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COPRA by Michel Fiffe
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COPRA is Michel Fiffe's latest foray into self-published comics, following his love letter to the Ostrander era of Suicide Squad - Deathzone!, and his well recieved webcomic / print series Zegas.

 

Michel writes, pencils, inks, letters & colours each page of every book himself.

 

COPRA follows the formula set out in the Suicide Squad books it draws much influence from, but from the first page (heck even the first cover) this title obviously stands on their own.

 

I would highly, highly recommend picking this series up if you get the chance. The printing / paper quality alone is unlike anything you'll ever pick up from a major publisher.

 

Here's a recent blurb from Michel over on the Image Comics boards where he frequents the Erik Larsen section...

 

Hey [...] I've been selling out of issues for the most part, but compendiums have been kept in print!

 

Compendium One collects the first 3 issues, and Compendium Two collects 4-6. That's 76 of comics at a bargain, so get 'em while they last here: http://bergenstreetcomicspress.bigcartel.com

 

Copra.Compendium.Cover_1-674x1024.jpg

 

COMP-2-674x1024.jpg

 

I'm still trying to write, pencil, ink, color, scan, format and personally mail out every issue on a 4-6 week schedule. I still have issues 7 and 8 in stock (and 9 in a few weeks). You can get them from me here:

 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/whitehaus?section_id=11322732&ga_search_query=copra

 

A.jpg

 

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COPRA-EIGHT-cover-685x1024.jpg

 

UK readers and abroad: COPRA is easier to get now more than ever thanks to small press comics distributor, Impossible Books. They have a wide selection of stuff and their shipping rates should be reasonable:

 

http://impossiblebooks.com/product-tag/michel-fiffe/

 

Making COPRA remains a small, tight operation and while it is creator owned and independent, it still has to compete with the big boys & their marketing muscle. Give it a shot and find out why the critics aren't wrong when they describe COPRA as "the most interesting ongoing superhero comic"* which also "blends into some genuinely masterful storytelling that engages the reader on every level." ** But I'll let the work speak for itself.

 

And of course, let me know what you think when you do take the plunge.

 

* http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=47119

** http://comicsalliance.com/michel-fiffe-copra-review/

Edited by murch
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He gradually increased the print run up to 600 as of #6, and it's beyond that now (how much, I don't know). He's stopped numbering the books, though, as of #7.

 

There were also 2nd printings of #1 & 2 at the same print run which both sold out.

 

It really is a fantastic series, and quite unlike anything else out there right now.

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I really like this series! For anyone interested I believe you can still contact Michael and subscribe to the series by paying for a year's worth. Then he just mails it out to you :cloud9:

 

Still hunting down a First print of #1 and #2. :shy:

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Glad to see this finally getting some love around here. Love this series, it scratches my old school Suicide Squad itch.

 

When I first ordered I was concerned about the production quality, but they really are very sturdy and well made books.

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just got the first two trades in today and read them both and this book is awesome. Serious hit on his hands going here. The art the story the mood the paperstock, everything is perfect. Can't give this book enough praise

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More Fiffe / Copra love...

 

Copra Compendium #1 by Michel Fiffe. I haven’t read everything I got at the show yet, but this is my favorite read so far. How have I avoided this incredibly awesome comic up ’til now? I mean, I know Fiffe and I know people who like this comic a bunch, but even so I wasn’t prepared for how just utterly fantastic Copra is. This comic is sooooooooo good you guys.I am kicking myself very hard for not buying the second Compendium at the show.

 

Chris Mautner in his Five quick takeaways from SPX 2013 article over on Robot 6.

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COPRA #10 is here!

 

With the team's multi dimensional mission coming to a close, this issue focuses on sharpshooter Lloyd and his reluctant partner Boomer.

 

Order it here.

 

A few non-spoilery preview images & whatnot here.

 

Cover-10-674x1024.jpg

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I have his Deathzone/Suicide Squad comic, which i think had a 500 copy print-run...which he, i think, put out before the Copra books? Looked kind of neat. One shop near me is really pushing his stuff -- I think he's pals with them.

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I think that he's at around 800 copy print runs now.

 

As far as I know, these are the print runs...

 

#1 - 400

#1 (2nd print) - 400

#2 - 400

#2 (2nd print) - 400

#3 - 600

#4 - 600

#5 - 600

#6 - 600

#7 - 800

#8 - 800

#9 - 800

#10 - 800

 

Not sure what the print runs on the Compendiums have been, but #1 has gone to a second printing.

 

The print run on Deathzone was 300.

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Cover-11-674x1024.jpg

 

COPRA #11 is the penultimate chapter in this new action comic book series written, drawn & colored by Michel Fiffe.

 

With the team's outlaw status and multi dimensional adventures coming to a close, this issue brings everything to a close by ushering the latest, final portion of this vicious gauntlet.

 

Read more about it (and see some preview panels) here!

 

Buy it here!

 

I can only assume you missed clicking the above link to buy this comic if you're still reading this post - so here it is again.

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COPRA. NUMBER. TWELVE.

 

COPRA #12 is the final chapter in the acclaimed action comic book series written, drawn & colored by Michel Fiffe.

 

After a full year of tumultuous adventure and heartbreak, this issue brings us the last stretch of our gang's bloody, psychedelic saga. Details: COPRA is a 24 page comic in full color printed on cougar opaque stock & limited to a small print run.

 

The first major arc may be over, but COPRA doesn't end here, not by a long shot. Be on the lookout for the next, new chapter early 2014!

 

Preview it here.

 

Buy it here.

 

Read about it here.

 

Cover.12-686x1024.jpg

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Tim Callahan of CBR's When Worlds Collide deems Copra to be the best comic of 2013!

 

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=49880

 

1. "Copra," by Michel Fiffe

 

Copra-bd998.jpg

 

Listen: this is twelve issues in twelve months, written, drawn, colored, published, packaged, and shipped by one guy. So that deserves some attention right there. But that's not why it's my pick for THE BEST COMIC OF 2013.

 

Nope, it takes the #1 slot because it is the best comic book series of the year. It's as simple as that.

 

"Copra" is a superhero action comic that looks like a small-press comic (well, it is!) and it out-superheroes and out-actions all of the assembly-line comics that are much more likely to show up at your local shop. You probably can't even buy "Copra" from your local shop, unless you are really lucky and/or live near Bergen Street. You have to pick it up from Fiffe himself, at one of his convention appearances or order issues from his Etsy store. Each issue does have a hand-made artifact kind of feel -- that cardstock cover, that thick paper, those lush colors -- and the aesthetics of the production do contrast nicely with the gritty Suicide Squad nature of the stories.

 

And all 12 issues of "Copra" are one big story, but in classic superhero fashion, we have smaller story arcs, and a breather issue where everyone is recovering back at the HQ, and an overarching mystery about the supreme villain and even an epilogue that pays off exceedingly well if you've been paying attention in previous issues.

 

"Copra" may have started off as Fiffe's experiment to break "the Kirby barrier" and crank out some comics without hesitation, and he may have used the template of John Ostrander and Luke McDonnell and John Romita, Jr. and Michael Fleisher and Vince Giarrano and Steve Ditko and others to model his characters and storylines, but this series doesn't feel like Fiffe doing an impression of any of those guys. And it's not even that his artwork radically changes from the first issue to the last. Fiffe is Fiffe. His style is fully-formed, and so the effect is an alternate reality where he actually gets an opportunity to do his version of something like the Suicide Squad and bring his sensibility to the property in such a way where we would look back, years later, and say, "remember that Fiffe run on 'Suicide Squad'? Wasn't that an amazing 12 issues???"

 

All of that context is bundled up in these twelve "Copra" comics. And they are sad and tragic and exciting and mind-altering and comforting and surprising. They are the best superhero comics of the year. The best comics, of any kind, this year.

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