Top Shelf Productions

'Tis the season for looking back over the year gone by — and looking for gifts! As we contemplated the huge variety of books we published in 2017, we decided to break them down into a few categories, to help you navigate to the perfect match for your loved ones. Take a look after the jump...

Falling in love is easy. But it's not the fall that kills you.

In January 2018, Top Shelf welcomes two remarkable British talents — ultra-short fiction writer David Gaffney and comic artist Dan Berry — in their first collaboration. The Three Rooms in Valerie’s Head is a dark comedy about relationships, memory, loneliness and obsession.

Valerie has a rich interior life. Serially unlucky in love, to feel better she imagines that her previous boyfriends are dead and that their bodies are kept downstairs in the cellar in a strange, mummified state. Every day she brings them upstairs and speaks with them about what went wrong.

What follows is a series of peculiar, funny, and sometimes disturbing short tales about inept lovers, weird obsessions, and socially malfunctioning men who repeatedly fail to build a relationship with poor Valerie.

Apart from Stanley. Stanley was special.
Could he be the one to save her?

The Three Rooms in Valerie’s Head is a full-color softcover graphic novel with French flaps, 9.5" x 6.5" (landscape), 120 pages. Check out a six-page preview and pre-order now from your favorite retailer!

Our nation's biggest city holds one of our nation's biggest comic-cons — and we'll be there next weekend, October 5-8, for New York Comic Con! Come to Booth #1844 (IDW Publishing) to meet these awesome cartoonists:

Tara O'Connor (Roots) — a New York Comic-Con debut!

Shannon Wheeler (Sh*t My President Says: The Illustrated Tweets of Donald J. Trump)

Kim Dwinell (Surfside Girls: The Secret of Danger Point)

Janet Lee (Return of the Dapper Men: Deluxe Edition)

Lauren Purje (You Might Be An Artist If...)

Plus: join us Sunday, October 8 at 2:30pm in room 1A18 for a festive panel with these & other authors, plus coming attractions!

It was a good night to be a robot lover.

At the Small Press Expo earlier this month (as Top Shelf celebrated our 20th anniversary!), the Ignatz Awards went to all kinds of amazing indie cartoonists. But we were particularly proud to see two winners from the Top Shelf family:

Jess Fink won "Outstanding Series" for her erotic masterpiece of steampunk romance, Chester 5000. If you're new to the series (and over 18), there's no better time to pick up its two handsome hardcover volumes!

Carolyn Nowak won "Outstanding Story" for her charming, haunting graphic novella "Diana's Electric Tongue." As Publishers Weekly reported this week, Carolyn is coming to Top Shelf for Girl Town, a collection of her award-winning short stories coming next year!

Congrats to all the nominees and winners, and stay tuned for more on Girl Town!

This weekend, America's indie comics community descends once again on our nation's capital for the Small Press Expo (SPX), September 16-17, 2017 at the Bethesda North Marriott in Rockville, MD. And Top Shelf will be spending it as we've done for 20 years now: bringing you brilliant comics from veteran creators and brand-new talents alike!

What talents, you ask? Talents like:

• Chris Gooch (Bottled — an SPX debut!)
• Nate Powell (March, Nate Powell's Omnibox)
• Shannon Wheeler (Sh*t My President Says, God Is Disappointed in You, Apocrypha Now)
• Janet Lee (Return of the Dapper Men: Deluxe Edition)
• Kim Dwinell (Surfside Girls)
• Erin Nations (Gumballs)
• Jennifer Hayden (The Story of My Tits)
• And on Saturday only, Andrew Aydin (March)!

Plus plenty more members of the Top Shelf family (Jess Fink, Liz Prince, etc) around the room.

It's all happening at SPX Table W64-67!

Stick around Saturday night for the Ignatz Awards ceremony (featuring nominees March and Chester 5000) — and read on for four killer panels featuring Top Shelf talent you won't want to miss:

Congratulations to Shannon Wheeler, whose new book Sh*t My President Says: The Illustrated Tweets of Donald J. Trump comes out in stores today & tomorrow. This 120-page hardcover, in which the award-winning cartoonist and satirist tackles the 140-character president, has blown through the roof with a staggering 3,649,450% climb on Amazon's bestseller charts, easily reaching #1 on the "Movers & Shakers" list and cracking well into the top 10 of all books!

Of course, this avalanche of demand has blown through Amazon's inventory, but they'll be restocked very soon, and the book lands in bookstores everywhere today, followed by comic shops tomorrow. Ask for it by name! (Well, you might have trouble with the asterisk...)

For more on Sh*t My President Says, visit Shannon's interview with the Washington Post, or visit the book's official web site!

Six-issue miniseries will serve as "swan song" not only to award-winning LEAGUE series but also to creators' careers

San Diego, CA (July 20, 2017) – After an epic seventeen-year journey through the entirety of human culture – the biggest cross-continuity ‘universe’ that is conceivable – Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill will conclude both their legendary League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and their equally legendary comic-book careers with the series’ spectacular fourth and final volume, The Tempest.

Tying up the slenderest of plot threads and allusions from the three preceding volumes, The Black Dossier, and the Nemo trilogy into a dazzling and ingenious bow, the world’s most accomplished and bad-tempered artist-writer team will use their most stylistically adventurous outing yet to display the glories of the medium they are leaving; to demonstrate the excitement that attracted them to the field in the first place; and to analyse, critically and entertainingly, the reasons for their departure.

Opening simultaneously in the panic-stricken headquarters of British Military Intelligence, the fabled Ayesha’s lost African city of Kor and the domed citadel of ‘We’ on the devastated Earth of the year 2996, the dense and yet furiously-paced narrative hurtles like an express locomotive across the fictional globe from Lincoln Island to modern America to the Blazing World; from the Jacobean antiquity of Prospero’s Men to the superhero-inundated pastures of the present to the unimaginable reaches of a shimmering science-fiction future. With a cast-list that includes many of the most iconic figures from literature and pop culture, and a tempo that conveys the terrible momentum of inevitable events, this is literally and literarily the story to end all stories.

Commencing as a six-issue run of unfashionable, outmoded and flimsy children’s comics that will make you appear emotionally backward if you read them on the bus, this climactic magnum opus will also reprint classic English super-team publication The Seven Stars from the murky black-and-white reaches of 1964. A magnificent celebration of everything comics were, are and could be, any appreciator or student of the medium would be unwise to miss The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume IV: THE TEMPEST.

-- a 6-issue mini-series, each issue 32 pages in (mostly) full color, saddle stitched, 6 5/8” x 10 1/8” (standard comic-book size), $4.99 (US). Issue #1 is scheduled for June 2018.

Co-Published by Top Shelf Productions (US) and Knockabout (UK).

Comic-Con International starts this week in San Diego. It's the biggest show of the year... and the big debut for so many of the incredible books we've spent all year preparing for you.

Come visit us at the bustling Top Shelf corner of the enormous IDW pavilion (Booth #2743) and meet the following Top Shelf talents:

• Shannon Wheeler (debuting Sh*t My President Says: The Illustrated Tweets of Donald J. Trump)
• Kim Dwinell (debuting Surfside Girls: The Secret of Danger Point)
• Campbell Whyte (debuting Home Time: Under the River)
• Jim McCann & Janet Lee (debuting Return of the Dapper Men -- Deluxe Edition)
• Erin Nations (debuting Gumballs #3)
• Christian Slade (debuting Korgi: Short Tails)

And last but not least:

• Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell, official guests of Comic-Con for the first time, celebrating MARCH with one very special panel and book signing on Saturday.

Plus: keep an eye out for Molly Ostertag (Strong Female Protagonist), Ray Friesen (Pirate Penguin vs. Ninja Chicken), Koren Shadmi (Love Addict), and other friends of Top Shelf!

Check IDW's official signing schedule for authors' official time slots — and in addition, most Top Shelf authors will be available in the Top Shelf zone throughout the show, ready to show off their new books and sign your copy.

Read on for panels you must not miss!

As we gear up for San Diego Comic-Con and the release of some stunning summer books (including Home Time, Surfside Girls, Sh*t My President Says, and Return of the Dapper Men), time marches ever on — and two amazing fall books are now open for pre-order! The Top Shelf family continue to expand as France's Benjamin Reiss explores Tokyo while UK design legend Rian Hughes presents his first ever solo collection of comics:

Super Tokyoland by Benjamin Reiss

"[Super Tokyoland's] visual style, strongly inspired by manga, enhances the story's tone beautifully... This well-constructed graphic novel illuminates a radically different way of life from European culture." — Planete BD

"Humble, sincere and spontaneous... The drawing is original, and Reiss takes every opportunity to show that he has more than one arrow in his quiver." — Le Bar à BD

"One feels grateful for its sincerity and frankness... Reading Super Tokyoland is a pure moment of pleasure: travel, cultural discoveries, and guaranteed escapism." — Publik Art

In August 2002, artist Benjamin Reiss flies to Tokyo to spend a year with Kayoko, the Japanese girl he met in France a year earlier. What he finds upon landing is a vast and complex culture, steeped in tradition but full of surprises. As one year stretches into six, Benjamin becomes immersed in the world of sento baths, taiko drums, and bento boxes, while studying cartooning under several masters of manga.

With striking detail and easy charm, Super Tokyoland is a perfect hybrid of European and Japanese comics, forming a rich exploration of immigrant life.

Super Tokyoland by Benjamin Reiss
ISBN 978-1-60309-418-4 • Diamond: JUL17-0675
$24.99 (US) • 232 pages
2-color softcover graphic novel with French flaps, 6.75” x 9.5”
On sale October 2017
Check out a 10-page preview!

I Am a Number by Rian Hughes

"Rian Hughes is a luminescent pop culture demon." —David Quantick

"One of the most successful and prolific designer/illustrators of the past 20 years" —Roger Sabin, Eye Magazine

"Hughes has been credited with doing more than anyone else to elevate the sophistication level of comic book design."—Michael Dooley, AIGA

"One of the most interesting and engaging graphic designers working with comic books today." —Sonia Harris, Comic Book Resources

Rian Hughes has got your number!

When everyone has a number, everyone knows their place. Lower numbers are better, higher numbers are less important, and that’s just the way it is. But what if that number could change? You might try to buck the system and assert your individuality… or you might end up with a big fat zero.

Big questions are explored and unexpected answers found in the first solo comics collection from award-winning designer & illustrator Rian Hughes. His whimsical, witty, and insightful strips reveal the lighter side of our obsession with social rankings. Where do you stand in the pecking order? Is your number up?

I Am a Number by Rian Hughes
ISBN 978-1-60309-419-1 • Diamond: JUL17-0674
$19.99 (US) • 120 pages
Full-color hardcover graphic novel / strip collection, with transparent dust jacket, 6” x 9”
On sale November 2017
Check out an 8-page preview!

There's nothing quite like a debut. The thrill of discovery — when an amazing new talent pops out of the ether, blending familiar influences with a fresh perspective and personal touch that's all their own — is one of the great joys of reading indie comics. This month, we're delighted to announce two excellent cartoonists' first graphic novels.

Roots by Tara O'Connor

On a journey to the old world — she discovered a whole new world.

After a messy year of heartbreak and setbacks, Tara sets off to Ireland in search of clues to her family’s ancestry, but what she finds isn't at all what she expected. Some of it has to do with the lack of records, but a lot has to do with John, the charming cartoonist she met on Twitter. Wrapped in real family history and set amongst the natural beauty of the Irish countryside, Roots is a classic romantic-comedy adventure and a page-turning account of a young woman finding herself.

Roots by Tara O'Connor

ISBN 978-1-60309-417-7 • Diamond: JUN170548
$19.99 (US) • 176 pages
black & white softcover graphic novel with French flaps, 5" x 8"
On sale September 2017
Check out an 11-page preview!

Bottled by Chris Gooch

What are friends for?

Jane is sick of her dead-end life in the suburbs, and desperate for a change. Her old friend Natalie made it out, living in Japan as a fashion model. Now, as Natalie comes back to town on business, Jane sees a way for her friend to do her a favor… whether she likes it or not. Young Australian cartoonist Chris Gooch debuts with a haunting portrait of millennial alienation, tinged with body horror and Greek tragedy, glamour and terror.

Bottled by Chris Gooch
ISBN 978-1-60309-420-7 • Diamond: JUN170551
$19.99 (US) • 288 pages
2-color softcover graphic novel with French flaps, 5.8" x 8.3"
On sale September 2017
Check out an 8-page preview!

Shannon Wheeler knows Donald Trump pretty well — or at least his Twitter account. Wheeler read the president's complete archive of over 30,000 posts and illustrated over 120 of the best tweets for his new book Sh*t My President Says: The Illustrated Tweets of Donald J. Trump. Now, in reaction to rumors that Trump (despite all advice to the contrary) plans to "livetweet" the Senate testimony tomorrow of former FBI Director James Comey, Wheeler has announced that he will live-draw Trump's livetweets, bringing vital new insight to these important contributions to American presidential history.

To follow along at home, follow @MuchCoffee on Twitter or the hashtag #shitmypresidentsays.

In Sh*t My President Says (in stores August 2017), Eisner Award-winning cartoonist Shannon Wheeler tackles the 140-character president. For the first time, Donald Trump's most revealing tweets are collected, curated, and transformed into razor-sharp cartoons, offering a subversive and illuminating glimpse into the mind of the most divisive political figure of our time. Whether you love him or hate him, this take on Trump will help you come to grips with the man and his ideas thanks to Wheeler's signature mix of slapstick and sophistication.

Sh*t My President Says will be a 120-page hardcover book, 5” x 6.5”, published by Top Shelf Productions, an imprint of IDW Publishing. It features a foreword by Esquire cartoon editor Bob Mankoff. The book goes on sale August 2017 and can be pre-ordered now with ISBN 978-1-60309-410-8 wherever books are sold. For more details and sample pages, visit www.sh-tmypresidentsays.com.

Top Shelf continues our summer 2017 rollout with red-hot political humor, all-ages outer-space action, and a whimsical celebration of woodland fantasy — all in this month's Diamond Previews catalog!

FDR had radio. JFK had TV. Trump has Twitter.
In Sh*t My President Says: The Illustrated Tweets of Donald J. Trump, Eisner-Award-winning cartoonist Shannon Wheeler tackles the 140-character president. For the first time, Donald Trump’s most revealing tweets are collected, curated, and transformed into razor-sharp cartoons, offering a subversive and illuminating glimpse into the mind of the most divisive political figure of our time.

"Shannon Wheeler drew a book I wish I had thought of; that's the ultimate compliment I can offer in 140 characters! #buyit #wheelerisagenius" —Jack Ohman, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning

"A book of cartoons written by a living caricature and illustrated by one of the best cartoonists working... it perfectly captures the grim absurdity of life in the darkest timeline." —Tom Tomorrow, creator of This Modern World

Sh*t My President Says: The Illustrated Tweets of Donald J. Trump by Shannon Wheeler
120-page B&W hardcover • 5" x 6.5" • $14.99 (US)
ISBN 978-1-60309-410-8 • Diamond: MAY170525
On sale August 2017
Click here for details and a preview!

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"Unrelenting stylishness," said the Village Voice. "Truly jaw-dropping," said Pipedream Comics. "Glorious," said Paste. Now, Chris Sheridan follows the success of The Motorcycle Samurai with a brand-new graphic novel for all ages! Spacebat, the galaxy’s greatest misfit, is pressed into service by three kids to stop a mad scientist, his army of ill-mannered robots, and a universe-bending machine.

Spacebat and the Fugitives: Tacos at the End of the World by Chris Sheridan
120-page full-color softcover w/flaps • 7.25” x 10.25" • $14.99 (US)
ISBN 978-1-60309-414-6 • Diamond: MAY170529
On sale August 2017
Click here for details and a preview!

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Christian Slade celebrates ten years of his heartwarming wordless fantasy adventure series, Korgi! This 48-page monster issue is stuffed with Korgi stories previously published in Free Comic Book Day specials, plus a brand-new "tail."

Korgi: Short Tails by Christian Slade
48-page B&W comic book • 6 5/8" x 10 3/16" • $4.99 (US)
Diamond: MAY170531 (regular cover), MAY170532 (variant cover)
On sale July 2017
Click here for details and a preview!

We're making a run for the border! Catch both Chris Staros and Leigh Walton in Canada this weekend for the Toronto Comic Arts Festival, May 13-14 at the Toronto Reference Library. We're thrilled to be bringing you National Book Award winner Nate Powell to debut the stunning Nate Powell's Omnibox (collecting Swallow Me Whole, Any Empire, and You Don't Say), as well as James Albon flying in from France to debut Her Bark & Her Bite, a scalding dark comedy in bright luscious hues. Plus, keep an eye out for Molly Ostertag (Strong Female Protagonist), Eric Orchard (Maddy Kettle), Kagan McLeod (Infinite Kung Fu), Jeff Lemire (Essex County, The Underwater Welder), and other members of the extended Top Shelf family!

TCAF panels you won't want to miss:

• Thursday 6:30pm at Alliance Française: Heroines in Comic Arts (in French, featuring James Albon)
• Saturday 11am in Learning Centre: Teamwork: Comics and Collaboration (including Nate Powell & Molly Ostertag)
• Saturday 4pm in Marriott Forest Hill: LGBTQ Comics Abroad (including Molly Ostertag)
• Sunday noon in Marriott Forest Hill: Comics As Political Resistance (including Nate Powell)
• Sunday 4pm in Marriott High Park: Spotlight on Nate Powell

Congratulations are in order once again for Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell, as their record-breaking graphic novel March: Book Three has been nominated for Best Reality-Based Work in the 2017 Will Eisner Awards.

The trio won last year in the same category for March: Book Two, while Book Three has received an unprecedented array of honors, including the National Book Award, the Printz Award, the Coretta Scott King Award, and many others.

Join us at the Eisner Award ceremony this summer at Comic-Con International in San Diego, July 21, 2017!

It may not be summer yet, but the sun is finally out, and if you listen closely, you can hear the waves calling... That means it's time to welcome Kim Dwinell to the Top Shelf family and introduce the world to her debut graphic novel, Surfside Girls: The Secret of Danger Point!

We're so excited to be working with Kim. She's a California-based animator, teacher, and former lifeguard who now combines all her talents into one irresistible book. Check out an 8-page preview of her beautiful watercolor pages, and get ready to join twelve-year-old heroes Samantha and Jade as they investigate spooky ghosts, creepy creatures, greedy politicians... and cute boys!

It's 232 pages of full-color adventure, surfing your way this summer. Click here for more details and pre-order now from your favorite shop!