Confessions of a Comic Book Guy is a weekly column by Steve Bennett of Super-Fly Comics and Games in Yellow Springs, Ohio.  This week, Bennett takes a tour through the week’s events.

Monday I turned into NPR's Fresh Air and heard host Terry Gross discussing in all seriousness with her guest Brian Greene, author of The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos, about the possible existence of the multiverse.  Okay, it wasn't an announcement that scientists had just discovered Earth-1 but I still can't help but feel that my entire existence has just been justified.

I honestly didn't think for a moment that the "death" of a member of the Fantastic Four would actually cause headlines, but a quick internet search proves that it has.  Hopefully this kind of attention will result in increased sales because I've read Fantastic Four #587 and while I don't believe for a second the death is in any way permanent I'm happy to report it's not some kind of stunt or done for purely shock value.  Like most comics written by Jonathan Hickman it's first and foremost a good story, one well worth reading.

The end of Wizard magazine didn't come as much of a shock; it's not exactly news these are bad economic times, especially for magazines, especially one that hasn't been 'important' to the comic book industry for well over a decade.  Although the publication was guilty of a myriad of sins (like, mostly recently, trying to reinvent itself as Maxim with comic book coverage) I'll resist the urge as some have to dance on its grave.  If nothing else it was a magazine about comics that was available just about everywhere that had given much need promotion to a lot of deserving creators.  But I really can't see an online version  doing very well... not when the internet itself is already an online version of Wizard.

First DC drops the Comic Code, then Archie does and then... something else that's been a part of my life for my entire is suddenly gone.  I'm not saying I'm exactly bereft or anything but, still.  One thing does occur to me though; I hope someone will be given access to the CCA's records.  It seems to me that kind of inside information could tell a history of comic books from a distinctly different perspective.

I like to delude myself that I am in some capacity still in the comic book industry, I swear I study Diamond's Previews the way I'm supposed to.  But until I saw it at Super-Fly I had absolutely no idea Steampunk Palin even existed.

As I keep saying, I'm always on the lookout for good, original comics, especially ones that are independently owed and operated.  Comic that are about something, that count.  In short, comics that come from the creator's heart the way they did back in what I consider the Gilded Age of Comics, the 1980's.  Oh, they're out there, but in a market that is increasingly being dominated by titles such as Steampunk Palin good, original comics are unfortunately also increasingly unexpected.  Which is why I was so pleased when I learned about the upcoming Neutral World.

It's the creation of artist Joe Bennett (no relation), who's worked for Marvel and DC, and writer Ron Fortier*, best known for his work on Now Comics’ Green Hornet series and his own creation Mr. Jigsaw.  Neutral World is an epic science fiction epic with larger than life characters that's going to be published by Moonstone as three full color graphic novels; to promote it the publisher is first going to release a 16-page color preview comic for ninety-five cents.  It will feature a nine page story as well as character sketches and biographies of the major characters; I've been lucky enough to have seen the story and it's very good.

Something else that makes Neutral World unexpected is that I never thought I'd see something like this from Joe Bennett, whom I've always thought of as being just a reliable, competent artist.  It's beautifully drawn and it's clear this is a labor of love for him; it's the kind of project you would have seen being published all the time a decade ago, and the fact that it is at all noteworthy is more than a little sad.  That's just my opinion of course, yours may differ, but when the preview is solicited I hope you will all give it as much serious consideration as you do the licensed comics that are currently swamping our shelves.  

* To avoid even the appearance of impropriety due diligence compels me to confess that Ron Fortier and I have been good friends for well over twenty years now, but I was a fan before I was his friend and I've always been able to keep the one from interfering with the other.  Happening to know me has never guaranteed anyone a positive review.

The opinions expressed in this column are solely  those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff of ICv2.com.