Writer: Kyle Starks, Patton Oswalt & Jordan Blum
Artist: Ryan Browne
Colorist: Ryan Browne & Kevin Knipstein
Letterer: Nate Piekos
Cover Artists: Scott Hepburn & Ian Herring; Ryan Browne;
Martín Morazzo; Dan Hipp; David Mack
Publisher: Dark Horse
Price: $4.99
Release Date: July 10, 2024
Shiteater is a local at The Lower Lair. After working all
day at Burger Bite, he enjoys chatting with the bartender and relaxing with a
stiff drink. But Gridiron Ghoul doesn't want the lowlife bug infesting his
favorite hangout. Can Shiteater appease or befriend the bully? Or will he have
to find another hangout to unwind every evening? Let's spread our wings, fly
into From The World Of Minor Threats: Barfly #1, and find out!
Story
The Entomologist’s giant bugs wreaked havoc on society. But
he also created people-sized ones. The villain sent swarms of bugs to pummel or
incapacitate his enemies before he swooped in for the kill. The authorities
honored the Entomologist’s exploits with a stay in their finest secure
facilities. But they didn’t touch Shiteater because he didn’t threaten anyone.
Gridiron Ghoul disapproves of Shiteater, but the
anthropomorphic fly has friends. His cat-loving landlady tends to his wounds
and makes him dinner. A fellow employee at the Burger Bite shares her troubles
with him. Another shares his record collection with his bug buddy. And then
there's Goliath, the giant beetle who resides at Twilight City Zoo. Goliath
wishes Shiteater would join him there. But who knows how the zookeepers would
react to an unwanted guest? Besides, Shiteater wants to make a meaningful contribution
to society.
Shiteater can trust some of his friends. Others value him only
for how he can help them. A coworker employs him for a side gig but disrespects
him. His boss yells at him, overworks and underpays him, and insists he is a
disposable commodity. In From The World Of Minor Threats: Barfly #1, Shiteater
clings to his dreams. He wants to use his unique talents and abilities to
achieve his destiny. But first, he must discover what that is.
Kyle Starks, Patton Oswalt, and Jordan Blum's story speaks
to anyone who has ever felt undermined or sidelined. The Entomologist created
Shiteater in a lab. Left to fend for himself, he doesn't fit in anywhere.
People like Gridiron Ghoul remember his past and refuse to see him any other
way. Stained by his association with the Entomologist, Shiteater is a magnet
for disdain. Yet one night, Shiteater has a brainwave. He’ll have to learn new
skills and find some willing helpers to accomplish it. But as the old saying
goes, A Bug’s Perfect Life is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent
perspiration.
Hey, who says insects don't sweat?
Art
Shiteater climbs atop the thick hardcover book on the
barstool in his leather jacket, jeans, and sneakers in From The World Of Minor
Threats: Barfly #1. The bartender smiles at him while a masked hero advertises a
candy bar on the flatscreen TV. But Gridiron Ghoul, dressed in his football
helmet and jersey, doesn’t believe the big-eyed bug belongs beneath the fairy
lights and superhero masks adorning the bar. A backhander sends Shiteater
tumbling through the air.
Shiteater trudges past a crashed flying saucer, not glancing
at the fleeing aliens as he enters the boarding house next to the nude ghoul-y
bar. While a cat on the floor looks up at him, most sprawl atop stair rails, a
Black & White tube TV and cable decoder box, furniture, and his landlady’s
head. Later, The Fly sits in the back of a coworker's van with his cheeseburger
from Burger Bite. He vomits digestive juices and slurps up his meal.
Ryan Browne and Kevin Knipstein lavish a loaded palette of
bright and appealing colors on Browne’s art in From The World Of Minor Threats:
Barfly #1. The air turns pink as Shiteater’s swarm attacks one of the
Entomologist’s enemies. A magenta scorpion towers over the street while
Shiteater’s former green-clad boss rides between its eyes. Shiteater's enormous
orange eyes turn pink as he rides atop the racing purple van easier than the
fake insect on the roof of Switek and Zito’s Bug Van. Orange, purple, pink,
green, and blue surround the stage as Richie imagines playing drums in a punk
band.
Nate Piekos fills white dialogue balloons and narrative
boxes with large uppercase black and colored letters. Sound effects like an
orange Swat, a green Ralf and Snort, and a tan Vrooom enliven action scenes and
dramatic moments. Descriptions fill the air, commenting on stacks of money,
Gridiron Ghoul’s dental care, and Shiteater’s self-image. In From The World Of
Minor Threats: Barfly #1, street advertisements comment on the quality of the
products and services offered, and the villain’s secret lairs are always carefully
marked. Thanks to Dark Horse Comics for providing a copy for review.
Final Thoughts
A lab-grown fly, stripped of his wings, vows to better
himself while navigating the sticky social web of users, abusers, and
double-dealing friends in From The World Of Minor Threats: Barfly #1.
Rating 10/10
To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.
