2010 Releases
Here's everything Top Shelf has planned for 2010 (so far!) listed in order of release (i.e., January releases followed by February, etc.). Do yourself a favor this year and try some things that you're not that familiar with. You won't be disappointed.
With our first foray into Manga with Ax; ground-breaking works like The Playwright and Moving Pictures; cutting-edge releases like The Homeland Directive, Superf*ckers, The Lost Dossiers, Undeleted Scenes, and Incredible Change-Bots Two; an April Swedish Invasion featuring The 120 Days of Simon, Hey Princes, and The Troll King; new talent bringing outstanding works into the family such as BB Wolf & The 3 LP's, We Can Fix It, Chester 5000, Fingerprints, and Night Animals; and new all-ages graphic novels such as Dragon Puncher (Book 1) and Johnny Boo (Book 4) -- it's going to be an exciting year!
And click on the links for a quick look at the entire publishing schedule; our mature-reader perennials, and our all-ages perennials.
January 2010
Alec: The Years Have Pants
"This impressive collection—a high-water mark in the graphic novel’s short history—confirms that no one else in the medium combines emotional truth, literary intelligence, and formal daring with such adroitness and elegance." -- Booklist (starred review)
"Witty and thoughtful ... a great …
Alec: The Years Have Pants -- HARDCOVER
Also available, a special HARDCOVER edition of ALEC: THE YEARS HAVE PANTS.
IN PRINT! (PUBLISHED JANUARY 2010)
Dodgem Logic #1
by Alan Moore
Edited by Alan Moore. This new underground magazine has a comic strip drawn by Alan Moore, his first in 20 years! Plus his written history of 'underground' publishing from the 13th century to now. Also contains comics by Kevin O'Neill and Savage Pencil along with the musings of Father Ted creator …
February 2010
World War 3 Illustrated #40
While the 2008 Presidential election was viewed by many as a turning point, it is uncertain how the policies of the new government will unfold -- but the message people have sent is clear: after 28 years of right wing dominance in U.S. politics, Americans are unhappy with the results. We find that …
March 2010
SuperF*ckers
"James Kochalka draws beautiful music.” -- Nicholas Gurewitch, creator of The Perry Bible Fellowship
"[Kochalka] brings the joy back to comics.” -- Frank Miller, creator of Sin City and 300
"Easily my favorite comic James Kochalka’s ever done.” -- Brandon Boyer, BoingBoing …
Super Spy (Vol 2): The Lost Dossiers
by Matt Kindt
"Kindt’s fluid outlines, thick swatches of color fill-in, sleek figures, and predominant subdued duotone coloring effectively conjure the ambiguous living hell that crushes the characters’ zeal while it forces them to go on until they’re stabbed, knifed, poisoned, or shot. [Super Spy] rivals …
Dodgem Logic #2
by Alan Moore
Edited by Alan Moore. After the appreciative reception afforded to its premier edition, lauded throughout the gutters of the world, the second issue of Alan Moore's mystifying new underground publication DODGEM LOGIC is now available. Delivering 52 pages of full-colour solid content thanks to its …
April 2010
Hey Princess
by Mats Jonsson
THE SWEDISH INVASION!
“The brilliance of Mats Jonsson’s comics is knowing just how funny some of the most pathetic moments of adolescence can be, and not being afraid to share those, no matter how ridiculous it makes him look.” --Jeffrey Brown, author of Clumsy and Funny Misshapen …
The 120 Days of Simon
THE SWEDISH INVASION!
"The 120 Days of Simon is an alternately charming, funny and aggravating four month journal of a self-advertised, couch-surfing freeloader. Highly recommended!" -- Peter Bagge
The 120 Days of Simon began when Swedish cartoonist/rapper Simon Gärdenfors left his home to …
The Troll King
THE SWEDISH INVASION!
“The magical biology of The Troll King reads like a psychedelic Hans Christian Andersen, blended with the neo-traditional storytelling of Miyazaki and just a touch of black metal. These are hairy fairy tales for the Burning Man generation." --Jason Leivian, owner of …
From the Shadow of the Northern Lights (Vol 2)
THE SWEDISH INVASION!
"So can comics in a cold climate prosper? Yes, they can still root, send up fresh shoots and eventually sprout and blossom, providing they get the right nurturing care and soil conditions. Thanks to support from cities and the state, from feisty publishers like Galago, the …
Swedish Comics History
THE SWEDISH INVASION!
Swedish comics are just now about to make it big abroad, but they have a long and intricate history -- a history that goes back to (at least) the end of the 18th Century. This book chronicles the history of comics in Sweden, presenting major trends and creators, showing …
May 2010
Owly and Friends - 2010 (FCBD)
by James Kochalka and Andy Runton and Christian Slade
ToTop Shelf is proud to join the 2010 FREE COMIC BOOK DAY celebration with not one, but THREE all-ages tales. In this FCBD edition, we'll not only present an all-new OWLY adventure by Andy Runton, but also two other all-new, all-ages adventures from Owly's friends: JOHNNY BOO by James Kochalka & …
UPC 094922352118
Moving Pictures
Praise for previous work by Stuart Immonen: "Subtle characterizations are ably articulated in expressive line work." -- Booklist
Top Shelf is proud to welcome Kathryn & Stuart Immonen (Ultimate Spider-Man, Nextwave, Patsy Walker: Hellcat, Never as Bad as You Think) to the Top Shelf family with …
Undeleted Scenes
Undeleted Scenes presents a decade’s worth of shorter works from indie comics legend Jeffrey Brown. This huge compendium contains stories from the previous collections Minisulk, Every Girl Is the End of the World for Me, and Feeble Attempts, as well as Jeffrey's work from anthologies such as …
BB Wolf and the 3 LP's
by J.D. Arnold and Rich Koslowski
"BB Wolf strikes a relentless tempo that grabs you by the ears and refuses to let go. I never put this one down for an instant. Great stuff." -- Greg Ruth, artist of Freaks of the Heartlands, Conan: Born on the Battlefield, and Our Enduring Spirit
A farmer and family man by day, blues musician …
Three Fingers
WINNER of the 2003 Ignatz Award for Best Graphic Novel!
" . . . a single-minded obsession with animation history informs this work even as its creator twists and tears that history into a new, hideous, and hilarious form. There’s a little bit of Roger Rabbit and a whole lot of Spinal Tap at …
Greetings from Cartoonia
by Stripburger
In Greetings from Cartoonia, twelve modern European cartoonists gathered "objects of inspiration" from each others' homelands (such as architectural styles, animal species, car models, traditional folk products, mythological beings, and so on). Then each artist created a comic story set in their …
June 2010
The Playwright
by Eddie Campbell and Daren White
Praise for Eddie Campbell (Alec, From Hell):
"No one else in the medium combines emotional truth, literary intelligence, and formal daring with such adroitness and elegance." -– Booklist
"Campbell is one of the premier cartoonists of his generation." -- Publishers Weekly
'There's no artist …
Johnny Boo (Book 4): The Mean Little Boy
"Perfect for beginning readers." -- Publishers Weekly
"Kochalka's command of the comic form is sublime and adorable. Kids will love Johnny Boo." -- Harry Bliss, illustrator of Diary of a Worm
"Johnny Boo is sweet without being sugary and comfortably familiar yet fresh on every page. All in …
July 2010
Ax (Vol 1): A Collection of Alternative Manga
Edited by Sean Michael Wilson
Stories compiled by Mitsuhiro Asakawa.
"Ax lives up to its name - sharp, cutting-edge, a bit scary and dangerous, slicing through formula and genre. Ax is the hub of the latest indy auteur Japanese comics that I've been longing to see brought out in English. So far …
Dragon Puncher (Vol 1)
"Kochalka channels his inner child as well as any comic book creator who has ever lived." -- Timothy Callahan, Comic Book Resources
"Kochalka's work makes me feel like I did when I was six years old. He brings the joy back to comics." -- Frank Miller, creator of Sin City, 300, and Batman: The …
The Ticking
by Renée French
FINALLY, RENEE FRENCH'S MASTERPIECE IS COMING BACK IN PRINT IN JULY!
"A gem that means more with every reading." -- Booklist
"The Ticking is a journey to a place we've never seen or imagined, yet which somehow and inexplicably we know intimately. To be so deeply moved in so many directions at …
August 2010
Fingerprints
by Will Dinski
From the winner of the 2009 Isotope Award for Excellence in Mini-Comics!
In a town where movie-star good looks are only a surgery away, it's hard to tell what's real... Acclaimed mini-comic creator Will Dinski presents a haunting pastel vision of beauty and decay in FINGERPRINTS, his full-color …
CHESTER 5000-XYV
by Jess Fink
Top Shelf is proud to introduce not one, but TWO, delightfully fresh & sexy graphic novels by incredible newcomer Jess Fink in 2010. For starters, CHESTER 5000-XYV, a wordless Victorian erotic romp!
"Liquid and elegantly stylized." -- Alan Moore
THE YEAR: 1885, a time of industrial …
September 2010
The Homeland Directive
by Mike Huddleston and Robert Venditti
As head of the National Center for Infectious Diseases, Dr. Laura Regan is one of the world’s foremost authorities on viral and bacteriological study. Having dedicated her career to halting the spread of infectious disease, she has always considered herself one of the good guys. But when her …
Tricked (new hardcover)
ALEX ROBINSON'S MASTERPIECE IS COMING BACK (WITH AN ALL NEW COVER DESIGNED BY MATT KINDT) IN AUGUST!
Winner of the Harvey & Ignatz Awards for Best Graphic Novel.
"Indie Book of the Year" -- Wizard Magazine
"Most indie film should be this good." -- Entertainment Weekly
"A master of the …
October 2010
Incredible Change-Bots Two
Three years ago, an alien race of shape-changing robots came to Earth, fired ray guns at each other for a while, then gave up and flew away. But they left behind one thing: Shootertron, the cunning leader of the evil Fantasticons! Fortunately for Earth, Shootertron's memory is a little fuzzy. …
November 2010
Night Animals
by Brecht Evens
Top Shelf is proud to feature the colorful and detailed work of Brecht Evens. Night Animals is an amazing full-color comic book that is going to be a treat for your eyes as well as your mind. It collects two mute stories, one about a schoolgirl suddenly assaulted by gender traits, the other about a …
We Can Fix It!
by Jess Fink
Top Shelf is proud to introduce not one, but TWO, delightfully fresh & sexy graphic novels by incredible newcomer Jess Fink in 2010. Number two is the charming (and deceptively deep) time-travel memoir, WE CAN FIX IT!
What would you do if you had a time machine? Bet on sporting events? …
