The end of a short month....
Fantagraphics Books
Tales Designed to Thrizzle #7 by by Michael Kupperman
In this issue Quincy, M.E. makes his comic book debut, struggling through the fantastic landscapes of his own dreams in Quinception, in which St. Peter also gets his own comic book. Snake n Bacon make an appearance in Reservoir Dogs 2, where the gang reunites for another caper. Twain and Einstein deal with some family issues, and a special section of History Comics presents the story of the Kennedy/Nixon debate and the incredible saga of Bertrand DeCoupeur, alias The Scythe! 32 pgs, FC, 6.75 x 9.5 $4.50
Lee: Ok, I’ve read the hype about this for a long time but never picked it up. Then last week Greg starts talking about how Kupperman suddenly has a book out for Marvel. Now I definitely have to see what’s going on with this.
Gwen: I can't say I'm terribly drawn by this as it's a bit hard to tell what it's about. It seems like it could be interesting but I'd need a little more information before picking it up.
GC Press LLC
EC Archives: Haunt of Fear Vol. 01 HC by (W/A) Various
The hauntingly spectacular artwork by legendary comic artists such as Johnny Craig, Wally Wood, Jack Kamen, Graham Ingels, Jack Davis, Feldstein, and Kurtzman has been fully restored in this first volume of The Haunt of Fear, which reprints the first six issues, twenty-four stories orinally published in 1950 and 1951. $49.95
Lee: Until we had the guest post a last month, I thought that everyone loved old EC material. I thought it was one of those timeless classic things that everyone appreciated. Guess I was wrong. Oh well, I still love these stories and can’t wait to read them again. This is another excellent collection if you can afford it.
Gwen: Yeah, hard to love the old horror comics from before I was born... actually these are from before my Dad was born! I actually do have a few friends into the older horror comics and while this may not be my cup of tea it looks like a good collection.
Humanoids Inc
Eyes of the Cat Deluxe HC by (W) Alexandro Jodorowsky (A) Moebius
The very first graphic storytelling collaboration between two masters of the medium, Alexandro Jodorowsky and Moebius. In a desolate dreamscape world, a man, a bird, and a cat interact in a unique apocalyptic yet poetic fashion. Published in the English language for the very first time, and presented in a giant sized collector's edition, in a limited and numbered printing of only 750 copies! 56 pgs, $69.95
Lee: Yes this is outrageously expensive for a low page count but it’s worth the investment. The story and art will be outstanding so you will enjoy that part. And, because of the low print run, it will maintain value for a very long time to come. As a reference point, the IDW Artists Editions are selling for 2-3x original price. If you can swing it, it’s worth it.
Gwen: Wow, way out of my price range right now... but I really want it. Really :(
Metaphrog
Louis - Red Letter Day HC by (W/A) Metaphrog
Louis and his companion FC are two inhabitants of a simple hamlet. Louis hungers for adventure and this tale follows his attempts to live his dreams. Designed to frighten and amuse children of all ages, this scary-cute story will make you laugh and cry. The multiple Eisner and Ignatz award nominee Louis: Red Letter Day has had a makeover and is now back in print, in an entirely redrawn and repainted edition with beautiful hand-painted artwork. 68 pgs, $14.99
Lee: Ok, this was nominated for 2 Eisners and an Ignatz award. That’s a pretty remarkable accomplishment and that alone makes it worth reading. But who in their right mind advertises a book as “frighten and amuse children?” Seriously? That’s just what I want to do, read my kid a book that will give her nightmares before going to bed. Awful hype for a book that’s probably worth reading.
Gwen: Some kids like to be scared - I loved scary movies as a teenager. Of course I watched the movie rendition of Steven King's Cat's Eye when I was about 6 or 7 and had nightmares for months - so maybe it depends on how old your kids are as to whether it will frighten or amuse them.
Oni Press Inc.
Rascal Raccoon's Raging Revenge Vol. 01 HC by (W) Brendan Hay (A/C) Justin Wagner
Welcome to Toonie Terrace, home of the fun-loving Toonies and their jealous, bitter rivals, the Meanies. For all their shenanigans, no Meanie has ever murdered a Toonie? until now. After thousands of painful failed attempts, Rascal Raccoon has finally killed his arch-nemesis, the charming and adorable Jumpin Jackalope. Rascal is overjoyed, but there's one problem: what does he do now? With nothing left to obsess over, Rascal's life falls apart. Fortunately, he soon finds a new target for his anger: the animator who created him! $24.99
Lee: It's not hard to recognize this as Wile E. and Road R. but that's ok. Some of my favorite Bugs Bunny episodes were the ones where Bugs was the animator for Daffy and Elmer for Bugs. If this captures even a small portion of those classics it should be good.
Gwen: Hah, cute idea but what really sells it is the excellent cover.
Twomorrows Publishing
Stan Lee & Jack Kirby: Wonder Years SC by (W) Mark Alexander
Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Fantastic Four #1 with this new book about the two pop-culture visionaries who created the Marvel Universe and a decade in comics that was more tumultuous and awe-inspiring than any before or since. Calling on his years of research, plus new interviews conducted just for this book, regular Jack Kirby Collector contributor Mark Alexander traces both Lee and Kirby's history at Marvel Comics, and the remarkable series of events and career choices that led them to converge in 1961 to conceive the Fantastic Four. It also documents the evolution of the FF throughout the 1960s, with previously unknown details about Lee and Kirby's working relationship, and their eventual parting of ways in 1970. With a wealth of of historical information and amazing Kirby artwork, Stan Lee & Jack Kirby: The Wonder Years beautifully examines the first decade of the FF, and the events that put into motion the 1960s era that came to be known as the Marvel Age of Comics. 128 pgs, tabloid size. $19.95
Lee: There’s been a lot written about the early days of Marvel but this sounds like the cliff notes version. That isn’t meant to be negative in any way, and in fact I think this is great. It’s a great way to look into one of the greatest periods in comics both in terms of creativity and personalities.
Gwen: As much as I creators I follow and admire I usually want to read their comics, not about their history. There are exceptions of course, like the interview book between Frank Miller and Will Eisner, but I'm not are interested in Kirby and Lee at the moment. It's a good focus for looking at their history though.
Universe/Cassell
1001 Comics You Must Read Before You Die edited by Paul Gravett
Over the centuries, comic books and their offshoots, such as graphic novels, and bandes dessinées have evolved into a phenomenally popular, influential, and unique art form with which we can express our opinions, our fantasies, our nightmares, and our dreams. In short: comics are emphatically no longer just for kids. This diverse, constantly evolving medium is truly coming into its own in the 21st century, from Hollywood’s blockbuster adaptations of super-powered caped crusaders to the global spread of Japan’s manga and its spinoffs, and from award-winning graphic novels such as Maus and Persepolis to new forms such as online webcomix. But comics also have a long and rich history, dating back at least to the Swiss teacher Rodolphe Topffer in the early 19th century, and far earlier in China. 1001 Comic Books You Must Read Before You Die is the perfect introduction to this dynamic and globally popular medium. There have been other guides to the best comic books, but none has embraced every genre and scoured the globe to glean the very greatest works of sequential art, graphic literature, bandes dessinees, tebeos, fumetti, manga, manhwa, komiks, strips, historietas, quadrinhos, beeldverhalen, and plain old comics. This authoritative guide is organized according to the year of first publication in the country of origin. An opening section acknowledges pioneering pre-1900 masterpieces, followed by sections divided by decade, creating a fascinating year-by-year chronicle of the comics medium worldwide. 960 pgs, $36.95
Lee: This looks AWESOME. A couple of years ago Tony Isabella did the same thing but that read more like a fanboy picking out cool comics from his collection. It was fun but not always terribly insightful. This looks to be more comprehensive and scholarly.
Gwen: Neat idea. Especially for people who only read a few comics here and there and don't see much outside of the usual books they pick up. I'd be interested to flip through this and see how much I have and haven't already read.
Lee: Not a lot of books this month but some really expensive... I mean really good ones.
Gwen: Too expensive *cries*
Fantagraphics Books Tales Designed to Thrizzle #7 by by Michael Kupperman
In this issue Quincy, M.E. makes his comic book debut, struggling through the fantastic landscapes of his own dreams in Quinception, in which St. Peter also gets his own comic book. Snake n Bacon make an appearance in Reservoir Dogs 2, where the gang reunites for another caper. Twain and Einstein deal with some family issues, and a special section of History Comics presents the story of the Kennedy/Nixon debate and the incredible saga of Bertrand DeCoupeur, alias The Scythe! 32 pgs, FC, 6.75 x 9.5 $4.50
Lee: Ok, I’ve read the hype about this for a long time but never picked it up. Then last week Greg starts talking about how Kupperman suddenly has a book out for Marvel. Now I definitely have to see what’s going on with this.
Gwen: I can't say I'm terribly drawn by this as it's a bit hard to tell what it's about. It seems like it could be interesting but I'd need a little more information before picking it up.
GC Press LLC EC Archives: Haunt of Fear Vol. 01 HC by (W/A) Various
The hauntingly spectacular artwork by legendary comic artists such as Johnny Craig, Wally Wood, Jack Kamen, Graham Ingels, Jack Davis, Feldstein, and Kurtzman has been fully restored in this first volume of The Haunt of Fear, which reprints the first six issues, twenty-four stories orinally published in 1950 and 1951. $49.95
Lee: Until we had the guest post a last month, I thought that everyone loved old EC material. I thought it was one of those timeless classic things that everyone appreciated. Guess I was wrong. Oh well, I still love these stories and can’t wait to read them again. This is another excellent collection if you can afford it.
Gwen: Yeah, hard to love the old horror comics from before I was born... actually these are from before my Dad was born! I actually do have a few friends into the older horror comics and while this may not be my cup of tea it looks like a good collection.
Humanoids IncEyes of the Cat Deluxe HC by (W) Alexandro Jodorowsky (A) Moebius
The very first graphic storytelling collaboration between two masters of the medium, Alexandro Jodorowsky and Moebius. In a desolate dreamscape world, a man, a bird, and a cat interact in a unique apocalyptic yet poetic fashion. Published in the English language for the very first time, and presented in a giant sized collector's edition, in a limited and numbered printing of only 750 copies! 56 pgs, $69.95
Lee: Yes this is outrageously expensive for a low page count but it’s worth the investment. The story and art will be outstanding so you will enjoy that part. And, because of the low print run, it will maintain value for a very long time to come. As a reference point, the IDW Artists Editions are selling for 2-3x original price. If you can swing it, it’s worth it.
Gwen: Wow, way out of my price range right now... but I really want it. Really :(
Metaphrog Louis - Red Letter Day HC by (W/A) Metaphrog
Louis and his companion FC are two inhabitants of a simple hamlet. Louis hungers for adventure and this tale follows his attempts to live his dreams. Designed to frighten and amuse children of all ages, this scary-cute story will make you laugh and cry. The multiple Eisner and Ignatz award nominee Louis: Red Letter Day has had a makeover and is now back in print, in an entirely redrawn and repainted edition with beautiful hand-painted artwork. 68 pgs, $14.99
Lee: Ok, this was nominated for 2 Eisners and an Ignatz award. That’s a pretty remarkable accomplishment and that alone makes it worth reading. But who in their right mind advertises a book as “frighten and amuse children?” Seriously? That’s just what I want to do, read my kid a book that will give her nightmares before going to bed. Awful hype for a book that’s probably worth reading.
Gwen: Some kids like to be scared - I loved scary movies as a teenager. Of course I watched the movie rendition of Steven King's Cat's Eye when I was about 6 or 7 and had nightmares for months - so maybe it depends on how old your kids are as to whether it will frighten or amuse them.
Oni Press Inc.Rascal Raccoon's Raging Revenge Vol. 01 HC by (W) Brendan Hay (A/C) Justin Wagner
Welcome to Toonie Terrace, home of the fun-loving Toonies and their jealous, bitter rivals, the Meanies. For all their shenanigans, no Meanie has ever murdered a Toonie? until now. After thousands of painful failed attempts, Rascal Raccoon has finally killed his arch-nemesis, the charming and adorable Jumpin Jackalope. Rascal is overjoyed, but there's one problem: what does he do now? With nothing left to obsess over, Rascal's life falls apart. Fortunately, he soon finds a new target for his anger: the animator who created him! $24.99
Lee: It's not hard to recognize this as Wile E. and Road R. but that's ok. Some of my favorite Bugs Bunny episodes were the ones where Bugs was the animator for Daffy and Elmer for Bugs. If this captures even a small portion of those classics it should be good.
Gwen: Hah, cute idea but what really sells it is the excellent cover.
Twomorrows PublishingStan Lee & Jack Kirby: Wonder Years SC by (W) Mark Alexander
Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Fantastic Four #1 with this new book about the two pop-culture visionaries who created the Marvel Universe and a decade in comics that was more tumultuous and awe-inspiring than any before or since. Calling on his years of research, plus new interviews conducted just for this book, regular Jack Kirby Collector contributor Mark Alexander traces both Lee and Kirby's history at Marvel Comics, and the remarkable series of events and career choices that led them to converge in 1961 to conceive the Fantastic Four. It also documents the evolution of the FF throughout the 1960s, with previously unknown details about Lee and Kirby's working relationship, and their eventual parting of ways in 1970. With a wealth of of historical information and amazing Kirby artwork, Stan Lee & Jack Kirby: The Wonder Years beautifully examines the first decade of the FF, and the events that put into motion the 1960s era that came to be known as the Marvel Age of Comics. 128 pgs, tabloid size. $19.95
Lee: There’s been a lot written about the early days of Marvel but this sounds like the cliff notes version. That isn’t meant to be negative in any way, and in fact I think this is great. It’s a great way to look into one of the greatest periods in comics both in terms of creativity and personalities.
Gwen: As much as I creators I follow and admire I usually want to read their comics, not about their history. There are exceptions of course, like the interview book between Frank Miller and Will Eisner, but I'm not are interested in Kirby and Lee at the moment. It's a good focus for looking at their history though.
Universe/Cassell1001 Comics You Must Read Before You Die edited by Paul Gravett
Over the centuries, comic books and their offshoots, such as graphic novels, and bandes dessinées have evolved into a phenomenally popular, influential, and unique art form with which we can express our opinions, our fantasies, our nightmares, and our dreams. In short: comics are emphatically no longer just for kids. This diverse, constantly evolving medium is truly coming into its own in the 21st century, from Hollywood’s blockbuster adaptations of super-powered caped crusaders to the global spread of Japan’s manga and its spinoffs, and from award-winning graphic novels such as Maus and Persepolis to new forms such as online webcomix. But comics also have a long and rich history, dating back at least to the Swiss teacher Rodolphe Topffer in the early 19th century, and far earlier in China. 1001 Comic Books You Must Read Before You Die is the perfect introduction to this dynamic and globally popular medium. There have been other guides to the best comic books, but none has embraced every genre and scoured the globe to glean the very greatest works of sequential art, graphic literature, bandes dessinees, tebeos, fumetti, manga, manhwa, komiks, strips, historietas, quadrinhos, beeldverhalen, and plain old comics. This authoritative guide is organized according to the year of first publication in the country of origin. An opening section acknowledges pioneering pre-1900 masterpieces, followed by sections divided by decade, creating a fascinating year-by-year chronicle of the comics medium worldwide. 960 pgs, $36.95
Lee: This looks AWESOME. A couple of years ago Tony Isabella did the same thing but that read more like a fanboy picking out cool comics from his collection. It was fun but not always terribly insightful. This looks to be more comprehensive and scholarly.
Gwen: Neat idea. Especially for people who only read a few comics here and there and don't see much outside of the usual books they pick up. I'd be interested to flip through this and see how much I have and haven't already read.
Lee: Not a lot of books this month but some really expensive... I mean really good ones.
Gwen: Too expensive *cries*
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