Posted By Dan Greenfield on Nov 21, 2025 | 1 comment

FRANCO’S FREE-FOR-ALL FRIDAYS!

By FRANCO

I want to start with a super-special thanks to my pal and comic store partner Mike Pellerito for this week’ column. I was talking to him about ideas for this and being so close to Thanksgiving (yes, we are that close!) he suggested pairing food in our area with comics.

I thought: “What a great idea!” If there’s anything we do when we visit Aw Yeah Comics in beautiful downtown Harrison, N.Y., it’s talk about comics (yeah, I know, no big surprise there). But then we go get food and… talk more about comics!

So, silly as it may be, I took his suggestion and ran with it. I reached out to my other partner in crime at AYC, Marc Hammond, about his comics suggestions and I now present to you the AYCNY pairing list, with food suggestions for your comics-reading day:

Never forget: There’s always shawarma.

Because you know you will be dining out with the crew later, maybe start with a bowl of cereal and something bright and fun to read.

My go-to would be Honey Nut Cheerios with a banana and some (shameless plug here) Chase Speedington and the Last Dragons’s Breath (out now from Papercutz, written by me!). It’s the perfect adventure romp with a light premise and humor to get your day started. Or if you’re the Fruit Loops type, Archie Comics (especially any by Dan Parent) would get you going.

Smash burgers for lunch? My choice would be La Rosa’s pizzeria, in New Rochelle.

What? A pizza place for smash burgers? Yup, you heard me correctly. This one’s a bit farther from the store but worth it. With a stack full of smashing action. I would go with a good run of Invincible comics. Lots of smashing of things between those pages. Or if you are looking for something new, I recommend the Matt Fraction and Jorge Jimenez’s current Batman series.

Batman #5 variant by Julian Totino Tedesco. Even crimefighters have to eat.

If burgers aren’t your thing, there’s Casa di Italia if you’re looking for an amazing sandwich. I’d pick the chicken (or eggplant) with broccoli rabe; crunch with a little bit of bitter goes with Blankets by Craig Thompson or I Kill Giants by Joe Kelly & Ken Niimura.

Maybe you need some quiet and thoughtful reflection in the late afternoon. How about a nice cup of hot chocolate or coffee at the Laughing Horse, with an almond croissant, paired with Avengers: The Veracity Trap by Chip Kidd and Michael Cho. Or maybe a muffin or scone, then go with Terry Moore’s Strangers in Paradise, or go real crazy with anything chocolate chip and a heaping helping of Bill Watterson’s all-time classic Calvin and Hobbes.

Marc’s favorite

This is a lot of food so far, but after all of this we might end up as a group for dinner, right down the street at our favorite Italian restaurant, Vivolo, where they have pretty much amazing everything, We’ll sit and plan an art exhibit for the spring of next year at the store.

So, if it’a fancy/fantastic dinner, then multi-layered and thought-provoking is your thing. Try Bitter Root by David F. Walker, Chuck Brown, and Sanford Greene; Fables by Billy Willingham and Mark Buckingham; or FML by Kelly Sue DeConnick and David Lopez.

Me, Marc, and Mike, with our pal Ben Houx

Bonus! Dessert! Sugary and fun! Some tiramisu and I Hate Fairyland by Skottie Young with Brett Bean and Derek Laufman. Or if you want an obscure bit of whimsy, find a copy of Tales From the Bully Pulpit by Benito Cereno and Graeme MacDonald.

Boy, now I’ve made myself hungry. I’m going to grab a bite — and a good comic!

Happy Friday! And Happy (early) Thanksgiving!

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Want more FRANCO’S FREE-FOR-ALL FRIDAYS? Come back next week!

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MORE

— DARWYN COOKE: A Champion — and a Champion for Us Cartoonists. Click here.

— Get Ready for CHASE SPEEDINGTON AND THE LAST DRAGON’S BREATH. Click here.

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Franco and his forehead have traveled the world and he writes and draws stuff. Franco is the creator, artist and writer of Patrick the Wolf Boy and Aw Yeah Comics! Franco has worked on books/comics, including Tiny Titans and Superman Family Adventures. Franco was also a high-school teacher and is one of the principal owners of Aw Yeah Comics retail stores. Dan made Franco add that he has won three Eisners.