Usagi reading a a piece of classic Japanese literature. In the book, we see the main character fighting zombies to save a princess and be a classic hero. Usagi then spends the rest of the issue escorting the author of the book, Lady Mura, to her father's village as he learns about her husband, Seizo, and the domestic abuse she suffers at home. Usagi exemplifies the qualities of a classic hero on the journey. - The second part of this story opens with Usagi reading Lady Mura's book. This time, the hero stops the zombie king but he sacrifices himself to do so and leaves the princess distraught and in tears. Usagi asks why the hero didn't get the princess in the end and Lady Mura explains tragedy and loss. We see Usagi be the hero one more time before things start to take a turn for the worst. - Upon arrival, Lady Mura's father is upset with her for disgracefully running away from her husband. Seizo arrives to retrieve his wife, and speaks very disrespectfully to Usagi in the process. Usagi and Lady Mura's father express concern for her future to each other before Isagi leaves to continue his jourmey. - Usagi discovers Seizo standing over Lady Mura's body in a clearing, and is told that they were attacked by bandits. Usagi does not buy this story, but cant prove anything either. Seizo leaves and Usagi is left with Lady Mura's remains to return to her father. - Seizo is haunted by the fame and accolades his wife receives months later when her final book is released. Out of frustration, he commits suicide. - This was a great story, as it tells the tale of a classic hero and juxtaposes that to a story or tragedy and self sacrifice. And there is also a lot of Japanese history skillfully woven into this story arc. - The character Lady Mura is a reference to Lady Murasaki, a lady-in-waiting of the high courts of the Heien period. Her greatest contribution to history was a novel called "The Tale of Genji". In fact, it is considered the first novel ever. Isn't that interesting? - #usagi #stansakai #japaneseliterature (at Houston, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3mUC-QB4FV/?igshid=1jkuwj2xh724r

Genndy Tartakovsky was one of the first creators I recognized by name, and this new show is everything I wanted out of his work without realizing it! The first episode is free on the adult swim website and it absolutely crushes! - https://www.adultswim.com/videos/primal/spear-and-fang/?cid=primal_tw_100719 - Repost @adultswimfrance by @media.repost: - Patience. Primal de Genndy Tartakovsky débute le 8 octobre sur Adult Swim. #toonamifr #toonami #adultswim #adultswimfrance #samuraijack #rickandmorty #ricketmorty #robotchicken #mrpickles #aquateenhungerforce #finalspace #blackjesus #archer #blackdynamite #theventurebros #primal #adultswimbump #adultswbumper #genndytartakovsky (at Houston, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3cOKsOB1FH/?igshid=t57f93ursm07

Wow! What an awesome #newcomicbookday! So many great books, a lot of great storytelling, and plenty of beautiful art! - #NCBD #thumbscomic #gogopowerrangers #usagiyojimbo #unearth #strangeskiesovereastberlin #boomstudios #idw #imagecomics #igcomicfamily (at Houston, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3a3zRIBCDg/?igshid=1gi69z8t1ejpv

Today was extremely long, and grueling, and exhausting. But then I came home & found a care package from the one and only @nerdybitches and everything was suddenly better! Thank you ladies, this is amazing. Idk how or where I will rock it, but I will! #PodernFamily #fandom (at Houston, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3LckCMhC6x/?igshid=1jhzi3kz8uo

Go check out my boy @bad_saber and vote for his @vans design! Link in his bio! Please and thank you! - And check out his original characters from right here in #houston, the @doublecupmonstahz - #originaldesign #vans #oldskoolnewskool #vote (at Houston, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3IJCKnBvSw/?igshid=ltnjmd0rh2lh

Just finished reading the #DEADENDKIDS finale and man was that tearjerker! Can't wait to read through it again and binge all 3 issues this evening, but month-to-month @frankgogol has delivered! Just another reason to love @sourcepointpress titles! #IGCOMICCOMMUNITY #comicbooks #NCBD #finale @thecheerstocomicspodcast (at Houston, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3IHrURBQ3Q/?igshid=1uc2tspdt8faq

I can honestly say @afterlightcomics has been the best, most consistent @kickstarter experience I have found! - The campaign for #stayawake ended at the beginning of September and here is is October 2nd and my books have already arrived! And the #riseofthegoatman campaign was exactly the same! Can't wait to see how well the #wendigowoods campaign goes now! - This is how you build a following! Consistency and delivering on promises! Thank you After Light! (at Houston, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3H_CsEhYVD/?igshid=okirim0elmrz

They grow up so quick 😥 This time, our boys in green are out of the nest and off to war! Welcome to Dimension X. - This story starts with a stake out in the park as April tries to get information from out of a Stockgen colleague, Chet. But things get crazy when some dimension hopping rebels open a portal into the park and abduct Chet and the Turtles. And the war they teleport into the middle of has close ties to what is going on back home. - On the planet Neutrino, General Krang is waging a massive war of attrition against the Neutronians in an attempt to secure the planet as a base to terraform Earth to match their previous home, Utom. - It is revealed that Chet is actually a professor named Honeycutt, but he has fused with an armor he designed and is now known as the Fugutoid. And he is essential to Krang's plans to build the Technodrome. - Karai is seen following April because they are both trying to find the source of the green ooze. April is able to find out that Burnow island is an important location, but Karai is able to infiltrate the base and steal quite a bit of the substance. - In the end, we get to see the Turtles break up into 3 separate teams, paired with some of the Neutronians. Donnie goes off to put together some tech to turn the tide of battle with the fugitoid. Raph teams up with Zak to take on the enemy forces head on and distract them from the battlefield. Leo and Mikey are tasked with infiltrating Krang's base and escorting the princess to retrieve the king and queen. - This book was a lot of fun, and took the Turtles out of the city for the first time in this run. This arc did a lot for explaining the Utom/Neutrino war, General Krang and his motivations, and making the Fugitoid and the rebels a great set of memorable characters. This volume was nonstop war and yet it was able to make the quiet moments count by building out the world. I really enjoyed this volume and I can't wait to see how they wrap up the second year of the run in 21-24! - #tmnt #ninjaturtles #eastman #idw #igcomicfamily #igcomics #comicbooks #comicoverview #volume5 (at Houston, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3CStAzgVi9/?igshid=p4rqq06myfxe

World building takes a seat on the back burner but there are a ton of character development in this volume! - Sins of the Father picks up after Splinter and the Turtles had their first encounter with the man that murdered them in their past lives; Oroku Saki. This is unsettling for Splinter because he believed that Saki was dead and gone and that no evil can out live time. But if Saki can continue on, then maybe death really is the only way to stop him. But can Master Splinter cross that line and do the unthinkable? - Splinter's internal conflict takes a toll, and it begins to affect those closest to him. When Casey Jones shows up all beat up again, Raphael loses his temper and rushes out to put an end to the problem, and Splinter races after him to prevent Raph from going too far. - In the mean time, Donatello does some searching and finds a location for a new base of operations in an old bunker under a church. Leonardo meditates and trains as he struggles with the question weighing on everyone's mind at this point. And we see Michelangelo's pizza dude, Woody, get attacked by the latest Stockgen creation. A mutated snapping turtle named Slash. - The story then follows the Turtles as they discuss what is going on with Splinter and the idea of violence while they explore and investigate this possible new home. Slash's ability to track them has brought him into their new home and he attacks them from the darkness. - The story wraps with the Turtles getting a beatdown from Slash. In a last ditch effort, Leonardo accidentally stabs Slash in the neck with his katana and Slash falls into the sewer where his body is carried away. He is assumed dead, and now Leo is left with the pain and guilt of murder. - In the epilogue we see that Mikey is putting on the party dude mask but he too is in mental anguish over everything. He goes to see his buddy Woody but there is a note saying that they can no longer be friends because of the danger that follows the Turtles. - #tmnt #ninjaturtles #90'skid #igcomicfamily #igcomics #comics #kevineastman #IDW #tpb #sinsofthefather #teenagerswithattitude #mastersplinter #leonardo #raphael #michaelangelo #donatello @berkfamily54comics (at Houston, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2_8cVmBoQr/?igshid=1aow8m4e1iwbc

Who hasn't listened to @berkfamily54comics and I talk about #PowerRangers this week? - Link in my bio or search BERKFAMILY54COMICS on youtube and sub up to my pal! Had a great chat and look forward to doing more in the future! - @boom_studios #MIGHTYMORPHINPOWERRANGERS #igcomicfamily #comics #igcomix #NecessaryEvil (at Houston, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2-IkvUgclg/?igshid=1v35bt41wgx90

Had the privilege to get Brent Peeples and Andrew Dalhouse to sign my @bedrockcitycomics exclusive #Peeplesvariant cover for #Bloodshot #1! - @ztrawhcsa @get_valiant_podcast @thaddeusprime (at Houston, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2-DwKphPrd/?igshid=uty0pya3o7pc