Great Graphic Novels of Fall 2011: Adult Fiction
Check out all our Fall 2011 picks in these other categories:
Kids | Tweens | Teens | Nonfiction
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September
Anita Blake: Circus of the Damned: Ingenue, Book 2
by Laurell K. Hamilton and Jessica Ruffner
Marvel Comics
On sale now
Bestelling author Laurell K. Hamilton’s heroine is back in comics! Morgues, by a rule, are pretty quiet places. But in a world of vamps and the rising dead, they can be positively hopping. Join animator Anita Blake as her search for a serial killer takes her to the most dangerous after-hours joint in St. Louis.
Awakening Omnibus
by Nick Tapalansky and Alex Eckman-Lawn
Archaia
On sale now
The once peaceful city of Park Falls has been tainted by a series of missing persons and gruesome murders. Town crazy Cynthia Ford comes forward to speak with retired police detective Derrick Peters with information about the strange happenings, claiming they’re connected. But does she hold the key to unlocking the mystery, or has she gone completely insane? To Derrick’s disbelief she utters one word: Zombies. Awakening is now collected in one giant volume, including a short story, production extras, guest pin-ups and more.
Canterbury Tales
by Geoffrey Chaucer; adapted by Seymour Chwast
Bloomsbury USA
On sale now
Accompany a band of merry medieval pilgrims as they make their way—on motorcycles, of course—to Canterbury. Meeting at the Tabard Inn, the travelers, including a battle-worn knight, a sweetly pretentious prioress, the bawdy Wife of Bath, and an emaciated scholar-clerk, come up with a plan to pass time on the journey to Thomas à Becket's shrine by telling stories. The twenty-four tales, which range from high romance set in ancient Greece to low comedy in contemporary England, are adapted into graphic novel form by Seymour Chwast—a pitch-perfect transposition of Chaucer's pointed satire. Chwast's illustrations relate tales of trust and treachery, of piety and bawdiness, in an engaging style that will appeal to those who have enjoyed The Canterbury Tales for years, and those for whom this is a first, delectable introduction.
Little Nothings, Vol. 4: My Shadow in the Distance
by Lewis Trondheim
NBM/ComicsLit
On sale now
In this next collection of highly perceptive and self-mocking little observations, Trondheim looks for cowboys in our not-so Wild West, experiences severe nose problems in Prague, has an outrageous discovery in a bathroom of Freiburg, and pulls his first white hair off his chest…without knowing why. From the ridiculously mundane to the sublimely ridiculous, Trondheim doesn’t miss a beat!
Yiddishkeit
edited by Harvey Peker and Paul Buhle; introduction by Neal Gabler
Abrams ComicArts
On sale now
In Yiddishkeit: Jewish Vernacular & the New Land, award-winning authors Harvey Pekar and Paul Buhle trace the influence of Yiddish from medieval Europe to the tenements of New York’s Lower East Side. This comics anthology—the last fully realized work by Pekar—provides thoughtful revelations about the far-reaching influences of Yiddish in the twenty-first century, and contains original stories by notable writers and artists such as Barry Deutsch, Peter Kuper, Allen Lewis Rickman, Spain Rodriguez, and Sharon Rudahl. Through illustrations, comics art, and a full-length play, themes of culture, performance, assimilation, and the revival of the language are explored, covering the full scope of Yiddishkeit (meaning “Jewishness,” as in, “a Jewish way of life”). Peeling back layers of dogma and decades of turgid scholarship, Pekar and Buhle shed new light and impart a modern discourse to help readers grasp the nuances of this colorful and nomadic culture.
The Armed Garden and Other Stories
by David B.
Fantagraphics
On sale September 12
David B., the creator of the acclaimed Epileptic, gives full rein to his fascination with history, magic, and gods, not to mention grand battles, in this literate, witty, and absorbing collection of stories—all based on historical fact, or at least historical legend, and delineated in a striking stylized two-color format.
Astro City: Life in the Big City
by Kurt Busiek and various
WildStorm
On sale September 13
The original Astro City collection is offered in a new edition, simultaneously available in hardcover and trade paperback with new cover art by Alex Ross! Welcome to Astro City, a shining city on a hill where superheroes patrol the skies. Each chapter in this collection is a standalone story, highlighting different aspects or characters in the Astro City world. The city’s leading superhero tries to be everywhere at once, and berates himself for every wasted second as he longs for just a moment of his own. A smalltime hood learns a hero’s secret identity, and tries to figure out how to profit from the knowledge. A beat reporter gets some advice from his editor on his first day on the job. A young woman tries to balance the demands of her family with her own hopes and desires. Despite the fantastic settings, the characters in these slice-of-life stories feel like real people, and that gives the stories real power.
Zahra's Paradise
by Amir and Khalil
First Second
On sale September 13
Set in the aftermath of Iran’s fraudulent elections of 2009, Zahra’s Paradise is the fictional story of the search for Mehdi, a young protestor who has vanished into an extrajudicial twilight zone. What’s keeping his memory from being obliterated is not the law. It is the grit and guts of his mother, who refuses to surrender her son to fate, and the tenacity of his brother, a blogger, who fuses tradition and technology to explore and explode the void in which Mehdi has vanished. Zahra’s Paradise weaves together fiction and real people and events. As the world witnessed the aftermath of Iran’s fraudulent elections, through YouTube videos, on Twitter, and in blogs, this story came into being. The global response to this gripping tale has been passionate—an echo of the global outcry during the political upheaval of the summer of 2009.
The Grave Doug Freshley
by Josh Hechinger and mpMann
Archaia
On sale September 14
Douglas Freshley, a former schoolmaster, is hired by his longtime friend Shane McNally to tutor their rambunctious son, Bat. But when the Delancey gang raids the McNally ranch, killing all the adults, it’s up to the corpse of Doug to rise up, protect Bat, and exact some good ol’ frontier justice. Little does he know, however, that he is being stalked by the Deadliest Gun in the West (or anywhere)—the Grim Reaper himself.
Pherone
by Viktor Kalvachev
Image
On sale September 14
Following Eve, a dangerously seductive woman on the edge of her sanity, Pherone weaves a dark storyline filled with espionage, mystery, and suspense. Armed with a killer body and a killer's mind, the femme fatale must hunt down clues to rediscover her own troubled past, bringing violence and danger to anyone who crosses her path.
Taxidermied: The Art of Roman Dirge
by Roman Dirge
Titan Books
On sale September 20
A stunning full-color celebration of the eye-catchingly original artwork of Lenore creator Roman Dirge. This lavish full color hardback includes an introduction and background information on the imagery by Dirge himself, plus rare and previously unpublished artwork. Showcasing the full range of his unique work in all its morbid glory, this is an unmissable collection for fans of gothic art in the vein of Tim Burton and Emily the Strange.
Dark Tower Omnibus Slipcase Set
by Stephen King, Peter David, Robin Furth, Richard Isanove, Jae Lee, and Anthony Flamini
Marvel Comics
On sale September 21
The ultimate Dark Tower collection! An oversized hardcover collecting the first five volumes of Marvel's Dark Tower series plus Dark Tower Companion, a separate volume of bonus material, both packaged in a deluxe slipcase!
Feeding Ground
by Swifty Lang, Michael Lapinski, and Chris Mangun
Archaia
On sale September 21
A new nightmare plagues the Mexico-Arizona border. A famine caused by Blackwell Industries drives Diego Busqueda, a noble coyote, to lead a band of Mexican border crossers across the unforgiving Devil’s Highway, a desert cursed with blistering days and deadly nights. Back home, Diego’s daughter, Flaca, discovers that something hungrier prowls the factory fields. Stalked and persecuted, can the Busqueda family maintain their dreams of immigration or will the unspeakable horrors of the desert tear them apart? On the Feeding Ground, there is no freedom without sacrifice… Collects Feeding Ground #1-6 with bonus material and a Foreword by Luis Alberto Urrea, author of The Devil’s Highway. A Spanish-language edition is also available.
Critical Millennium: The Dark FrontierbyAndrew E. C. Gaska and Daniel Dussault
Archaia
On sale September 21
Mankind’s rise and fall in space begins here. Two thousand years from now, the Earth is nearly dead. A bold group of explorers led by philanthropist Thomm Coney pushes forward to take the first tentative steps out of Earth’s solar system. Their quest: new worlds to colonize, so that humanity may yet have a chance at survival. Facing impossible odds, political agendas, and a fanatical terrorist regime bent on their destruction, Coney and his crew brave the dangers of a potentially volatile star drive in order to preserve a civilization intent not only on killing itself, but also on taking down every other living thing around it.
The New Teen Titans: Games
by Marv Wolfman and George Perez
DC Comics
On sale September 27
Set in the 1980s during the height of New Teen Titans popularity, this standalone hardcover features a mysterious villain playing a deadly game with New York City as the gameboard—and the Teen Titans as the pieces! Like something out of a time capsule, this never-before-seen epic is the New Teen Titans story from their original creators that never got told...until now!
Immortals: Gods and Heroes
by various
Archaia
On sale September 28
Spinning from the upcoming epic 3-D film Immortals from visionary director Tarsem Singh and starring Mickey Rourke and Henry Cavill comes Immortals: Gods and Heroes, a stunning hardcover featuring all-new tales of Greek myths.
Rust, Vol. 1: Visitor in the Fieldby Royden Lepp
Archaia
On sale September 28
Rust is a high-octane adventure set in the prairie lands of an unknown time. Life on the Taylor family farm is difficult enough before Jet Jones crashes into the barn, chased by a giant decommissioned war robot! Oldest son Roman Taylor struggles to keep his family’s small farm afloat as the area heals from a devastating world war. While the rest of his family may not trust the mysterious boy with the jetpack, Roman believes the secrets of Jet’s past may be the key to their survival.
October
Bubbles & Gondola
by Renaud Dillies
NBM
On sale October 1
On a background of Django Reinhardt, this jewel of poetic fantasy is a fairy tale for all ages with spot on observations about life. Charlie is a mouse who’s trying to write but has a block. Writing is a solitary endeavor. A bird named Solitude comes to visit him to keep him company. We’re never sure he actually exists but in Charlie's mind, yet he brings him out into the world, dares him to experience the unknown, unblocking his little existence… A drama about the blank page for Charlie who so wants to make the world more beautiful with his writing, we are transported into a tender and moving tale with a twinge of lyrical melancholy yet sweet, warm and ultimately elevating.
Love and Rockets: New Stories, Vol. 4
by The Hernandez Brothers
Fantagraphics
On sale October 3
Love and Rockets: New Stories #4 picks up storylines from Vol. 3, first with the conclusion to “Love Bunglers” (did Maggie really dump Ray again?), then with a sequel of sorts to “Browntown” in which teenage Maggie returns to Hoppers and a new life. Meanwhile, on the Gilbert side of town, High Soft Lisp’s Fritz returns in “Talkabout,” a 15-page dialogue with an old beau. Second up is the 35-page “King Vampire”: Two lovable teens, Cecil and Trini, want to join a local vampire club but real vampires show up and things get serious. Cecil loves it but Trini has her doubts about going all the way. But wait—is this a real story or another “Fritz movie”?
The Man Who Grew His Beardby Olivier Schrauwen
Fantagraphics
On sale October 3
The Man Who Grew His Beard is Belgian cartoonist Olivier Schrauwen’s first American book, having staked a reputation over the last decade as one of Europe’s most talented storytellers. It collects seven short stories, each a headspinning display of craft and storytelling that mixes early 20th-century comics influences like Winsor McCay with a thoroughly contemporary voice that provokes and entertains with subversively surreal humor and subtle criticism of 20th-century tropes and images. The stories themselves, though each stands alone, are intertwined thematically, offering peeks into the minds of semi-autistic, achingly isolated men and their feverish inner worlds and how they interact and contrast with their real environment.
Mark Twain’s Autobiography, 1910–2010by Michael Kupperman
Fantagraphics
On sale October 3
A hilarious parody of Twain’s autobiography from the creator of Tales Designed to Thrizzle. Michael Kupperman has already indulged his love for Mark Twain in the pages of Tales Designed to Thrizzle, but the recent publication of Twain’s (real) autobiography has inspired the cartoonist to a full-blown book-length masterpiece of hilarity.
Nutsby Gahan Wilson
Fantagraphics
On sale October 3
In this thematically and narratively linked series of one-page stories originally published in the National Lampoon’s “Funny Pages” section throughout the 1970s, the master of the macabre eschewed his usual ghouls, vampires, and end-of-the-world scenarios for a wry, pointed look at growing up normal in the real, yet endlessly weird world.
Prince Valiant, Vol. 4: 1943–1944by Hal Foster
Fantagraphics
On sale October 3
As this fourth volume begins, Prince Valiant, haunted by Aleta, seeks Merlin’s wise counsel. This brief episode segues into one of Hal Foster’s patented epics, “The Long Voyage to Thule,” which ran for seven straight months and featured Valiant’s return to his birthplace and reunion with his father. Of course, Foster’s astonishingly detailed and evocative depictions of Val’s homeland contribute greatly to this sprawling epic. After a series of shorter adventures including “The Seductress,” “The Call of the Sea,” and “The Jealous Cripple,” Val finally decides he can stand it no more and sets out to find his long-lost love. Long-time fans know that his quest will eventually be successful, but Foster throws so many obstacles in the way of true love that the saga “The Winning of Aleta” would end up stretching a full year and a half, well into the next volume.
Prison Pit, Book 3by Johnny Ryan
Fantagraphics
On sale October 3
Prison Pit blends Angry Youth Comix creator Johnny Ryan’s fascination with WWE wrestling, grindhouse cinema, first-person action video games, Gary Panter’s Jimbo comics, and Kentaro Miura’s “Berserk” manga into a brutal and often hilarious showcase of violence like no other comic book ever created.
The Best American Comics 2011
edited by Alison Bechdel, Jessica Abel, and Matt Madden
Houghton Mifflin
On sale October 4
The Best American Comics showcases the work of both established and up-and-coming contributors. Editor Alison Bechdel—creater of the cult comic strip "Dykes to Watch Out For" and author of Fun Home—has culled the best stories from graphic novels, pamplet comics, newspapers, magazines, mini-comics, and webcomics to create this cutting-edge collection.
The Frank Book
by Jim Woodring; introduction by Francis Ford Coppola
Fantagraphics
On sale October 4
Since 1991, Jim Woodring’s lusciously rendered, hypnotic fables have dazzled readers the world over, and the runaway success of the Frank-costarring graphic novel Weathercraft and the first true Frank graphic novel Congress of the Animals have only whetted readers’ appetites for more.
In honor of Frank’s 20th anniversary, Fantagraphics is rereleasing the massive, long out of print Frank Book omnibus, which collected all the Frank material up to the mid-aughts, including several jaw-droppingly beautiful full-color stories, literally dozens of lushly delineated black-and-white stories, and a treasure trove of covers and illustrations.
Planet of the Apesby Daryl Gregory
Boom! Studios
On sale October 4
Get your hands on these damn dirty Apes! Beginning an all new series that takes place before the original 1968 Planet of the Apes movie in the continuity of the first five films. Ape society has reached a new golden age. But there are ripples of dissent in both the ape and human ranks. Tensions will rise and soon all will be caught in chaos! And amidst all this uncertainty, what is the fate of...The Lawgiver? Written by award-winning novelist Daryl Gregory.
Halo: The Fall of Reach: Boot Camp
by Brian Reed and Felix Ruiz
Marvel Comics
On sale October 5
The United Nations Space Command is engaged in a brutal battle against a growing tide of insurrection. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and under the threat of a prolonged war the UNSC initiates the SPARTAN-II Project, a military program seeking to create a squad of super-soldiers. And so a great adventure begins: Once, he was a 6-year-old boy named John. But his superior speed, intelligence and adaptability to the SPARTAN-II training allow him to rise above the rest, starting his journey to become the most legendary warrior the galaxy has ever known!
The Cabbie, Book Oneby Marti; introduction by Art Spiegelman
Fantagraphics
On sale October 10
Spanish cartoonist Martí’s eye-popping The Cabbie spins off Martin Scorsese’s sordid urban-justice drama Taxi Driver with a graphic style that unapologetically appropriates and even refines the brutal slabs of black, squashed perspectives, and grotesque approach to human physiognomy (and its ability to withstand punishment) that define Chester Gould’s Dick Tracy.
Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse, Vol. 2: “Trapped on Treasure Island”by Floyd Gottfredson
Fantagraphics
On sale October 10
“Oh, for gosh sakes!” Floyd Gottfredson’s classic 1930s Mickey Mouse is back for another round of thrills, chills, and epic quests—taking him from the depths of teeming jungles to the halls of spooky Blaggard Castle. Mickey’s classic Disney bad guys are here, too, with archenemy Pegleg Pete joined for this book by the mysterious “Bill Shakespeare” and hypnosis-happy Professors Ecks, Doublex, and Triplex!
Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse Collector’s Box Set, Vol. 1–2by Floyd Gottfredson
Fantagraphics
On sale October 10
A gift set of the first and second Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse volumes, in a handsome and durable slipcase.This collection of books—identical to the individual volumes—ships shrinkwrapped, with the two hardcovers Race to Death Valley (volume 1) and Trapped on Treasure Island (volume 2), packed in a sturdy custom box designed especially for this set.
Creepy Archives, Vol. 11
by various
Dark Horse
On sale October 11
Dark Horse's award-winning Creepy Archives hardcover series roars through the 1970s with a batch of classic horror tales! Dark Horse's latest foray into fear reprints some of Warren Publishing's first full-color story offerings from the early seventies and features more of the unique talents that made Creepy so tantalizing and timeless.
True Blood, Vol. 2: Tainted Loveby Marc Andreyko, Michael McMillian, and Joe Corroney
IDW
On sale October 11
Hoyt, the human boyfriend of Jessica, tries to do a good deed…and it doesn’t go unpunished! Hoyt notices that Jessica has been staring at a poster for a local prom night, which leads him to romantically scheme to throw a surprise one for her at Merlotte’s (with the help of friends Sookie, Sam, and Tara). Unfortunately, things go awry when Jessica drinks a bit too much of the punch, which just happens to be part of a tainted batch of Tru Blood! Now she’s out of control on a rampage into the night, and Hoyt, Bill, and Jason do their best to help their friend. Meanwhile, Sookie and Lafayette try to help Jessica a little differently, by seeking out Eric and the local sheriff!
Absolute Identity Crisis
by Brad Meltzer and Rags Morales
DC Comics
On sale October 12
A new collection of the classic miniseries. When the spouse of a JLA member is brutally murdered, the entire superhero community searches for the killer, fearing their own loved ones may be the next targets. Before the mystery is solved, a number of long-buried secrets will threaten to divide the heroes before they can bring the mysterious killer to justice. Identity Crisis is an all-too-human look into the lives of superheroes, and the terrible price they pay for doing good.
Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: Guilty Pleasures Ultimate Collection
by Laurell K. Hamilton, Jessica Ruffner, and Ron Lim
Marvel Comics
On sale October 19
The first novel in Laurell K. Hamilton's bestselling Anita Blake series, complete in one volume! Before there was a Buffy camping it up, before there was a Bella waiting for her savior, there was Anita Blake: a vampire-hunting heroine built to stand up to an undead threat centuries in the making. During the 17 years since her debut, Anita's tough, no-nonsense approach has won her millions of fans and racked up tens of millions of sales in bookstores around the world. In Guilty Pleasures, you'll meet the iconic character behind Laurell K. Hamilton's series of novels that pioneered the wildly popular genre of contemporary vampire drama.
Berona’s War, Vol. 2: Fight for Amityby Andrew Coffey and Jesse Labbé
Archaia
On sale October 19
Berona’s War, Vol. 2: Fight for Amity brings to life the blood-hungry warriors and races of Berona and takes you deep within their individual tales. Follow the soldier as he enters his final battle. Witness the elite teams at work behind the scenes. Learn the savage ways of the Condyle warriors, and the vicious speed of the Ele-Alta Slayers. Watch as the brave struggle for glory, obtain it, then live to see it stripped from them. Will it be a glorious death, or will it be the death of a coward? The battles have just begun to rage, and the war has so much left to claim.
BlueSpearby Andi Ewington, Eddie Deighton, and Cosmo White
Com.x
On sale October 19
A guardian watches over Tokyo. Nobody knows where he came from. Some say he was created by the Yūrei (幽霊), ghosts of the sea, sent to remind mortals that it is they, not men, that control mankind’s fate. Others say he is a freak of nature, a violation of evolution’s natural development and as such should be captured and studied. Loved by many, vilified by few; he exacts swift justice to those who stand against him. Whatever he is, wherever he came from, one thing is certain... BlueSpear is here to stay.
Killing Pickman
by Jason Becker and Jon Rea
Archaia
On sale October 19
Homicide Detective William Zhu has just made the arrest of his career. With the apprehension of Richard Pickman, he has solved over 100 missing child cases, some of which date back over 30 years. The excavation of Pickman’s basement reveals horrors beyond imagination—the bodies of children mutilated in bizarre satanic rites. Frustrated with his role of clean-up man to the detritus of the world, Zhu makes what may be a fatal mistake: He decides to kill Pickman. Fatal, for Richard Pickman is no ordinary psychopath. The rituals he performed were not the work of a madman but sacrifices made to a very real demon. A demon who has granted Pickman near immortality. Killing Pickman is going to be a lot tougher than Zhu could have imagined. It may not even be possible.
X-Men by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee Omnibus, Vol. 1
Marvel Comics
On sale October 19
What happens when you combine an industry veteran at the top of his game with a hot, up-and-coming young artist, and let them loose on Marvel's mightiest mutants? You get a fan-favorite, multi-year X-Men run unequaled in style, pizzazz and wall-to-wall action! It's Chris Claremont's most ambitious story arc ever, featuring Jim Lee's dynamic debut issues and major changes to the X-Men's status quo! Jubilee debuts just as the X-Men disband, granted new lives by the Siege Perilous. The Reavers enact gruesome revenge on Wolverine and decimate Muir Island, while Psylocke is transformed into a ninja. The Shadow King makes his play for Storm, culminating in the action-packed introduction of Gambit. Wolverine's hidden past with Captain America and the Black Widow is revealed. And this is just the first volume!
The Simon & Kirby Library: Crimeby Joe Simon and Jack Kirby; introduction by Max Allan Collins
Titan Books
On sale October 25
The creators of Captain America and the Boy Commandos produced some of the hardest-hitting crime comics of the 1950s. Often featuring real-world criminals like Ma Barker, Al Capone, and Pretty Boy Floyd, and true-to-life events like the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, these adventures were torn from post-prohibition headlines. Explosive enough to draw the attention of the congressional committee on juvenile delinquency, they remain action-packed for today's graphic novel audience. These are the best of the Simon and Kirby Crime comics, fully restored and collected for the first time, with a brand new introduction from bestselling crime writer, Max Allan Collins.
Star Wars Omnibus: Episodes I-VI: The Complete Saga
by various
Dark Horse
On sale October 25
The comics adaptations of the complete Star Wars film saga—in one volume! From Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi's fateful encounter with Darth Maul to Luke Skywalker's victory over the Sith and Darth Vader's redemption, it's all here! Produced over the decades as the movies were released, the creative credits read like a Who's Who of comics greatness. This is a true collector's package!
Hellboy, Vol. 11: The Bride of Hell and Others
by Mike Mignola, Richard Corben, and Kevin Nowlan
Dark Horse
On sale October 25
The world's greatest paranormal investigator takes on a carnivorous house, space aliens, a vampire luchador, a vengeful lion demon, and more in this collection featuring the work of comic greats Mike Mignola, Richard Corben, Kevin Nowlan, and Scott Hampton!
The Legion of Super-Heroes: The Curse Deluxe Edition
by Paul Levitz, Keith Giffen, and Larry Mahlstedt
DC Comics
On sale October 25
The Legion battles Darkseid in this new collection of a classic series from the 1980s.
The Art of Joe Kubert
edited by Bill Schelly
Fantagraphics
On sale October 31
Joe Kubert is one of the great comic book artists. His career traverses the history of comics, beginning in 1938 when he became a professional at age 12, to today as one of the greatest draftsmen working in the field. Kubert is known and respected as much for his sinewy, passionate drawing as he is for his consummate storytelling skills. Over his 70-year career in comics, he has worked as an artist, an editor, a publisher, an entrepreneur, and a cartooning auteur. The Art of Joe Kubert is a deluxe, full-color coffee table book that honors this legendary creator with beautifully reproduced artwork from every phase of his career as well as critical commentary by the book’s editor, comics historian and Kubert biographer Bill Schelly.
November
Bloom County, the Complete Library, Vol. 5: 1987–1989
by Berkeley Breathed
IDW
On sale November 1
Book five of The New York Times bestselling and Eisner-award winning series brings us to the final chapter of Bloom County. This volume of Berkeley Breathed's Pulitzer Prize-winning opus runs from November 30th, 1987, through August 6, 1989—the day Breathed, at the top of his game both critically and in circulation, walked away from Bloom County...leaving us only fond memories and this wonderful Bloom County Library so we can revisit Opus, Bill, Steve, Milo, and all the rest any time we want!
30 Days of Night Omnibusby Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith
IDW
On sale November 1
The vampire tale that put horror back on the map! 30 Days of Night Omnibus collects the original trilogy of stories told about Barrow, Alaska, and its deadly visitors.
Stargazing Dogby Takashi Murakami
NBM/ComicsLit
On sale November 1
A moving manga that is a major bestseller in Japan, selling over 400,000 copies and being made into a movie. Oto-san is down and out. Life has conspired against him, nothing coming together the way he wished, so he sets out with his car to just get away from it all. All people around him have abandoned him in indifference but as we discover along with him, the one he can count on utterly and completely is a dog he just adopted who follows him blindly, faithfully and completely, to the end, lightening up his new adventure into the unknown.
Doctor Who: A Fairy Tale Life
by Matthew Sturges, Kelly Yates, and Brian Shearer
IDW
On sale November 15
What’s better: an ugly reality or beautiful fantasy? This is the question the Doctor is forced to confront in a medieval fantasy world where Amy Pond finds herself reluctantly cast as a damsel in distress.
Rocketeer Adventures, Vol. 1by various
IDW
On sale November 15
Dave Stevens’ The Rocketeer was an instant hit the moment it hit the spinner racks in the early 1980s. After the untimely passing of Stevens several years ago, many thought there would never be another Rocketeer story. But, with the full cooperation of the Stevens family, IDW has produced an anthology book that utilizes the talents of many of comics’ top creators, a veritable Who’s Who of writers and artists, and each one a labor of love to Dave and his greatest creation.
Wasteland, Vol. 6by Antony Johnston, Christopher Mitten, and Remington Veteto
Oni Press
On sale November 16
The hit sci-fi western epic continues! After the Sand-Eater attack, the city of Newbegin is in turmoil as the Sunner rebellion gathers strength and Marcus seems to lose interest in the council. Follow the next six months through the eyes of Jakob, Skot, Yan, Dexus, and Golden Voice, with a chapter dedicated to each point of view in this latest collection of the series that Comics Should Be Good called "a masterpiece!"
Estonia: A Ramble Through the Peripheryby Alexander Theroux
Fantagraphics
On sale November 21
Any journey with Alexander Theroux is an education. Possessed of a razor-sharp and hyperliterate mind, he stands beside Thomas Pynchon as one of the sharpest cultural commentators of our time. So when he decided to accompany his wife—the artist Sarah Son-Theroux—on her Fulbright Scholarship to Estonia, it occasioned this penetrating examination of a country that, for many, seems alien and distanced from the modern world.
The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec, Vol. 2by Jacques Tardi
Fantagraphics
On sale November 21
After establishing the world of the prickly heroine with the first two episodes of this classic series (combined in Fantagraphics’ The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec, Volume 1), Jacques Tardi plunges us back into Belle-Époque Paris for another double dosage of heroic derring-do, evil and crazy malefactors, mad actresses (yes, Clara Benhardt makes a return appearance) and monsters!
Highschool of the Dead Color Omnibus
by Daisuke Sato and Shouji Sato
Yen Press
On sale November 22
This fully remastered, four color hardcover edition collects the first four volumes of the original series in one deluxe collector's omnibus. A mysterious illness is spreading rapidly through the halls of Fujimi High School. In a matter of hours, the campus is transformed from a place of learning into a hive of nightmares, as the infected students collapse and are reborn as flesh-hungry zombies! Only a handful of students escape the initial outbreak - among them Takashi Komuro and his childhood friend, Rei. He manages to protect Rei from the initial onslaught, but how long can Takashi and the other students hope to survive when the whole school - maybe the whole town - is out for their blood?!
Black Fire
by Hernán Rodríguez
Archaia
On sale November 30
Two soldiers in Napoleon’s army retreating from his disastrous campaigns in Russia are separated from their unit by a Cossack attack and stumble across an isolated Slavic town, where strange and bizarre doings are afoot. The ancient town is deep, forbidden territory, the prison of a dark monster-god out of Slavic legend and nightmare, which seeks to use the newcomers to escape.
December
Oil and Water
by Steve Duin and Shannon Wheeler
Fantagraphics
On sale December 5
When 10 Oregonians travel to the Gulf Coast in August 2010 to plumb the devastation wrought by the Deepwater Horizon spill, they discover that “Oil and Water” is just the first of the insoluble contradictions. Between the tarred sands of Grand Isle and the fouled waters of the Louisiana bayou, they come to find out that Gulf Coast residents are economically dependent upon the very industry that is wreaking havoc on their environment. In the shadow of the greatest ecological disaster of our time, they are forced to reassess their roles as witness, critic, and environmental steward.
Pogo: The Complete Daily & Sunday Comic Strips, Vol. 1: Through the Wild Blue Wonderby Walt Kelly; foreword by Jimmy Breslin
Fantagraphics
On sale December 5
Walt Kelly started his career at age 13 in Connecticut as a cartoonist and reporter for the Bridgeport Post. In 1935, he moved to Los Angeles and joined the Walt Disney Studio, where he worked on classic animated films, including Pinocchio, Dumbo, and Fantasia. Rather than take sides in a bitter labor strike, he moved back east in 1941 and began drawing comic books. It was during this time that Kelly created Pogo Possum. The character first appeared in Animal Comics as a secondary player in the “Albert the Alligator” feature. It didn’t take long until Pogo became the comic’s leading character. After WWII, Kelly became artistic director at the New York Star, where he turned Pogo into a daily strip. By late 1949, Pogo appeared in hundreds of newspapers. Until his death in 1973, Kelly produced a feature that has become widely cherished among casual readers and aficionados alike. Special features in this sumptuous premiere volume, which is produced with the full cooperation of Kelly’s heirs, include a biographical introduction by Kelly biographer Steve Thompson, an extensive section by comics historian R. C. Harvey explaining some of the more obscure current references of the time, a foreword by legendary columnist Jimmy Breslin, and more.
Walt Disney’s Donald Duck: “Lost in the Andes”by Carl Barks
Fantagraphics
On sale December 5
Carl Barks’ Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge comics are considered among the greatest artistic and storytelling achievements in the history of the medium. After serving a stint at the Walt Disney studios as an in-betweener and a gag-man, Barks began drawing the comic book adventures of Donald Duck in 1942. He quickly mastered every aspect of cartooning and over the next nearly 30 years created some of the most memorable comics ever drawn—as well as some of the most memorable characters.
Jack Davis: Drawing American Pop Cultureby Jack Davis
Fantagraphics
On sale December 12
Jack Davis arrived on the illustration scene in the euphoric post-war America of the late 1940s, when consumer society was booming and the work force identified with commercial images that reflected this underlying sense of confidence and American bravado. Advertising agencies were looking for new ways to tap a rich and expanding market, and there was a vast array of media that needed illustrations. Davis’ animated and exuberant images possessed a sense of spontaneous energy that proved to have universal appeal in every medium he worked in. Jack Davis: Drawing American Pop Culture is a gigantic, unparalleled career-spanning retrospective, between whose hard covers resides the greatest collection — in terms of both quantity and quality — of Jack Davis’ work ever assembled.
I am a current library science student and am in the middle of a CD project for a graphic novel collection and couldn't be more thrilled to see such an informative resource.
Can't wait for HABIBI by Craig Thompson!