Too Cool to be Forgotten

Top Shelf 2.0 - Alex Robinson's "Too Cool" - The Swedish SPX

TOP SHELF 2.0: THE NEW WEBCOMICS LAUNCH on MAY 16!

http://www.topshelfcomix.com/comix.php

Announcing a new phase in the internet age of comics: Top Shelf 2.0!

Launching this Friday, May 16, Top Shelf 2.0 is a new webcomics site and digital anthology, bringing together great cartoonists both familiar and new. We'll update with a new story every weekday! Sometimes a standalone short story, sometimes a new chapter in an ongoing serial, sometimes a great story from the Top Shelf Webcomics archive... but always something different! It's all free and all on TopShelfComix.com!

What kind of material can you expect? Well, just for starters, there's:

-- The haunting avant-garde imagery of Bart Johnson and Ben Constantine,
-- The globe-spanning high-kicking funkadelic fury of Kagan McCloud, serializing his indie classic Infinite Kung-Fu in preparation for the collected edition to be published by Top Shelf in 2009,
-- A really stunning painted fable by John C. Ralston,
-- Jed McGowen working his color wizardry with a beautifully limited palette,
-- The freewheelin' mythic imagination of the inimitable Bernie McGovern,
-- A couple young artists whose energy and charm practically shines from every panel of their cartoony adventures, Chris "Elio" Eliopoulos and Michael DeForge,
-- The monumental TENTH 24-hour comic by the master of the form, David Chelsea (his new book 24x2 is on sale now from Top Shelf),
-- An inky poetic parable from young Slovenian prodigy Domen Finzgar,
-- A Japan-flavored short from Belgian brush-master Stedho,
-- The brilliant wit and charm of notable webcomickers Jessica McLeod and Edward J Grug III,
-- Plus Aaron Navrady, Jeff Zwirek, Steve Lafler, Lizz Luney, Sean T. Collins, Matt Wiegle, Matt Rota, Nik Daum, Will Dinski, Willow Dawson, Emily Block, and many more to be revealed as we keep rolling!

Join us on Friday, May 16 for the big launch, and every weekday thereafter! Viva la future!

http://www.topshelfcomix.com/comix.php

BUZZ EVERYWHERE FOR THE JULY RELEASE OF Alex Robinson's TOO COOL TO BE FORGOTTEN

One of the coolest books to hit this summer will be Alex Robinson's latest masterpiece, TOO COOL TO BE FORGOTTEN. Please visit the website and check out the awesome cover and the preview pages we have showcased there. Here are all the details, plus a few online reviews already in, and the feature interview with Alex at Publishers Weekly:

TOO COOL TO BE FORGOTTEN by Alex Robinson

-- a 128-page HARDCOVER graphic novel, 5 1/2" x 7 1/2"
-- ISBN: 978-1-891830-98-3, $14.95

http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?type=12&title=565

"This is Alex Robinson's best book, and one of the rare comics not written by Stan Lee to perfectly capture the tragedy and triumph of being a teenager. Totally recommended."
-- Brian K. Vaughan, author of Y: The Last Man, Pride of Baghdad, and Runaways

Andy Wicks is a forty-something father of two who's tried everything to quit smoking -- from going cold turkey, to the latest patches and nicotine chewing gums -- so he figures he'll give this hypnosis thing a try. What's the worst that could happen? Unfortunately, Andy gets dealt a fate worse than death -- high school! Transported back to 1985, Andy returns to his formative years as a gangly, awkward teenager. Is he doomed to relive the mistakes of his past, or has he been given a second chance to get things right? One thing's for sure … this time he's going to ask out that girl from math class...

ONLINE REVIEWS ALREADY IN:
http://reviews.comicswaitingroom.com/2008/04/07/too-cool-to-be-forgotten.aspx
-- http://www.readaboutcomics.com/2008/04/30/too-cool-to-be-forgotten/
-- http://comicpants.com/2008/04/30/too-cool-to-be-forgotten-hc/

INTERVIEW WITH ALEX ROBINSON AT PUBLISHERS WEEKLY:
-- http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6551425.html?nid=2789

ALSO SHIPPING IN JULY:  MORE ALL-AGES GRAPHIC NOVELS!

YAM by Corey Barba
http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?type=12&title=603
-- an 88-page graphic novel with a full-color section, 6 1/2" x 9"
-- ISBN: 978-1-60309-014-8, $10.00

As featured in Nickelodeon Magazine, where more than 900,000 readers have basked in the fun that is Yam!

Top Shelf is proud to present an all-new, "silent" all-ages graphic novel series … Yam and his fun-loving friends live on the remote tropical island of Leche de la Luna, and are always getting mixed up in surreal adventures. Whether it's encountering cupcakes that spring to life, befriending potted flowers, or exploring the mysterious ruins on the island, this small boy in his hooded, footy pajamas always ends up having a blast with his friends.
The debut graphic novel, simply titled YAM, is anchored by the full-length story "Toy with My Dreams," in which Yam develops a crush on a girl much too old for him, but ends up being able to communicate with her in his dreams. The graphic novel also contains a full-color section and several short stories which have seen print in Nickelodeon Magazine. Sure to be a real treat for anyone who's a fan of OWLY or KORGI.

&

The New Edition Of:  PINKY & STINKY by James Kochalka
http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?type=12&title=57
--ISBN 978-1-891830-29-7, $15.00

IN OTHER NEWS:
THE "SUMMER OF LOVE" AT THE SWEDISH SMALL PRESS EXPO

The relationship between the Swedish and American alternative comics scenes got a lot stronger a few weeks ago at the 10th Annual Swedish Small Press Expo (SPX) held at the famous and opulent KULTURHUSET -- Sweden's "House of Culture" in the heart of gorgeous downtown Stockholm.

I was lucky to be invited as a guest of both the convention and the publishing house ORDFRONT/GALAGO, as this September Top Shelf will be distributing FROM THE SHADOW OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS, the first ever all-English anthology of Swedish alternative comics. GALAGO, the publishing imprint/anthology that has showcased Swedish alternative cartoonists for over 30 (!) years, thought it would be good for me to check out the comics scene in Sweden and meet the cartoonists featured in NORTHERN LIGHTS. And I am so glad I did!

The efforts of all the Swedish publishers, creators, and especially the convention organizer, Kristiina Kolehmainen -- who incidentally is the head of the Swedish Comics Library (Serieteket) and who has run the Swedish SPX since the beginning -- coalesced this year's convention into something quite remarkable: a true "SUMMER OF LOVE" of the Swedish comics community. With a couple thousand comics fans, a hundred Swedish creators/exhibitors, and a dozen Scandinavian independent press publishers all putting out intensely personal and literary works, the Swedish SPX has developed into one of the most important comics events in the EU -- on par with the indy scenes in the U.S. and France. And from the mood on the floor and at the cool parties held each night, I personally witnessed an amazing amount of energy and goodwill between the cartoonists and fans, who realize that the Swedish comics scene is -- after years of hard work -- finally in full bloom.

In any event, next April Top Shelf will head back to the Swedish SPX, bringing along Jeffrey Brown and debuting Niklas Asker's SECOND THOUGHTS -- the first of several excellent Swedish cartoonists that we'll be taking on.

And, by the way, a dozen Swedish creators told me they'd be visiting MoCCA this June, and the crew from GALAGO told me that they'd be coming to the American SPX this October to help showcase FROM THE SHADOW OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS. Let's be sure to welcome them in the States as much as they welcomed me over there.

A special thanks to Johannes Klenell, the Editor at GALAGO, who set up the entire trip for me and was my guide throughout Sweden the entire week. Also a big thanks to my other host, Fredrik Strömberg, the Director of the prestigious comics school in Malmo. I journeyed there and spoke to their talented students as well. And finally a big thank you to Anders, Asa, David, Federico, Fredrik, Ingemar, Jakob, Jamil, Jan-Erik, Jessica, Johannes, Kim, Knut, Kolbeinn, Kristiina, Liv, Loka, Markus, Martin, Mats, Mattias, Melika, Niklas, Ola, Rolf, Simon, Sofia, Steffan, Stina, Ulli, Victor, and everyone else who made my stay in Sweden so special. – Chris Staros

LINKS:

FROM THE SHADOW OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS:
http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?type=12&title=627

SWEDISH SMALL PRESS EXPO:
http://www.kulturhuset.stockholm.se/default.asp?id=5760&refid=21527

KULTURHUSET -- SWEDEN’S “HOUSE OF CULTURE”:
http://www.kulturhuset.stockholm.se/default.asp?id=5617

GALAGO:
http://www.galago.se

COMICS SCHOOL IN MALMO (SERIESKOLAN):
http://www.serieskolan.se

KINDT AND LEMIRE SCORE BIG AWARD NOMINATIONS!

The 2008 award season is shaping up to be The Matt & Jeff Show here at Top Shelf!

Matt Kindt's critically beloved thriller SUPER SPY has been nominated for the Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album--Reprint! Originally serialized on Top Shelf's web site, SUPER SPY earned accolades everywhere as soon as it was collected and published as a gorgeous full-color graphic novel. SUPER SPY fans include everyone from Attack of the Show's Blair Butler to comic super-retailer (and former Eisner judge) James Sime, as well as institutions from the Teacher Librarian Magazine to The Comics Journal. This is his third Eisner nomination!

SUPER SPY:
http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?type=12&title=571
-- ISBN 978-1-891830-96-9, $19.95

Jeff Lemire also turned heads this year with TWO Eisner nominations for his graphic novel trilogy ESSEX COUNTY. The first two parts of the trilogy, TALES FROM THE FARM and GHOST STORIES, were nominated together for the coveted award for Best Graphic Album--New! And on top of that, Jeff himself was honored with a nomination for Best Writer/Artist! Combine that with the Canadian Joe Shuster Award Nomination for Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Cartoonist (Writer/Artist) and his win of the American Library Association Alex Award, and it's starting to seem like time for Jeff to buy a new trophy case!

ESSEX COUNTY (VOL 1): TALES FROM THE FARM:
http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?type=25&title=537
-- ISBN 978-1-891830-88-4, $9.95

ESSEX COUNTY (VOL 2): GHOST STORIES:
http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?type=25&title=568
-- ISBN 978-1-891830-94-5, $14.95

ESSEX COUNTY (VOL 3): THE COUNTRY NURSE (the final volume -- will be published in October!)
http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?type=25&title=569
-- ISBN 978-1-891830-95-2, $9.95