Beside Top Secret - Book Review

Beside Top Secret becomes the latest comic book to attempt to tell parapolitical tales. Rick Thomas in Montreal produced the first issue with hopes to raise money for a continuing series, putting down in four colors (well, on the cover at least) comics depictions of the rise of Disney-type theme parks and the fall of the 9/11 towers. It may be a self-portrait that adorns the cover, a bespectacled and goateed host of the comic with an alien skull cap declaring “Go ahead! Stay stupid! It’s not like I can’t see the appeal of stupid.” Portraits of other sub- hosts to the comic appear in a column on the side, much like an old 1950s EC horror comic. Beside Top Secret adds comic book geek charm to its exposes of conspiracy matter. It includes a comics code stamp in the upper right corner asserting “It’s All Code.” Pretty funny stuff, with some anger and confrontation but also ending on a note sincerely respectful to 9/11 survivors—handwritten yet with typos. Contact the publisher at besidetopsecret.blogspot.com.

Kenn Thomas