The Complete Tales from the Con

As the ever-sprawling world of comic conventions continues to engulf and magnify the once-marginal world of fandom, the subculture of convention-goers has remained relatively unexplored. Coming to the rescue is this collection of strips (previously published online) that both celebrate and ever so lightly spoof this traveling show of fanboys, cosplayers, and artists. Drawn with bright, zippy colors, the strips rarely stretch longer than two or three frames and hold tight to a one-gag rule. The targets, if you can call them that, include overenthusiastic fans, the frustrations of long lines and high vendor prices, panel discussions, the ubiquity of Kickstarter, and the enticements of barely clothed “booth girls.” The strictly con-related humor is interspersed with geek-centric gags— Jay and Silent Bob, playing Frisbee with Captain America (ill-advised), Star Wars ephemera—that aren’t so much humorous as totems of cultural belonging. This is a marshmallow of a book, light and fluffy fun. (Mar.)