In this Issue:

Cover: “Oklahoma Past Years” – artist Jerry Bennett

“The First Bedlam Game” – Jerry Bennett & Jackson Compton

“Food Fight” – Bob Lausten & Mike Anderson

“Catch ’em Alive Jack” – artist Tyler Kelting

“The Invention of the Shopping Cart” – artist Cari Lee

“A Grave Christmas” – Matt Price & Ellis Goodson

“Burialesque” – Mackenzie Mullins

“Folk Secrets” – Kristen Polson & Brent Wheelbarger

 

A word from the editor…

A gentleman in a cap showing his status as a US Army veteran mentioned to me the other day that he was eager for the new issue so he could take a few copies down to the literacy center where he volunteers. People of all ages visit the center, working on improving their reading skills.

We’re proud to be part of such a great and noble effort, especially since it helps everyone.

There’s an unfortunate notion that comics are just for kids. Even to this day, people refer to comics as “funny books,” as one grandmother called them when she picked up our latest issue for her grandchildren. It’s true; we do have plenty of funny stories, and there is nothing wrong with that. We also hope to tackle other genres, too: action, romance, adventure, mystery, every way a story can be told.

As we discuss in History of Comic, comics faced a major setback in 1955 with the introduction of the Comics Code, which cut out whole genres of true crime, horror, and most science fiction. Over 60 years later, attitudes are gradually opening up as we explore comics as a medium, a way to tell any story of any kind through the visuals that drive them.

And we have plenty of tales to tell about our state.

You’re doin’ fine, Oklahoma – Jeff Provine