3 New Comics for New Readers – July 4, 2012

Wednesday is New Comics Day! Yes, even today on the 4th of July! Each week, The Comics Observer picks brand new releases worth checking out that should be suitable for someone who has never read comic books, graphic novels or manga before.

These are out today! If you like what you see here, click the links to see previews and learn more about them. Then head to your local comic book store, or check out online retailers like Things From Another World and Amazon. Let us know what you think in the comments below or on Facebook.

For a full list of this week’s new releases, see comiXology and ComicList.com.

Battlepug Vol. 1 by Mike Norton

Battlepug Volume 1
Written and illustrated by Mike Norton
Published by Dark Horse Comics
Genre: Humor, Fantasy, Action/Adventure
Ages: 14+
72 pages
$14.99

Not the Israel My Parents Promised Me by Harvey Pekar and JT Waldman

Not the Israel My Parents Promised Me
Written by Harvey Pekar
Illustrated by JT Waldman
Published by Hill and Wang
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir
Ages: 18+
176 pages
$24.95

Harvey Pekar’s mother was a Zionist by way of politics. His father was a Zionist by way of faith. Whether Harvey was going to daily Hebrew classes or attending Zionist picnics, he grew up a staunch supporter of the Jewish state. But soon he found himself questioning the very beliefs and ideals of his parents.

In Not the Israel My Parents Promised Me, the final graphic memoir from the man who defined the genre, Pekar explores what it means to be Jewish and what Israel means to the Jews. Over the course of a single day in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, Pekar and the illustrator JT Waldman wrestle with the mythologies and realities surrounding the Jewish homeland. Pekar interweaves his increasing disillusionment with the modern state of Israel with a comprehensive history of the Jewish people from biblical times to the present, and the result is a personal and historical odyssey of uncommon power. Plainspoken and empathetic, Pekar had no patience for injustice and prejudice in any form, and though he comes to understand the roots of his parents’ unquestioning love for Israel, he arrives at the firm belief that all peoples should be held to the same universal standards of decency, fairness, and democracy.

With an epilogue written by Joyce Brabner, Not the Israel My Parents Promised Me is an essential book for fans of Harvey Pekar and anyone interested in the past and future of the Jewish state. It is bound to create important discussions and debates for years to come.

Wizzywig by Ed Piskor

Wizzywig: Portrait of a Serial Hacker
Written and illustrated by Ed Piskor
Published by Top Shelf Productions
Genre: Historic Fiction
Age: 16+
288 pages
$19.95

They say What You See Is What You Get… but Kevin “Boingthump” Phenicle could always see more than most people. In the world of phone phreaks, hackers, and scammers, he’s a legend. His exploits are hotly debated: could he really get free long-distance calls by whistling into a pay phone? Did his video-game piracy scheme accidentally trigger the first computer virus? And did he really dodge the FBI by using their own wiretapping software against them? Is he even a real person? And if he’s ever caught, what would happen to a geek like him in federal prison?

Inspired by the incredible stories of real-life hackers, Wizzywig is the thrilling tale of a master manipulator — his journey from precocious child scammer to federally-wanted fugitive, and beyond. In a world transformed by social networks, data leaks, and digital uprisings, Ed Piskor’s debut graphic novel reminds us how much power can rest in the hands of an audacious kid with a keyboard.