Here’s one for fans of all ages. Writer Javier Grillo-Marxuach is best known for his television work, but his comic series The Middleman is so much goofy fun. The series (also adapted for a television series on ABC Family) follows the adventures of a young woman named Wendy Watson, who gets recruited to join the Jolly Fats Wehawkin temp agency, secretly a front for “O2STK” (the Organization Too Secret To Know), by The Middleman, to aid in his mission to “fight evil so you don’t have to”. It’s kinda like Men In Black for kids. Along the way the Middleman and Wendy go up against gangster gorillas, luchadores, and their archenemy, the evil genius Manservant Neville.

Sound silly? Sure it is, but Grillo-Marxuach pulls it all off with some great writing, and lots of little nods and winks to genre films/books/TV shows of yore (just look at the title of this collection). I spotted references to Star Wars, James Bond, Dune, Doctor Who, Planet Of The Apes, Blake’s 7, Back To The Future, Buckaroo Banzai, and more (and that’s just off the top of my head), and of course, tons of comic books. The art by Les McClaine is nice, very classic cartoon-looking, bold outlines and zipatone shading (check out the preview here).

Derek gave me a copy of this for my birthday two years ago, and it was a great gift. Perfect for (knowing, slightly older) kids, and anyone who loves cool comics!