BOOM! Studios; $4.99

Private investigator Will Profane is investigating the death of Spud Coltrane. But things take a very weird turn when Will discovers that he is in fact a fictious character in Coltrane’s gumshoe novels. Now, he must process this revelation and keep the investigation moving without the guidance of Coltrane’s writing.

Profane by Peter Milligan, artist Raül Fernandez, and colorist Giada Marchisio is a love letter to early 20th century detective stories with big meta twists. Will Profane comes off like any hardboiled, whiskey soaked private eye – which makes sense since he’s the star of a series of detective novels. So when his creator is killed, Will must rely on what he’s learned from past experiences, rather than be guided by the author, to solve his murder. This issue gets even more meta when Will explores the differences between fiction and non-fiction worlds.

-Amanda Sheriff