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INFINITE KUNG FU is one of the 10 Best Graphic Novels of 2011!

November 7, 2011 / More →

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Publishers Weekly today announced their list of the 10 Best Graphic Novels of 2011, and Kagan McLeod's Infinite Kung Fu landed a prime position!

This honor doubles down on PW's previous starred review of Infinite Kung Fu, which concluded: "The great strength of this graphic novel is its originality, but equally impressive are McLeod’s extraordinary illustrations and compelling narrative."

Infinite Kung Fu is available now wherever books are sold - including from your local comic shop, directly from Top Shelf, and digitally through iVerse, Comixology, Google Books, and iTunes.


Check out Johnny Boo's Halloween Party by James Kochalka!

October 30, 2011 / More →

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One of the best things about having a cartoonist for a dad: he can draw cool things for your school! Following last year's bean bag toss, Johnny Boo creator James Kochalka has a new Halloween adventure for his son Eli's school. Check it out!

Read More →


Nate Powell joins bestselling authors at the UN to benefit Darfur refugees!

October 25, 2011 / More →

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Nate Powell, the multi-award-winning graphic novelist behind Swallow Me Whole and Any Empire, appeared last week at the United Nations with an all-star team of teen-fiction writers to raise funds for young refugees from Darfur. Powell joins R. L. Stine (Goosebumps, Fear Street), Ann M. Martin (The Baby-Sitters Club), and over a dozen other top authors in the new anthology What You Wish For, published by Putnam.


R. L. Stine, Nate Powell, and Ann M. Martin speaking at the UN.

Last Monday, nine of the book's contributors shared the stage with children's-book expert Leonard S. Marcus for a special presentation at the United Nations building in New York.

[more photos and information after the jump!]

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WIZZYWIG author Ed Piskor launches new webcomic at Boing Boing!

October 19, 2011 / More →

Image for WIZZYWIG author Ed Piskor launches new webcomic at Boing Boing!

One of the most exciting new additions to the Top Shelf family is Ed Piskor, whose open-source graphic novel WIZZYWIG (about the life and exploits of a serial hacker) will be published next year. So we're delighted to see that he's launching a new comic strip, called Brain Rot, over at the wonderful tech/culture blog Boing Boing!

Brain Rot is an ongoing exploration of pop culture, counterculture, and everything fun that's supposed to be bad for us. Head on over to the first strip and watch the archive for future installments -- it promises to be a wicked good time!

And to whet your appetite for Wizzywig, check out this interview with Ed at Under the Radar!


Thanks for our best NYCC ever!

October 17, 2011 / More →

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Just writing a quick note to let you know Top Shelf had our best ever weekend at New York Comic Con! Thanks to our heroic authors, booth staff, local retailers, and especially all the amazing New York fans who came out to support us, we set a new record for this show. Enjoy your new books, and we'll see you at the next show!


Top Shelf tackles New York Comic Con!

October 11, 2011 / More →

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The summer may be over, but convention season is still going strong... and this weekend is one of the biggest shows of the year! Yes, we're heading to the Javits Center in New York City for the 2011 New York Comic Con!

And look who's coming with us:
Jess Fink (Chester 5000) - SATURDAY ONLY
Kagan McLeod (Infinite Kung Fu)
Jennifer Hayden (Underwire)
Eric Skillman (Liar's Kiss)
Paul Tobin & Colleen Coover (Gingerbread Girl)
Jeff Lemire (Essex County, the upcoming The Underwater Welder) - for Jeff's schedule, see here.

All at the Top Shelf booth (#1833). Can't wait to see you there!


An army of critics agree: Nate Powell's ANY EMPIRE is stunning!

September 27, 2011 / More →

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As our huge new releases percolate out into the world, critical reviews continue to roll in -- and readers of all kinds are reporting that Nate Powell's Any Empire is blowing their minds!

Of course, after Nate's Eisner Award victory for Swallow Me Whole, expectations were high... but take a look at these responses:

"The most prodigiously talented graphic novelist of his [generation] ... Powell's exceptional visual-storytelling gift transforms a potentially obvious antiwar parable into a ravishingly beautiful, emotionally resonant, thoughtful, and provocative work of art." -- Booklist (starred review)

"Any Empire by Nate Powell is everything a graphic novel should be, and few are. Spare, to the point dialog, fluid and effortless visual storytelling devoid of pretensions, and a story with characters that stick with you. I very rarely read graphic novels because I usually can't get past the first few pages. but Any Empire drew me in from the start and didn't let up." -- Larry Hama, author of GI Joe comics since 1982

"Nate Powell's new graphic novel is a heartbreaker--a gently paced, not-particularly-realism-bound story about how kids' fantasy lives (and the cheap entertainment that fuels them) can shape their real lives, and ultimately ruin them. Great stuff." -- Douglas Wolk, ComicsAlliance

"At times poignant, at at others surreal, Any Empire is an engaging, never preachy work about childhood, centering on those secret currents that define our youthful rivalries and the games we play." -- MTV Geek

"Powell's understanding of the way his characters live -- constantly feeling a little insecure about their position among their own peer group -- and his ability to convey their daydreams work together to express a truth about a world where violence erupts organically from a culture of macho gamesmanship and cheap plastic guns." -- Noel Murray, The AV Club

"It's a book not so much about children, but about adults trying to figure out how they ended up they way they did and where it all began: the culmination of things that meant the most in a time when we felt things deepest, the effects of story on malleable minds." -- Hayley Campbell, The Comics Journal

"We've all experienced the world's endless cycle of innocence shattered, and Powell renders it all in lovely chiaroscuro... he crafts memorable and heartfelt characters that linger in the mind and scar the heart." -- Under the Radar

[The praise continues! Click below for more!]

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Top Shelf announces sequel to Ludovic Debeurme's LUCILLE!

September 24, 2011 / More →

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In this thoughtful interview with author Ludovic Debeurme, the Los Angeles Times breaks the news that Top Shelf Productions will be publishing the English translation of Renée, the stunning sequel to his acclaimed graphic novel Lucille!

Ludovic, who recently launched the French edition of Renée, had this to say about his new book: "I’ve moved from a minimalist image to a more busy style, similar to engraving, to capture the reader in frozen moments that can be felt as single images, like paintings... We find the main characters, as well as new ones, including Renée. This allowed me to update my story to make it closer to the questions on my mind at the time of writing this new book. The relationship between the body and the pain and anger of all these protagonists should, I hope, invite the reader to consider these concepts in a more universal way."

Lucille has already racked up high praise since its debut from Top Shelf:

"A coherent, compelling narrative... the love affair in Lucille burns bright, illuminating two lives." -- The AV Club

"A wonderful, satisfying experience to read and savour and easily one of the truly unmissable bande dessinée translations of the year." -- Paul Gravett, author of Graphic Novels: Stories to Change Your Life

"The type of story the graphic novel was meant for." -- Kelly Stephenson, Playback:STL

"A stunner... Lucille is definitely one of the most significant graphic novel releases of the year." -- Heidi MacDonald, The Beat

"A deserved prize winner at Angoulême. Debeurme has created characters of tremendous depth here." -- Jonathan Rigby, Page 45

We look forward to sharing Renée with you in late 2012!


A Big Thanks to Everyone Who Participated in the Top Shelf Web Sale!

September 24, 2011 / More →

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Hey Gang,

Just wanted to thank everyone for participating in the Top Shelf web sale. We got a bunch more orders than we anticipated, so the three of us have been working furiously to get them all out. There aren't tracking #s on these, via the US Postal Service, but we guarantee their delivery -- and all of them will be out in the mail by next week at the latest (with a bunch on the way already). Thanks for your patience here, and the Top Shelf books will be with you shortly.

Your friend thru comics,
Chris Staros


Top Shelf goes to Detroit Fanfare!

September 20, 2011 / More →

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For the first time ever, Top Shelf is headed to DETROIT!

Chris Staros will be there repping Top Shelf, and have a full line of graphic novels at the Detroit Fanfare this weekend (September 24-25).

See y'all at the show!


UNDERWIRE! DRAGON PUNCHER 2! It's a Small Press Xplosion of savings at SPX this weekend!

September 7, 2011 / More →

Image for UNDERWIRE! DRAGON PUNCHER 2! It's a Small Press Xplosion of savings at SPX this weekend!

We're thrilled to be heading to DC this weekend for the 2011 Small Press Expo - SPX! And boy, is it gonna be a great show. What's on tap:

BRAND-NEW BOOKS!

Underwire (with Jennifer Hayden at our booth!)
Dragon Puncher 2: Dragon Puncher Island (with James Kochalka at our booth!)
Korgi 3: A Hollow Beginning by Christian Slade

AUTHOR SIGNINGS!

Jennifer Hayden (Underwire)
James Kochalka (Superf*ckers, Johnny Boo)
Nate Powell (Any Empire)
Jess Fink (Chester 5000)
J.D. Arnold (BB Wolf)
Alex Robinson (celebrating the 10th anniversary of Box Office Poison)
Tony Consiglio (110 Percent)
with your pals Chris Staros & Leigh Walton!

Plus Craig Thompson will be a guest of the show, signing to benefit the CBLDF, and we'll have copies of the new Blankets hardcover for sale, ready for you to bring to him!

SPECIAL SHOW DISCOUNTS!

What's more, since SPX falls during our Massive $3 Sale this year, we're expanding the sale to books bought at the show -- get a whopping 25% off your entire SPX order if you buy at least two items!

See you at the Bethesda North Marriott this weekend!


INFINITE KUNG FU, OKIE DOKIE DONUTS, & PIRATE PENGUIN IN STOCK NOW!

August 31, 2011 / More →

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The hits keep on coming! Not long after we launched LEAGUE 1969, the new deluxe editions of BLANKETS, LUCILLE, and THE HOMELAND DIRECTIVE, here come three more hotly anticipated Top Shelf books, available NOW!

See what the critics are already saying:

INFINITE KUNG FU
by Kagan McLeod
-- ISBN: 978-1-891830-83-9, Diamond code: MAY11-1197
-- 464-page flexi-cover graphic novel, 6.75" x 9.5"
-- $24.95 (US), Older teens (16+) and adults

Don't miss the awesome VIDEO TRAILER!

"All of that buzz and hype was completely on the money... It's like the best kung-fu movie you've ever seen, unimpaired by time or budget constraints, willing to take everything about kung-fu that everyone loves and throw it all together." -- Chad Nevett, Comic Book Resources

"Infinite Kung Fu is glorious and deranged in the way that all comics should be." — Warren Ellis, author of Transmetropolitan, Red, and Crooked Little Vein

"If Egon Schiele and Yim Wing Chun had a son together, he'd be called Kagan McLeod. Infinite Kung Fu is like a bitch-slap to your imagination. I am a BIG fan." — Geof Darrow, author & artist of Shaolin Cowboy and conceptual designer for The Matrix

"A book for fans of Bruce Lee movies, zombies, ancient Chinese mythology, and any other off-the-wall genre you can think of... Infinite Kung Fu brings a style that separates it from the rest and lifts comics out of the overly serious rut that the medium has been stuck in for nearly a decade." — Jason Sarafino, Complex

"The best elements of horror, Westerns, and of course, kung fu films are seamlessly interlaced to tell a highly imaginative tale. You couldn't sandblast the smile from my face as I read this." Ain't It Cool News

PIRATE PENGUIN VS NINJA CHICKEN
(BOOK 1): TROUBLEMS WITH FRENEMIES

by Ray Friesen
-- ISBN: 978-1-60309-071-1, Diamond code: APR11-1165
-- 96-page full-color hardcover graphic novel, 6.5" x 8.5"
-- 9.95 (US), All ages

"Ray Friesen is a remarkable cartoonist. He makes the silly funny and the funny sublime. The world seems lighter after reading a Ray Friesen book." -- Jimmy Gownley, creator of Amelia Rules!

"Ray Friesen is a veritable fount of silliness, and his Pirate Penguin vs. Ninja Chicken is a good example of that... it's guaranteed to make your geeklets giggle." -- Jonathan Liu, Wired.com

“The jokey asides and playfully sophisticated take on language are reminiscent of Walt Kelly’s Pogo... [a] manic blend of mayhem and adventure.” -- Ian Chipman, Booklist

OKIE DOKIE DONUTS
(STORY 1): OPEN FOR BUSINESS

by Chris "Elio" Eliopoulos
-- ISBN: 978-1-60309-068-1, Diamond code: APR11-1155
-- 48-page full-color hardcover graphic novel, 5" x 7.5"
-- $9.95 (US), All ages

"A mixture of Pablo Picasso and Cartoon Network... laden with eccentric charm." -- Eric Whitman, The Daily Blam!

"Elio consistently impresses me with his supercharged kid-friendly comics. His style is wholly distinct, and everything he does seems to explode with joy and pure fun." — John Martz, Drawn!

"2 scoops of silly, 5 cups of cute, and a bucket load of fun!" — Bob Boyle, creator of Nick Jr.'s Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! and author of Hugo and the Really, Really, Really Long String


Nate Powell's ANY EMPIRE on sale today!

August 31, 2011 / More →

Image for Nate Powell's ANY EMPIRE on sale today!

The creator of Swallow Me Whole (Best Graphic Novel Eisner-winner) returns with a massive exploration of violence, childhood, and coming of age in a culture of war games. Don't miss it!

ANY EMPIRE
by Nate Powell
-- ISBN: 978-1-60309-077-3, Diamond code: MAY11-1196
-- 384-page hardcover graphic novel, 6.5" x 9.5"
-- $19.95 (US), Older teens (16+) and adults

"The most prodigiously talented graphic novelist of his generation. ... Powell's exceptional visual-storytelling gift transforms a potentially obvious antiwar parable into a ravishingly beautiful, emotionally resonant, thoughtful, and provocative work of art." -- Booklist (starred review)

"Any Empire by Nate Powell is everything a graphic novel should be, and few are." -- Larry Hama, author of GI Joe comics since 1982

"At times poignant, at at others surreal, Any Empire is an engaging, never preachy work about childhood, centering on those secret currents that define our youthful rivalries and the games we play." -- MTV Geek

"Powell's understanding of the way his characters live -- constantly feeling a little insecure about their position among their own peer group -- and his ability to convey their daydreams work together to express a truth about a world where violence erupts organically from a culture of macho gamesmanship and cheap plastic guns." -- Noel Murray, The AV Club

"We've all experienced the world's endless cycle of innocence shattered, and Powell renders it all in lovely chiaroscuro... he crafts memorable and heartfelt characters that linger in the mind and scar the heart." -- Under the Radar

"Like in his award-winning Swallow Me Whole, Nate Powell appears to deliver a naturalistic portrayal of young lives but the strange and symbolic, the interior lives, are never far away and seep between and within the panels... With Any Empire, he crafts a surprising, affecting, troubling graphic novel that haunts the mind." -- Paul Gravett, author of Graphic Novels: Stories to Change Your Life


INFINITE KUNG FU tour dates with KAGAN MCLEOD!

August 31, 2011 / More →

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Along with a bundle of convention apperances, Kagan McLeod will be traveling to these special INFINITE KUNG FU events across North America! Check infinitekungfu.com for more details:

This Friday, Sept 2 in Toronto!
-- Revival Bar, 783 College St, Toronto, Ontario
-- 9pm - $5 or free with purchase of book
-- The Beguiling presents Infinite Kung Fu book signings, author Q&A, and a live DJ Duel from Hop Fu (DJ 1XL and DJ Excess) accompanying a screening of a classic Shaw Brothers film!

Saturday, October 1, at Strange Adventures!
-- 5262 Sackville St, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Saturday, November 19, at Danger Room Comics!
-- 201 W 4th Ave, Olympia, Washington
-- plus other Olympia events that weekend TBA!

Big thanks to The Beguiling, Strange Adventures, and Danger Room for their support of this incredible book.


Robert Venditti explores the politics of THE HOMELAND DIRECTIVE with ThinkProgress!

August 17, 2011 / More →

Image for Robert Venditti explores the politics of THE HOMELAND DIRECTIVE with ThinkProgress!

"The thing about progress is that you never know where it’s going to lead..." The Homeland Directive author Robert Venditti took time yesterday to talk politics with Alyssa Rosenberg at ThinkProgress! She calls it "an exceptionally good graphic novel for the moment," with "a sophisticated sense of how government works," then follows with thoughtful questions.

Check out the interview for a glimpse into Rob's complex goals in writing the book, its connections to real-life politicians & problems, and the paradoxical situation in which American government finds itself.

If you haven't read The Homeland Directive yet, pick it up today and see why it became a New York Times Bestseller!