News pg. 18

Announcing the long-awaited return of HEY, MISTER and more!

March 6, 2014 / More →

This month's pre-order announcement is a very special landmark for us at Top Shelf. When Brett Warnock and I decided to join forces at the Small Press Expo in 1997, we had one goal: to bring great comics into the world, comics that could be funny or charming, and full of subtext and heart.

And the first graphic novel we ever released was Pete Sickman-Garner's wry and witty Hey, Mister: After School Special.

Now, so many years later, we're pleased as punch to announce the return of Pete, and his whole cast of lovable Hey, Mister weirdoes, for their biggest adventure ever -- to Hell and back! This 192-page self-contained graphic novel is a perfect introduction for new readers, while longtime fans will find extra treats lurking inside.

Hey, Mister: Come Hell or Highwater Pants
by Pete Sickman-Garner

ISBN 978-1-60309-030-8
$14.95 (US)
A 192-Page full-length graphic novel, 6.5" x 9.5"
Can Mister, Young Tim, and Aunt Mary help Satan sneak back into the underworld and retrieve his soul? Pete Sickman-Garner returns at last to his beloved cult-favorite series HEY, MISTER, rounding up the whole cast for one Hell of a heist job.
Pre-order in the current Diamond Previews today for books shipping in May!

Also coming soon: new printings of essential Top Shelf classics!


Now's the time to pre-order YOUR copies of the spring reprints of the Jeff Lemire library (The Underwater Welder, Essex County, and Lost Dogs) as well as the legendary Lost Girls by Alan Moore & Melinda Gebbie!

New releases from Top Shelf in stores now!


2014 is off to a mighty beginning with these new releases! Head to your favorite store today to pick up The Bojeffries Saga by Alan Moore & Steve Parkhouse and Alone Forever by Liz Prince -- and stay tuned for the March 19 release of Nemo: The Roses of Berlin by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill as well as our reprinted edition of the timeless civil rights comic book Martin Luther King & the Montgomery Story (hitting stores in April)!

Your friend thru comics,

Chris Staros


Top Shelf launches first wave of DRM-free graphic novels!

February 19, 2014 / More →

Ever since we first began selling digital editions of our books in 2011, Top Shelf has embraced digital distribution wholeheartedly. We’ve presented an unmatched library of award-winning and fan-favorite graphic novels on multiple platforms, working with digital partners to offer readers a remarkable degree of choice, while keeping digital prices substantially lower than print.

And since our printed books are so handsomely designed, we know that offering you affordable and convenient e-books doesn’t stop you from craving the print edition for your bookshelf — on the contrary, the two formats complement each other.

Fans evidently agree! You've responded to our digital offerings with great enthusiasm, downloading Top Shelf comics by the thousands from excellent vendors like Comixology, Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, BN Nook, and more, while continuing to shop for your favorites in printed format from your favorite retailers.

Today, we’re launching a new program that gives digital readers even more options. In addition to selling through our digital partners, select titles are now available in DRM-free digital editions directly from our online store at www.topshelfcomix.com! Using this DRM-free option allows you to download your purchase as a simple PDF, ePub, or CBZ file -- yours to keep, back up, or transfer to mobile devices.

What’s more, this new direct-download option allows us to launch another great feature: add-on pricing. Starting today, customers who order select titles from the www.topshelfcomix.com online store can purchase both print and digital editions at the same time, for a substantial savings! For example, Jeff Lemire’s The Underwater Welder is priced at $19.95 print and $6.99 digital, but now when ordering the print edition, it’s only $2.99 extra to add on the digital edition. One for home and one for the road? One for you and one for your sweetie? The choice is yours, with add-on pricing!

Top Shelf’s new DRM-free ebook program launches with the following titles:

Also, the following digital-exclusive titles are now available DRM-free:

Thanks as always for your support. Let’s explore the future of comics… together!


Liz Prince is ALONE FOREVER in a town near you!

February 1, 2014 / More →

Image for Liz Prince is ALONE FOREVER in a town near you!

Can you believe it's February already? Just in time for Valentine's Day, we've got a new release from the author of the award-winning fan-favorite Will You Still Love Me If I Wet the Bed?

Yes, Liz Prince debuts her much-anticipated new book Alone Forever this week (in stores February 5)!

But why let her be ALONE FOREVER when you can MEET LIZ PRINCE at one of her many events this month?

Liz hits the road with her new book:

And that's not all! Liz has expanded her reach by sending awesome prints of various Alone Forever comic strips for you to view and purchase at these worldwide gallery shows!

Hope to see you on the road! For more details and a 7-page preview of the book, click here.


MARCH: BOOK ONE wins Coretta Scott King Honors from American Library Association!

January 28, 2014 / More →

Top Shelf Productions is both proud and honored to congratulate Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell, the creators of March: Book One, on yesterday's announcement that their graphic novel is a Coretta Scott King Honor Book.

Since 1970, the Coretta Scott King Book Awards have celebrated outstanding books for young people about the African American experience. The honor for March: Book One (the first in a planned trilogy of graphic novels in which Congressman Lewis recounts his astonishing life in the civil rights movement) is only the second time the CSK committee has selected a book in comics format. It marks the first Coretta Scott King honor for Lewis, Aydin, or Powell, as well as for publisher Top Shelf.

March: Book One ended 2013 being listed among the year's best books by USA Today, The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, and many more publications, and was recently selected by comic book retailers to receive Diamond Comic Distributors' Gem Award as Independent Graphic Novel of the Year. It is currently in its 21st week on the New York Times bestseller list.

For more information or to download the free Teacher's Guide to March: Book One, please visit www.topshelfcomix.com/march.


THE MONTGOMERY STORY comes to your favorite retailer!

January 28, 2014 / More →

You may remember that the award-winning March trilogy is based on the 1950s comic book Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story, which served as both an inspiration and an instruction manual for young John Lewis and many other activists of his generation. Now, in addition to launching the first fully-authorized digital edition of that comic book (both in a special bundle and on its own), we've partnered with the Fellowship of Reconciliation on a new physical reprint!

At last, comic shops, bookstores, libraries, and readers can order their own copies of this timeless piece of history. It's available for pre-order now and will hit stores in April. And once again, all of Top Shelf's proceeds will be donated to the book's original publishers, the Fellowship of Reconciliation!


Key reprints coming in April: FROM HELL, BLANKETS, SWALLOW ME WHOLE!

January 28, 2014 / More →

Spring is the season of rebirth - and the perfect time for fresh printings of three award-winning Top Shelf perennials!

From Hell by Alan Moore & Eddie Campbell
Blankets by Craig Thompson (both softcover and hardcover editions)
Swallow Me Whole by Nate Powell

These titles, all winners of the Eisner and Ignatz Awards, are beloved masterpieces that no graphic novel reader should be without. Pre-order your copies today!


All-new LEAGUE adventure in 2014, as NEMO heads to darkest Berlin!

January 3, 2014 / More →

When Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill followed up their League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century trilogy with 2013's spinoff Nemo: Heart of Ice, critics hailed it as a return to form, "a throwback to the high adventure of the initial series," and a "late-career masterpiece, with a chiseled veneer of cracked adventure on the surface and a bubbling enthusiasm for the magic of storytelling welling up inside."

Now saddle up your submarines and study up on your silent films, because the new NEMO is now available for pre-order! Moore & O'Neill rampage through twentieth-century culture in a blazing new adventure, set in a city of totalitarian shadows and mechanical nightmares. Cultures clash and lives are lost in the explosive collision of four unforgettable women, lost in the black and bloody alleyways where thrive THE ROSES OF BERLIN.

You can pre-order it from this month's Diamond Previews catalog, for release in March. For more details and 5 preview images, click here!

Also coming soon:
BURNING BUILDING COMIX by Jeff Zwirek - HOT second printing of this innovative Ignatz-nominated gem.
ALONE FOREVER by Liz Prince - The author of the world's most lovable couples comic sets her sights on the single life.
THE BOJEFFRIES SAGA by Alan Moore & Steve Parkhouse - This nutty British comedy gives "nuclear family" a whole new meaning, now complete in a single volume with an all-new story!


Nate Powell goes in-depth with the Comics Reporter!

January 2, 2014 / More →

Image for Nate Powell goes in-depth with the Comics Reporter!

"This is one of the books of this year. This is something that will be prominent in your career, no matter what direction it takes from here, for however long you continue to make comics."

So begins Tom Spurgeon's long and wide-ranging interview with our own Nate Powell, award-winning author/artist of Swallow Me Whole, Any Empire, Sounds of Your Name, and now artist of March: Book One, one of the most talked-about and highly-acclaimed graphic novels in Top Shelf history.

How does it feel to work so closely with a revered figure of American history? What does it mean to break through barriers for comics on television and in classrooms? What was the creative process to turn this powerful narrative into such innovative comic book pages? Tom and Nate get deeply into it, making this interview a must-read. Check it out!


Top Shelf wishes you a hilarious holiday season!

December 18, 2013 / More →

Image for Top Shelf wishes you a hilarious holiday season!

The holidays are upon us, and Top Shelf has two special treats to help you celebrate:

First, James Kochalka returns to his raunchy cult-classic SUPERF*CKERS with a 16-page seasonal special! Yes, it's a timeless holiday gem for the modern age, SuperF*ckers Save Christmas! Grab this digital delight today, and it can be Christmas in your heart (and your tablet device) all year round.

But that's not all! The dynamic duo of Mark Russell and Shannon Wheeler, creators of this year's left-field hit God Is Disappointed in You, are caught up in the holiday spirit too. They've teamed up once again for a new book trailer, featuring the Biblical first Christmas -- God Is Disappointed in You style! Click here or watch it after the jump. (Some language may not be safe for work.)

Don't forget, God Is Disappointed in You makes a great gift for the believer or nonbeliever in your life -- or grab the ebook version to read on your shiny new devices!

Ho ho ho and happy holidays from Top Shelf!

Read More →


Top Shelf titles are the Best Books of 2013!

December 18, 2013 / More →

Image for Top Shelf titles are the Best Books of 2013!

A special year-end congratulations to our authors & artists -- we're proud to see so much of their work praised in "Best Books of the Year" lists!

The historic and captivating March: Book One (by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell) was particularly singled out for inclusion on over a dozen major lists! We also noted considerable praise for Kevin Cannon's thrilling Crater XV, Zander Cannon's powerful Heck, and the Double Barrel series that launched them; Jeffrey Brown's sober A Matter of Life; and Rob Harrell's delightful Monster on the Hill!

Our thanks to the fine folks with great taste over at The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, The Horn Book, Paste, Slate, Washington CityPaper, North Adams Transcript, ComicsAlliance, Multiversity Comics, Crave Online, Amazon, and Apple iBooks, among others!


Kick off 2014 with a laugh: new comedies from Alan Moore & Liz Prince!

December 3, 2013 / More →

Top Shelf launches an outstanding 2014 season with two releases for February: a time for love, family, and togetherness… or at least hilarious deconstruction of those themes!

Pre-order these titles now with your local comics retailer (both featured in the current Diamond Previews catalog). Click through for more information and preview pages!

Alan Moore and Steve Parkhouse gleefully demolish British culture in THE BOJEFFRIES SAGA, now complete in a single volume with an all-new story!


You loved her relationship comics… But now Liz Prince is ALONE FOREVER!

Thanks for your support, and Happy Holidays!


THE MONTGOMERY STORY now available on more platforms!

November 20, 2013 / More →

Image for THE MONTGOMERY STORY now available on more platforms!

Two weeks ago, Top Shelf partnered with the Fellowship of Reconciliation and with comiXology to release the first-ever fully-authorized digital edition of the influential 1950s comic Martin Luther King and The Montgomery Story, in an exclusive digital bundle with the bestselling graphic novel March: Book One. Following that launch, and the extensive segment on The Rachel Maddow Show exploring the connection between the two comics, interest has soared for The Montgomery Story, in both print and digital form.

So we're pleased to announce that, due to popular demand, Martin Luther King and The Montgomery Story is now available on some of the most popular ebook platforms, including Amazon's Kindle store, Apple's iBookstore, and iVerse's Comics+, as well as independently on Comixology! As always, all our proceeds from this fully-authorized release will be donated to F.O.R., and the printed edition is also available.

Thanks to the Fellowship of Reconciliation, all our digital partners, and to YOU for your support of this timeless piece of comics history!


Massive Fall Digital Sale! Plus: Kindle MatchBook!

November 13, 2013 / More →

TWO big announcements from the world of Top Shelf Digital today:

First, we're kicking off a massive SALE, across all digital platforms, temporarily slashing prices on dozens of our most beloved graphic novels!

We don't have room to list them all here, but to give you a taste:

Go ahead, poke around, get lost in there! With prices like these, you really can't go wrong.

Add a digital edition to your print purchase with Kindle MatchBook!


On top of that, we know that many of you love the beauty of our books as physical objects, but also want the convenience of a digital edition that you can read on the go. So we're announcing that many of our books are now available in Amazon's Kindle MatchBook program! If you've bought certain Top Shelf titles from Amazon in the past, or will in the future, you have the option to scoop up a digital version for just a few bucks more! So far the program applies to titles like March: Book One, God Is Disappointed in You, From Hell, Essex County, Wizzywig, Monster on the Hill, Johnny Boo, Owly, and more! Head to Amazon's Kindle MatchBook page to see which of your purchases are eligible for this convenient digital add-on.


Watch the MARCH team tackle prime time with Rachel Maddow!

November 11, 2013 / More →


Congressman John Lewis and his graphic novel March: Book One are back on TV -- and this time he's got company! MSNBC's Rachel Maddow brought on Congressman Lewis and his collaborators Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell Thursday night for a live on-air interview, marking the first time The Rachel Maddow Show has featured the full creative team of a graphic novel. Watch here, or scroll down for a summary!

Maddow led off with a recap of Congressman Lewis' life and career, as well as the 1950s comic book that inspired the March project (now available in our new digital bundle).

Then she played a new 60-second animation of Nate Powell's art from the book, with voiceover by Congressman Lewis, before bringing on the three creators to discuss the book and its message.

The whole video's embedded after the jump, or you can click over to the Maddow site for additional bonus footage and even a sneak peek at Nate's sketches for Book Two!

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Discover the remarkable comic book that changed the world and inspired MARCH!

November 6, 2013 / More →

The new graphic novel series March, by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell, is a landmark for the comics industry and a genuine publishing phenomenon, bringing civil rights history to new life for new generations of readers. Now it's time for a new piece of the story to emerge.

As Congressman Lewis has explained in interviews, the March project is patterned after a comic book he read in the 1950s, which inspired him and many other young activists to join the movement and use the principles of nonviolence to battle racial discrimination.

That unique comic book was Martin Luther King and The Montgomery Story, published in 1957-58 by the Fellowship of Reconciliation. Five decades later, Lewis mentioned it to his aide Andrew Aydin, who began researching the comic’s fascinating history, including the forgotten story of its creation and the numerous translations which have taken its message to activists in South Africa, Uruguay, Vietnam, Egypt, and beyond. Aydin soon graduated from Georgetown with a master’s thesis titled “The Comic Book That Changed the World,” and at the same time worked with Congressman Lewis and Nate Powell to carry on that tradition in the March trilogy.

Now Top Shelf has teamed up with the Fellowship of Reconciliation to produce the first ever fully-authorized digital edition of this historic comic book, as a companion to the bestselling graphic novel March: Book One. Exclusively through Comixology, you can download a digital bundle containing both March: Book One and The Montgomery Story for only $9.99! What's more, F.O.R. has also published a new physical reprint of The Montgomery Story, which you can order from Top Shelf right here.

All Top Shelf & Comixology fees and proceeds will be waived/donated to F.O.R., from your purchase of this timeless and globally influential piece of comic book history.