Boots N Booze #3 (Pirates Press Records)

When I received the first volume of Boots N Booze, I thought this would be a one-off project, but I was completely wrong. It gradually became so popular that Pirates Press recently released the third issue. And there’s no wonder since skinhead-related comic books were always a rarity in one way or another. For those unfamiliar with this graphic novel, Boots N Booze explores tales of a Santa Cruz skinhead crew based on the events that happened during the 80s. Therefore, it will be a treat for those readers interested in skinhead, reggae, ska, and mod lifestyle. However, I highly advise you to check out this and other volumes of Boots N Booze even if you’re not into streetpunk, reggae, ska, rocksteady, and mod sound because these stories are hilarious. There’s no doubt you’ll have a great time reading them.

As you probably know by now, Boots N Booze collects several authors and illustrators, so each story has a different storytelling and artistic approach. Of course, I will not spoil the reading experience for you by diving deep into the content, but I can tell you won’t be disappointed if you purchase this or other issues of Boots N Booze. With impressive visual aesthetics and funny stories like these, this graphic novel will throw you into a completely different universe full of situations you can relate to in one way or another. You’ll get the impression that you’ve been reading stories written by professional writers, and there’s no wonder that’s the case. Boots N Booze crew consists of skilled zinesters, illustrators, tattoo artists, and graffiti artists, so that’s the main reason why this graphic novel looks incredible. This issue includes stories and artworks of Joel Loya, James Reitano, Eric Shea, Rob Sporleder, Dannyboy Smith, Misty Hecht, Courtney Schamach, and John Bush, so there are plenty of reasons why you should pick this one up.

Speaking of quality, Pirates Press always comes first to mind, and that’s the case with this third issue of Boots N Booze. Like previous volumes, Pirates Press printed this one in full color on semi-glossed, high-quality paper. The thick full-color cardboard cover is another positive detail about this issue, so there’s no doubt it will last for years if you take decent care of it. But there’s more. Pirates Press included an official debut single by Speciall Interest, Santa Cruz’s own original 1980s ska band. Their 2-tone sound perfectly matches the content of this graphic novel, so there’s one more reason to pick this one up. You can choose between blood red, beer, and standard black vinyl variants, limited to 500 copies each. Head to the Pirates Press Records web store for more information about ordering.