The Indie Double-Take is a new feature we're starting here at CraveOnline in hopes to spring upon you new things. I know it's a crazy concept, but I have faith in you that you're willing to dabble in areas of unfamiliar territory. This article is essentially a spotlight for indie comics that may have previously sailed under your radar, or perhaps even some of the most influential indie or alternative comics that simply deserve a second look. Either way, we want to inform those that may have never ventured outside of the big four (DC, Marvel, Image and Dark Horse) before, and encourage those who have to dig even deeper! Comics are much more than tights and superpowers, though even independent publishers have their fair share of those too. And as always, if you have any comments or suggestions, feel free to
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For this innagural edition of the Indie Double-Take, I thought it might be prudent to take a look at a book that released fairly recently and that I too have only just discovered: Com.x's Path, written and drawn by uber-talent Gregory S. Baldwin.
Path is instantly deceptive. When I'm "window shopping" for books in the bookstore, generally I glance over the back cover and then flip through the pages briefly. I did the same thing when I received Path, merely out of habit, and what I gathered is likely the same impression you would have gathered upon doing so: that Path is a tale about a rabbit named Doppler and an Elephant named Dodge that become quick pals and have an adventure together. While that essential plot holds true, taking Path at face value will only set you up for quite the shock when you start reading and you find out just how far down the rabbit hole this story goes.
The story does indeed begin with our rabbit hero, Doppler, serendipitously running into the elephant, Dodge, upon his escape from beastly creatures known as crocidogs. Doppler instantly latches onto Dodge when he discovers that the elephant is heading... somewhere, and the rabbit is determined to be anywhere other than where he started. The pair make their way, encountering different types of beasts and monsters until reaching their destination. Where Path really throws you is in its final pages, when Baldwin delivers the bombshell of just where Dodge had been headed all of this time, and how Doppler's role was essential in his arrival there. What emerges from a story that at first glance looks like a children's tale is a genuinely moving, thematically rich story that showcases the true power of comics.
Don't get me wrong: the heavy weight to the end of the book doesn't render Path inappropriate for kids. In fact, Path serves as a great entry way to get your children into reading, let alone comic books. This is a story that should be counted amongst the classic children's tales that have left a lasting impression over the years, that deliver a message so poignant but unexpected that it leaves the brain pondering it until you drift off to sleep, only to re-read it the very next day.
