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This year at the Toronto Comics Arts Festival, Koyama Press will release Gorgeous, a 64 page story by Cathy G. Johnson.  In 2014, Johnson won the 2014 Ignatz Award for promising new talent, and she’s firing on all cylinders in her latest story about a young girl who meets some less than savory anarchist punks and learns […]

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Check out the just-dropped preview pages from the upcoming series from Titan.

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By: Nicholas Eskey Welcome back to another exciting episode of “The Beat’s Weekly Toy Review & Preview! We have a humdinger of an episode today kids, as a lot of collectible figures have been announced recently. Since I couldn’t narrow my favorites down to a short list, be prepared for a longer than usual post. […]

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Aspen Comics relased a preview ahead of this Wednesday’s finale of their second Lola XoXo series. Wasteland Madam began as a holdover until the launch of the official Volume 2 by creator Siya Oum. The book became a welcome chapter to Lola’s still in infancy universe filled with the same fast paced action as the […]

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Today I returned home from the ALA Midwinter Conference in Boston where thousands of librarians, authors and publishers took over Beantown. I'm tired yet energized after spending time with fellow librarians, attending committee meetings and publisher events, and viewing 2016 titles in the Exhibit Hall. I also had the pleasure of attending book previews hosted by Scholastic, Candlewick Press,

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While the weather is finally just starting to cool in the Northeastern United States, winter is in full swing in Riverdale.  Snow dominates the landscape in Jughead and Archie Winter Annual #18, out this week.  Check out the Comic’s Beat’s exclusive preview below: JUGHEAD AND ARCHIE WINTER ANNUAL #18 Jughead has devised the perfect winter […]

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Pro gaming is getting a graphical makeover.

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  Love is in the air at Riverdale, and Archie, Betty, and Veronica are breathing deeply!  Valerie from the Josie & the Pussycats band has caught Archie’s eye this Valentine’s Day, but Betty and Veronica have something to say about that.  Check out the Comics Beat’s exclusive preview of Betty & Veronica Comics Double Digest #239! […]

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The sleigh bells are ring ting tingling and somewhere across the North American landscape, Frosty is coming to life.  Riverdale is getting ready for Christmas, but it wouldn’t be a holiday without a series of mishaps, and Betty and Veronica are more than willing to oblige.  Out this Wednesday, B&V Friends Comics Annual #246 aims to […]

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Christmas is coming to Riverdale, and Comics Beat has an exclusive preview of what you can expect.

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RAWR!

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Today, First Second Books releases The Fall of the House of West.  The book is the newest installment in the acclaimed series of graphic novels that includes Battling Boy and The Rise of Aurora West. In it, writer Paul Pope, co-author JT Petty, and artist David Rubin return to Aurora’s story in a tour de force that mixes sci-fi, fantasy, manga, […]

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By Davey Nieves

As Aspen Comics announced towards the end of last year the Fathom universe’s anti-hero Kiani would get a new volume in her saga. Written by Vince Hernandez, with Giuseppe Cafaro on art, this February will see Fathom: Kiani Vol.4 #1 hit stores.

Following the catastrophic destruction of the Volna, the Russian Government’s secret Blue research facility, the United States has decided to take action against the rising threat of the Blue. However, in Africa, Kiani and Anika discover that their family bond is stronger than any one army—as their fight to survive above the surface will lead to a revolution amongst the people that will change the landscape of the human race forever!

Fathom: Kiani #1 will be out February 11th, 2015. Check out the preview below including a painfully cute cover by MLP artist Agnes Garabowska.

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By Davey Nieves

The first issue of the long-awaited VALIANT NEXT ongoing series Ninjak is almost here. The series features the creative team of New York Times best-selling writer Matt Kindt (THE VALIANT, Mind MGMT), and superstar artists Clay Mann (Gambit) and Butch Guice (Captain America). On March 11th, the search for the Shadow Seven starts here as Ninjak begins an international manhunt for the secretive figureheads behind the Webnet terror network…and unearths their classified connection to his own never-before-revealed origin and training!

Beginning with NINJAK #1, each 40-page issue of Ninjak’s debut solo series begins with a full-length lead tale by Matt Kindt & Clay Mann, followed by a new chapter of Colin King’s never-before-told origin by Kindt & Butch Guice monthly and featuring shelf covers by Lewis LaRosa (BLOODSHOT), Clay Mann(X-Men), Dave Johnson (100 Bullets), and Marguerite Sauvage (Sensation Comics). VALIANT NEXT unleashes an all-new introduction to the fearless life and times of the world’s deadliest master spy in NINJAK #1!

This book is looking like a must read! Check out the preview below.

 

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The first of two beautifully lavish books created to celebrate the distinctive designs behind the Adventure Time title cards. Combining sketches, works in progress, revisions and final title card art, the book will take readers on a visual guide of the title card development, with quotes from each episode and commentary from the artists – Pendleton Ward, Pat McHale, Nick Jennings, Phil Rynda, and Paul Linsley.

 

• Hardcover: 111 pages
• Publisher: Titan Books (September 23, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1783292873
• ISBN-13: 978-1783292875

 

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Check out the new video trailer for Quest For The Ore Crystals. This will be part of a larger video as I launch the crowdfunding project for The Tall Tales of Talbot Toluca. Make sure to go to the web site and sign-up and I’ll send out an email and let you know when we’re ready!

And here’s a different kind of trailer… the kids and myself just goofing around.

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Los Angeles, 2041 – it’s twenty-six years after a NASA probe brought back a strange disease causing many of our familiar toy-like objects to come to life. This is a new world order where cute and fearsome creatures fight for their right to exist in a world that fears them! It’s Blade Runner meets Toy Story in Non-Humans!

Get a copy of Non-Humans Volume 1: Runaway American Dream TP on Amazon.com and help support Rabbleboy.com

• Series: Non Humans (Book 1)
• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: Image Comics (October 15, 2013)

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Over at his blog, Sonny Liew’s been posting some lettered pages from his as yet untitled upcoming book with Gene Yang for First Second, and it looks pretty great, particularly that 50′s inspired pulpy cover. As a fan of Liew’s work, I’ve been keeping up with this project for a while, (although aware of Yang  -as the author of American Born Chinese and Level Up- I’ve yet to get round to reading any of his books), so I knew it was a retro superhero book, but that’ s about it. Here’s an exclusive, and intriguing, little synopsis from Liew:

‘It’s basically a origins story of a character created back in the 40s – his distinction being that he was meant to be Asian American. Gene has been exploring identity issues with his comics, of course, so this is another angle.

One of the interesting things about the comic was that the artist and creator (Chu Hing) has to go out of his way never to show his face in the comic – which apparently was due to his publishers or editors not wanting to reveal too  clearly that he was, in fact, Asian! We did try to incorporate those elements into the book.’

Chu Hing is credited for working on 29 issues in the 40′s and 50′s, 4 of which were on a title called Blazing Comics (the book Liew’s homaged in the cover above). These books featured the character Yang and Liew are reviving: Green Turtle- ‘the first Asian superhero’, a ‘mysterious individual who almost never let anyone see his face (the reader included). Armed only with his wits, combats skills, a remarkable light aircraft (the Turtle Plane,) and a mystic jade dagger, he and Burma Boy, a youngster he saved from the Japanese, flew across Asia battling the Imperial Japanese Army. While having no obvious powers granted by his jade dagger, he did seem to cast a shadow that had a bright pair of eyes and face.’ (via Comic Vine)

No projected release date for this yet, but another title to add to your list of ‘books to keep an eye on.’

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Holy moly. How superb does this new Jim Rugg project from AdHouse Books look? I’d heard (or read) of its announcement here and there, but only recently got around to actually checking out the preview pages Adhouse have up on their site.  A glossy, 4-colour, magazine format book, it weighs in at a good 56 pages and is due to release in May (my birthday month- just saying).

I cannot tell you how envious I am of you citizens of the US, unaffected as you are by colossal shipping charges to our cold and quirky little island, and thus easily able to get your mitts on such fantastic stuff.  The price hikes in overseas postage has -much to my great frustration- really curbed my spending on comics from the US,  where a good deal of my favourite indie creators hail, with prices now more than double the cost of the actual book being purchased. So do me a favour and buy this so I can live vicariously through you- and because by all accounts, it seems bloody fantastic.

Here’s a little snippet on exactly what it’s all about (sort of), as well as some preview pages:

‘SUPERMAG is Jim Rugg’s latest print project… a glossy, magazine-format collection of “narrative collapse.” It showcases his interests in genre, irreverent humor, graphic design, drawing, and typography. SUPERMAG features new work as well as collecting the best of his recent anthology contributions.’

I’ll just be in the corner plotting the violent demise of whoever’s in charge of the US postal system.

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Our NYC-area librarian pals were kind enough to join us last week for an early morning of ferocious book talking, coffee consuming, and oohing and aahing over our upcoming Winter (and early Summer) 2013 titles.  It was an oddly hot and humid day to chat about Winter (10 weeks until Christmas…it’s really coming!), but we managed to get into the spirit and of course, had an absolutely lovely time.

A few snapshots:

Balzer + Bray VP and Co-Publisher, Alessandra Balzer, holding ELVIS AND THE UNDERDOGS, by Jenny Lee, and THAT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA! by Mo Willems.

Editorial Director Tara Weikum with CITY OF A THOUSAND DOLLS by Miriam Forster, and Executive Editor Erica Sussman with THE MENAGERIE by Tui Sutherland and Kari Sutherland, and MIND GAMES by Kiersten White.

Greenwillow editor Martha Mihalick with the stunning and creepy cover for ARCLIGHT, by Josin L. McQuein.

Our editors have truly outdone themselves with this season’s crop of  really terrific “This Meets That” book descriptions… :

• “Tim Burton Meets the Natural History Museum” — STARDINES SWIM HIGH ACROSS THE SKY, by Jack Prelutsky, illustrations by Carin Berger
• “The Artist meets the Pigeon” — THAT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA! by Mo Willems
• “Little Women with wings” — THE FAIRY BELL SISTERS series, by Margaret McNamara
• “Frog and Toad meets Law & Order” — PLATYPUS POLICE SQUAD: THE FROG WHO CROAKED, by Jarrett Krosoczka
• “Stephen King meets Veronica Roth meets The Passage” –ARCLIGHT, by Josin L. McQuein
• “X-Men meets The Godfather (with heart)” –TRANSPARENT, by Natalie Whipple
• “The Devil Wears Prada meets Disneyworld” –HOW ZOE MADE HER DREAMS (MOSTLY) COME TRUE, by Sarah Strohmeyer

 

Lo and behold, a new Preview blog post feature!  These are books that, when mentioned, garnered an across-the-room-audible “awwwww!” from the audience:

• AMELIA BEDELIA– 2013 is the 50th Anniversary of our favorite mixed-up but wholeheartedly well-meaning friend Amelia!  We’re reissuing the original picture book in a bit larger trim size with truly fantastic additional back matter.
• TIPTOE JOE, by Ginger Fogelsong Gibson, illustrations by Laura Rankin — I won’t spoil the payoff of this adorable picture book, but let me just say, you’ll lay your hand over your heart when you get to the end.
• GIANT DANCE PARTY– written by THE Betsy Bird! Illustrations by Brandon Dorman.
• RAMONA– We’re repackaging the entire beloved Ramona series in 2013, and let me tell you, the art is adorable.  The consensus in the room (and from Beverly Cleary herself, of course) was that this is true Ramona- goofy, a bit scruffy, and every bit lovable.

And that, my friends, is the inside scoop!

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Please stop back. This week I will post a three part series of David Caruba’s Marketing Report on the “State of the Children’s Publishing Market.” David shares the responses he received from agents and editors in the industry in this three part series. Even if you heard the report, I think you will find this interesting, since David had so much data that he couldn’t share during the hour he had available at the conference.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Filed under: need to know Tagged: Coming week, July 4th, Preview

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Here are some sketches of a character that will appear in one of our upcoming books. Isn't he cute? That's all I will say for now, but keep on the lookout for this little guy! This wonderful character is coming alive thanks to our great illustrator, Jennifer Bell.

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I've finally put the kibosh on the cover of book 2 due out before the end of the year.



The overall tone of the book is a little darker, and I think the cover matches. If you liked anything about book one, the sequel is going to make you go bonkers.

You can hold me to that.

On another note, the profiles page of the Forts site has been updated to include four new characters. Two of them you'll be familiar with from "Fathers and Sons," the other two you'll meet in "Liars and Thieves."

Consider it the first preview.

CLICK HERE TO READ

Steven

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There's a slight chance you've never heard of Joe Hill, but chances are you've heard his dad's name a time or two - a writer who dabbles in horror (Stephen King).

Horns: A Novel is Joe Hill's second novel, coming just a few months after the paperback release of his debut, Heart-Shaped Box: A Novel. Personally, I'm not sure how tacking on 'A Novel" to every title will work in the long run, but it doesn't seem to hurt anything at the moment.

I haven't read Horns yet, but the premise is interesting so I'll probably be looking for it soon to give his writing a test drive. If you've already cracked the spine of this one, I'd be interested in hearing your opinion on it.



Ignatius Perrish spent the night drunk and doing terrible things. He woke up the next morning with a thunderous hangover, a raging headache . . . and a pair of horns growing from his temples.

At first Ig thought the horns were a hallucination, the product of a mind damaged by rage and grief. He had spent the last year in a lonely, private purgatory, following the death of his beloved, Merrin Williams, who was raped and murdered under inexplicable circumstances. A mental breakdown would have been the most natural thing in the world. But there was nothing natural about the horns, which were all too real.

Once the righteous Ig had enjoyed the life of the blessed: born into privilege, the second son of a renowned musician and younger brother of a rising late-night TV star, he had security, wealth, and a place in his community. Ig had it all, and more—he had Merrin and a love founded on shared daydreams, mutual daring, and unlikely midsummer magic.

But Merrin's death damned all that. The only suspect in the crime, Ig was never charged or tried. And he was never cleared. In the court of public opinion in Gideon, New Hampshire, Ig is and always will be guilty because his rich and connected parents pulled strings to make the investigation go away. Nothing Ig can do, nothing he can say, matters. Everyone, it seems, including God, has abandoned him. Everyone, that is, but the devil inside. . . .

Now Ig is possessed of a terrible new power to go with his terrible new look—a macabre talent he intends to use to find the monster who killed Merrin and destroyed his life. Being good and praying for the best got him nowhere. It's time for a little revenge. . . . It's time the devil had his due. . . .


1 Comments on Horns: A Novel, by Joe Hill, last added: 3/21/2010