Fishtown

• The highly acclaimed and Xeric Award-winning series about the murder of a sixteen-year-old boy by four teenagers in the Fishtown section of Philadelphia, PA, originally serialized as a weekly webcomic, is now collected into a deluxe hardcover form. Inspired by real events, Colden’s story explores what led the teens to commit such a heinous crime.

In the working-class Fishtown area of Philadelphia, four teens share a bleak existence. Abuse, drugs, and apathy constitute an ever-present backdrop, and this environment of despair eventually leads to murder. Justin, Keith, Adrian, and Angelica devise a crude plan to kill a mutual acquaintance, although it’s unclear if it’s for the money or the thrill. The story is told through disjointed flashbacks and narratives as the teens are interviewed by police, shedding little light on the motives behind their violent, impulsive actions. While this style can seem a bit disorderly, the feeling of unsettled anarchy it conjures suits the story well. The teens seem to have no more idea why they did what they did than do the faceless adults around them. Colden’s art, with its sharp, angular line work and color-wash of dirty yellows and blues with hints of muted red, gives the book the look of stylized, modern noir, which increases an aura of disconnection. Originally serialized on the Web, Colden’s Xeric Award winner was based on real events. --Tina Coleman