This quality line of comics emerged out of Indy Magazine, and once featured important works by Ed Brubaker, James Kochalka, Tom Hart, and Jon Lewis. They've had no new releases in recent months-- another one bites the dust?
This major publisher of movie adaptation comics related to Star Wars and The Terminator has a history of infrequent art comics releases. It published Bryan Talbot's classic TALE OF ONE BAD RAT and continues to print Harvey Pekar's AMERICAN SPLENDOR tales.
Probably the most prestigeous comics line, publishing Chester Brown, Seth, Joe Matt, Julie Doucet, and Adrian Tomine. Their output is small, but always of the highest quality. DQ should be credited as well with revolutionizing the format of alternative comics, experimenting with color interiors, quality paper, and odd sizes.
You love them, you hate them, but Fantagraphics is the undisputed leader of the alternative comics movement, with their sneeringly-elitist magazine The Comics Journal and a bullpen of the best and most popular underground cartoonists. Los Bros Hernandez,
Chris Ware, Dan Clowes, Jim Woodring, Peter Bagge-- these artists' names are synonymous with the exciting directions in which Fantagraphics has taken the art comic form. Also notable is the company's ambitious project to reprint the life's work of comics mega-superstar Robert Crumb.
Fantagraphics reputation has been tarnished somewhat by their Eros series of erotic comics, some of which are quite coarse and mysogynistic. The publishers freely admit that the Eros line is an economic necessity to finance their other activities.
Also notable is Fantagraphics THE ULTIMATE CATALOG, the listings of which read like a compilation of the best comics in the history of the medium. The catalog includes many titles from Drawn and Quarterly and other publishers, and is a major resource for comics connoseurs.
A longtime publisher of quality European graphic novels, NBM has recently begun publishing new works by Will Eisner.
A vigorous new company producing titles at breakneck speed, including the acclaimed graphic novel GOODBYE CHUNKY RICE, the underappreciated underground series HEY MISTER, and the superb TOP SHELF ANTHOLOGY.
Top Shelf is also notable among reviewers for the neat promo items they send us, including designer boxes of matches and bubble gum!
Hardknock Press HARDKNOCK This impressive full-color satire of slick magazines is innovative and very much comics-oriented. Includes work by Craig Gunderson, Mick Wetmore, & Mikel Samson. Issues 1-6 available from Hardknock Press 261 East Lincoln Highway Suite 203 DeKalb, IL 60115 ____________________________________________ Hermenaut HERMENAUT, THE DIGEST OF HEADY PHILOSOPHY Only somewhat comics-oriented, with illos by Jessica Abel and a short strip by Dame Darcy, this zine is nevertheless essential reading for those who yearn to be hip-deep in the real issues of our culture! $20 for a 4-issue subscription Hermanaut Subscription Bureau P. O. Box 141 Allston, MA 02134
A Fine Line BOSOM ENEMIES: LOSING OUR BEARINGS #1 Donna Barr fans won't want to miss this parable in which military brass are held prisoner by a civilization of horse people. ____________________________________________ A Silent Comics ARSENIC LULLABY #8 Dark satirical tales! ____________________________________________ AAA Pop Comics THE ATOMICS #3 Mike Allred. ____________________________________________ Aardvark Vanaheim CEREBUS #252 Dave Sim! ____________________________________________ Abstract Studio STRANGERS IN PARADISE VOL. 3 #31 Terry Moore! ____________________________________________ AIT/Planetlar ASTRONAUTS IN TROUBLE: SPACE: 1959 #3 Larry Young and Clarie Adlard's retro-SF series continues! ____________________________________________ Alan Bunce ZZZ #1 All-ages absurdity and innovative storytelling! Looks very promising! ____________________________________________ Amaze Ink/Slave Labor Graphics BLACK HEART BILLY #1 Rick Remender and Kieron Dwyer's punk thriller about a kind of skate-boarding Frankenstein! GLOOME COOKIE #4 Serena Valentino & Ted Naifeh! LOVE IN TIGHTS: ANNIVERSARY #1 Superhero romatic satire anthology! RARE CREATURES #2 Kelley Seda's weird coming-of-age fantasy! THE WAITING PLACE VOL 2 #3 S. McKeever, Norton, and Yurkovich continue this true-to-life series about high-school days! ____________________________________________ Anti-Ballistic Pixelations GREMLIN TROUBLE #22 E.T. and Elizabeth Bryan! ____________________________________________ Arrow Comics LAND OF OZ #9 Further adventures on the yellow-brick road by Bishop, Bryan, and Mesner-Loebs! ____________________________________________ Asiapac Books PTE LTD CELESTIAL ZONE #3 This import from Singapore by Wee Tian Beng promises adventure with a healthy dose of Chinese culture! ____________________________________________ Astonish Comics HEROBEAR & THE KID #2 More all-ages adventures about a tike whose toy bear turns into a superhero! By Mike Kunkel! ____________________________________________ Behemoth Books BRAINBOMB SC Brian Clopper, Mike Manley, Scott Morse, Lea Hernandez, Jenni Gregory, and others contribute to this all-ages anthology for the national outreach project, Cartoonists in the Classroom! ____________________________________________ Black Cat Comics REX HELLWIG #1 Offbeat comedy by Burch, McKenny, and Shannahan about a descendant of a heroic lineage of knightly virtue who's stuck in a modern world with no dragons to slay! ____________________________________________ Black Daze BALLAD OF UTOPIA #1 Engaging bizaare Western by talented writer Barry Buchanan, teamed with artist Mike Hoffman!See review in the year-end issue of Amazing Montage Magazine!
____________________________________________ Bryce Alan Publishing FASHION POLICE #2 Penn, Manley, and Zubiaga's thriller about crime in the fashion industry continues! ____________________________________________ Caliber Comics COLD BOOM #1 Weird thriller by Jon Proctor about a woman obsessed with Adolf Hitler! ____________________________________________ Carbon Based Comics FAITH, A FABLE Reknowned THE FURIES creator Bill Knapp's astonishing short graphic novel is a tour-de-force of textured realism about a young woman whose empathic talents attract a cult of worshipers and a media frenzy! Highly recommended!See review in the year-end issue of Amazing Montage Magazine!
____________________________________________ Cartoon Books STUPID STUPID RAT TAILS TP Collecting the 3-issue series by Jeff Smith, Tom Sniegoski, and Stan Sakai! ____________________________________________ Corsair Publishing DORK TOWER #8 Fanboy satire! ____________________________________________ Cryptic Press SMITH'S ADVENTURES IN THE SUPERMUNDANE Surreal journey through a young child's mind! ____________________________________________ Dancing Elephant Press KANE #29 Paul Grist's noir thriller series! ____________________________________________ Drawn and Quarterly PEEPSHOW #12 A new issue of Joe Matt's acclaimed series! ____________________________________________ Eddie Campbell Comics EDDIE CAMPBELL'S BACCHUS #51 More terrific stories about Alec! ____________________________________________ Fantagraphics Books GOODY GOOD COMICS #1 Comics legend Gilbert Hernandez returns with a new anthology series in the same vein as NEW LOVE! NIMROD #4 Lewis Trondheim's low-key humor is the draw in this comics anthology! Also by Trondheim: MCCONEY VOL. 1: HARUM SCARUM Rabbits, cats, and dogs inhabit this 1930's Parisian tale of humor and horror! FULL COLOR! NAUGHTY BITS #31 Roberta Gregory's Bitchy Bitch copes with the post-Y2K world! PENNY CENTURY #7 Comics great Jaime Hernandez continues his terrific follow-up to LOVE AND ROCKETS! ____________________________________________ Felix Comics, Inc. FELIX CATA-A-STROPHIC WRESTLING SPECIAL #1 Anthropomorphic smackdown! ____________________________________________ Fink, Inc. PINING PETER PINESEED Offbeat mystery about a confused man's puzzling substance abuse! Also, a new story by TRUE SWAMP artist Jon Lewis! ____________________________________________ Humanoids Publishing THE HUNTING PARTY DELUX HC Pierre Christin and Enki Bilal's classic political thriller about a deadly recreational outing of the Soviet Politburo! ____________________________________________ I Box Publishing THIEVES AND KINGS #31 Still going strong, Mark Oakley's marvelously-written and drawn fantasy saga is worth a look! ____________________________________________ Insight Studios Group LIBERTY MEADOWS #8 Reprinting the daily syndicated series by Frank Cho! ____________________________________________ Jappa Comics JIROBOY, THE MECHNORGANIC KID #1 All-ages fantasy adventure by Anthony Jappa! ____________________________________________ Kenzer & Company KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #41 Wargamer satire! ____________________________________________ Lethargic Comics International LETHARGIC LAD #14 Greg Hyland's nutty superhero satire still generates some fierce chuckles! ____________________________________________ Mighty Gremlin ELECTRIC GIRL #5 Mike Brennan's gentle all-ages adventure series about a teen who generates sparks! ____________________________________________ Mprints Publishing, Inc. ERNOR #5 Primeval anthropmorphic adventure! ____________________________________________ NBM LAST KNIGHT HC Will Eisner continues his adaptations of classic tales (begun with PRINCESS AND THE FROG) with this rendition of the Don Quixote saga! 32 pages, full color! ____________________________________________ Oni Press THE BLAIR WITCH CHRONICLES #1 Boo! Scared ya, didn't I? THE ADVENTURES OF BARRY WEEN 2.0 #2 Judd Winick! BLUE MONDAY: THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT #2 Adam Ant fan mired in romantic dilemas! ____________________________________________ Peregrine Arts & Entertainment FORTY WINKS BUZZBOY #1 Sneed, Gallagher, and Peters inject superhero antics into their dreamland fantasy! ____________________________________________ Sandburg Publishing JUPITER #8 This offbeat series by Jason Sandberg was recently named as one of the most underrated comics by both Dave Sim and Scott McCloud! ____________________________________________ Shanda Fantasy Arts GIANT SHANDA ANIMAL #5 Walt Kelly's Pogo is parodied in this anthropomorphic anthology! ____________________________________________ Sirius Entertainment AKIKO VOL. 4 TP Collecting the popular all-ages adventure series by Mark Crilley! SCARY GODMOTHER: WILD ABOUT HARRY #2 Jill Thompson's macabre comedy! POISON ELVES #55 Drew Hayes! POE #22 Jason Asala! ____________________________________________ Studio Chikara TWO SIDES OF SANDY #1 Conte & Maus's story about the warring personalities in one woman! ____________________________________________ Studio Foglio BUCK GODOT: GALLIMAUFRY VOL. 2 Phil Foglio & Barb Kaalberg! ____________________________________________ Sunset Strips DETECTIVE CHRONICLES OF MAX FACCIONI #3 ____________________________________________ Top Shelf Productions HEY MISTER: TROUBLE WITH JESUS Sacriligeous satire by genius nutcase Pete Sickman-Garner! Don't miss it!! ____________________________________________ Viz Communications PULP VOLUME 4 #4 Manga noir anthology! DANCE 'TIL TOMMORROW VOL. 3 GRAPHIC NOVEL Collecting Naoki Yamamoto's sex comedy series from PULP! EAGLE: THE MAKING OF AN ASIAN-AMERICAN PRESIDENT #2: SCANDAL Kaiji Kawaguchi's speculative political drama! ____________________________________________ Westhampton House LIBRA RISING From Germany, Minou Zaribaf's feminist-themed fairytale anthology! ____________________________________________ Wet Earth, Inc. THE ADVENTURES OF EDGAR MUDD #3 H. Busch and J. Bilicic's hand-painted full-color adventure satire! ____________________________________________ Non-independent Comics Published by Huge Bloated Monoliths of Anti-Human Savagery THE WORLD BELOW: DEEPER AND STRANGER #4 (Dark Horse) Paul Chadwick's weird subterranean saga concludes! WAHOO MORRIS #1 (Image) Rock and roll headbanging with the supernatural in Craig A. Taillefer's indy cult hit now being published by Image!