Words and pictures. Funny books. Graphic narratives. Regardless of what you call them, they’re comics; one of America’s greatest inventions.
Regardless of what genre interests you, there’s something there for everyone. As Marshall McLuhan said, “the medium is the message.”
I tend to think Jack Kirby said it best, “My stories are very sincere, my stories are people’s stories.”
There’s a reason why he’s “The King.”
Check out some recommended stories after the jump.
Comics About Cartoonists edited and designed by Craig Yoe
What’s cooler than comics about cartoonist? NOTHING! This is mind-blowing, full-color hardback book collects rare comics about real and fictional cartoonists – created by the greatest cartoonists in the world! Read comics about cartoonists by the top illustrators and creators in the field: Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Jack Cole, Dick Briefer, Winsor McCay, Chester Gould, Sheldon Mayer, Milton Caniff, Ernie Bushmiller, Basil Wolverton, Siegel and Shuster, Will Eisner, Elzie Segar, and Harvey Kurtzman! Plus, more by Charles Schulz, George Herriman, and a 1940s comic about Walt Disney! It’s a veritable “Who’s Who” of great cartoonists, drawing superhero, horror, funny animal, funny people, war and romance comics… about cartoonists!
S.H.I.E.L.D. by Jim Steranko: The Complete Collection
Rarely before and rarely since has comics seen a talent as innovative as Jim Steranko. Blending together influences from Pop Art to Salvador Dali and Will Eisner to Wally Wood, Steranko’s boundary-breaking style is an incomparable visual language that continues influence and inspire storytellers decades later. Now, for the first time ever, Marvel is proud to offer the complete Steranko Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. in one volume! Collection includes Strange Tales (1951) 151-168 and Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. (1968) 1-3, 5
The Black Beetle Volume 1: No Way Out by Francesco Francavilla
While investigating a meeting between a pair of powerful mob bosses, the Black Beetle – Colt City’s sleuthing sentinel – witnesses an explosion that decimates the city’s organized crime community, killing dozens. No one gets away with mass murder when the Black Beetle’s on the case. When Colt City cries out for justice, there’s one man who will answer! Follow Eisner Award-winning creator Francesco Francavilla’s critically acclaimed pulp hero as he searches island prisons, dank sewers, and swanky nightclubs for the mysterious man known as Labyrinto.
Star Wars Volume 1: In the Shadow of Yavin by Brian Wood, Carlos D’Anda and Ryan Odagawa
In the wake of the Death Star’s destruction, the Empire seems to anticipate and thwart all moves by the struggling Rebel Alliance – which smells a spy among the ranks. Princess Leia forms a stealth squadron of her best pilots – including Luke Skywalker – to expose the spy and find the Alliance a safe home. In another part of the galaxy, Han Solo and Chewbacca are on their own mission for the Rebels, but that, too, has been betrayed to the Empire. And, over all, Darth Vader watches . . . Writer Brian Wood (The Massive, Channel Zero, DMZ, Conan the Barbarian) and artist Carlos D’Anda (Batman: Arkham City) bring you a Star Wars adventure for today – and the ages!
The Secret History of Marvel Comics by Blake Bell and Dr. Michael J. Vassallo
The untold story of the House of Ideas. Marvel Comics is home to such legendary super-heroes as Spider-Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America, and Iron Man, all of whom have spun box office gold in the 21st century. But Marvel Comics has a secret history hidden in the shadows of these well-known franchises.
The Secret History of Marvel Comics digs back to the 1930s when Marvel Comics wasn’t just a comic-book producing company. Marvel Comics owner Martin Goodman had tentacles into a publishing world that might have made that era’s conservative American parents lynch him on his front porch. Marvel was but a small part of Goodman’s publishing empire, which had begun years before he published his first comic book. Goodman mostly published lurid and sensationalistic story books (known as “pulps”) and magazines, featuring sexually-charged detective and romance short fiction, and celebrity gossip scandal sheets. And artists like Jack Kirby, who was producing Captain America for eight-year-olds, were simultaneously dipping their toes in both ponds.The Secret History of Marvel Comics tells this parallel story of 1930s/40s Marvel Comics sharing offices with those Goodman publications not quite fit for children. The book also features a comprehensive display of the artwork produced for Goodman’s other enterprises by Marvel Comics artists such as Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, Alex Schomburg, Bill Everett, Al Jaffee, and Dan DeCarlo, plus the very best pulp artists in the field, including Norman Saunders, John Walter Scott, Hans Wesso, L.F. Bjorklund, and Marvel Comics #1 cover artist Frank R. Paul. Goodman’s magazines also featured cover stories on celebrities such as Jackie Gleason, Elizabeth Taylor, Liberace, and Sophia Loren, as well as contributions from famous literary and social figures such as Isaac Asimov, Theodore Sturgeon, and L. Ron Hubbard.
These rare pieces of comic art, pulp and magazine history will open the door to Marvel Comics’ unseen history.
Hawkeye, Vol. 1 by Matt Fraction, David Aja, Javier Pulido and various
The breakout star of this summer’s blockbuster Avengers film, Clint Barton – a.k.a. the self-made hero Hawkeye – fights for justice…and good rooftop BBQs! And with ex-Young Avenger Kate Bishop by his side, he’s out to get some downtime from being one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes! Then, the action continues as the arrowed Avenger battles Superstorm Sandy, digital doomsday, dog detectives, lady problems, murder for money and more! Matt Fraction and David Aja (Immortal Iron Fist) reunite to tell the ongoing tales of the Arrow-Avenger. Barton and Bishop mean double the Hawkeye and double the trouble! Plus: Relive Kate’s first meeting with Clint, as she learns wanting something can be miles away from actually earning it. Collects Hawkeye 1-11, Young Avengers Presents 6
Haunted Horror: Banned Comics From The 1950s edited and designed by Craig Yoe
Special introduction by Misfits’ Jerry Only! Back from the open grave are more masterpieces of the macabre from the horror comics of the 1950s. Genius horror artists of the known and unknown variety poured their tortured souls into these comics. The best and rarest stories have been chosen with the help of top horror comic collectors. The comics are all lovingly restored and presented in full-creepy color. Bonus: a story by Warren Kramer reproduced from the original art and Kramer’s sketches for this book’s iconic cover! You will be thrilled, chilled and maybe even a little sickened by the over-the-top zombies, ghouls and gore in this latest addition to The Chilling Archives of Horror!
The Best of Milligan & McCarthy by Peter Milligan and Brendan McCarthy
One of comics’ most fruitful collaborations gets its due in this deluxe collection of hard-to-find gems from Peter Milligan (Hellblazer, X-Statix) and Brendan McCarthy (Judge Dredd, The Zaucer of Zilk)! Collecting twenty years’ worth of the pair’s finest work from Vanguard Illustrated, Strange Days, 2000 AD, and Vertigo, this beautiful hardcover includes art that has been newly touched up by McCarthy and features original commentary by both creators. There is still nothing else like Freakwave, Paradax!, Skin, and Rogan Gosh, and this volume is both the perfect retrospective for fans and the ideal starting place for new readers!
“I’m afraid our time is up…!” The complete 1950s comics series The Strange World of Your Dreams, featuring Sigmund Freud and Salvador Dali, are collected and lovingly restored in this large-format, full-color hardback. Produced by the greatest team in the history of the Golden Age of Comics, Simon and Kirby, this book is a dream come true! Save big bucks on your psychiatric bills, get this beautiful economically priced – and fascinating – book instead!
It’s his own personal Hell! After the funeral of his estranged father, faded hometown hero Hector “Heck” Hammarskjold finds himself the new owner of the old man’s house… and inside it, a portal to the underworld! With few other prospects on the horizon, Heck goes into business settling inheritance disputes by contacting the recently deceased, accompanied by his faithful sidekick Elliot. But when an old flame knocks on their door with an important message for her late husband, Heck and Elliot embark on a terrifying journey down into the nine circles, braving the horrors of Hell for an assignment that will reveal more than they ever imagined! Award-winning cartoonist Zander Cannon (The Replacement God, Top 10, Smax, The Stuff of Life) collects his serial from the hit digital magazine Double Barrel into his long-awaited first graphic novel: a story of memory, friendship, and regret, where the past is dead and buried… but not out of reach.
Sacrifice by Sam Humphries and Dalton Rose
What happens when a troubled youth is plucked from modern society and thrust though time and space on a psychedelic journey into the heart of the Aztec civilization – one of the greatest and most bloodthirsty times in human history? Join Hector on a one-way trip through the past, the present, and the psychedelic into the glory of the Aztec Empire.
March Book 1 by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell
Now, to share his remarkable story with new generations, Lewis presents March, a graphic novel trilogy, in collaboration with co-writer Andrew Aydin and New York Times best-selling artist Nate Powell (winner of the Eisner Award and LA Times Book Prize finalist for Swallow Me Whole).
March is a vivid first-hand account of John Lewis’ lifelong struggle for civil and human rights, meditating in the modern age on the distance traveled since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. Rooted in Lewis’ personal story, it also reflects on the highs and lows of the broader civil rights movement.
Book One spans John Lewis’ youth in rural Alabama, his life-changing meeting with Martin Luther King, Jr., the birth of the Nashville Student Movement, and their battle to tear down segregation through nonviolent lunch counter sit-ins, building to a stunning climax on the steps of City Hall.
Many years ago, John Lewis and other student activists drew inspiration from the 1958 comic book “Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story.” Now, his own comics bring those days to life for a new audience, testifying to a movement whose echoes will be heard for generations.
League of Space Pirates Book & Record Set
This action-packed book & record set includes TWO original songs by League of Space Pirates illustrated as comic stories on 16 full-color pages and ONE 7 inch 45 rpm record. Read along as you listen, following the record lyric for lyric and join the fight against Übercorp!
On The Grind: The Worst Day Ever! (Signed Edition)
Chris Green is a new barista, at The Grind, a local coffee shop. He’s seen it all at his job, and each day is tougher than the last. Despite this, he loves it there. So what would happen if he were to work the worst shift ever?
This book contains 40 pages of comic strips from the webcomic, On the Grind, as well as some early comic drafts. Each copy sold is also hand signed by creator Geo Grant, as well.
Peanuts Every Sunday: 1952-1955 by Charles M. Schulz
The first in a series of 10 massive coffee-table-quality books, each one containing a half-decade’s worth of Peanuts Sunday strips “re-mastered” to match the original syndicate coloring.
Since their original publication, Peanuts Sundays have almost always been collected and reprinted in black and white, and generations of Peanuts fans have grown up enjoying this iteration of these strips. But many who read Peanuts in their original Sunday papers remain fond of the striking coloring, which makes for a surprisingly different reading experience.
It is for these fans (and for Peanuts fans in general who want to experience this alternate/original version) that we now present a series of larger, Sundays-only Peanuts reprints, which more closely duplicate that delightful, Sunday-morning reading experience and brings a splash of real color to Schulz’s cast of colorful characters. Designed as a series of ten massive coffee-table quality books, each one containing a half-decade’s worth of Sunday strips, Peanuts Every Sunday will be a proud addition to any Peanuts fan’s bookshelf.
As with most strips, Peanuts showed by far the quickest and richest development in its first decade, and Peanuts Every Sunday: 1952-1955, by compiling every strip from the first four years, offers a fascinating peek at Schulz’s evolving creative process. Not only does the graphic side of the strips change drastically, from the strip’s initial stiff, ultra-simple stylizations through a period of uncommonly lush, almost Pogo-ishly detailed drawings to something close to the final, elegant Peanuts style we’ve all come to know and love, but several main characters are gradually introduced — oddly enough, usually as infants who would then grow up to full, articulate Peanut-hood! — and then refined: Schroeder, Lucy, and Linus (Sally will make her very first appearance as a baby in our next volume.)
Following in the footsteps of Fantagraphics’ acclaimed presentation of the Carl Barks material in Walt Disney’s Donald Duck, Peanuts Every Sunday: 1952-1955 has been scrupulously re-colored to match the original syndicate coloring (including some unusual colors for Charlie Brown’s trademark zig-zag shirt, before it was officially yellow), and is being printed using the same process of “mellowing” out of tones to avoid the sharp colors that sometimes mar reprints of syndicated strips — allowing readers once again to plunge back into Charles Schulz’s marvelous world.
Superman: The Silver Age Newspaper Dailies Volume 1: 1959-1961
The Man of Steel comes to the Library of American Comics! In partnership with DC Entertainment, the Eisner and Harvey Award-winning imprint will produce deluxe archival editions of the Superman newspaper strip that ran from 1939-1966. The Dailies will be released in three sub-sets, starting with The Silver Age, then The Atomic Age, and finally, The Golden Age. (Sundays will be released in a separate, concurrent series.) These Silver Age classics have never been reprinted. The first volume boasts art by Curt Swan, Wayne Boring, and Stan Kaye, as Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel scripts stories by Otto Binder, Robert Bender, Jerry Coleman, and a new version of his own classic “Superman Returns to Krypton!” The book includes almost 750 strips, the complete episodes from April 6, 1959 to August 12, 1961. This is the series Superman fans have been waiting for!
Together again for the first time, here come the greatest comic book superheroes ever assembled between two covers: down from the heavens—Superman and the Mighty Thor—or swinging over rooftops—the Batman and Spider-Man; star-spangled, like Captain America and Wonder Woman, or clad in darkness, like the Shadow and Spawn; facing down super-villains on their own, like the Flash and the Punisher or gathered together in a team of champions, like the Avengers and the X-Men!
Based on the three-part PBS documentary series Superheroes, this companion volume chronicles the never-ending battle of the comic book industry, its greatest creators, and its greatest creations. Covering the effect of superheroes on American culture—in print, on film and television, and in digital media—and the effect of American culture on its superheroes, Superheroes: Capes, Cowls, and the Creation of Comic Book Culture appeals to readers of all ages, from the casual observer of the phenomenon to the most exacting fan of the genre.
Drawing from more than 50 new interviews conducted expressly for Superheroes!—creators from Stan Lee to Grant Morrison, commentators from Michael Chabon to Jules Feiffer, actors from Adam West to Lynda Carter, and filmmakers such as Zach Snyder—this is an up-to-the-minute narrative history of the superhero, from the comic strip adventurers of the Great Depression, up to the blockbuster CGI movie superstars of the 21st Century. Featuring more than 500 full-color comic book panels, covers, sketches, photographs of both essential and rare artwork, Superheroes is the definitive story of this powerful presence in pop culture.
Miss Fury Sensational Sundays: 1941-1944 by Tarpe Mills
Reprinting every Miss Fury Sunday page from the beginning in April 1941 through April 1944 (where IDW’s companion volume picks up), we learn the origins of Miss Fury and her skin-tight panther costume – complete with its sharp claws on her hands and her feet! By day, she was socialite Marla Drake – by night, the costumed adventuress Miss Fury. These early exploits introduce all of the memorable characters who remained in the strip for the rest of the decade: the one-armed General Bruno, the Baroness Erica Von Kampf (with a swastika branded on her forehead), Albino Jo, and the all-American Gary Hale and Detective Carey, who each vies for Marla’s affections. The stories range from downright kinky to all-out action against Nazis, spies, cuthroats, and thieves. Edited by Trina Robbins and designed by Lorraine Turner.
The adventure begins in the new graphic novel by comics legend Paul Pope.
Monsters roam through Arcopolis, swallowing children into the horrors of their shadowy underworld. Only one man is a match for them – the genius vigilante Haggard West.
Unfortunately, Haggard West is dead.
Arcopolis is desperate, but when its salvation comes in the form of a twelve-year-old demigod, nobody is more surprised than Battling Boy himself.
IT’S TIME TO MEET AN ELECTRIFYING NEW HERO.
When Rasl, a thief and ex-military engineer, discovers the lost journals of Nikola Tesla, he bridges the gap between modern physics and history’s most notorious scientist. But his breakthrough comes at a price. In this twisting tale of violence, intrigue, and betrayal, Rasl finds himself in possession of humankind’s greatest and most dangerous secret.
New York Times Bestselling author Jeff Smith’s follow up to his epic fantasy BONE, is a gritty, hard-boiled tale of an inter-dimensional art thief caught between dark government forces and the mysterious powers of the universe itself.
Solo: The Deluxe Edition edited by Mark Chiarello
Originally published in 2004, the 12-issue series Solo gave some of comics’ greatest creators the chance to create stories set in the DC Universe and beyond. Each issue featured one artist, including Tim Sale, Paul Pope, Darwyn Cooke, Howard Chaykin, Michael Allred, Damion Scott, Jordi Bernet, Richard Corben, Teddy Kristiansen, Scott Hampton, Sergio Aragones and Brendan McCarthy and many others. Stories star Batman, Robin, Superman, The Spectre, The Teen Titans and many others, but also include westerns, war stories, science fiction epics, humor and horror, as well as introspective tales from the creators’ own lives.
Popeye Classics Volume 1 & Volume 2 by Bud Sagendorf; designed and edited by Craig Yoe
Volume 1 represents the classic Popeye comic book series that debuted in 1948 by Bud Sagendorf, the long-time assistant to creator E.C. Segar! Carefully reproduced from the original comic books and lovingly restored, Volume 1 contains issues #1-4, with stories such as “That’s What I Yam,” “Ghost Island,” and “Dead Valley.” Also includes all of Sagendorf’s gloriously funny one-pagers.
Volume 2 represents the classic Popeye comic book series that debuted in 1948 by Bud Sagendorf, the long-time assistant to creator E.C. Segar! Volume 2 contains issues #5-8, with stories such as “Moon Goon,” “Another Day, Another Breakfast,” and many more! Also includes more of Sagendorf’s gloriously funny one-pagers!
It’s Only a Game: The Complete Color Collection by Charles M. Schulz with Jim Sasseville
In the late 1950s, amidst the surging popularity of Peanuts and during a strongly creative period, Charles M. Schulz created his only other syndicated newspaper comic. It’s Only a Game focused on the fun and foibles of people and their pastimes. Schulz targets those who play bridge and those who bowl, little leaguers and horse track regulars, those who rush across the gridiron and those who hunch over the chessboard. This full-color collection offers up the series in its full Sunday format.
Commentary and insight is provided by artist and cartoonist Jim Sasseville, who worked with Schulz on the feature. To facilitate the best display of the art, this book is in a special format: the pages flip up like a calendar, rather than to the left like a regular book. For those readers used to the Sunday newspaper funnies, this makes for a familiar and comfortable reading experience.
Mystery Society by Steve Niles, Fiona Staples and Andrew Ritchie
Together, Nick and Anastasia – husband and wife – are the Mystery Society. They are rich, resourceful, refined, and determined to uncover the paranormal secrets of the world’s underbelly… and in need of new recruits. Their first case: finding the missing skull of Edgar Allan Poe. In the 2013 Special, our outlandish heroes plumb the depths of the ocean to carry out an exchange with an eccentric collector who isn’t what he seems. This hardcover collects the five-issue series and the 2013 Special into one oversized book.
Jack Cole’s Deadly Horror edited by Craig Yoe
Jack Cole is widely acclaimed for his brilliant work on his creation, the superhero Plastic Man. But he didn’t just stretch people’s imaginations, he also frightened them out of their wits! Cole’s comics in this genre were some of the most grisly, horrifying, gut-wrenching art and stories in the history of comics! In Jack Cole’s Deadly Horror you’ll read comic stories from the 1950s with titles like “Orgy of Death,” “Hangman’s Horror,” “The Corpse That Wouldn’t Die,” “The Killer From Saturn,” “Goddess of Murder,” “Monster of the Mist,” “Dance of Death,” “The Man Who Died Twice,” “The Strangling Hands,” “Death Prowls The Streets,” “Killer From Beyond,” “A Pact With The Devil,” and many more spine-tingling tales. Introduced by Eisner Award winner and comics historian Craig Yoe with rare art and background material, this large format, full-color book is part of the acclaimed Chilling Archives of Horror Comics, which includes Dick Briefer’s Frankenstein, Bob Powell’s Terror, and Zombies! WARNING: Anti-comics crusader Dr. Fredric Wertham singled out Jack Cole art as especially harmful to impressionable minds! Jack Cole’s Deadly Horror is not recommended for the faint of heart!
God Hates Astronauts Volume 1 by Ryan Browne
God Hates Astronauts follows the story of a group of incompetent, small-minded, super powered narcissists called “The Power Persons Five” who are hired by NASA to stop all farmers from launching themselves into space in homemade rocket ships. Unfortunately for NASA, this goal is scarcely even addressed and the book focuses more on extramarital affairs, bank-robbing owls, big gross swollen heads, ghost cow heads, olde tyme boxers, tigers eating cheeseburgers in the Crab Nebula, buffalo judges, and tons of aggressive swearing. Not so much a superhero book as it is a parody of basically everything and a celebration of weird that is jam-packed with references to RoboCop and Die Hard.
Nova: Origin by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness
The new Human Rocket roars into action! Sam Alexander is a kid bound by the gravity of a small town – and a father whose ridiculous, drunken fairy tales about a “Nova Corps” were just another heavy burden. But lucky for Sam, gravity soon won’t even matter – and those troubles will be a billion miles away. It’s a boy, a helmet and an intergalactic legacy! As Sam trains with the Guardians of Galaxy’s Gamora and Rocket Raccoon, the helmet leads Nova into intergalactic conflict that will affect the entire Marvel Universe! Mysteries are revealed in this breathtaking new series by the bestselling, award-winning team of Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness (Hulk, Avengers: X-Sanction)! Collects Nova 1-5, Point One 1 (Nova story), Marvel Now! Point One 1 (Nova story)
The Daniel Clowes Reader edited by Ken Parille
This landmark collection features ten of Daniel Clowes’s most influential graphic narratives, along with interviews in which he talks about his career and creative process, and twelve thought-provoking essays by contemporary scholars and critics.
A wide-ranging introduction to the work of one of the most important living cartoonists, The Daniel Clowes Reader features Ghost World, Clowes’s celebrated graphic novel about the complex friendship of two teenage girls. It also includes stories — some reprinted for the first time — about boys coming of age, troubled superheroes, and the place of artists and critics in popular culture. The volume’s dozen critical essays illuminate Clowes’s comics by locating them within biographical, artistic, and socio-historical contexts, including the Indie and DIY movements, Generation X philosophy, and the history of American cartooning. Selections by artists who influenced Clowes and a detailed chronology of his work round out the collection,and extensive annotations shed light on the cartoonist’s sources and cultural references. Perfect for the college literature/graphic narrative classroom.
Steve Ditko’s Monsters Volume 2: Konga by Joe Gill and Steve Ditko; designed and edited by Craig Yoe
The genius artist Steve Ditko is a towering monster of awesomeness… and so is the character he chronicled…. KONGA! If you love King Kong–and who doesn’t–you’ll love Konga! Konga battles dinosaurs, mole men, undersea monsters, creatures from beyond space, and the evilest threat of all… the human race! This is the complete Ditko Konga, a whopping 328 pages of giant purple ape comics, including eight pulse-pounding covers, all drawn during the height of Ditko’s prowess concurrent with his creative explosion at Marvel. Includes scripts by the fan-favorite writer Joe Gill and an introduction by Eisner award-winner Craig Yoe! Every page is lovingly restored and the book is a large-format hardcover to showcase the monstrous Ditko art.
One Trick Rip Off: Deep Cuts by Paul Pope
Young lovers Tubby and Vim want to escape – escape the mistakes they’ve made, the lives they’ve lived, and the dirty city weighing them down. Their plan is simple – all they have to do is rip-off Tubby’s pals, the One Tricks, the toughest street gang in LA. If they pull it off, they’re set for life. If not, their lives won’t matter much anyway! Included in the “Deep Cuts” section is a bounty of unpublished and rare work Pope did in the ’90s, including the legendary “Supertrouble” manga, created for Kodansha in Japan.
Edison Rex by Chris Roberson and Dennis Culver
Edison Rex is the smartest man in the world, a criminal genius, and the archnemesis of the world’s greatest protector, Valiant. Having dedicated his life to defeating Valiant and proving once and for all that he is a menace to humanity and not a hero, what will Edison do once he finally succeeds? And with Valiant out of the way, who will be left to protect the Earth? This volume collects the first seven issues of the Monkeybrain Comics digital series for the first time.
Godzilla: Half Century War by James Stokoe
Introducing a new and exciting look at Godzilla’s reign of destruction, courtesy of Orc Stain creator James Stokoe! The year is 1954 and Lieutnant Ota Murakami is on hand when Godzilla makes first landfall in Japan. Along with his pal Kentaro, Ota makes a desperate gamble to save lives… and in the process begins an obsession with the King of the Monsters that lasts fifty years!
Archie’s Sunday Finest by Bob Montana
Continuing the Eisner Award-winning series of the rare Archie newspaper strips by Bob Montana, we turn our attention to his remarkable, full-color Sunday pages. Archie’s Sunday Best is the first-ever collection of the late 1940s and early 1950s Sundays. Montana is approaching the peak of his creative juices in these pages, which feature classic Archie themes and characters.
Tune: Still Life by Derek Kirk Kim and Les McClaine
In the second installment of the Tune series of graphic novels, our hapless hero Andy Go is settling into life in an alien zoo…as one of the exhibits. It’s not so bad: the food is good, and his environment is a perfect copy of his house back on Earth. But everything falls to pieces when Andy realizes he’s been tricked: there will be no weekend visits back to Earth, as he was promised, and his contract doesn’t last one year…it lasts a lifetime.
Funny, sweet, and incredibly goofy, Tune is Derek Kirk Kim writing at the top of his talents. Tune: Still Life introduces artist Les McClaine, who brings a new level of sensitivity to the story. Fans of the first volume will be delighted by this new entry in the series.
SMASH: Trial by Fire by Chris A. Bolton and Kyle Bolton
Whap! Thud! Crash! An action-packed graphic novel simultaneously spoofs and pays tribute to superhero lore while inspiring a new generation of crimefighters.
Ka-boom! Clobbered by fallout from a blast that kills the local superhero, Defender, Andrew Ryan suddenly has super strength and speed! And he can fly! Now it’s up to him to protect citizens from thieves, thugs, and fearsome villains. He dons a homemade costume to hide his true identity, and Smash is born! But fighting crime isn’t easy, especially when you’re in fifth grade. On top of evil robots and trigger-happy bank robbers, there’s homework, curfew, and the school bully to deal with. Not to mention the Magus, a fearsome villain who will stop at nothing to steal Smash’s superpowers for himself! Influenced by film, cartoons, and of course, classic comic books, this vivid escapade features a rib-tickling, high-energy storyline and the colorful, exaggerated figures of nostalgic comic-book art: a combo perfect for kids longing for a secret identity of their own.
The Art of Archie: The Covers edited by Victor Gorelick and Craig Yoe
Archie’s new hardcover art book is a beautifully-designed celebration of over 70 years of comic book covers featuring America’s reigning cartoon high school icons: Archie, Betty, Veronica and friends. Featuring beautiful full-color artwork by fan favorite artists Dan DeCarlo, Harry Lucey, Bob Montana, Dan Parent and many more in a deluxe, oversize hardcover edition, The Art of Archie: The Covers goes behind the scenes on the all-time best comic book covers in Archie’s history with an insider’s look at their inspiration, creation and ongoing cultural legacy. The Art of Archie: The Covers is the perfect purchase for comic book fans, Americana buffs and pop culture aficionados of all sorts, brought to you by Victor Gorelick and Craig Yoe, the team behind the critically-acclaimed The Art of Betty and Veronica.
There’s a new rule in the galaxy: No one touches Earth! No one! But why has Earth suddenly become the most important planet in the galaxy? That’s what the Guardians of the Galaxy are going to find out! Join Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon, Groot and – wait for it – the invincible Iron Man, as they embark upon one of the most explosive and eye-opening chapters of Marvel NOW! These galactic Avengers are going to discover secrets that will rattle Marvel readers for years to come! But while London deals with a brutal invasion by the Badoon, the fate of the Guardians may have already been decided millions of miles away! Why wait for the movie? It all starts here! Collects Guardians of the Galaxy 0.1, 1-3; Guardians of the Galaxy: Tomorrow’s Avengers 1
JLA Earth 2 Deluxe Edition by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely
They are the world’s gravest super-villains: Ultraman, Owlman, Superwoman, Power Ring and Johnny Quick–the legendary Crime Syndicate of Amerika. Nothing has ever seriously threatened the global corruption they proudly enforce, but now a twisted mirror image of the CSA has arrived from the flip side of reality. Can anything stop this so-called “JUSTICE LEAGUE,” or will the stable, perfect evil of the Earth 2 fall victim to the tyranny of law, righteousness and freedom?
Daredevil by Mark Waid, Vol. 1 by Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera, Marcos Martin and various
A fresh start for the Man Without Fear! Matt Murdock is back in New York and hoping to resuscitate his law practice, but not everyone is happy to see him. And Daredevil hits the streets as Klaw, master of sound, makes his deadly return! Then, a blind client holds the key to a global conspiracy perpetrated by some familiar foes. Can Daredevil protect him long enough to bring down an international criminal organization? And when a piece of cutting-edge technology goes missing, Daredevil and Punisher team up to track it down and clear the Black Cat of the crime. But is Black Cat really innocent?! And after someone exhumes Battlin’ Jack Murdock’s grave, DD heads underground to find the villain responsible. Mark Waid’s fantastic rejuvenation of Daredevil begins here! Collects Daredevil (2011) 1-10, 10.1; Amazing Spider -Man (1963) 677
Think Tank by Matt Hawkins and Rahsan Ekedal
Dr. David Loren is many things: child prodigy, inventor, genius, slacker… mass murderer. When a military think tank’s smartest scientist decides he can no longer stomach creating weapons of destruction, will he be able to think his way out of his dilemma or find himself subject to the machinations of smaller men? Collecting Think Tank #1-4, this trade paperback is jam-packed with a complete cover gallery, bonus articles, behind-the-scenes sketches, and more.
Young Avengers, Vol. 1 by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie
Legacy isn’t a dirty word…but it’s an irrelevant one. It’s not important what our parents did. It matters what WE do. Someone has to save the world. You’re someone. Do the math. The critically acclaimed team of Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie reinvent the teen super hero comic for the 21st century, uniting Wiccan, Hulkling and Kate “Hawkeye” Bishop with Kid Loki, Marvel Boy and Ms. America.
No pressure, right? As a figure from Loki’s past emerges, Wiccan makes a horrible mistake that comes back to bite everyone on their communal posteriors. Fight scenes! Fake IDs! And plentiful feels! (aka “meaningful emotional character beats” for people who aren’t on tumblr.) Young Avengers is as NOW! as the air in your lungs, and twice as vital. Hyperbole is the BEST! THING! EVER!
Collects Young Avengers 1-5, Marvel Now! Point One (Young Avengers story)
Nowhere Men Volume 1: Fates Worse Than Death by Eric Stephenson, Nate Bellegarde
“SCIENCE IS THE NEW ROCK ‘N’ ROLL!” So said Dade Ellis, Simon Grimshaw, Emerson Strange, and Thomas Walker at the dawn of a new age of enlightenment that ushered in a boom in scientific advancement. As the research supergroup World Corp., they became the most celebrated scientists of all time. They changed the world – and we loved them for it. But where did it all go wrong? And when progress is made at any and all cost, who ultimately pays the price? Collects Nowhere Men #1-6.
Lazarus Volume 1 by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark
Collecting the first four issues of the Eisner-winning team of Rucka and Lark’s critically acclaimed new series about Forever Carlyle, the Lazarus of the Carlyle Family. Included is the previously only-available-online, four-page short, “Family: Prelude.” In a dystopian near-future, government is a quaint concept, resources are coveted, and possession is 100% of the law. A handful of Families rule, jealously guarding what they have and exploiting the Waste who struggle to survive in their domains. Forever Carlyle defends her family’s holdings through deception and force as their protector, their Lazarus. Shot dead defending the family home, Forever’s day goes downhill from there…
The Halloween Legion: The Great Goblin Invasion by Martin Powell, Thomas Boatwright and Diana Leto
A mysterious team of extraordinary guardians from a place of eternal October protect the sleepy, rural town of Woodland from supernatural menaces – but can the Skeleton, the Witch, the Ghost, and the Devil defend against a full-on UFO invasion? This pulpy, all-ages adventure, spooky yet whimsical, is sure to stir up breezy, autumnal memories of Halloweens past. Also includes the autobiographical short comic “Once Upon a Halloween.”
Archie: The Complete Daily Newspaper Comics 1960-1963 by Bob Montana
Continuing the Eisner Award-winning series collecting the Archie newspaper strip – by far the rarest of all Archie comics collectibles. As the country entered what would become the Swingin’ Sixties, Bob Montana entered his 14th year writing and drawing the series. This volume includes 800 comics from September 1960 – when the school year begins – to April 1963.
Cyborg 009 by F.J. DeSanto, Bradley Cramp, Marcus To and Ian Herring
Shotaro Ishinomori’s popular manga classic is reimagined for a new generation! Awakening in a futurist military installation with no memory of who he is or how he got there, a young man known only as CYBORG 009 has been stripped by his captors not only his freedom, but also his humanity. His body augmented by cybernetic technology, CYBORG 009 joins forces with eight other men and women, CYBORG 001-008, and set off on a journey to learn the truth of why they were turned into weapons of mass destruction, and to prevent a conflict that could very well be the start of World War III! Written by F.J. DeSanto (The Spirit, Insurgent) and Bradley Cramp (Gattaca, Lord of War) and stunningly illustrated by Marcus To (Batwing, Huntress, Red Robin) and Ian Herring (Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand), Archaia and Ishimori Productions are proud to present this incredible new take on one of the most famous manga titles of all time, created by legendary artist Shotaro Ishinomori! Featuring an exclusive afterward exploring the history of Cyborg 009 and the artistic legacy of prolific manga legend Shotaro Ishinomori, this hardcover volume features a transparent cover that gives the reader a glimpse inside the Cyborg team’s mechanically augmented bodies.
Bandette Volume 1: Presto! by Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover
Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover’s enchanting, Eisner-nominated digital series comes to print! The world’s greatest thief is a costumed teen burglar in swinging Paris by the nome d’arte of Bandette! Gleefully plying her skills on either side of the law, Bandette is a thorn in the sides of both police inspector Belgique and the criminal underworld. But it’s not all breaking hearts and purloining masterpieces when a rival thief discovers that an international criminal organization wants Bandette dead! This beautiful hardcover includes the first arc, tales of Bandette’s street urchin helpers by guest artists, an original illustrated story, and more!
The Thrilling Adventure Hour by Ben Acker, Ben Blacker and various
Based on the popular Hollywood stage show and Nerdist Industry podcast, The Thrilling Adventure Hour is a rip-roaring adventure anthology in the tradition of old-time radio serials, brought to you by a carnival of Hollywood and comic’s finest! In a timeless collection of original genre tales that harken back to the heyday of old-time radio entertainment, The Thrilling Adventure Hour brings to life the wild and wonderful worlds and characters serialized on stage by co-creators Ben Acker and Ben Blacker, and performed regularly by fan-favorite actors and comedians such as Paul F. Tompkins, Paget Brewster, Busy Philipps, Nathan Fillion, Linda Cardellini, Patton Oswalt, Neil Patrick Harris, and many, many more.
And now those serialized characters will come to life on the pages of this hardcover anthology featuring all-new stories from the worlds of the TAH universe by top artists from the comics community! Each stand-alone tale celebrates and reinvigorates a new genre from the radio comedies of yesteryear, including science fiction, fantasy, westerns, superheroes, horror, war dramas, and many more. A unique, timey-wimey blend of silver age pulp and post-modern pop, this one-of-a-kind anthology promises something for everyone as this cult phenomenon jumps off the proscenium stage and onto the page for the first time in over eight years and 100+ consecutive shows around the globe!
At last! The long-awaited collection of the complete King City series is here, chock-full of comic book games, puzzles, and wordplay! Joe is a catmaster, trained to use his cat as any tool or weapon. His best friend, Pete, falls in love with an alien he’s forced to sell into green slavery, while his ex, Anna, watches her Xombie War veteran boyfriend turn into the drug he’s addicted to. King City, an underbelly of a town run by spy gangs and dark dark magic with mystery down every alleyway.
Monster on the Hill (Book 1) by Rob Harrell
In a fantastical 1860s England, every quiet little township is terrorized by a ferocious monster — much to the townsfolk’s delight! Each town’s unique monster is a source of local pride, not to mention tourism.
Each town, that is… except for one. Unfortunately for the people of Stoker-on-Avon, their monster isn’t quite as impressive. In fact, he’s a little down in the dumps. Can the morose Rayburn get a monstrous makeover and become a proper horror? It’s up to the eccentric Dr. Charles Wilkie and plucky street urchin Timothy to get him up to snuff, before a greater threat turns the whole town to kindling.
Monsters of all ages are sure to enjoy this tale about life’s challenges, the power of friendship, and creative redemption, packed with epic battles and plenty of wild beasts!
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