All throughout July we’re crowdsourcing an Extra Eisners Reading List from comics journalists and critics. Each weekday throughout the month, we’ll post a new pick we would have liked to have seen nominated for an Eisner. There are so many great comics, it’s impossible for the Eisners to recognize them all. This list is to honor and diversify the pool of work praised by the industry.

Today’s pick comes from Dave Buesing of Comic Book Herald…enjoy!

While there are many good contenders in the Eisner's "Best Graphic Album - Reprint" category, it continues to concern me that the world at large is not as actively enamored with "Fearscape" as I am. In "Fearscape," the creative team of Ryan O'Sullivan, Andrea Mutti, Vladimir Popov, and Andworld Design deliver a tightly woven saga of the mythical realm of storytelling inspiration, and most importantly, the world's most captivating-yet-omg-he's-the-worst artist, Henry Henry, as narrator.

In an interview with me, O'Sullivan described the work as "Sandman meets Breaking Bad," although not even that enticing mashup of RIYL can do justice to the experience of time spent with Henry and the artistic invention of Mutti, Popov and team. "Fearscape" packs more stylistic comics tricks than a Grant Morrison fever dream, and so actively works to undercut and critique its own conventions that the book is borderline bulletproof. If you've ever wondered how to put a college curriculum reading James Joyce, Shakespeare, and fellow Authors of the Canon to positive use (eagerly raises hand!), the answer is simply read and review Fearscape.

The good news for "Fearscape" is that the Eisners appear to be entirely unaware of comics published by Vault, so the omission is likely owing less to value judgment and more to an invitation lost in the mail (perhaps the Eisner's local comic shop doesn't carry Vault books?). Likewise, I'm beyond certain that our very own "don't call me an unreliable narrator" Henry Henry would vocally condemn awards proceedings from the highest mountain (sure, he would do so while desperately craving the approval, but condemn he would).

With all that said, I humbly bequeath this Extra Eisner to "Fearscape," and hope that the upcoming sequel "A Dark Interlude" will at least be considered for nominations arriving in 2021. -Dave Buesing

Dave Buesing is the founder of Comic Book Herald.

Fearscape, Vol. 1
Writer: Ryan O’Sullivan
Artist: Andrea Mutti
Colorist: Vladimir Popov
Letterer: Andworld Design
Publisher: Vault Comics
The Fearscape is a world beyond our own, populated by manifestations of our worst fears. Once per generation, The Muse travels to Earth, discovers our greatest Storyteller, and takes them with her to the Fearscape to battle these fear-creatures on our behalf. All has been well for eons, until The Muse encounters Henry Henry-a plagiarist with delusions of literary grandeur. Mistaking him for our greatest Storyteller, she ushers him into the Fearscape. Doom follows.
Release Date: June 26, 2019

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