Reviews
Sucked me in!
"I really enjoyed the story and art. It was quite immersive with the characters thoroughly fleshed out and the environment felt both realistic and tangible. It had many twists and turns which left me uncertain where it would lead. I am really looking forward to the next part!"
— Jeff S. (5/5)
Killer!
"And you thought a waitress's phone number was the coolest thing you could get on a cocktail napkin? Fantastic story that packs every bit of a punch as the classic noir stories of yesteryear! Clipped dialogue, characters as seedy as the city they live in, and best of all, a main character beaten within an inch of his life! What else do you need? The only complaint is that I wish some of the drawings were a little bigger."
— J. W. (5/5)
Incredible storytelling and illustration
"It feels gritty, funny, a little chaotic, and completely lived-in. Mitchell Reichgut’s writing has this wonderfully conversational quality that makes the characters feel like people you might actually encounter in a bar, hospital waiting room, or on a late-night subway ride. There’s darkness here, but it’s balanced with humor and a surprising amount of humanity. What really makes the book memorable, though, is the artwork. The illustrations on cocktail napkins give everything an intimate, almost found-object quality, like you’ve stumbled across someone’s private sketchbook while the story unfolds around it. I loved how imperfect and tactile it all feels. The drawings aren’t simply illustrations alongside the writing; they become part of the atmosphere and storytelling itself. It’s inventive, irreverent, visually distinctive, and full of personality. Smalltime Comics feels like something genuinely different—and that’s increasingly rare."
— Niko J. (5/5)
A dark, modern noir with a twist
"Unique take on a classic pulp noir! Thoroughly enjoyed and the cocktail napkin illustrations are ingenious!"
— Jared B. (5/5)
Textured, inspired, human
"A fun, atmospheric story threading strands of crime fiction, film noir title cards, and dive-bar ephemera, all coalescing into an inspired yarn."
— Sam Z. (5/5)
keeping you at the edge of your seat
"What I liked about the book : 1. The Champagne tissue artstyle of the illustration captures the vibe of the writing perfectly making it a visual feast for the eyes. 2. The story was simple but interesting and the writing style of Mitchell Reichgut make the story worth coming back to. The writing style is not complicated and easy to read along with the illustrations. 3. The Characters are very good I definitely appreciate the diversity of the cast but I think "Kevin Loomis" and Detective "Abe Marion" are standouts in the cast of characters. Kevin Loomis remind me a lot of the writer 😭. 4. Another thing I love how Retro it feels when the story is based on the modern world with modern tech. It feels so good I love the 1950s bar feeling, this book smells like champagne in a dimly lit bar. What I didn't liked about the book. 1. Despite being very short the pacing can be a bit too fast and that leads to most characters having very short time to develop. 2. I know it's a hybrid Comic but it would've been better if it was a fully illustrated comic book. The hybrid can sometimes be confusing. 3. This is personal but I'm not happy that Roberta La Vista died so quickly she was my favorite girl in the book. Overall thoughts : I enjoy reading this book and it was offered to me by the writer for free so it holds a special memory for me 💖 I give it 4 star because it's very good and enjoyable to read even with my criticism I recommend you to read it."
— Hossain J. (4/5)
An Impressive Start
""Smalltime Comics" is a bit of a misnomer, maybe, given that it's really a serialized illustrated story, but fans of the THRILLING DETECTIVE web site ought to get a real kick out of it. Written and drawn by indie comic guy Mitchell Reighgut, Book One, "Deer in the Headlights," drops in September, via places like Reddit, Instagram, DeviantArt, and a few other platforms, and follows veteran NYPD Detective Abe Marion as he wades through a morass of too much booze, drugs, guns, crooked cops, assorted thugs, hookers friendly and otherwise, and a loser cartoonist who is the victim of a late night hit-and-run accident. Or was it an accident? It'll be interesting to see where Mitch takers this."
— Kevin S. (4/5)
Great storytelling and narrative
"Really great story and amazing illustrations. I hope to see more from Smalltime Comics."
— Tyler D. (5/5)
Moody Modern Noir
"This fast paced story is gritty and beautifully illustrated. A serialized story that had a cliff hanger that I can’t wait to see unfold in future chapters. High stakes work place politics are also featured in both the police station and underworld create some interesting parallels. The characters are unfolding nicely and I hope will continue in future installments."
— Joy A. (5/5)
Cannot Wait For Next Episode!
"Fully engaged from page 1. Truly fun to read and captured my attention throughout. The illustrations perfectly emphasized the bleak and desperate mood you created with your words. I visited your website and watched and read everything. Truly a feat. Congratulations on everything you have accomplished! And so wonderful that 100% of profits are donated to college education funds for at-risk students. I cannot wait for the next episodes!"
— donna (5/5)
