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Top 34 Graphic Novels, Comics & Manga:

June 2019

More rich pickings this June when it comes to English-language comics, kicking off from Euriope with a piercingly honest confessional by Ulli List and an anthology of warped fantasies by the Bouncer team of Jodorowsky and Boucq.

Innovative North American creators this month include Ryan Andrews’ amibitious release and the team-up of Upgrade Soulcreator Ethan Claytan Daniel with super-gifted cartoonist Ben Passmore.

From the Land of the Rising Manga come the first volumes of Moto Hagio’s teenage vampire chiller The Poe Clan and Jiro Taniguchi’s historical tapestry finally translated, as well as the English-language debut of Eldo Yoshimizu, a fiercely individual storyteller and stylist.

Finally, looking back to comics history, Roger Hill celebrates the artistry of Mac Raboy and William Gropper’s wordless visual nove returns to print. I hope you enjoy investigating new creators, new comics, new stories, all due to be released from June…

Alay Oop
by William Gropper
New York Review Comics
$24.95

The publisher says:
William Gropper was one of the great American cartoonists and illustrators of the twentieth century. A student of George Bellows and Robert Henri, he was a prolific newspaper cartoonist, WPA muralist, Guggenheim Fellow, and committed political activist. He was also a master of visual storytelling, best seen in his only full-length narrative work, Alay-Oop. First published in 1930, this lost classic of the graphic novel presents an unusual love triangle: two circus acrobats and the honey-tongued schemer who comes between them. In page after page of charming, wordless art, Gropper takes us from the big top to bustling New York streets, from a cramped tenement apartment to the shifting landscape of a dream, as his characters struggle with the conflicting demands of career, family and romance. 224pgs B&W hardcover.

Art Spigelman, author of Maus, says:
Now that ‘the graphic novel’ is no longer just a marketing euphemism for A Very Long Comic Book, I’ve begrudgingly come to terms with the term—especially since it allows anomalous treasures like William Gropper’s 1930 story in pictures a new chance to be discovered. Gropper, a founding editor of the New Masses, was probably the most revered left-wing American Political painter and cartoonist of his day, but the low-key love triangle at the heart of Alay-Oop has little to do with, say, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire that killed Gropper’s aunt when he was a kid and helped radicalise him—and that surreal horse in the woman aerialist’s dream chapter has way more to do with Freud than with Marx.
The book is a witty social realist graphic novel of life among working-class variety performers—or maybe it’s a graphic ballad, with its surface simplicity. But the story gains in depth on repeated viewing—and each viewing is a delight, as Gropper’s cartooning masterfully reveals character through expressive gestures in efficiently observed spaces. He tells his story with a bold, graceful, and athletic brush line—somehow both light and weighty—that soars and swings across the pages until the artist, and the woman at the centre of this tale, land firmly on their feet.


A Letter to Jo
by Joseph Sieracki & Kelly Williams
IDW / Top Shelf Productions
$19.99

The publisher says:
As Leonard fights on the front lines of World War II, memories of Josephine and home help keep him alive. As Josephine contends with life, family, and work in Cleveland, letters from Leonard sustain her. But official censorship forces him to leave out much of the most significant action he sees. Finally, with the war coming to an end, Leonard is able to tell his full story. In a quietly beautiful letter to Josephine, Leonard writes of the loneliness he felt, the camaraderie he experienced, and the terrible violence he witnessed. Now, Josephine and Leonard’s grandson Joseph Sieracki has carefully researched the battles Leonard describes and expanded the letter into a moving tale of a young man’s fears and bravery far from home. Brought to heart-wrenching life by the paintbrushes of Kelly Williams (Creepy, Eerie), A Letter to Jo is at once a tender love story and a harrowing battlefield memoir. Includes appendices with photographs, scans of the letter, developmental art and an illustrated poem by WWII machine-gunner Leonard Sieracki (the author’s grandfather). 144pgs colour paperback.

 


Behind The Curtain: Real Pro Wrestling Stories
by Jim Cornette, Brandon Easton & Denis Medri
IDW
$14.99

The publisher says:
Pro-Wrestling’s secrets and greatest moments are immortalised in this graphic novel from legendary wrestling personality Jim Cornette. A true-story style anthology, these “insider” tales will show the lengths that wrestlers went to uphold “kayfabe” (the old carny term for the presentation of legitimate conflict), as well as the noteworthy cultural, racial and economic effects these events and characters had on society. This is the graphic novel that old school wrestling fans have been waiting their entire lives for: a no-holds-barred representation of the moments that wrestling insiders couldn’t talk about for years. Featuring appearances by Ric Flair, Jerry Lawler, Andy Kaufman, Sputnik Monroe, The Sheik, Junkyard Dog, the Fabulous Freebirds, the Midnight Express, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. 80pgs colour paperback.


BTTMFDRS
by Ezra Claytan Daniels & Ben Passmore
Fantagraphics Books
$24.99

The publisher says:
When a pair of bohemians descend upon a neglected working-class neighbourhood in search of cheap rent, they soon discover something sinister lurking behind the walls of their new home. BTTM FDRS (pronounced “bottomfeeders”) offers a vision of horror that is gross and gory in all the right ways. Funny, scary, and thought provoking, it confronts the monstrous forces that are displacing cultures in urban neighbourhoods today. 296pgs colour hardcover.


Comics: Easy As ABC
by Ivan Brunetti, edited by Françoise Mouly
Toon Books
$9.99

The publisher says:
Filled with activities, Comics: Easy as ABC is a fun way for young readers to effortlessly and playfully start thinking like writers and artists. Children kindergarten-age and up are shown how to use basic shapes to make faces, eyes, noses, and design their own characters. Ivan Brunetti’s funny and incisive advice on the language of comics (panels, lettering, balloons and so much more) naturally leads budding artists and writers into thinking about their characters, settings and prompts. A section with essential tips on how to read comics with young children rounds out the package. 52pgs colour paperback.


Cons de Fée: Erotic Art of Wallace Wood
by Wallace Wood
Fantagraphics
$49.99

The publisher says:
Fantagraphics has assembled the most complete collection of Wallace Wood’s erotic work, from his early gag cartoons to his sexy fairy tale parodies. But it doesn’t stop there. Wood also takes aim at “Lil an’ Abner,” “Perry and the Privates,” “Prince Violate,” “Stuporman Meets Blunder Woman,” “Flasher Gordon,” “Starzan” and even his own “Sally Forth.” Plus Wood’s commentaries on sex in “Thee Sexual Revolution” and “Brave Nude World,” “The Marquis de Sade Coloring Book,” “Dragonella,” and all of his covers for Screw magazine. 200pgs B&W hardcover.


Counterfeit Girl
by Peter Milligan & Rufus Dayglo
Rebellion
$12.99

The publisher says:
In a city ruled by the multinational corporations, identity is crucial; no one can get anywhere without being monitored, logged, and status-checked. Fortunately for some, if a new I.D. is needed, there are “simmers,” backstreet I.D. thieves that can create new personas by stealing the identities of others. Libra Kelly is a simmer with an axe to grind, doing jobs that cause trouble for the corporations free of charge, but soon finds herself stuck with a terminally diseased I.D. and a price on her head. 64pgs colour paperback.


Dark Rage
by Thierry Smolderen & Philippe Marcelé
Humanoids Inc
$19.85

The publisher says:
The merciless quest of two women to find the murderers who decimated their families and shattered their lives. A violent thriller inspired by real events. Two young women lose their families in a grisly holdup. Heartbroken and vengeful, they decide to take matters into their own hands. Together they track down the murderers and make them pay (a high price) for the wreckage they left behind. A violent and thrilling feminist tale, freely inspired by the affair of the mad killers of Walloon Brabant, which hit the Belgian crime chronicles of the early 1980s. 152pgs colour paperback.



Fake Lake
by Adrian Norvid
Drawn & Quarterly
$24.95

The publisher says:
The town of Fake Lake is a sludge pit of goings on and the Fake Lake Bottom Feeder (the local paper) has been kept busy chronicling what amounts to a mild apocalypse: collapsing bridges, a gap in the street that swallows the high school band, an awful bacterial business at the hot springs and a great blowout at the Fakeola bottling plant. Fake Lake is a replica of a weekly edition of the paper, complete with Children’s Section (try not to freak out Trippy the clown), Industrial News (it’s work injury week, again), a fulsome Food Section (beware the Flakey Bakery’s Sticky Buns) and a special double-page spread of the Dregs Coffee Shop’s Sponsored Expedition to Ascend Old Frothy (their espresso machine) with exclusive photos of bearded hipster explorer types hip deep in milk foam. 48pgs B&W paperback.


Fleetway Picture Library: Jet Ace Logan
by Ron Turner & Kurt Caesar
The Book Palace
$34.99

The publisher says:
A new series of books reprinting for the first time ever classic British comic strips from the 1950s and 1960s. This volume includes four complete 64 page issues of one of the best SF comics strips in British comics: Jet Ace Logan from Thriller Picture Library #383 (“Jet Ace Logan”), #410 (“Evil in Orbit”), #418 (“Times 5”), and #442 (“Power From Beyond”). Over 256 pages of science fiction artwork in a limited edition of 500. Classic British Science Fiction adventures. 256pgs B&W paperback.


Fleetway Picture Library: Larrigan
by Arturo Del Castillo
The Book Palace
$34.99

The publisher says:
A new series of books reprinting for the first time ever classic British comic strips from the 1950s and 1960s. This volume includes the complete four 64 page issues  of  Larrigan western stories from Lone Rider Picture Library #1, 4, 9 plus Cowboy Picture Library #463 with art by Arturo Del Castillo. Over 256 pages of western artwork in a limited edition of 500. Stunning pen and ink work on these classic westerns. 256pgs B&W paperback.



House of The Black Spot
by Ben Sears
Koyama Press
$12.00

The publisher says:
Plus Man and Hank are in it now! They’ve riled up a ghost, and a ghost with a knack for real estate no less! The Double+ gang discover that sometimes greed can extend beyond the grave, as they are thrust into a battle between revolting real estate developers and their ghoulish goon bent on destroying the idyllic Gear Town with ghastly gentrification and the most frightful sight of all: condos! 80pgs colour paperback.

 

 


How I Tried to Be a Good Person
by Ulli Lust
Fantagraphics Books
$34.99

The publisher says:
Ulli Lust’s follow-up to the award winning Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life picks up where its predecessor left off. Revealing and powerful, Lust recounts her life in Vienna in the 1990s and her relationships with two men where jealousy leads to violent outbreaks. How I Tried to Be a Good Person is a story of sexual obsession, gender conflict and self-liberation, told with an honesty few cartoonists are capable of. 368pgs B&W paperback.

 


In Waves
by A J Dungo
Nobrow
£16.99

The publisher says:
A tale of love, heartbreak and surfing from an important new voice in comics. In Waves is Craig Thompson’s Blankets meets Barbarian Days. In this visually arresting graphic novel, surfer and illustrator AJ Dungo remembers his late partner, her battle with cancer, and their shared love of surfing that brought them strength throughout their time together. With his passion for surfing uniting many narratives, he intertwines his own story with those of some of the great heroes of surf in a rare work of nonfiction that is as moving as it is fascinating. AJ Dungo is an illustrator from Los Angeles. He attended ArtCenter College of Design. He has worked at Nike, Nobrow, The New York Times, Esquire, Narratively, Vissla, Skechers, etc. His work has been recognised by American Illustration, Society of Illustrators and AD&D. 376pgs colour paperback.



Jodorowsky & Boucq’s Twisted Tales
by Alejandro Jodorowsky & François Boucq
Humanoids
$34.95

The publisher says:
The playful collaboration of two masters of the medium, where the thoughts of one guided the hand of the other. The result is a unique blend of poetry and graphic storytelling. An exercise in imagination, Jodorowsky’s Twisted Tales is the product of an artistic challenge born from a mutual love of word and image: Jodorowsky would write dozens of tales of beauty and brutality, wisdom and humor, and Boucq would expound upon and direct them through his illustrations. The resulting dialogue is a truly original piece of work, one where art is as entwined in the writing as lyrics in music. 88pgs colour hardcover.



Little Lulu Vol. 1: Working Girl
by John Stanley
Drawn & Quarterly
$24.95

The publisher says:
Lulu Moppet is an outspoken and brazen young girl who doesn’t follow any rules-whether they’ve been set by her parents, the neighborhood boys, or society itself. In spring 2019 Drawn & Quarterly begins a landmark reissue series of Lulu’s suburban hijinks: she goes on picnics, babysits, and attempts to break into the boys’ clubhouse again and again. Cartoonist John Stanley’s expert timing and constant gags made these stories unbelievably enjoyable, ensuring that Marge’s Little Lulu was a defining comic of the post-war period. Lulu’s assertiveness, individuality and creativity is empowering to witness; the series is powerfully feminist despite the decades in which the stories were created. 240pgs B&W hardcover.


Little Miss P
by Ken Koyama
Yen Press
$15.00

The publisher says:
It’s that time of the month, and you know what that means…a visit from Aunt Flo – scratch that – Little Miss P! This pink, anthropomorphised period’s not so lean, kinda mean, and a gut-busting, butt-kicking machine! (Just ask Mr. Erection…) Follow Little Miss P as she traverses time, advising, harassing, abusing and comforting women on her (usually) monthly visits in this uniquely weird and surprisingly touching manga! Ages 16 and up. 160pgs B&W paperback.



Love: A Discovery in Comics
by Margreet de Heer
NBM
$18.99

The publisher says:
How to describe love? Is love passion, stability, friendship, or all of the above? In this comics exploration, Margreet de Heer investigates different questions about love. Is there really such a thing as finding The One? What happens in the brain when we fall in love? How can we keep long-term love? What to do about a broken heart? Margreet herself seems to have found her ideal partner in Yiri, but after so many years of marriage, how about that Seven Year Itch? This book deals with many aspects of love, sex and relationships in a lighthearted, playful and thought-provoking manner. 128pgs colour paperback.



Mac Raboy: Master of the Comics
by Roger Hill
TwoMorrows Publishing
$39.95

The publisher says:
Beginning with his WPA (Works Progress Administratio) etchings during the 1930s, Mac Raboy struggled to survive the Great Depression and eventually found his way into the comic book sweatshops of America. In that world of four-colour panels, he perfected his art style on such creations as Dr. Voodoo, Zoro, The Mystery Man, Bulletman, Spy Smasher, Green Lama and his crowning achievement, Captain Marvel Jr. Raboy went on to illustrate the Flash Gordon Sunday newspaper strip, and left behind a legacy of meticulous perfection. Through extensive research and interviews with son David Raboy, and assistants who worked with the artist during the Golden Age of Comics, author Roger Hill brings Mac Raboy, the man and the artist, into focus for historians to savour and enjoy. This full-colour hardcover includes never-before-seen photos, a wealth of rare and unpublished artwork and the first definitive biography of a true Master of the Comics. 160pgs colour hardcover.


Marble Cake
by Scott Jason Smith
Avery Hill Publishing
£11.99 / $15.95

The publisher says:
Have you ever wished you could glimpse into the lives of strangers, those anonymous faces passed in the produce aisle of the local supermarket, those shadows lurking behind the closed curtains of their homes? Would you be surprised by the rich mixture of personalities, the strange habits and the unexpected insecurities? Perhaps like you they’re also baking blind, no recipe to follow. You might produce a perfect cake, or you might end up throwing the mix in the trash and starting again. Marble Cake, the debut graphic novel from acclaimed British author and artist Scott Jason Smith, cuts a slice through everyday life and takes a bite out of the layers concealed beneath the icing, all told with the acerbic wit and keen eye of a truly exciting new creator. 108pgs B&W paperback.


Masters of Comics: Inside the Studios of the World’s Premier Graphic Storytellers
by Joel Meadows
Insight Editions
$45.00 / $24.99

The publisher says:
Readers are invited into the studio spaces of some of the most popular and prolific comic artists in the world. Through dynamic photography and exclusive interviews, Masters of Comics offers a rare, personal look at these artists’ unique creative environments – spaces in which some of the greatest comics and graphic novels of the last fifty years took shape. Curated by Joel Meadows, editor of Tripwire Magazine, the book includes chapters on such legends as Milo Manara, Mike Kaluta, Walter Simonson and more. The first in a series focusing on artists at work in a variety of mediums and industries, Masters of Comics offers a glimpse “behind the veil,” shining new light on the artistic process, as well as providing a wonderful learning tool for aspiring artists wishing to learn from the greats. 184pgs colour hardcover / paperback.


New World
by David Jesus Vignolli
Boom! Studios
$16.99

The publisher says:
New World weaves the stories of three characters from unique backgrounds: an indigenous warrior seeking revenge against those who invaded her land; an African musician fighting for freedom against those who enslaved him; and a Portuguese sailor in search of redemption; who come together on a heroic quest to free the world from an encroaching darkness. Written and illustrated by David Jesus Vignolli (A Girl in the Himalayas), New World intertwines the cultures of his personal heritage to explore the European discovery of the Americas with a vibrant blend of fantasy and history. 160pgs colour paperback.


O Josephine!
by Jason
Fantagraphics Books
$24.99

The publisher says:
O Josephine! contains four brand-new short stories. blending popular-culture pastiche with dry wit and stylish storytelling. Included are: a trek into the green hills of Ireland where Jason encounters more sheep than he had bargained for; Leonard Cohen’s life-story filled with Jason-esque liberties; a mysterious stakeout with a pair of two-faced private eyes; and the rollercoaster love story of Napoleon and Josephine Baker. These tales are all told in a hilariously deadpan style making this another triumph in Jason’s already lauded catalogue. 176pgs colour hardcover.


Old Souls
by Brian McDonald & Les McClaine
First Second
$24.99

The publisher says:
Chris Olsen has a good life. He has a regular job, a wife and daughter who love him and a promising future. By any measure this is a good life, but it isn’t his first. When a troubling encounter with a homeless man triggers something inside Chris, memories of his past lives bubble to the surface. A lost Chinese boy, a wailing grandmother and a love so powerful it never left his soul — all compete for his attention. As Chris sinks deeper into the seedy and seductive world of “grave robbers,” vagrants known for their ability to relive their former lives, he discovers that he must find closure to a tragic episode in his past without losing himself in the process. 256pgs colour hardcover.


Route 66 Vol. 1: The Route List
by Eric Stalner
Cinebook
$11.95

The publisher says:
1961, Illinois. Alex Poliac buries his wife Alice. That evening, he and his son flee their home. Not because he is a suspect in Alice’s death, but because a serial killer - The Clown - is prowling the state, and Alex knows how he picks his victims. A rough meeting with Laura, a friend of his wife, brings more questions: was Alice hiding something, with her mysterious phone calls and unexplained absences? Was her death really an accident? 48pgs colour paperback.



Ryuko Vol. 1 (of 2)
by Eldo Yoshimizu
Hard Case Crime / Titan Comics
$14.99

The publisher says:
Hard Case Crime presents a loving manga homage to film noir and Japanese gangster cinema, as Japanese artist Eldo Yoshimizu unveils the bloody and beautiful saga of a Yakuza princess. Ryuko is a hard-hitting, motorcycle-riding member of the Japanese mafia.  After a criminal operation in the Middle-East turns explosive, she must return home to face Chinese gangsters, unknown terrorists, and her own personal demons… Part one of a two-part criminal saga packed with international intrigue, complex morality and blistering action. 256pgs B&W paperback.

 


Simon & Louise
by Max de Radiguès
Conundrum Press
$20.00

The publisher says:
It all begins with a relationship update on social media. Summer vacation is about to begin, and Simon discovers the change just as his supposed girlfriend leaves to spend two months in a seaside village. Determined to find out what went wrong, Simon decides to hitchhike 350 miles to find her. With just his backpack and a few snacks, he sneaks out of the house and hits the road but he quickly discovers that he isn’t quite prepared for the journey. But that’s only half the story. Unaware of the miscommunication, Louise is dealing with social challenges of her own. This is a story about two people in love and the chaos that happens when technology gets in the way. 120ps colour paperback.



Sky Hawk
by Jiro Taniguchi
Fanfare
$25.00

The publisher says:
Defeated samurai Hikosaburo and Manzo are exiled from Japan during the Boshin War in 1868 as the new Meiji government takes hold of power in the country. They travel to North America and settle in the mountains of Crow territory. One day Hikosaburo encounters a young native woman, who has just given birth, hidden in the scrub. Called Running Deer, she tells of how she escaped from two white traders who had “bought” her, and they soon come looking for their possession. Taniguchi’s well-researched detail and meticulous artwork reveal an accurate portrayal of the “Indian Wars” of the period, including the infamous Little Big Horn encounter, and present a fascinating view of the daily lives and relationships of the Oglalas, and how their code of honour compares to that of the Samurai. 288pgs B&W paperback.


Steve Gerber Conversations
by Steve Gerber, Eric Hoffman & Dominick Grace
University Press of Mississippi
$99.00 / $25.00

The publisher says:
Steve Gerber (1947-2008) is among the most significant comics writers of the modern era. Best known for his magnum opus Howard the Duck, he also wrote influential series such as Man-Thing, Omega the Unknown, The Phantom Zone and Hard Time, expressing a combination of intelligence and empathy rare in American comics. This volume follows Gerber’s career through a range of interviews, beginning with his height during the 1970s and ending with an interview with Michael Eury just before Gerber’s death in 2008. The volume concludes with selections from Gerber’s dialogue with his readers and admirers in online forums and a Gerber-based Yahoo Group, wherein he candidly discusses his many projects over the years. 256pgs B&W hardcover / paperback.


Stonebreaker
by Peter Wartman
ODOD Books / Uncivilized Books
$16.95 / £12.99

The publisher says:
Stonebreaker is the much anticipated sequel to Peter Wartman’s acclaimed first graphic novel, Over the Wall. Four years after saving her brother, Anya continues to explore the endless, twisting streets of the mystical city, Noridun. With the help of her friend Toris, the demon librarian, she hunts for a cure to her brother’s amnesia. Meanwhile, a pair of mysterious strangers arrive in Anya’s home village. They have a plan that could change everything… With stunning fantasy vistas, immersive world-building and fluid, action-packed art, Stonebreaker cements Wartman’s status as a break-out new talent to watch out for.  224pgs part-colour paperback.


Super Fun Sexy Times
by Meredith McClaren
Oni Press Inc.
$19.99

The publisher says:
Cartoonist Meredith McClaren (Hinges) tells five short, sexy stories featuring superheroes, supervillains, sidekicks and the people who love them. Showing consent- and character-driven erotic relationships, Super Fun Sexy Times answers the age-old question: what happens when the mask comes off? Two sidekicks on opposite sides get stuck in an underground lab together, and find a great way to pass the time. A tactician and superhero discuss their desires, limits and kinks before their first time, and perhaps get a little too excited in the process. A pair of supervillains explore gender and sex together, while growing closer in their relationship. Lesbian heroes try out a kinky roleplaying scenario, and discover how to make it work for both of them. And an exhausted assassin relaxes after a long day with the kind (yet firm) attentions of his husband. Told with care, sex-positivity and humour, and featuring a wide variety of sexualities and bodies, Super Fun Sexy Times aims to create an erotic reading experience that lives up to its name. 128pgs colour paperback.


The Far Side of the Moon: The Story of Apollo 11
by Alex Irvine & Ben Bishop
Tilbury House Publishers
$16.95 / $12.95

The publisher says:
This graphic retelling of the Apollo 11 moon-landing mission follows astronaut Michael Collins, commander of the lunar orbiter, to the far side of the moon. When the Earth disappears behind the moon, Collins loses contact with his fellow astronauts on the moon’s surface, with mission control at NASA, and with the entire human race, becoming more alone than any human being has ever been before. In total isolation for 21 hours, Collins awaits word that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin have managed to launch their moon lander successfully to return to the orbiter, a feat never accomplished before and rendered more problematic by the fuel burn of their difficult landing. In this singularly lonely and dramatic setting, Collins reviews the politics, science and engineering that propelled the Apollo 11 mission across 239,000 miles of space to the moon. Age Range: 9-12 years. 64pgs colour hardcover / paperback.


The Poe Clan Vol.1 (of 2)
by Moto Hagio
Fantagraphics Books
$39.99

The publisher says:
One of the best-selling manga - by one of the most decorated cartoonists in the world - comes to the U.S., starring vampire teens. The Poe Clan: a race of undead that feeds on the energy of the living, whiling away the centuries in a village of roses where time and geography have no meaning. Circumstances lead to a brother and sister, Edgar and Marybelle, being initiated into the clan too young, and therefore doomed to live out eternity forever on the brink of adulthood, until a wooden stake or a silver bullet should cut them down. In this groundbreaking manga, through three immortal adolescents and the mortals whose lives they touch, Moto Hagio explores what it means to live and to die, to have loved and to have lost. 512pgs B&W hardcover.



The Stan Lee Story
by Roy Thomas
Taschen America LLC
$200.00

The publisher says:
This is the big one, True Believers! The mostly true tale of Stan Lee: a Giant-Size extravaganza, nearly ten years in the making, about the one and only Godfather of Comics. From his childhood in Depression-era New York, to transforming Marvel into the number one comics publisher in the world, to his 21st-century reinvention as Chief Creative Officer of global entertainment company POW! Entertainment, Stan “the Man” Lee stands the test of time as the most legendary name in comic-book history. His tale is told by his successor at Marvel, renowned comics writer, editor and historian Roy Thomas, who brings “you are there” insights and wide-eyed clarity to key moments of Lee’s journey to pop culture immortality. Featuring hundreds of treasures of comic book art, intimate photographs sourced straight from his family archives, a foreword written by Lee himself, a novel-length essay and new epilogue by Thomas, and an appendix with complete reprints of Stan’s comics from throughout the decades, this is a titanic tribute worthy of the Man. 444pgs colour hardcover.


This Was Our Pact
by Ryan Andrews
First Second
$21.99 / $14.99

The publisher says:
Stand by Me meets My Neighbor Totoro in this astonishing, magical-realist adventure story for middle-grade readers. It’s the night of the annual Autumn Equinox Festival, when the town gathers to float paper lanterns down the river. Legend has it that after drifting out of sight, they’ll soar off to the Milky Way and turn into brilliant stars. This year, Ben and his classmates are determined to find out where those lanterns really go, and they made a pact with two simple rules: No one turns for home. No one looks back. The plan is to follow the river on their bikes for as long as it takes to learn the truth, but it isn’t long before the pact is broken by all except for Ben and (much to Ben’s disappointment) Nathaniel, the one kid who just doesn’t seem to fit in. Together, Nathaniel and Ben will travel down a winding road full of magic, wonder and unexpected friendship. 336pgs B&W hardcover / paperback.

Posted: April 7, 2019

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