Comic anthologies with a theme aren’t new, but when has there ever been a comic anthology on roller derby? Well, never really. I was pleased to discover the new book from Oni Press titled, Jam! Tales From the World of Roller Derby featuring stories and art from folks like Eric Powell (the Goon), Ray Fawkes, (the Apocalypstix) , and Rick Lacy (the Venture Bros.) as they team up with real life roller derby pros.

The stories range from slice of life portrayals of Roller Derby girls to cartoonish, adventurous fun. Each story has its own distinct flavor and is a great show case for all of the contributing artists and writers. For those of you not familiar with Roller Derby, it’s a sport that involves roller skates, a circular banked track, and is primarily a sport for ladies with a touch of DIY punk rock aesthetic. Points are scored when a player known as a jammer laps a member of the opposing team. Scoring points isn’t easy as a jammer has to contend with defensive players known as blockers who’s goal is to knock you down by any means necessary. Lost? I suggest you check out St. Louis’ own pro roller derby team, the Arch Rival Roller Girls. I’m sure they can show you how it’s done.

Another fun fact about this book: It features a story by former Star Clipper manager April (Chewblocka) Bozada- Armstrong titled Poor Frankie. Seriously, this is a super fun book!

-Jim

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