News pg. 23

Top Shelf graphic novels: now available on Kobo!

April 26, 2012 / More →

Image for Top Shelf graphic novels: now available on Kobo!

Top Shelf's quest to be available on every digital platform continues, as we announce that our graphic novels are now available for Kobo, reaching readers and devices in over 170 countries! 40 titles are available in our Kobo catalog so far, with more coming soon!


Get Top Shelf books through your library via Overdrive!

April 26, 2012 / More →

Image for Get Top Shelf books through your library via Overdrive!

Librarians, we're got your backs: Top Shelf is partnering with Overdrive, the leading digital distributor for libraries! Libraries can now purchase ebooks of the full Top Shelf Kids Club line -- 19 titles -- and offer them for free e-lending to patrons. So contact your local library and let them know you'd like to read OWLY, KORGI, JOHNNY BOO and more on your electronic device!


Harvey Pekar's CLEVELAND is available now!

April 18, 2012 / More →

Image for Harvey Pekar's CLEVELAND is available now!

The day is here! The long-awaited posthumous graphic novel from Cleveland's beloved son, Harvey Pekar, is in stores now, including your favorite comic shop, digital retailers, and direct from Top Shelf. Order your copy today!

The Beat, which celebrates today with an exclusive preview of the book, offers a great synopsis: "The late Harvey Pekar left behind several projects in various stages of composition, but none was as close to him as CLEVELAND, a love letter to and social history of the city that was his muse—an everyman town of ordinary people and the mundane swirl of life that is nonetheless extraordinary. For Cleveland, Pekar’s script found an artist among the greatest of his collaborators: Joseph Remnant, whose dense crosshatched naturalism recalls Crumb but finds its own look with expansive staging and detail."

Hats off to everyone whose hard work made this book a reality: Harvey, his wife Joyce Brabner, artist Joseph Remnant, editor Jeff Newelt, and Zip Comics publisher Josh Frankel. Your partners at Top Shelf are honored to be playing a part.


James Kochalka and Brecht Evens nominated for Eisner Awards! Celebrate with a sale!

April 4, 2012 / More →

Image for James Kochalka and Brecht Evens nominated for Eisner Awards! Celebrate with a sale!

Top Shelf offers huge congratulations to James Kochalka and Brecht Evens, who were nominated today for the Eisner Awards!

James Kochalka receives his third Eisner nomination this year, for Dragon Puncher 2: Dragon Puncher Island in the category of Best Publication for Early Readers. His earlier book Pinky & Stinky was nominated for a similar category in 2003. Dragon Puncher Island has the unique distinction of featuring both of James' sons, Eli and Oliver, as "actors" in the story, along with their cats Nooko and Spandy.

Brecht Evens makes his first appearance on the Eisner nomination list with Night Animals, in the category of Best U.S. Edition of International Material. This honor follows on the heels of three nominations for Night Animals at the Stumptown Awards! Readers continue to fall under the spell of Brecht's incredible colors and wordless storytelling.

To celebrate, we've marked down prices on both Dragon Puncher books (for all ages) and Night Animals (for mature readers). If you haven't checked them out yet, now's the time!


Best-selling LEAGUE: CENTURY trilogy reaches explosive finale!

April 4, 2012 / More →

Image for Best-selling LEAGUE: CENTURY trilogy reaches explosive finale!

"A stunning return to form."
"Marvelously layered."
"Among the finest works in Moore's oevre... Fast-paced, visually dense and wildly imaginative."

These are just a few of the rave reviews Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill have received since bringing The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century trilogy to Top Shelf & Knockabout. It's also been Diamond Comics' #1 bestselling graphic novel in America, with each new book -- even hitting the New York Times Bestseller list!

Now, at last, the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century trilogy reaches its apocalyptic finale!

In this third and final chapter, our narrative draws to its cataclysmic close in London 2009. The magical child whose ominous coming has been foretold for the past hundred years has now been born and has grown up to claim his dreadful heritage. His promised aeon of unending terror can commence, the world can now be ended starting with North London, and there is no League, extraordinary or otherwise, that now stands in his way. The bitter, intractable war of attrition in Q'umar crawls bloodily to its fifth year, away in Kashmir a Sikh terrorist with a now-nuclear-armed submarine wages a holy war against Islam that might push the whole world into atomic holocaust, and in a London mental institution there's a patient who insists that she has all the answers.

It's a spectacular finish that must be seen to be believed.

Pre-order your copy now in the current (April) DIAMOND PREVIEWS!

THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN (VOL III): CENTURY (#3 of 3): 2009 by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill

THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN (VOL III): CENTURY (#3 of 3) "2009"
by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill
-- 80-page softcover
-- 6.625" x 10.125", full-color graphic novel
-- For mature readers (16+)
-- ISBN 978-1-60309-007-0
-- Diamond DM code: APR12-1232
-- $9.95 (US)
-- Shipping to stores in June!
-- Co-published by Top Shelf Productions (US) and Knockabout Comics (UK)


ComicsAlliance previews Eddie Campbell's LOVELY HORRIBLE STUFF!

April 3, 2012 / More →

Image for ComicsAlliance previews Eddie Campbell's LOVELY HORRIBLE STUFF!

John Parker from ComicsAlliance recently took an advance look at Eddie Campbell's upcoming graphic novel about money, The Lovely Horrible Stuff, and loved it: "Campbell is perhaps the most natural storyteller in comics... Generous with his wisdom but quick to point out how unwise he is, he is both the storyteller and the story, entering the fourth decade of his career with a book on money that's lively, poignant, and never dull. Tight as times are, The Lovely Horrible Stuff is worth every hard-earned penny you can find."

Check out his review -- along with a 7-page preview -- at ComicsAlliance!


Seattle: meet Nate Powell at Emerald City Comicon this weekend!

March 30, 2012 / More →

Image for Seattle: meet Nate Powell at Emerald City Comicon this weekend!

Yes, Nate Powell (Eisner-Award-winning author of Swallow Me Whole and Any Empire, as well as the new The Silence of Our Friends) is a featured guest at this weekend's Emerald City Comicon in Seattle!

And that's not all - come by the Top Shelf booth (#803) and not only can you meet Nate Powell, you could be one of the first people in the world to snag an early copy of Harvey Pekar's CLEVELAND! We'll also have Pat Grant's incredible new coming-of-age/racism/surfing saga BLUE and a host of other great stuff, brought to you by Top Shelf's west coast chief Brett Warnock. See you soon!


Industry veteran Chris Staros will teach at SCAD Atlanta

March 27, 2012 / More →

Image for Industry veteran Chris Staros will teach at SCAD Atlanta

"Yes, it's true! I'm a Professor now. -- Well...part time. ... Along with running Top Shelf, I started teaching a (single) class on Getting Published/Self-Publishing at the Savannah College of Art and Design's Atlanta Campus. And I'm really enjoying it." -- Chris Staros

The SCAD Press Release follows...


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 27, 2012

Industry veteran Chris Staros will teach at SCAD Atlanta

ATLANTA— Chris Staros, president and publisher of Top Shelf Productions, will be joining the sequential department at SCAD Atlanta as an adjunct professor for the Spring 2012 quarter. Since 1997, Staros has edited and published over 250 critically-acclaimed and award-winning graphic novels that have helped to revitalize interest in comics as a literary art form.

“Chris has been a long time friend of the university, sharing his insights with our students over the years and we’re extremely fortunate to have him teaching for us,” says Pat Quinn, associate dean of the SCAD communication arts. “Our sequential art students have yet another opportunity to learn from a well known industry professional that brings knowledge and experience into the classroom.”

Read More →


Nate Powell's ANY EMPIRE lands in Booklist's Top 10!

March 15, 2012 / More →

Image for Nate Powell's ANY EMPIRE lands in Booklist's Top 10!

Add another feather in the cap -- or should that be another decal on the helmet? -- of Nate Powell's graphic novel Any Empire. The American Library Association's official review magazine Booklist has just released its list of the past year's Top 10 Graphic Novels, and ranked among the excellent company of Anders Nilsen and Craig Thompson is Nate's unsettling domestic war story.

Here's Booklist's short summary: "Powell flashes his considerable cartooning talents in this complex, open-ended antiwar parable. The story follows three characters, first as children and then 10 years later, as their lives are upended by violence." For the full (starred) review, click here.

This latest plug joins Any Empire's previous "Best Of Year" honors, racked up from The AV Club, Comic Book Resources, Complex, and Graphic Novel Reporter. Hats off to Nate!


Ed Piskor "thinks different" with the retro cover to WIZZYWIG!

March 14, 2012 / More →

Image for Ed Piskor "thinks different" with the retro cover to WIZZYWIG!

Ed Piskor's complex portrait of hackers and tech culture, Wizzywig, is still several months away... but this week we decided to share a peek at the amazing cover designed by Ed and our digital director Chris Ross. Heidi MacDonald got the exclusive over at The Beat, and adds "it’s definitely on our must list for 2012." Johanna Draper Carlson adds additional praise & commentary at Comics Worth Reading.

Pre-order the book now, remember to bookmark Ed's webcomic Brain Rot over at Boing Boing, and keep your eyes peeled for more Wizzywig news to come!

Read More →


Time is money: It's time to pre-order Eddie Campbell's LOVELY HORRIBLE STUFF!

March 1, 2012 / More →

Image for Time is money: It's time to pre-order Eddie Campbell's LOVELY HORRIBLE STUFF!

One of the greatest cartoonists in the game, the man behind Alec: The Years Have Pants, The Playwright, and From Hell, is back -- with a gorgeous new hardcover graphic novel. And it's on the most fundamental of topics: MONEY.

“One of the premier cartoonists of his generation.” Publishers Weekly

“No one else in the medium combines emotional truth, literary intelligence, and formal daring with such adroitness and elegance.” Booklist

Eddie Campbell's THE LOVELY HORRIBLE STUFF is a delightful autobiographical voyage into the financial wilderness, ranging from the imaginary wealth of Ponzi schemes to the all-too-tangible stone currency of the Micronesian island of Yap.

This is no dry and dusty treatise on finance; any complexities are pleasingly reduced to the level of bubblegum trading cards. In here you will hear about the corporation that Campbell keeps under his bed; you will meet colorful historical characters and be taken on dangerous shark-infested sea adventures; and after that, we will all plunge to the depths to retrieve our loose change.

Campbell's wry eye and vivid full-color artwork imbue the proceedings with real humanity, making THE LOVELY HORRIBLE STUFF an investment that's worth every penny.

It's being offered in the current Diamond Previews catalog, so pre-order now!

Eddie Campbell - The Lovely Horrible Stuff

THE LOVELY HORRIBLE STUFF
by Eddie Campbell

-- 96-page deluxe hardcover
-- 6.5" x 9", full-color graphic novel
-- For mature readers (16+)
-- ISBN 978-1-60309-152-7
-- Diamond DM code: MAR12-1193
-- $14.95 (US)
-- Co-published by Top Shelf Productions (US) and Knockabout (UK)

Also re-offered in Diamond Previews this month are two of Eddie's most amazing works: the autobiographical epic Alec: The Years Have Pants and the colorfully quiet comedy about the creative life, The Playwright. Take the chance to fill out your Eddie Campbell library!


The 2012 Free Comic Book Day button features OWLY!

February 26, 2012 / More →

Image for The 2012 Free Comic Book Day button features OWLY!

We've always been big fans of Free Comic Book Day, the first Saturday in May when everybody, young or old, can visit their local comic shop and get FREE comic books! And for many years, we've made FCBD an occasion to pick up a brand-new story featuring Andy Runton's Owly and other Top Shelf characters for all ages.

This year, the official Free Comic Book Day button features a collaboration between two Top Shelf artists: Andy Runton has designed an awesome button featuring his character Owly, with art from Ray Friesen's cover to our 2012 FCBD book: Top Shelf Kids Club!

For more details, check the official announcement!


TOP SHELF DIGITAL DISCOUNT BONANZA!

February 21, 2012 / More →

Image for TOP SHELF DIGITAL DISCOUNT BONANZA!

It's been three months since Top Shelf launched headfirst into the world of digital comics distribution -- and we've got to call it a huge success! Now to celebrate, we're announcing tons of new discounts on our digital comics. These universal prices apply to our two official iPhone/iPad apps as well as every other ebook store (Comixology, Graphicly, iVerse, Google Books, Apple iBooks, Nook, etc).

Here are some of the new amazing deals:
(prices are in US dollars but are proportional worldwide)

IT'S MIGHTY FINE AT 9.99!
Every single graphic novel is now priced under $10, across the board!

TOP SHELF HEAVYWEIGHTS: HUGE BOOKS FOR TINY PRICES!
-- Alec: The Years Have Pants by Eddie Campbell - only 9.99!
-- Box Office Poison by Alex Robinson - only 9.99!
-- Essex County by Jeff Lemire - only 9.99!
-- From Hell by Alan Moore & Eddie Campbell - only 9.99!
-- Infinite Kung Fu by Kagan McLeod - only 9.99!
-- Lucille by Ludovic Debeurme - only 9.99!

PARTY WITH THE TOP SHELF KIDS CLUB - FOR PEANUTS!
-- Owly vol 1 by Andy Runton - only .99!
-- all other Owly books by Andy Runton - only 1.99 each!
-- Korgi by Christian Slade (all 3 books) - only 2.99 each!
-- Johnny Boo by James Kochalka (all 4 books) - only 2.99 each!
-- Dragon Puncher by James Kochalka (both books) - only 2.99 each!
-- Yam by Corey Barba - only 2.99!
-- Bighead by Jeffrey Brown - only 2.99!
-- Incredible Change-Bots by Jeffrey Brown (both books) - only 6.99 each!

AND THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING...
-- Stuff About Sex by David Mellon - only 1.99!
-- Little Paintings by James Kochalka - only .99!
-- Underwire by Jennifer Hayden - only 3.99!
-- BB Wolf and the Three LPs by JD Arnold and Rich Koslowski - only 3.99!
-- The Surrogates by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele (both volumes) - only 5.99 each!
-- Too Cool to be Forgotten by Alex Robinson - only 4.99!
...and so much more.

So download the official Top Shelf app at iTunes, or the Top Shelf Kids Club app at iTunes, or look for the "buy digital" buttons throughout our web site catalog and download books through your preferred vendor! Or check out the books available at our digital partners: Comixology, Graphicly, iVerse, Google Books, Apple iBooks, Nook, and more!


A Digital Debut: David Mellon's STUFF ABOUT SEX!

February 21, 2012 / More →

Image for A Digital Debut: David Mellon's STUFF ABOUT SEX!

We welcome David Mellon to the Top Shelf family with a $1.99 digital exclusive comic, Stuff About Sex... For Guys Who Are Not Like, Total Idiots. In only a few short days online, it's become one of the top 20 bestselling books in the entire Comixology store -- take that, Wolverine!

Click here to learn more about David's book, and preview the first 4 pages!


GQ shows off Top Shelf in style!

February 20, 2012 / More →

Image for GQ shows off Top Shelf in style!

Here's a bit of fun: the February issue of GQ features a guy modeling weekend casual wear in Portland's Bridge City Comics - surrounded by Top Shelf graphic novels!

We spotted:
--on the Alan Moore shelf: The Mirror of Love, From Hell
--on the Jeffrey Brown shelf: Undeleted Scenes, Unlikely, Every Girl is the End of the World for Me, Incredible Change-Bots
--Craig Thompson's Blankets
--Eddie Campbell's Alec: The Years Have Pants

Click here to see the image in full.