Self Help #3

by Owen King, TBD (artist), Jesse Kellerman

“Live, Laugh, Love.”
Jerry Hauser seeks to reinvent his present with the aid of Darren Hart’s opportunistic assistant Cassandra, but his past refuses to stay where it belongs—as Jerry’s ex-wife and daughter learn when they meet Powder Bob. And nothing good happens to anyone who runs afoul of Power Bob...

Kindle Edition

Published August 21, 2024

About the author

I'm the author of the novels The Curator and Double Feature, We're All In This Together: A Novella and Stories, co-editor (with John McNally) of the anthology Who Can Save Us Now, and co-author (with Mark Poirier) of the graphic novel Intro to Alien Invasion. I also co-wrote the novel Sleeping Beauties with Stephen King. My most recent work is the ongoing comic book series Self Help, co-written with Jesse Kellerman and illustrated by Mariana Ignazzi.

My wife is the beautiful and mysterious Kelly Braffet. She has written five wonderful books, and the newest is The Broken Tower.

Here are what a couple of my favorite authors were nice enough to say about Double Feature:

“What a kinetic, joyful, gonzo ride—Double Feature made me laugh so loudly on a plane that I had to describe the plot of Sam's Spruce Moose of a debut film (it stars a satyr) to my seatmate by way of explanation. Booth and Sam are an unforgettable Oedipal duo. A book that delivers walloping pleasures to its lucky readers.” - Karen Russell, author of Swamplandia!

“Sharp, hilarious, and irreverent, Double Feature is not only a love-letter to cinema, but also a moving exploration of what it means to be an artist. This novel is brilliant, and Owen King is a magician.” - Lauren Groff, author of Fates and Furies and Arcadia

Reviews

[Rob Vitagliano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew, this is taking a dark turn. Not that that should surprise me, given where it's gone so far, but I can tell this one is not going to have a happy ending, despite a few moments of relief for the main character (not entirely sure I can call him a protagonist in this one) but I have a feeling they'll be short lived. You get a glimpse into his past and also a strong indication of his troubled present. Overall, this series feels more grounded than some comics I've read lately, but it's certainly not a fairy tale.

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do love a comic that pulls me into an immediate re-read to savor the narrative maneuvers.
The Michelle and Powder Bob confrontation has some textured work cooking, and the later panel with the bird feeder next to the door is a great detail that captures attention without strictly serving plot momentum. It signals how birdish this issue is, with pigeons before this panel and the crow or crows after it at the defunct drive-in.