Indie Comics Haul At MICE Expo 2023
by Tito W. James
The Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE) is a free annual comic convention. MICE has a focus on indie comic creators and exhibits everything from hand-crafted zines to published graphic novels. I’ve attended MICE for several years and even tabled a couple of times. Here’s a rundown of comics I picked up at MICE Expo 2023.
Honey by Celine Loup is a comic about love, friendship, and the crushing existential terror of bee-life. The comic follows the lives of bees who are anthropomorphized as sharply dressed women. Fans of vintage fashion, surrealism, and Erotic Horror will fall in love with Honey.
Snarlagon by fan-favorite artist, Andrew Maclean is a charming love-letter to giant monster movies. The physical edition is the size of a picture book and printed on nice paper. The over-sized comic adds to the gargantuan feel of Snarlgon in his battle against the sinister Angramites. The retro feel even extends to the design of the characters and the world, which are made to look like a film set.
PUDICA 33 by Chelsea Akpan is about an alien that sets out on an exploration to find a flower that dies when you touch it. The art is reminiscent of Craig McCracken, Genndy Tartakovsky, and Ai Yazawa. Akpan has the potential to become a fresh new voice in comics.
Die Horny by Rebecca Mock is a hilarious and bizarre spoof on a Power Rangers type world. Lovebirds Iggy (human) and Wortizabella (monster) have just set off on their romantic honeymoon tour of the Wasteland. Before they can get too hot and heavy, they’re drawn into a conflict between humans and monsters! But these lovebirds aren’t exactly the conventional allies either side might have hoped for…
You can find more indie comic gems at MICE Expo in Boston.
