Abbey Luck on Pig Wife

We want everyone who needs this comic to find this comic. Pig Wife astonished us both, but our first encounter with it rocked us so hard we needed weeks to process it. After that, Pig Wife took root, and we’ve carried the comic ever since, processing much of our daily lives through its lens. Lisa read it first, early in the year. As she turned through its pages, the temperature around her seemed to increase. The book affected her chemistry, challenged her perspective, morphing with her as she morphed around it. Brad read Pig Wifesecond, and we’ve talked about little else until this week, when cartoonist Abbey Luck joined us on the podcast for a comprehensive discussion. Published by Top Shelf Productions, Pig Wife recounts the tale of Mary, a young girl dragged to a remote mining town by her mother and stepdad. Living in dead aunt Pearl’s house triggers a familial confrontation that sends Mary through a trapdoor, leading to an abandoned gold mine. There, she meets those who live below, and nothing will ever be the same again. We discuss Pig Wife’s origins with Abbey Luck, who she initially imagined her audience to be, and how her relationship with surrealism captured a profound honesty about people. Pig Wife is a lot, and may not be for every reader, but for those who connect with it, as we did, they will mark Pig Wife as one of the year’s best books, and maybe one of the best books of the twenty-first century. Pig Wife is out now in paperback. It’s written by Abbey Luck with art by Luck and Ruka Bravo. Make sure you’re following Luck on Instagram. Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode: Subscribe to the Comic Book Couples Counseling YouTube Channel Watch The Stacks, Comic Creators Name Their Favorite Comics The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art: Extended Patreon Review Subscribe to the CBCC Newsletter IDW Superlatives: Brad vs. Chris Hacker Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. This Week's Sponsors The Cryptid Hacker Force is a team of Cryptid Hackers who are responsible for covering up Cryptid Sightings. They are based in Scotland because the world's biggest camera hog is the Loch Ness Monster, and whenever someone gets a photo of her, the team has to go into action to blur photos and delete Instagram posts. This is a lovingly irreverent take on Cryptids in the mode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Issue #1 was entirely self-funded and has been a huge hit for Green Archer Comics, and today, they’re Kickstarting issue #2 to reach a wider audience (but don't worry, you can still grab issue #1 if you missed it). Cryptid Hacker Force is written by brothers Allan and Benn Liska, illustrated by Kieran Squires, with a main cover by our friend and fave, Sarah Myer, of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Saturday Morning Adventures. Click here to back the Kickstarter! Art fans, character-design lovers, and anyone who appreciates anime-influenced illustration, you’re going to want to check this out. Reminiscent: Zeronis Art is a new art book celebrating the work of acclaimed character and concept artist Paul “Zeronis” Kwon! The book is now live on Kickstarter from Clover Press. Whether you know his work from League of Legends or you’re discovering his art for the first time, Reminiscent offers a look at years of incredible artwork and the evolution of Zeronis’s unmistakable style. This 152-page deluxe hardcover book collects character concepts, portraits, original designs, and much more! Select Kickstarter tiers include a limited-edition slipcase, exclusive print sets, sticker sheets, a collectible numbered lithograph, and high-end acrylic prints. Reminiscent: Zeronis Art is live on Kickstarter now. Visit the campaign and make your pledge today! We’re cutting the Law down to size! As Judge Dredd celebrates fifty years of publication in 2027, now is the time to read his stories from the beginning. Judge Dredd: The Compact Crimes begins in January 2027 - a new series of compact comics featuring the Lawman of the Future. Collecting his original stories right from the start, this is the perfect way to try out Judge Dredd for the first time. Printed in compact size, each volume is filled with the sharp satire, keen wit, and all-out action Dredd is known for. Each volume costs only $12.99, with a new volume releasing every month in 2027 – so you can keep your Law in Order! This September, obsession, exploration, and terror take center stage at IDW Publishing! On September 9th, fandom turns fatal in Fixation #1. A beloved vampire franchise. A small mountain town packed with superfans. And a killer hiding in plain sight. If you love twist-filled mysteries, true-crime tension, and stories where obsession turns frightening, this one’s for you. Then, a new era begins with Star Trek #1! Captain Seven of Nine leads the Enterprise-G beyond known space, relocating a dying civilization to the mysterious Epsilon Corridor. The future of Star Trek begins here. (Pick up the exclusive Local Comic Store Day cover!) And on September 23rd, kickoff becomes a nightmare in Smile: Any Given Smile #1. It’s the championship game of the decade. Big game. Big money. And a killer smile spreading through the crowd. Ask your local comic shop to pre-order today and start your September with IDW.