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.
Author
Joey Esposito grew up in New England reading comic books, playing video games, renting movies, and writing stories. After high school, Joey attended film school in New York. In college, Joey honed his writing skills, which he soon applied to his love of prose and comics. After moonlighting as Long Island’s premier Starbucks barista, Joey wrote his first creator-owned comic book series, FOOTPRINTS (with Jonathan Moore), which was featured in USA Today’s Best of 2011 roundup and inspired a sequel, FOOTPRINTS: BAD LUCK CHARM, in 2014. His all-ages superhero series CAPTAIN ULTIMATE (with Ben Bailey and Boy Akkerman) was released in 2013 to overwhelming positive reception and his 2015 graphic novel, PAWN SHOP (with Sean Von Gorman), was released to critical acclaim. In 2017, he was accepted into DC Comics’ exclusive Writers Workshop. Since his time in the program, Joey has published stories featuring major characters like Batman, Robin, Harley Quinn, Aquaman, and many more on titles such as BATMAN: URBAN LEGENDS, AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM, and more to be announced. His comic book work has also appeared at Image Comics, Valiant Comics, Archie Comics, and others. In 2024, his new creator-owned series with PAWN SHOP co-creator Sean von Gorman, THE PEDESTRIAN, debuted from Magma Comix. He lives in Maine with his wife and pets in a house full of soulmates. He can be found on BlueSky at @joeyesposito.bsky.social.
