Ah, August, the dead-zone of summer. It’s a slow time of year for everything, especially comics. This year is no exception. The big summer events promised by Marvel and DC have sort of petered out—Marvel’s “House of M” crossover is lackluster and disappointing, and DC’s “Infinite Crisis” storyline doesn’t actually kick into gear until September. Things are even quiet on the indie-comics front, with no major releases scheduled for several months. But August is not a total wasteland. Here’s a look at a pair of books that should get you through until the four-color treats promised at this summer's conventions arrive in stores.

Go into just about any bookstore from May through August and you're sure to find a table full of "summer reads" that fall into one of two categories. There's the "classics," books you've never read but probably should have, and there are the rolling mounds of cheap paperbacks by John Grisham, Danielle Steele and the usual "beach read" authors. Sometimes, neither option is appealing-"Catch 22" isn't exactly lighthearted summer fare, and there's a limit to how many tales of plucky young attorneys/ detectives/ heiresses one can read. There's a third option, though, one that's far more unique, entertaining and currently in vogue-comics.