www.86thfloor.com     PREVIEWS VOL. XVIII #4 April 2008  

Independent Comic Publishers
(Companies beginning with F)

 


FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS

THE TROUBLEMAKERS HC
by Gilbert Hernandez
Greedy low-lifes chasing the hard luck charm and $200,000! Meet drug dealer Dewey Booth, he can’t be punished enough! And what about Rock ’n’ Roll loser Wes, he needs money to start his own club. And then there’s Über-stacked Nala, she enjoys humiliating men dumb enough to fall for her. And let’s not forget Vincenze, he gets his kicks from being a jerk! In the end: deadly fires ignite! Heads literally roll! And eyes are shot out! The Troublemakers is Gilbert Hernandez’s second, original graphic novel for Fantagraphics, following 2007’s Chance In Hell. This hard boiled, pulp graphic novel will delight longtime Hernandez fans as well as provide a perfect introduction to newcomers to Hernandez’s work.
HC, 5.5x7.5, 120pgs, B&W SRP: $19.99

STAR OF THE MONTH

CHANCE IN HELL HC
by Gilbert Hernandez
Gilbert Hernandez’s first original graphic novel from Fantagraphics tells the story about a little orphan girl who lives in the slum of slums. Nobody knows who she is or where she’s from, but her fellow shantytown inhabitants collectively look over her. The three-act story follows our heroine as she is adopted by a decent man who raises her well, and she eventually marries a kind, well-to-do man, only to discover that she can’t relate to the good life and the comforts it provides. (JAN073615)
MATURE THEMES
HC, 5x7, 120pgs, B&W SRP: $16.95

**********************************************************************

MAN OF ROCK: THE BIOGRAPHY OF JOE KUBERT SC
by Bill Schelly
Joe Kubert’s extraordinary career spans the history of the comic book in America: he began drawing comics in 1938, just as Superman made his debut in Action Comics #1. He continues to be one of the most vital cartoonists working today, writing and drawing both mainstream comic book characters as well as, more recently, graphic novels of his own conception. This book provides a unique, behind-the-scenes look at the career of one of the most distinctive, dynamic artists in the history of comics. Bill Schelly’s insightful book covers all facets of Kubert’s creative life: artist, writer, innovator, entrepreneur, and educator. It abounds in heretofore unknown details about Kubert’s life and work, and is rich in colorful anecdotes drawn from numerous interviews the author conducted with Kubert’s colleagues, family and friends.
SC, 6x9, 220pgs, PC SRP: $19.99

UPTIGHT #3
by Jordan Crane
With Uptight #3 Jordan Crane continues to map uncharted territory of graphic melancholia with his masterpiece-work-in-progress Keeping Two. Jordan also continues to build upon his ghost story obsession with a moody tale following an undead man as he revisits his former life.
24pgs, B&W SRP: $2.50

STAR OF THE MONTH

LAST LONELY SATURDAY HC
by Jordan Crane
An older man sits at his kitchen table, filled with melancholy. Dishes are piled up in the sink, a full pot of coffee burns on the counter; it’s a quiet scene of existential despair. The man is a widower, and today is the day to visit his departed wife’s gravesite. Little does he know that what the day holds for him will result in this being his last lonely Saturday. Both sweet and bitter, realistic and fantastic, The Last Lonely Saturday is an evocative, romantic novella told in a beautiful two-color, red and yellow palette. His economical images waste not a line, and his narrative flows effortlessly from panel to panel in this heartwarming story of love and love lost. (MAY063131)
HC, 4x6, 80pgs, PC SRP: $8.00

**********************************************************************

DELPHINE #3
by Richard Sala
Where is Delphine? Where can she be, this lovely object of our nameless traveler’s affection — or, perhaps, obsession? Since stepping off the train into Delphine’s hometown — surrounded on all sides by a deep black forest — the traveler has found nothing but trouble. It seems the townsfolk aren’t satisfied with simply being unhelpful — they are openly hostile and may even, for reasons he can’t understand, want to kill him. Perhaps our poor Prince Charming was hoping for a fairy tale romance. While he did get the fairy tale, along with its witches and wicked stepmothers and haunted forests and evil spells, he may find that not all fairy tales end with “happily ever after." In this penultimate issue of the four-part series, our traveler makes a startling discovery and faces a new horror that drives him to the brink of absolute madness.
SC, 32pgs, PC SRP: $7.95

OFFERED AGAIN

O/A DELPHINE
by Richard Sala
A mysterious traveler gets off the train in a small village surrounded by a thick, sinister forest. He is searching for Delphine, who vanished leaving only a scrawled-out address on a scrap of paper as a trace. In his newest mystery, Richard Sala takes the tale of Snow White and stands it on its head, retelling it from Prince Charming’s perspective (the unnamed traveler). This twisted tale includes all the elements of terror from the original fairy tale with none of the insipid saccharine coating of the Disney animated adaptation.
#1—SC, 8x11, 32pgs, B&W SRP: $7.95
#2—SC, 8x11, 32pgs, B&W SRP: $7.95

BAOBAB #3
by Igort
Baobab #3 returns to the structure of the first issue, split between two ongoing and (seemingly) unrelated stories set a century ago. In the first part of the book, young Hiroshi’s ailing grandmother tells him that she will die soon, and that his future will be in his nation’s capital: Tokyo. It’s the beginning of his new life for Hiroshi, and the end of his childhood. Then, turn to the continuing story of two young, struggling South American cartoonists. Celestino is still living in his native Parador where, on the eve of World War I, a right-wing military dictatorship is growing in power and viciousness, even destroying the printing presses of the paper for whom he works. Even in this darkness, some light emerges: Celestino receives his first few fan letters from readers, and embarks on a romance with his publisher’s daughter.
RES. from Previews Vol. XVIII #1 (JAN083620)
SC, 8x11, 32pgs, PC SRP: $7.95

OFFERED AGAIN

O/A BAOBAB #1-2
by Igort
Baobab is mostly set in Japan at the turn of the last century, when a small, sickly, orphaned boy on the outskirts of Tokyo grows up hearing the stories his grandmother tells of her youth as the daughter of a Navy officer.This ambitious story by Ignatz series editor Igort will span 40 years and three continents!
#1—8x11, 32pgs, PC SRP: $7.95
#2—SC, 8x11, 32pgs, PC SRP: $7.95

GROTESQUE #2
by Sergio Ponchione
Another surreal masterpiece from Sergio Ponchione! A long time ago, a devious late-night pact altered the destiny of small community, its inhabitants forever cursed to live as mere clay in the hands of the capricious Mister O’Blique and the Wicked Barons. But is change finally afoot? Professor Hackensack journeys to the town in order to wrest from the Barons the secret of their power. He will be helped (or hindered) on this quest by Inspector Demifayce, Lady Puzzle, the Encephapolyp, the Taxmen and other players in the complex, not always human mosaic that forms the strange and twisted architecture of the Cryptic City.
SC, 32pgs, B&W SRP: $7.95

OFFERED AGAIN

O/A GROTESQUE #1
by Sergio Ponchione
Three men become aware of the existence of a mysterious island that may or may not be the sum total of all the information stored in their mind. Did they decide to seek it out. or were they brought there by the mysterious “Mr. O’Blique”? With an art style that’s half European-classic and half Roger Langridge-surreal, Sergio Ponchione offers up one eye-popping moment after another as we plunge down the rabbit hole of Grotesque!
SC, 8x11, 32pgs, B&W SRP: $7.95

THE COMICS JOURNAL #291
This issue features the definitive interview with Eisner-winning artist Tim Sale, house artist of the Heroes TV series and penciler on such prestige projects as Batman: The Long Halloween, Superman Confidential, Grendel, Spider-Man: Blue, and Daredevil: Yellow. Sale reveals the stories behind his collaborations with comics-writers Jeph Loeb and Darwyn Cooke and TV producer-writer Tim Kring. Also in this issue, Josh Simmons talks about his disturbingly funny mini-comics, the Happy series, the House graphic novel, and the forthcoming book Jessica Farm. Plus: a color gallery of early comics work by Flintstones creator Dan Gordon!
Magazine, 5.5x7.5, 200pgs, PC SRP: $11.95

STAR OF THE MONTH

THE CHARLES BURNS LIBRARY SC
by Charles Burns
From the creator of the 2005 hit graphic novel Black Hole comes this new softcover edition of his other masterpiece of modern horror. Big Baby is a particularly impressionable young boy named Tony Delmonte, who lives in a seemingly typical American suburb until he sneaks out of his room one night and becomes entangled in a horrific plot involving summer camp murders and backyard burials. Burns’ clinical precision as an artist adds a sinister chill to his droll sense of humor, and his affection for 20th-century pulp fiction permeates throughout, creating a brilliant narrative that perfectly captures the unease and fear of adolescence. (DEC063563)
SC, 9x12, 96pgs, B&W SRP: $16.95

**********************************************************************

OFFERED AGAIN

O/A FRANK HC (NEW PRINTING)
by Jim Woodring
Since 1991, these lusciously rendered, hypnotic fables have dazzled comics readers the world over. All the Frank stories in one massive and deluxe tome. Between its handsome cloth covers are 344 pages of Frank comics, drawings and oddities. A fancy dust jacket, swoon-inducing end papers and ribbon bookmark make this book a decorative object as well as a repository of storytelling genius. Frank is a unique, visionary comic, exquisitely drawn and so fully realized that readers find themselves drawn deeply into Woodring’s hallucinatory mindscape. The stories, almost entirely wordless, are told with brilliant, candy colors that people of all ages find alluring. This beautiful collection contains new material and lots of rare and previously-unpublished material (including the very first Frank story, not seen in over 10 years). Plus, this book includes an introduction from prominent Jim Woodring fan and acclaimed film director Francis Ford Coppola! This definitive collection is the very best way to give, receive, and experience one of the great cartoon achievements of the 20th century.
HC, 8x11, 344pgs, PC SRP: $39.95

EROS COMIX

O/A BIRDLAND SC
SEE PREVIEWS ADULT FOR MORE INFORMATION (C: 1-0-0) NOTE: Not available in Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, & the U.K.
ADULT MATERIAL
SC, 8x11, 100pgs, B&W SRP: $14.95

STARS OF THE MONTH

CAPT. HARD-ON GN
SEE PREVIEWS ADULT FOR MORE INFORMATION (JUN063118) (C: 1-0-0) NOTE: Not available in Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, & the U.K.
ADULT MATERIAL
SC, 128pgs, FC SRP: $16.95

DOCTOR DARE VOLUME 1: SPEAR OF DESTINY
SEE PREVIEWS ADULT FOR MORE INFORMATION (STAR10864) (C: 1-0-0) NOTE: Not available in Canada, Hong Kong, Germany, and the U.K.
ADULT MATERIAL
SC, 104pgs, FC SRP: $18.95

CITY OF DREAMS GN
SEE PREVIEWS ADULT FOR MORE INFORMATION (STAR04690) (C: 1-0-0) NOTE: Not available in Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, & the U.K.
ADULT MATERIAL
SC, 96pgs, B&W SRP: $14.95

**********************************************************************

:01 FIRST SECOND

DRAWING WORDS & WRITING PICTURES SC
by Jessica Abel & Matt Madden
Drawing Words and Writing Pictures is a course on comics creation — for college classes or for independent study — that centers on storytelling, and takes readers through the process of making a complete comic. With chapters on lettering, story structure, and panel layout, the fifteen lessons offered — each complete with homework, extra credit activities, and supplementary reading suggestions — provide a solid introduction to how to make a comic. Says Scott McCloud, “[Drawing Words and Writing Pictures is] a gold mine of essential information for every aspiring comics artist. Highly recommended.”
SC, 12X9, 304pgs, PC SRP: $29.95

SARDINE IN OUTER SPACE VOLUME 5 SC
by Emmanuel Guibert
She’s a girl. She’s a space-pirate. She’s Sardine — and she’s back! With four Sardine books now published in the United States, our favorite red-headed space pirate has a growing number of young fans. Now appearing in her fifth collection of ten side-splitting space adventures is Sardine, her stories told in engaging, scribbly artwork by Emmanuel Guibert.
SC, 6x9, 112pgs, FC SRP: $14.95

SARDINE IN OUTER SPACE
by E. Guibert & J. Sfar
The evil Supermuscleman, chief executive dictator of the universe, is determined to make every kid in the galaxy obey him. Who can outwit him and his wicked plans? The answer is Sardine, a little girl aboard the spaceship Huckleberry with her cousin Louie and her pirate uncle, the gruff Captain Yellow Shoulder. Watch as they travel across the universe and encounter cosmic squids, space leeches, talking clouds, and many other strange evil beings.
VOLUME 1 (FEB063055)—SC, 6x9, 128pgs, FC SRP: $12.95
VOLUME 2 (JUL063155)—SC, 128pgs, FC SRP: $12.95
VOLUME 3 (FEB073471)—SC, 6x9, 112pgs, FC SRP: $12.95
VOLUME 4—SC, 6x9, 112pgs, FC SRP: $13.95

FLESK PUBLICATIONS

STARS OF THE MONTH

MARK SCHULTZ: VARIOUS DRAWINGS VOLUME 3 SC
by Mark Schultz
This third volume of the ongoing Various Drawings series focuses on Mark Schultz’s most recent works and unpublished art. Showcasing only his best in this annual collection, he demonstrates a continued ability to refine his craft through a variety of formats: private commissions, illustrations, comics material, and rare sketchbook art. New this year is a sixteen-page color section, featuring color roughs for his paintings and tinted experiments. The drawings include new pieces featuring Xenozoic Tales favorites Jack Tenrec and Hannah Dundee, plus a selection of recent comic book covers. Also included are preliminaries for his upcoming Storms at Sea storybook, unpublished brush and ink roughs for book illustration assignments, and more — 65 pieces of art rendered variously in pencil, Wolff pencil, and brush and ink. Introduction by Michael Ryan. (JUN073577)
SC, 8x11, 48pgs, PC SRP: $19.95

STEVE RUDE: ARTIST IN MOTION HC
by Steve Rude & John Fleskes
Steve Rude has galvanized the art world as a comic magazine artist and illustrator for over two decades. This book explores Rude’s versatility in several subjects and mediums with chapters covering his comics and illustration work, private commissions, animation material, life-drawings, and more. Almost all of the works are scanned directly from the original artwork, and many are published for the first time. Rude explains his techniques for the layman to better understand his artistic process. Fans of Rude’s comic work, art students, and admirers of illustration will find this book unique and intriguing. (SEP073674)
HC, 9x12, 208pgs, PC SRP: $39.95

**********************************************************************