Pawn Shop is an original graphic novel about the intertwining lives of four strangers in the ecosystem of New York City, connected by the streets they walk on and the people they touch. Following a lonely widower, a struggling Long Island Railroad employee, a timid hospice nurse, and a drug-addled punk, Pawn Shop explores the big things that separate us and the little moments that inexplicably unite us.
Written by Joey Esposito (Footprints) and drawn by Sean Von Gorman (Toe Tag Riot), Pawn Shop is a slice-of-life tale that weaves together separate lives to celebrate the ever-changing nature of New York City and the people that make it the greatest city in the world.
Praise for Pawn Shop:
“Most people hear ‘comics’ and they think of super-heroic feats, world-conquering villains and galactic armadas. Big stories, told on larger-than-life canvasses. Pawn Shop is a much rarer breed: a small story, well told. Or rather, small stories that intertwine in clever, compelling fashion. Joey Esposito and his artist collaborators have pulled off an admirable feat here, engaging readers with heartfelt humanity.” – Ron Marz
“Pawn Shop manages to excel where most mainstream releases have recently faltered by presenting the Reader with relatable, remarkable and cripplingly REAL characters. And we’re better for it.” – Bryan Q. Miller
“With four stories of love, loss, pain and hope, Pawn Shop is at its heart both a memorable love letter to New York City and a touching study on the interconnectedness of us. Not only does Joey Esposito cement his status as a creator on the rise, but even more impressively relays a message of compassion and respect in a cynical world. After a visit to Pawn Shop, that stranger next to you on the subway train might be more important than you thought.” -USA Today
“This quiet, contemplative examination of intertwined lives in New York City resembles the work of Will Eisner… There’s a melancholy to Esposito’s tapestry, but it’s not without hope. Von Gorman’s art is reminiscent of Matt Kindt and depicts characters and surroundings with the right balance of softness and craggy realism.” – Publishers Weekly
“With such attention to the nuances of daily life, the yearning for purpose, and the drive to change one’s self, Pawn Shop is the kind of story that would earn an Oscar if it were a movie. I guess Joey Esposito and Sean Von Gorman will just have to settle for an Eisner. Esposito weaves a slice of life tale around a New York City Pawn Shop that cuts deep into your heart, forcing you to watch his characters make sense of their lives as well as reconsider your own. With Von Gorman’s expressive watercolors telling the story of these four troubled souls, the reader becomes immersed in their interconnected hopes, pains, and dreams.” -IGN
“Pawn Shop is more than just a story–it’s a journey through the lives of ordinary people told in an extraordinary way. Everyone has their own story. Sometimes they’re interconnected. Watch as Joey Esposito weaves their tales together in a way that will capture your attention while bring a smile to your face and possibly some tears as well.” – Comic Vine
“Each character gets a chapter in the book, and each character experiences a story that is at once a self-contained journey toward self-discovery as well as a small piece in a larger tableau. Yes, each character struggles and overcomes and grows individually, but Esposito always maintains that characterization of ‘A’ rather than ‘THE.’ In other words, Pawn Shop really is about all ‘the lonely souls haunting New York City’ and the world. Yes, he imbues each character with idiosyncratic personalities, but he is sure to shoot for his larger motif throughout: for every individual story of sorrow and sacrifice, heroism and compassion, and love and death, there is always going to be a larger human narrative about the quest for connection.” – Talking Comics
“The Essex County Trilogy for New Yorkers… One of the most fascinating things about life is the complex web of daily human interactions. It’s never ending domino effect. Every action, small or large, can have a profound effect on those around us. Most of these moments, these intersecting spokes on the cosmic wheel of time, go completely unnoticed. In Pawn Shop, Esposito and Von Gorman weave a fictional web of hope, loss, fear, redemption, courage, and love, told across one the most iconic hives of human highs and lows; New York City.” – Multiversity Comics
“Pawn Shop is the kind of book you can’t put down, a brisk read that seems to end far too soon. So often the heart of a book is lost to snappy dialogue and nonsensical happenings, yet the characters of Pawn Shop proudly display theirs for the world to see. Esposito and Von Gorman have delivered a truly affecting debut, one that lingers long after the final page is turned. It’s about moving forward, about dealing with the past without being beholden to it, about connecting with those in the present, the here, the now. Life is about moments, and one reading Pawn Shop is a moment well spent.” – Comic Attack
“Esposito’s story is meaningful and engaging and Von Gorman’s art fits perfect with the story. If you’ve ever had to deal with hard times, it shouldn’t take you long to build a connection with the characters. I seriously recommend reading this book. If you like it, pass the word. Pawn Shop is a great story for non comic book readers as well and shows there is more to comics than capes and bat-a-rangs.” – Comic Crusaders