"This is my team. This is C O P R A."

December 31, 2013 2:40 PM

Michel Fiffe contemplates life After COPRA, the 12 part monthly comic which he wrote, drew, published and distributed himself throughout 2013. A brutal, action-packed follow up of sorts to Fiffe's bootleg Suicide Squad comic Deathzone it managed to do a better job of evoking the spirit of Ostrander and McDonnell than DC's own efforts and become one of the top comics of 2013. Fiffe talks more about the expeirence in his Exit interview with Comics Alliance.
posted by Artw (18 comments total)

Fiffe's art on Copra has just been unbelievably good. And the style - I've literally never seen anything like it.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 4:07 PM on December 31, 2013

More than anything it's the shear energy of it I like -he's decided that there should be a comic like that in the world, and he's gone out and made it happen, infusing himself into every part of the process. He's an example to us all.
posted by Artw at 4:21 PM on December 31, 2013 [1 favorite]

Oh my god, artw, get out of my head. I literally received COPRA compendium #1 in the mail this very morning and read it right away and then read it again because it is really, really fucking good. Like, one of my very favorite comics this year, and there are a lot of awesome books out right now.

So I went to buy compendiums 2 and 3 from Bergen Street and #2 is sold out! SOLD OUT! It is a terrible thing and now I am panicking becuase I MUST HAVE MORE COPRA I NEED IT NOW AAAAARRRNNNNGGHH
posted by maqsarian at 5:05 PM on December 31, 2013 [1 favorite]

Fiffe is one of the greats.
posted by The Whelk at 10:04 PM on December 31, 2013

Oh man, why didn't know about this? Suicide Squad is one of my favourite superhero series ever and DC has never managed to do anything good with the idea since the original series, but this sounds just right.
posted by MartinWisse at 2:21 AM on January 1, 2014

So compendium's 1 + 2 are sold out and it's not available on Comixology. Am I correct in believing that we newcomers who are seeing this title on a bazillion best-of lists are not going to be able to read this series for the foreseeable future?
posted by jeffen at 7:47 AM on January 1, 2014

CA: You’ve done the compendia, but are we going to see a full Copra #1 – 12 collection.

MF: Yes. It’s still being worked on, but I definitely want to get a collection out there and get it all as available as possible. Having said that, a lot of people have asked about a digital version. That may not happen for a while, I still need to get my bearings on a print edition. I’m still trying to navigate those waters, but a complete collected edition is in the works for sure.

Dunno if he's going to be personally folding and stapling it.
posted by Artw at 8:06 AM on January 1, 2014 [1 favorite]

Oh, and I think my LCS still has some, because they are rad, so if you are in the Seattle area check Xanadu.
posted by Artw at 8:07 AM on January 1, 2014

Haven't been to Seattle for many years (proof, my last time there my main destination was Fallout Records!) but I'm guessing the comic store's there must be something to behold!
posted by jeffen at 8:11 AM on January 1, 2014

This looks very awesome, I'll have to track it down. The original Suicide Squad was one of the best things I read in a while, and the later series in the same torrent were just plain incoherent. I guess I have an excuse to go downtown and hit Xanadu now. Unless the Comic Stop in the U has it.
posted by egypturnash at 10:08 AM on January 1, 2014

Speaking as someone who feels no special attachment to the Ostrander Suicide Squad --- it's still excellent comics and I'd recommend it even to those unfamiliar with the source of Fiffe's enthusiasm.
posted by reuvenc at 3:05 PM on January 1, 2014

P.S. I haven't read the last three issues, though, so I can't say for certain about them. Caveat emptor, maybe.

P.P.S. Another interview with Michel Fiffe : Consider My Weapons: the Michel Fiffe Copra exit interview. - The Factual Opinion
posted by reuvenc at 3:09 PM on January 1, 2014

Am I correct in believing that we newcomers who are seeing this title on a bazillion best-of lists are not going to be able to read this series for the foreseeable future?

You might be, if you update that statement to say '*legally* able to read this series'. ::cough::
posted by FatherDagon at 10:27 AM on January 2, 2014 [1 favorite]

Don't be a LaBeouf.
posted by Artw at 10:48 AM on January 2, 2014

Marvel just announced that Fiffe is going to take over writing duties on The Ultimates, the Ultimate Universe version of the Avengers. The book is getting completely retooled to feature a team of young heroes led by Spider-Man (who is Miles Morales in this universe, not Peter Parker). He's just writing, not drawing, which is kind of a shame, but I'm still really looking forward to seeing where he goes with this.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 4:31 AM on January 10, 2014 [2 favorites]

Wow.
posted by Artw at 6:23 AM on January 10, 2014

P.P.P.S. I have received and read the last three issues. They are great!
posted by reuvenc at 7:49 PM on January 19, 2014 [1 favorite]

Back cover image assembled.
posted by Artw at 1:28 PM on January 21, 2014 [1 favorite]