Every once in a while, I like to use the Amazon “Advanced Search” to find out what I have to look forward to in the coming months from my favourite publishers. Sometimes the information published in the Amazon catalogue is not precisely accurate. Sometimes a book will be credited to the wrong publisher. Often the books are listed without descriptions or cover images. Often the publication date that is listed turns out to be wildly optimistic. I think you get the picture. Anyway, today I was looking for forthcoming books available for pre-order from venerable comics publisher, Fantagraphics, and I just thought I’d share with you some of the titles that caught my eye. I don’t know if I will be willing or able to purchase all of these books if and when they finally are released, but they are all titles that I, and perhaps you, will definitely want to consider. So, without further ado, here’s my very tentative shopping list:
[NO IMAGE — that’s not an error; that’s my way of letting you know that there’s no image yet in the Amazon catalogue.]
Problematic: Selected Sketchbook Drawings 2004-2011 [Hardcover]
Jim Woodring (Author)
- Hardcover: 300 pages
- Publisher: Fantagraphics Books (October 2012)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1606995944
- ISBN-13: 978-1606995945
[NO DESCRIPTION — but it doesn’t matter; for me, it’s a must have!]
[NO IMAGE]
The Love and Rockets Reader: From Hoppers to Palomar [Paperback]
Marc Sobel (Author), Los Bros Hernandez (Illustrator)
- Paperback: 304 pages
- Publisher: Fantagraphics Books (October 2012)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1606995928
- ISBN-13: 978-1606995921
[NO DESCRIPTION — I want to know what this is before I pre-order, but they’ve got my attention.]
[NO IMAGE]
The Love and Rockets Companion: 30 Years (and Counting)< [Paperback]
Neil Gaiman (Contributor), Marc Sobel (Editor), Kristy Valenti (Editor)
- Paperback: 240 pages
- Publisher: Fantagraphics Books (September 2012)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1606995790
- ISBN-13: 978-1606995792
[NO DESCRIPTION — again, I want to know what’s in this!]
DAL TOKYO [Hardcover]
Gary Panter (Author, Artist)
- Hardcover: 212 pages
- Publisher: Fantagraphics Books; 1 edition (Jun 12 2012)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1560978864
- ISBN-13: 978-1560978862
Product Description
“Dal Tokyo was a monthly comic strip, drawn in Panter’s groundbreaking “ratty line,” about a future Mars that is terra-formed by Texan and Japanese workers. In 1983 the L.A. Reader published the first 63 strips. A few years later, the Japanese reggae magazine Riddim picked up the strip, and Panter continued the saga of Dal Tokyo in installments for over a decade.”
About the Author
“GARY PANTER (Brooklyn, New York) is the author of Jimbo in Purgatory and Jimbo’s Inferno.”
[There’s some of Panter’s work that I like and some that I don’t. Dal Tokyo, however, is one that I will definitely consider purchasing. I won’t pre-order, though.]
[NO IMAGE]
Love and Rockets: The Covers [Hardcover]
Los Bros Hernandez (Author)
- Hardcover: 200 pages
- Publisher: Fantagraphics Books (November 2012)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1606995987
- ISBN-13: 978-1606995983
[NO DESCRIPTION — but an easy decision: a must have!]
[NO IMAGE]
Weird Horrors & Daring Adventures [Hardcover]
Joe Kubert (Author), Bill Schelly (Editor)
- Hardcover: 240 pages
- Publisher: Fantagraphics Books (September 2012)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1606995812
- ISBN-13: 978-1606995815
[NO DESCRIPTION — but very tempting nonetheless!]
[NO IMAGE]
Messages in a Bottle: Comic Book Stories by B. Krigstein [Paperback]
B. (Bernard) Krigstein (Author), Greg Sadowski (Editor)
- Paperback: 272 pages
- Publisher: Fantagraphics Books (March 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1606995804
- ISBN-13: 978-1606995808
[NO DESCRIPTION — doesn’t matter, I want it!]
[NO IMAGE]
Gahan Wilson Sunday Comics [Hardcover]
Gahan Wilson (Author)
- Hardcover: 184 pages
- Publisher: Fantagraphics Books (February 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1606996126
- ISBN-13: 978-1606996126
[NO DESCRIPTION — Do I need another collection of Wilson cartoons? Nope. Do I want another one? Yep. Will I be able to afford one? Time will tell.]
[NO IMAGE]
“‘Taint the Meat…It’s the Humanity!” and Other Stories [Hardcover]
Jack Davis (Author), Al Feldstein (Author), Gary Groth (Editor)
- Hardcover: 240 pages
- Publisher: Fantagraphics Books (January 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1606995782
- ISBN-13: 978-1606995785
[NO DESCRIPTION — but probably part of Fantagraphics’ new EC Comics Library, and therefore a must have!]
“50 Girls 50” and Other Stories [Hardcover]
Frank Frazetta (Author), Al Williamson (Author), Gary Groth (Editor)
- Hardcover: 240 pages
- Publisher: Fantagraphics Books (January 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1606995774
- ISBN-13: 978-1606995778
[NO DESCRIPTION — again, if it’s part of the new EC Comics Library from Fantagraphics, it’s a must have!]
Notice that I haven’t linked to any of the books listed above at Amazon or any other bookseller. That’s deliberate on my part. I’m not trying to make money by enticing you to buy things via RCN. My sole interest is to promote the kind of books that I enjoy so that those books will sell more copies and (maybe) publishers will keep producing the kind of books that I enjoy.
Ragged Claws Network 