SO BUTTONS #5 by Jonathan Baylis & Various

http://sobuttons.com

$2

Jonathan Baylis continues writing his own little cottage industry of self-published mini-comics under the So Buttons banner. The fifth issue is a short(er) one, but a strong effort that pays cover tribute to Baylis’ first Jack Kirby comic, with Tom “Godland” Scioli riffing on Captain America #212. Maybe the best quality of Baylis as a creator is his affable storytelling; you just can’t *not* like the writing. He also reels in the artistic talent here. Boatwright nails the secretive aspects of the story he contributes to, Westover nails the emotional content, and my personal favorite, Noah Van Sciver, has a way with his downtrodden aesthetic that bursts with complex glances and concepts hitting close to home. The connective tissue in all of these disparate stories seems to be the secret to life found in the simple joys, be it the perfect coffee blend, some amazing slow-cooked brisket, or a friend’s humor lightening a weary movie. Grade A.