INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS
(Company names beginning with F)
FAB PRESS
SONIC SEWER GUIDED TOUR THROUGH MUSIC HIST SC (MR)
(W) Robin Bougie
After 34 individual issues, 8 collected books, and 25 years, author Robin Bougie's celebrated cult movie magazine Cinema Sewer came to a lamented finish—but out of the ashes rises a new titan of the odd media underground: Sonic Sewer! A handmade mix of gonzo writing, illustration and comics about the most bizarre, groovy, sexy, awkward, genre-defying, and thought-provoking music in modern recording history, Sonic Sewer joyously and shamelessly celebrates the coolest aspects of the vinyl format and the various types of music recorded onto it. From dollar bin trash to highly collectible grails and rarities, Bougie utilizes his mysterious connections within the pop culture lexicon to delve deep into the audiophile septic system, dredging eyebrow-raising stories and rarely seen trivia in the distinctive and highly personal
manner. (STL375207) (C: 1-1-1) NOTE: Not available in UK. (May purchase from UK vendor.)
MATURE THEMES
Reference Book, SC, 7x10, 192pgs, B&W SRP: $19.95
FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS
MY FAVORITE THING IS MONSTERS BOX SET BOOK ONE & TWO
(W/A) Emil Ferris
Both volumes of Emil Ferris's beloved graphic masterpiece and worldwide sensation, collected in a custom slipcase.
COMPLETE HATE GN VOL 01
(W/A) Peter Bagge
The definitive edition of the Great American Grunge Graphic Novel, now collected in paperback for the first time!
Peter Bagge, along with the Hernandez brothers and Daniel Clowes, is one of the primary architects of the alternative comics genre that exploded in the 1980s and 1990s. His compelling and best-selling comic book series Hate chronicled the exploits of Buddy Bradley and his gang of lovable losers through the rise and fall of the grunge era, and beyond. Going beyond mere satire, Bagge's observations helped fashion the aesthetics and attitudes of the only significant youth movement to emerge from the Pacific Northwest. A contemporary review by Bruce Barcott in the Seattle Weekly stated, "Twenty years from now, when people want to know what it was like to be young in 1990s Seattle, the only record we'll have is Peter Bagge's Hate."
The Complete Hate is a new paperback series that includes the original 30-issue run from 1990-1998, the nine subsequent Hate Annuals, and tons of other Hate-related comics, illustrations, and ephemera created for books, magazines, comics, toys, and other merchandise. Bagge combined his cartoony drawing style with uncomfortably real Gen X characters, and the comic books resonated with readers. Vol. 1 collects the first major arc of the series, (Hate 1-15), focusing on young Buddy Bradley's travails in early 1990s Seattle, with a lengthy introduction by Bagge. Each volume contains new covers, endpapers, title pages, and other surprises by the author. (STL375749) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 7x10, 348pgs, B&W SRP: $29.99
HATE REVISTED GN (O/A)
(W/A) Peter Bagge
Legendary cartoonist Peter Bagge triumphantly returns to the series that defined a generation with this all-new Hate graphic novel.
Buddy Bradley and Lisa Leavenworth, now middle aged with a free-spirited young adult of their own, confront their own poor decisions as young people in the grungy 1990s. Expertly shifting between the present day (in full color) and their Gen X heyday (in glorious, crosshatched black-and-white), we learn for the first time the story of how Buddy met Lisa, Stinky, George, and Val. Meanwhile, Buddy is forced to come to terms with the tragic - and covered-up - circumstances of Stinky's untimely death in the original Hate series, while navigating elder care, contemporary politics, family and friendships.
Hate Revisited! expertly showcases Bagge's inimitable humor and knack for character, and the generational shift lends an unexpected gravitas to their lives. While the original Hate is indelibly rooted in a key pop cultural era, the themes and characters of Hate remain timeless. Misanthropy never gets old! (STL372713) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 7x10, 124pgs, B&W SRP: $19.99
WAR ON GAZA
(W/A/CA) Joe Sacco
Joe Sacco is well known as a chronicler of Palestinian pain (Palestine, 1993; Footnotes on Gaza, 2010). He continues this self-created tradition in War on Gaza, a series of graphic commentaries on Israel's genocidal war on Gaza that has been going on non-stop for the last year. Originally published in installments on The Comics Journal's website, War on Gaza is a series of comics continuities and single panels as morally devastating as the war itself. Employing his trademark combination of earnestness, compassion, satire, and dark humor, Sacco's War on Gaza is a relentless critique of Israel's warmongering and President Joe Biden's complicity. (STL352271)
SC, 8x11, 32pgs, FC SRP: $12.99
BUFF SOUL HC (MR)
(W/A) Moa Romanova
Eisner Award winner Moa Romanova returns with an autobiographical graphic novel about accompanying her rock star bestie on a U.S. tour, fueled only by alcohol, drugs and sex.
How do you prevent history from repeating itself, and is it possible to protect the one you love from themselves? When cartoonist Moa Romanova joins her rock star bestie on a U.S. tour, life quickly turns chaotic, as adolescent trauma begins to haunt her. Buff Soul tackles addiction, friendship, and loss in a rollicking road trip adventure involving selling speed, breaking bones, massive hangovers, drug withdrawal, having your entire fist inside your best friend, and shooting guns in the desert. What begins as an insanely comical, hedonistic road trip in the spirit of Pineapple Express, takes a dark turn when her best friend disappears. This event triggers memories of an adolescent trauma she had yet to reckon with, leading Romanova to confront the reality of how far she's let her self-destruction go. (STL375742) (C: 0-1-2)
MATURE THEMES
HC, 7x10, 240pgs, FC SRP: $29.99
GOBLIN GIRL HC (MR) (O/A)
(W) Moa Romanova, Melissa Bowers (A/CA) Moa Romanova
When young, broke and depressed Moa matches with a 53 year old celebrity on Tinder, he immediately gives her the validation, and motivation she is seeking, even encouraging her artistic ambition by offering financial support. However, Moa soon discovers that her would-be savior is not motivated by philanthropy, as the relationship grows more troubling. Romanova delivers a thought provoking, funny, and highly relatable autobiography, announcing Romanova as a powerful new voice in contemporary graphic novels. (STL135798) (NOV191719)
MATURE THEMES
HC, 184pgs, FC SRP: $24.99
MOON PRINCE GN
(W) Kevin Fraser Mutch
This fantasy graphic novel, starring bi-racial orphans Max and Molly, is a rollicking adventure to the Moon with a powerful anti-racist message.
Mistreated for being mixed-race and forced into hard labor at a workhouse in West Hoboken, New Jersey, young Max and Molly are ordinary orphans - or so they think. That is, until a wise old man hears their last name: M'Chawi. Rattled by this realization, he sends them off on a journey that will uncover the secret behind their mystic lineage and give them purpose and power far from home - on the Moon!
There, they encounter the Moon's fantastic inhabitants: the Sky Pirates and their merciless Queen Melissa; the Groos, blue primates and genius mechanics - literal grease monkeys - and their robot protector, Moma Machina; and a kingdom of singing spiders giant enough to eat a man. Looks can be deceiving, and those who first appear frightening can turn out to be allies, and even friends. Take Prince Grakko, pampered heir-apparent to the Bat-People.
The Moon is a land locked in constant battle. Races live in fear and ignorance of one another. To make matters worse, the siblings' getaway isn't as clean as they'd hoped, and the Earth Queen's Grand Inquisitor is hot on their trail. Armed with a bejeweled dagger, pendant, and pure hearts, Max and Molly must unite the denizens of the Moon under a common cause, before humanity's folly reduces their world to rubble. Equal parts Jules Verne and Bone, The Moon Prince is a star-spanning, page-turning epic for the ages. (STL375759) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 7.5x9, 448pgs, FC SRP: $29.99
PRINCE VALIANT HC 30 1995-1996
(W) Hal Foster (A) John Cullen, Cullen Murphy
In the latest volume of Fantagraphics' ambitious reprinting of Hal Foster's immortal masterpiece, trouble follows Prince Valiant from the Misty Isles to Guatemala to Utopia.
Premonitions of the future inform and confound Prince Valiant and his son Nathan. An earthquake rocks the Misty Isles. Val encounters danger among the Mayans in Guatemala. A druid civil war breaks out in Hibernia. Val arrives in Utopia and discovers a dark secret. Universally acclaimed as the most stunningly gorgeous adventure comic strip of all time, Prince Valiant ran for 35 years under the virtuoso pen of its creator, Hal Foster. Starring a daring and gallant young hero, the series features epic sword fights, elaborate scenes of pomp and pageantry, and breathless plotting that always leaves the reader wanting more. Fantagraphics' deluxe editions, each collecting two years' worth of Sunday strips, boast superbly restored artwork that captures every delicate line and chromatic nuance of Foster's art. (STL375751) (C: 0-1-2)
HC, 112pgs, FC SRP: $39.99
PRINCE VALIANT HC VOL 29 1993-1994 (O/A)
(W/A) Various
In the latest volume of Fantagraphics' ambitious reprinting of Hal Foster's immortal masterpiece, another milestone in the life of Prince Valiant.
The wedding of Karen and Vanni! The adventures of three queens and a princess! Val and Sir Gawain in North Africa! A traitor in control of Aleta's Misty Isles! Siege on top of siege! Val's quest for the truth-compelling Shield of Achilles! Plus, Prince Valiant scholar and translator Dr. Uwe Baumann on Prince Valiant in the early 1990s. Universally acclaimed as the most stunningly gorgeous adventure comic strip of all time, Prince Valiant ran for 35 years under the virtuoso pen of its creator, Hal Foster. Starring a daring and gallant young hero, the series features epic sword fights, elaborate scenes of pomp and pageantry, and breathless plotting that always leaves the reader wanting more. Fantagraphics' deluxe editions, each collecting two years' worth of Sunday strips, boast superbly restored artwork that captures every delicate line and chromatic nuance of Foster's art. (STL331115) (C: 0-1-2)
HC, 11x17, 112pgs, FC SRP: $39.99
PRINCE VALIANT HC VOL 28 1991-1992 (O/A)
(W) Hal Foster & Various
The 28th volume of Fantagraphics' ambitious
reprinting of Hal Foster's immortal masterpiece.
On a quest in the Asian lands of Cathay, Prince Valiant encounters
a fire-breathing mechanical dragon and the legendary
adventurer Prester John. Armies converge, mountains crumble,
and a father and son are reunited. Mordred escapes imprisonment
and treacherously stabs Arn, who learns that Maeve is
soon to give birth. Val discovers a lost colony and wrestles with
a tusked whale off the coast of Greenland, but a spell overcomes
the expedition on the Isle of Lost Youth. Plus, an introduction by
Turkish/German artist Ertugrul Edirne. And behind the scenes
of a heavy-metal interpretation of Prince Valiant.
Universally acclaimed as the most stunningly gorgeous
adventure comic strip of all time, Prince Valiant ran for 35 years
under the virtuoso pen of its creator, Hal Foster. Starring a daring and gallant young
hero, the series features epic swordfights, elaborate scenes of pomp and pageantry,
and breathless plotting that always leaves the reader wanting more. Fantagraphics'
deluxe editions, each collecting two years' worth of Sunday strips, boast superbly
restored artwork that captures every delicate line and chromatic nuance of Foster's
art. (STL298326) (FEB241434)
HC, 10x14, 112pgs, FC SRP: $39.99
ROY #1
(W) Gilbert Hernandez, Natalia Hernandez
The Hernandez family's role in the history of comics is undeniable. With Love and Rockets, Gilbert Hernandez, along with his younger brother Jaime (and occasionally his older brother, Mario) have pushed the boundaries of what comics can do. In Roy #1, the family's legacy expands, as Gilbert teams up with his daughter, Natalia! Fan favorite everyman Roy returns in a two-part story, teaming up with the Little Stunt Boy to deal with Roy's arch nemesis - the Froat! Or, should we say: the Froats?!? They're multiplying! Meanwhile, Natalia delivers a surreal eight-pager detailing an Alien spiritual encounter! It's a family affair! (STL376330)
6.5x10, 24pgs, FC SRP: $4.99
FANTAGRAPHICS UNDERGROUND COMP MEGATRON MAN GN VOL 01 1980S
(W) Don Simpson
For the first time, every Megaton Man adventure from 1983 to 1990 is collected into one gigantic, muscle-bound tome!
The Man of Molecules began as satire but soon became the industry standard! The Megahero of a Million Tons of TNT joins forces with the See-Thru Girl, Yarn Man, and Kozmik Kat to face down Bad Guy, the Cosmic Cue-Ball, and the Partyers from Mars! With unpublished art and roughs, plot outlines, historic photographs, and other relics not seen since the Cold War! With an introduction by Bill Morrison (The Simpsons), a foreword by Chris Ecker (Big Bang Comics), and an afterword by the author. (STL375762) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 9x11, 604pgs, B&W SRP: $60.00
IN PICTOPIA MAGAZINE (O/A)
(W) Don Simpson (A) Various
In Pictopia is the legendary comic created in 1986, written by the era's most adventurous mainstream comics writer and drawn by a bevy of indie cartoonists-helmed by Don Simpson, with Mike Kazaleh, Pete Poplaski, and Eric Vincent. Presented here for the first time, scanned from the original line art and full-color painted boards, in an appropriately oversized format. Pictopia is the allegorical city inhabited by old, forgotten, but once famous and iconic comics characters, now considered pitiable has-beens by the popular new comics characters who are cheerfully and inevitably taking their places in the pop culture pantheon of celebrity. It is both a paean to timeless, beloved comics characters and a scathing critique of the then-contemporary comics sub-culture. (STL182887)
28pgs, FC SRP: $20.00
FANTAGRAPHICS UNDERGROUND X-AMOUNT OF COMICS (O/A)
(W/A/CA) Don Simpson
The most famous never-completed masterpiece in comics history- Image Comics' 1963 by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, and Rick Veitch-is finally given the irreverent, and completely unauthorized 72-page climax no-one ever asked for! Written and drawn in an authentic Old School manner, X-Amount is just enough to satisfy! A comic for the ages that may finish off the Silver Age once and for all! For sophisticated readers. (STL279841) (JUN231854)
8x11, 96pgs, B&W SRP: $20.00
FANTAGRAPHICS UNDERGROUND LASER EYE SURGERY GN
(W) Walker Tate
A chance encounter with a misplaced flyer leads to disaster as a seemingly ordinary eyesight-correction operation takes on sinister overtones.
"Correct your sight - See what you've been missing." An unnamed man decides to adjust his sight, setting him and the reader down a path of confusion and mistrust. As optical defects begin to emerge from the operation, the man begins to doubt his own senses. Impressionable and easily alarmed, the man comes to suspect he has received much more than he paid for.
Set in a bleak world without much to see, cosmic dangers lurk just out of sight in the corner of one's eye. If only there was a way to see them better… Fixed views deteriorate in this warped account of a surgical procedure gone awry. As the man's vision continues to change in unforeseen ways, he plunges down a path of confusion and intrigue, no longer sure what to trust. Are the perceived dangers present, or merely thought to be, and which is worse? Shifty and withholding, steeped in paranoia, Laser Eye Surgery is a comedically unsettling rumination on perception and its trappings - and a formidable debut graphic novel by New York cartoonist Walker Tate. (STL375772) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 8.5x11, 96pgs, B&W SRP: $19.99
FANTAGRAPHICS UNDERGROUND EC FAN-ADDICT #7
The EC Fan-Addict Fanzine is now in its 7th big issue!
Edited by Grant Geissman and the late Roger Hill, this 120-page issue features a portfolio of pre-EC art by Jack Davis, an interview with the legendary publisher of the 1960s and 1970s prozine (and first-generation EC fan) Bill Spicer, a portfolio of Gary Arlington's "What If?" EC covers released as part of his 1970s Nickel Library series, an article on collecting Humbug/Harvey Kurtzman-related collectibles, a 1958 interview with Kurtzman conducted by John Benson and Larry Ivie, another installment of "The EC Collector," an interview with the notorious Dr. Fredric Wertham about his final book, The World of Fanzines: A Special Form of Communication, a vintage 1967 visit with Frank Frazetta, and much more!
Featuring a front cover painting by Laurie Snow Hein (a longtime student of EC's
Graham Ingels), and a back cover done in 1954 by Al Williamson. Another must-have
issue for EC Comics fans! (STL375767) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 8.5x11, 120pgs, FC SRP: $16.00
FANTACO ENTERPRISES INC.
SPACE MONSTERS MAGAZINE #1
(W) Various (A/CA) Simon Pritchard
Thick, 100-page squarebound magazine with feature articles by well known celebrities and writers, on fantasy, science fiction, and horror subjects, Artist Simon Pritchard mans the cover and a feature comic story, Casey Orr, the bass player for the popular band GWAR, has a regular column as does Disney Animation veteran, Frank Dietz. And Don Glut will be answering all readers questions. This is a magazine by collectors, for collectors. It will be published twice a year, in the summer and winter. (STL374975) (C: 0-1-2)
Magazine, SC, 6x9, 100pgs, B&W SRP: $14.95
FENOM COMICS
STAR RIDERS GN
(W) Tony Bedard (A/CA) Scott McDaniel
Like the missing piece of a puzzle that has been found, the mathematical breakthrough of XIANITICS has provided all of mankind with the gift of faster-than-light space travel. Scientific discoveries of this magnitude always have reactions and thus, consequences. Transhumanism—the evolutionary leap when the human race transcends beyond its current physical and mental limitations through science and technology. What makes a human a human? Where one person may look to their own consciousness or soul as the essence of who they are, another person will look to their outward physical appearance, cognitive abilities, cultural traits, or resiliency as their true self identity. The Star Riders will be forced to individually examine their own inherent core self, their place in the universe, and the ultimate meaning of their existence. (STL375778) (C: 0-1-1)
SC, 7x10, 280pgs, FC SRP: $24.99
HUNTER NINJA BEAR GN (O/A)
(W) Chuck Dixon (A/CA) Mel Rubi
The rules are simple: Hunter beats Bear. Ninja beats Hunter. Bear beats Ninja. Seeking to avenge the slaying of his village by a savage horde of monstrous bears, a lone ninja comes to realize that his vengeance can not be wielded by his sword, but only at the end of a legendary hunter's rifle. Some partnerships are forged in steel and can overcome all, but unfortunately most are not. Blindness comes in many forms, and so does its repercussions. Jay Johnson helped create the Hunter Ninja Bear title artwork. Jay has created the title designs for all of Quentin Tarantino's films except Reservoir Dogs. (STL243397)
SC, 7x10, 360pgs, FC SRP: $29.99
FIRST SECOND BOOKS
ARCHIVES OF UNEXPLAINED GN VOL 01 AREA 51
(W) Steve Foxe (A) Fran Bueno
Welcome to the first venture into the Archives of the Unexplained, a middle grade fiction graphic novel series exploring historical and mysterious hair-raising events. Creepy is having a comeback! When TJ attends his uncle's funeral he expects to be bored. But when he escapes into his uncle's office and discovers a secret door to a basement, his uncle's classified documents open up a whole world of unidentified aircraft, strange gray men, and alien conspiracies he knew nothing about. What will TJ learn from these hidden files? Or will the mysterious men in black who appeared at the funeral get to him first? Each book in this series takes one or two high-interest and relatively focused events and presents a lively, thorough, but open-ended examination of what occurred. (STL372719) (C: 0-1-1)
SC, 6x9, 112pgs, FC SRP: $13.99
ARCHIVES OF UNEXPLAINED GN VOL 02 UNWANTED GUEST
(W) Steve Foxe (A) Naomi Franquiz
Creepy is having a comeback! Minnie and Jackson's new house has some stories to tell. As does Theo, the mysterious boy they meet in the park. Theo is full of unbelievable tales—the flying rocks and breaking glass of the Guyra Ghost house and the crimson-drenched floors of the Atlanta blood house. And what does this mysterious boy know about their new home? If only walls could talk. Open the Archives of the Unexplained as we delve into unearthly real-life stories, explore the unknown, and examine the elusive facts of history's many mysteries. (STL372720) (C: 0-1-1)
SC, 6x9, 112pgs, FC SRP: $13.99
CRYPTID KIDS GN VOL 02 MOBY DUCK
(W) Sara Goetter (A) Natalie Riess
A year after Penny, K, and Luc rescued the Bawk-Ness Monster and a submarine full of cryptids from the nefarious Alvida Scales, they’ve reunited for what’s supposed to be a low-key trip to the seashore with K’s dad. K has big plans to follow in her great-aunt’s cryptid-hunting footsteps and track down the mysterious Moby Duck with her two best friends in tow, but there are a couple big problems with this plan! First of all, Penny’s also bringing a stranger along – a kid named “Jo” who likes anime and video games and other things that K thinks are super boring. And if that wasn’t bad enough, because of everything that went wrong on their last big trip together, K is forbidden from cryptid hunting of any kind! It’s a disaster all around! (STL372722) (C: 0-1-1)
SC, 6x9, 208pgs, FC SRP: $14.99
SPACE CAT GN
(W) Nnedi Okorafor (A) Tana Ford
Life for a cat doesn't get much better than Periwinkle's. By day, his loving humans treat him with scritches, cuddles, and delicious chicken fillets. And by night, he races through outer space in a custom-built spaceship, exploring the cosmos. You see, Periwinkle doesn't just look like an alien, with his bat-like ears and huge blue eyes—he is one. When his humans move to the small but bustling town of Kaleria, Nigeria, Periwinkle can tell something is about the place is off. Every day, strange blue plants have been sprouting up all across town, and the humans are acting weirder and weirder. Soon enough, it looks like Periwinkle's most epic adventure yet might happen right here on earth. Nnedi Okorafor's groundbreaking books masterfully blend African culture and science fiction. Space Cat is her foray into middle grade graphic novels, and it promises to be as imaginative and lyrical as her other celebrated works. (STL372721) (C: 0-1-1)
SC, 6x9, 176pgs, FC SRP: $14.99
TRIPPING OVER YOU 01
(W) Suzana Harcum (A) Owena White
The infamous theater kid Milo and wallflower Liam are unlikely friends connected by a mutual feeling of being misfits in their boarding school. As their friendship and bond develops, unspoken romantic feelings start to bubble up and complicate everything—misunderstandings and bruised eyes aplenty. But with their graduation soon approaching, Milo gathers the strength to finally confess. They begin dating in secret (for fear of Liam's strict father finding out), but their relationship becomes more difficult to hide over time and they must decide if they are ready for what the future has in store for them. (STL375228) (C: 0-1-1)
SC, 6x9, 240pgs, FC SRP: $17.99
FLYING EYE BOOKS
FROGGY POND FULL OF PALS GN
(W/A) Paige Walshe
Froggy is just a small, slimy guy trying to navigate the big wide pond, and there's no end of sticky situations for him to get caught up in! A small pond like any other lies in the forest, but dwelling in this pond is no ordinary Froggy. He's a little bit of a klutz, and making friends with local wizards, falling foul of Mrs Possum whilst trying to steal her blueberries, and getting into scraps with Crayfish Craig are all in a day's work for this slimy guy. Learning how to deal with big feelings, big magic spells, and big fish in the big world can be a lot for a little frog, but he's not giving up any time soon. (STL375776) (C: 1-1-2) NOTE: Available only in US, Canada, and US territories.
SC, 6x9, 132pgs, FC SRP: $12.99
VERN CUSTODIAN OF THE UNIVERSE GN
(W/A) Tyrell Waiters
On the edge of burnout, Vern decides to return to his family in the Sunshine State to start over. Starting a new dead-end job as a custodian at Quasar—a local science facility with a shady motive—he shrugs on his uniform, grabs a mop and bucket, and trudges off to clean up… Black holes? Space-time anomalies? Galactic ooze? Things aren't entirely what they seem at Quasar, and when Vern accidentally plugs in a mysterious machine and finds himself standing on the brink of the destruction of every planet in the Multiverse, he's presented with the greatest question of all: what is the point? Fans of Ben Passmore's personal and political comics—as well as classic sci-fi comedies like Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Rick and Morty—will enjoy this world of hyper fantasy with a touch of humor, as told by a Black creator. (STL375777) (C: 1-1-2) NOTE: Available only in US and Canada.
SC, 6x9, 176pgs, FC SRP: $20.99