The final Scott Pilgrim volume was released last year, ripping a manga-shaped hole in the heart of many comic fans, especially those who love self-aware, irreverently twee action/adventure. But the smart folks at Bergen Street Comics turned us on to something that will help fill the void for the comic fan on your list: Johnny Wander, a collection of one-page strips featuring the adventures of a group of friends entering the post-college world, from the point of view of comic-obsessed reluctant adults (who are fully aware of the Scott Pilgrim comparisons, btw). The just-released second volume will ring familiar: it’s a journey through the odds and odder ends of living in Brooklyn (where creators Ananth Panagariya and Yuko Ota now live), taking on cat care, fanboy shows at Trash Bar, the joys of the street furniture and the horors of the dreaded “Subway Fingers” (pictured left). Told through the overly dramatic emoji of manga comics, it’s instant chicken soup for anyone feeling the urban blues.
$15, Bergen Street Comics.