This week I’m bringing four times the fun as I give you my indie picks of the week. These are the books I would buy for myself, and I will explain why. As always there will be small spoilers, but not as many as usual as I want to give you a reason to get out there and read these great books for yourself.

Cryptocracy #5 *written by Van Jensen* art/cover art by Pete Woods * Dark Horse Comics

Cryptocracy has continued to pique my interest since its very first issue a few months ago. Van Jensen brings a tale that is a mix of conspiracy theory, fantasy, and even a bit of mythology all mixed together. I’m a huge fan of the mystery element to each issue, it has almost an Illuminati or Freemason feel to it. I also love Jensen’s use of Anthropomorphism, in which he gives these amazing animals such a human feel. A lot of times this comes off aa hokey or unrealistic, but in Cryptocracy it’s easy to buy into that yea this is the way the world truly is. I give Cryptocracy a 9/10 and I would highly recommend this series to a friend.

Zombie Tramp #29 *written/created by Dan Mendoza *art by Marco Maccagni *Action Labs/Danger Zone

As many of my faithful readers already know I am a huge fan of Dan Mendoza and Zombie Tramp. I can’t strongly express how much this book is graphic and only intended for mature audiences; but if you happen to be of that mature variety then this book is amazeballs (which Dan actually uses that word in this issue). In this issue Janie and Xula are on a witch hunting road trip from hell. Throw in some decapitation, body snatching and some general depravity; you have yourself a recipe for a good time. Add to that the highly addictive variant covers and Zombie Tramp is a” no brainer” for a 9/10 this week. I love this Dan Mendoza exclusive patriotic campaign variant cover shown here.

Army of Darkness/Xena Warrior Princess #2 *written by Scott Lobdell *artists Elliot Fernandez/Diego Galindo *Dynamite Comics

This might come as a surprise to some of you that I gave this crossover a second chance. I was somewhat disappointed with the first issue, as I had very high expectations. I loved the last Army of Darkness mini series and I’m a huge Xena fan (don’t judge me). Plus throw in writer Scott Lobdell and that is a winning combo in my nerd book. At least this time around I can kinda see where this is leading. Ash once again experiences coitus interruptus in yet another attempt at time travel to reach Xena. He is pissing off some powerful people hopping through time so frequently. The art is great, and the story is picking up so I give the Ash/Xena mash up a 7/10 this week.

Faith #5 *Valiant

Faith #5 brings us 3 independent stories with different writers and artists so I will break it down by each story.

The first is Dark Star *written by Jody Hauser *art by Megan Hetrick* This story is by far my favorite out of the three and what seems to be part of the main continuity within the books. We get to see a temperamental diva, a talking cat and the re-emergence of an old foe. Faith still struggles with her secret identity and being a public figure superhero.

The second story is Faith in Politics *written by Louise Simonson *art by Pere Perez * This is such a blatant attempt to get voters to step up and not only vote but clearly they want to sway you to vote for Hilary Clinton. I am not a fan of comic books using their medium to take such a strong political stand. Encouraging the younger demographic to vote is a great idea, trying to sway that vote is a little dissapointing. Either way this middle story is what it is, and Faith interacts with Hilary at a rally. They even have a cameo from some other Valiant heroes. Read it for yourself and let me know what you think.

The third and final story is titled No Days Off *written by Rafer Roberts *art by Colleen Doran This is a story we can all relate to, having super powers or not. Faith is constantly on call, working long hours but doing it with a smile on her face and a song in her heart. She is an inspiration to all. Apparently our positive plus size hero is just getting warmed up.

Faith #5 gets an 8/10 for me this week. It has some really strong moments despite what I disagree with. The artwork is solid across all three stories although Megan Hetrick is my favorite from the first story.

These are my Geeky Weekly pics for the indie comics hitting shelves this week for new comic book day Wednesday. It’s a great mix of horror, comedy and superhero; there is sure to be something for everyone. Let me know what made your list this week and I’ll be sure to check it out.