A Hundred Thousand Worlds

Proehl lovingly illustrates the world of fan culture in this debut novel, presenting an accessible story with plenty of insider shout-outs for the true nerds. Years prior, on the heels of a terrible tragedy, Valerie Torrey ran away from a successful career on television. On "Anomaly," an X-Files%E2%80%93type show that inspired a rabid fan base, she and Andrew Rhodes played a time-traveling duo; off the set, they conceived a son. The story unfolds as Val drives their son, Alex, cross-country from Brooklyn to Los Angeles to reunite with Andrew. Alex hasn't seen his father in six years. At nine, he is small for his age and full of wonder, and right at the border of a more adult understanding of the world. Val hasn't told Alex that she'll return to New York without him. Instead she plans the road trip to coincide with her appearances at a number of comics conventions dotted across the country, and, as they draw closer to Los Angeles, doles out stories to Alex from the show that brought his parents together and tore them apart. Along the way, Val and Alex meet Brett, an illustrator who is touring to support his indie comic "Lady Stardust," and Gail Pope, a woman writing a series owned by one of the two major comic book distributors. Gail provides insight into the insular world of professional comic books. The prose can feel a bit heavy-handed in its earnestness, but this is an ambitious debut effort, and Proehl conveys his deep affection for comics and the people who build their life around them. (June)