Bud's San Diego Comic-Con Report 2019

Bud's San Diego Comic-Con Report 2019

On the morning of Day 3 of the show, I wrote a report of how things had been going so far. This was posted on our blog, which you can see HERE at the bottom in News & Notes. It also became my editorial for the August catalog. So I won’t repeat that, except to say that my enjoyment of the show was light years ahead of the last few years. I was discovering Comic-Con from a different angle—as a fan again. If you’d like to skip down to the end of this and see the sketchbooks we are bringing in, click here. DAY 3 - Friday I met some buddies downstairs and we all trekked upstairs, then clear to the other corner of the hall for the first panel, it must have taken at least 15 or perhaps 20 minutes to get there.

I bumped into Diana Schutz before my first panel. Diana is a simply incredible lady and I always wish we had more time to spend together. She was a long-time editor at Dark Horse--now "semi-retired." She was at the signing Thursday but hadn’t realized I was even in the book. Obviously she hadn’t read it yet! But I’d read her piece, which was fun. Diana used to work indirectly for me, at Comics & Comix, and edited the store’s house publication, The Telegraph Wire, in the 1980s.

This first panel was titled "The Exhibitors of Comic Con." It was moderated by Beth Holley, former VP of Comic Con Publicity and Publications, and Exhibits, who hadn’t been back to the show since 2008. She teared up at one point. Beth was also in the skybox, telling people to stop running in the hall, and exhibitors to get those boxes out of the aisle. So if you were at those shows, you’d know her voice. On the panel were LONG-time retailers Bill Cole (who still sells mylar, bags, and boards at the show), Chuck Rozanski (Mile High Comics), Ron Turner (Last Gasp), former retailer turned publisher Dan Vado (Slave Labor), and Mary-Elizabeth Yturralde (Mysterious Galaxy, who also still sets up with her local bookstore staff). Chuck and I stopped exhibiting in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

We talked about the changes in the show over the years and told anecdotes. I was late to one show when I blew my engine up on the way down Highway 5. Chuck got to make the point that the committee should have made it possible for early attendees to keep getting tickets to the show, rather than going to the current online lottery system that gives them no priority. He's right. But he also made peace with the show and wished it well, changed as it is. I’m on the same wavelength—it works for others, just no longer for me—as an exhibitor, anyway.

We gathered for fish tacos after the panel, found a place where the line wasn’t too long upstairs from the main hall. Alex Grand (Comic Book Historians website), Dwayne Covey (co-publisher with me of Thomas Yeates’ Twixt Two Worlds), our friend Henrik from Denmark, who used to help set up and tear down our exhibit, Dave Armstrong (who started attending NY Cons in 1965, and helped compile the Hermes book on Wheeler-Nicholson, DC Comics Before Superman) my buddy Jeff (Comics & Comix), Anne and I all actually sat down together for a few relaxed minutes.

Someone spotted Denis Kitchen, so I jumped up and caught him, we arranged to have breakfast together on Sunday. Later on Friday I found out I had missed my signing with Hope Nicholson, Trina Robbins, and Amy Chu at the Dark Horse booth. That was on Thursday afternoon — I was convinced it was on Saturday, as I even wrote here, and it wasn’t until that night that my buddy Henrik told me, no, it was that morning. Aughh. I hope I wasn’t missed much. Here’s an image from Trina's upcoming book on Gladys Parker, who created and drew Mopsy. We’ll be handling it.

After that, it was back to the show floor. Above is an interesting piece of artwork I found, I’d seen it before the show started but resisted for a couple of days—it’s a "house ad" that ACG, the American Comics Group, would have placed in a distributor publication to advertise their line. What’s fun is that it has pasted-up actual covers of every book they were doing at this point in 1950. And the rest of the ad is hand-lettered by their letterer, who Craig Yoe told me he’s a big fan of. Of course, I’ve forgotten the guy’s name now.

Here’s a few comics acquisitions that I was continuing to find through the day. I spent more time at World Wide Comics/Steve Ritter, because he just had so much Golden Age material I spread it out over three sessions. Dale Roberts had some things for me, Atlas pre-code horror and war comics, 1950s romance, etc.

DAY 4 - Saturday I began with a second panel at 10am. Memories of the First Comic-Con which consisted of people who’d attended the very first 1970 show. It was moderated by Jackie Estrada, and featured three of the original guests: Mark Evanier, Mike Royer (Jack Kirby’s inker), and Bill Stout, on my right, and on my left was artist Phil Yeh (Frank the Unicorn, Uncle Jam). I was the lone (non-creator) retailer. And finally, three of the original committee members who put together the show, including Mike Towry, who now puts on the San Diego Comic Fest, Dave Clark and Roger Freedman. Here are some pictures.

Scott Shaw, also on the panel, contributed some great stories about how sleazy downtown San Diego was in those days, with strip joints, bars and tattoo parlors, catering to the in-port sailors. Bill Stout was doing caricatures of attendees at Disneyworld when someone (Scott?) recognized him and said, don’t I know you from your underground comics? Bill said yes, and he was immediately invited to that first show. Highlights of that show were guests Jack Kirby and Ray Bradbury. We all got plenty of time to meet them, with just 300 people in attendance. I shared a table with my 3 buddies from San Jose, and spent most of the time looking for old comics (and artists in those comics, like Williamson, Wood, etc.)The very first Overstreet Price Guide hadn’t yet been published, so everything we knew was gleaned from fanzine articles, word of mouth, or flipping through the pages of raw comics. I was happy to offer an appreciation of the guys (fans themselves) who put on that show and many of the other early shows. It takes very special people to step up to the plate and actually make shows run efficiently. And it’s difficult, in my experience, to enjoy the show as much as you might when you have to be running around putting out fires and helping guests. Both panels were video-taped, so we hope to give you a link to it when we find out where it gets posted. It went well.

Saturday night we have a tradition of having dinner at the classic San Diego Italian restaurant, Filippi’s. It’s a well known destination in Little Italy, at the founding location of the local chain. No reservations, but the line snakes through their deli, so there are lots of good smells while you wait. Craig Yoe has gotten to be a regular at these, Dwayne was a new convert, and Henrik and Anne filled out our small group. A far cry from our days of the staff all getting a huge table, but still fun and relaxing.

Jon Cooke, the editor of Comic Book Creator and the writer/compiler of the recent Weirdo anthology and the upcoming Art of Mac Raboy, invited us to come by a Tequila bar poolside back at the hotel. So Craig and I rambled there, joining underground artists Mary Fleener, Krystine Kryttre and Jon’s wife. I got two Weirdo buttons—Jon’s very proud of the new book—and I showed him our upcoming catalog cover promoting his Raboy book. He told us Crumb loved his work and would have loved to do a biography—but someone else was already working on it. That was Jon’s "fish that got away" story.

DAY 5 - Sunday Sunday morning Anne and I met with Denis Kitchen and his daughter Violet Kitchen—who some of you may remember as Alexa, who wrote Drawing Comics Is Easy when she was seven years old. She’s 19 now, and did much of the writing on Denis’ new project that I am very excited about: Madness in Crowds: The Teeming Mind of Harrison Cady.

Denis sent us off to the show to find the publisher, Beehive, and get a look at the only advance copy in the country. It took some doing, but we finally found him. He thanked us profusely for our aggressive order and suggested he might be able to help us get a few copies of the deluxe edition after all (stay tuned). He did the lovely new Sienkiewicz edition of The Island of Doctor Moreau and he treated us to advance copies of his two latest collections: Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde illustrated by Yuko Shimizu and The Willows and other Nightmares by Algernon Blackwood, illustrated by Paul Pope. Both are in the same deluxe format as Moreau, with a die-cut slipcase ornately illustrated with debossed/raised artwork. These are all three magnificent books.

But the Cady was worth all the searching up and down the busy show aisles. It’s stunning, filled with never-collected or rarely-ever-seen work from early and mid-career. Stunningly detailed drawings of bugs and beetles, critters and forests, work for the Thornton Burgess books about the Old Mother West Wind forest crew (all pre-Winnie the Pooh). The balance of the day I spent finishing up comics deals with Superworld (Amazing Man #13!), Bedrock City (more unusual pre-code romance), and Torpedo Comics from Las Vegas. Their entire booth, well, three booths, was devoted to one collection. They added a general slip in each book with a picture of the previous owner, and describing the entire collection. Every so often a dealer will do this: Terry O’Neill and Jaime Graham did this on their purchase of the recent Wenker DC Comics collection—every DC comic 1935-1990 except 22. I lusted after an All American #8 with an Ultra-Man cover, but it was beyond my means. I settled for a sharp copy of Mopsy (remember Mopsy, by Gladys Parker, above?) and All Flash #31.

One very interesting point regarding this Torpedo collection—they kept the notes the owner, William Anselmo Pera (1941- ), made for each book. He detailed character appearances, artists, and other data. I have rarely seen comic book dealers preserve the previous owner’s notes, which sometimes can be very informative and interesting. But the best was yet to come. Jaime Graham of Graham Crackers Comics was supposed to have a couple boxes at half off, so I finally got over there. Turns out they were part of the Wenker collection. He co-bought this with Terry O’Neill, and these were lesser copies that he bought Terry out on.

But they were not lesser to me — they were coverless (and thus affordable) copies of Detective Comics #4, 17, 18 and 20—those great pre-Batman issues with Leo O’Mealia and Siegel & Shuster. More Fun #20 and 63. And New Adventure #13, 19, 24 (all "pre-hero," with more Siegel & Shuster, et al) and #72, which sports the first Simon & Kirby work at DC, and the first new Manhunter by S&K.

In nice shape these comics are no longer affordable, so I am thrilled to find solid coverless copies (all with Xerox color covers). Along with some other wonderful stuff, that turned into my largest purchase at the show, and Jaime treated me right since I got so many. Good man!

The take-away was that I was done with the show an hour before closing time. So, having a nice room to jet off too, I grabbed a burger and chilled out. Bumped into Terry Stroud (American Comic Book Company), first time I’d seen him at the show. He may be the very last exhibitor to have done every single show, now that I am out. I texted Larry Bigman to see if he wanted to do the Dead Dog party, but he’d already gone home. He gave me a report on "The Originals" party I’d missed on Saturday nite. Michelle Nolan was ousted from the Trivia contest for knowing too many of the answers. Terry Stroud and Jackie Estrada were some of the very few others who’d done the first show. Called my buddy Mal Huntley, who’d come in just for Saturday to score old comics. The one item he’d had time to mention to me, before he jetted back home, was a coverless (and he NEVER buys coverless comics normally) Detective #37 from Jaime. It’s the last lone-Batman issue, Robin begins in #38...and it’s a whopping $4600 in Good in the guide. But I have a cover for it, I found it years ago for $40 at an antiques mall. We are working on a scheme to have it married and restored. Finally it was time for the Dead Dog party. Bob Chapman of Graphitti Designs has been very generously putting this on for a great many years now. I used to make it there, but as my staff got smaller and my responsibilities more, I had to be dealing with the booth tear-down and pack up Sunday night. That generally took us until 11:00 or later to leave the hall, usually driving a 26-foot rental truck, so I had nothing left in me to go party. The last time I remember doing one, I recall hanging out with Dave Stevens (and a lovely art student that he seemed attached to) and with Berni Wrightson. Both of them gone now. So I was due to make it to one, and I did.

Ran into Bob Burden (Flaming Carrott) on the walk to the Dead Dog party, he was walking the other way, back to the show. Poor Bob didn’t have an invite and they are strict there, he got turned away. We caught up on things, and he gave me aa advance copy of his coming book, Hitman for the Dead, which I’m just partway through as I write this. Pretty strange, as is all of Bob’s stuff. He rights things for people taken out, by killing their killers. Gets ghostly tip-offs on jobs.

DEAD DOG PARTY Denis Kitchen worked on me getting a retirement plan in order (fat chance in the short run, but I was listening), I caught up again with Paul Levitz. Saw Walt and Louise Simonson for the first time in probably decades. Sergio Aragones was in usual top form, with new stories of his early poverty days of sleeping on Bill Gaines’ couch in the Mad offices! Got to catch up with Mark Wheatley, told him how much I liked his new books from Insight, Doctor Cthulittle and Songs of Giants. We shared our enthusiasm for vintage illustrators, so I showed him pictures of Thomas Yeates’ studio in Jenner, California, and the art by our beloved guys on HIS walls (Crandall, et al).

Diana Shutz turned up there again momentarily as is her wont, and we promised to have lunch and actually sit down and visit together when I go up to Portland in September. Mike Lake (Titan, Forbidden Planet) turned up and as things wound down, we became designated bodyguards, approved by Denis Kitchen, to get his daughter Violet Kitchen safely back to her hotel (the party was, yikes, some 14 blocks or so from the show). Quite the hike. So more stories were swapped in the quieter, but certainly not deserted streets of the Gaslight District. So...one point of all of this was, I played fanboy but I went AWOL from scouting the show for new items, such as sketchbooks. But...the good news is that LaDonna is on the job, and here's a list of what we have coming in for you. Honestly, in some ways its easier to do this outside the show, instead of battling the crowded aisles, tracking down artists, and having them find time to talk. Rick Berry – Invented People [INVPS] –coming in soon, call to order (call to order means we DON’T yet have it on the website but we do have it in our system) Terry Dodson – Bombs Away! [BOMB09S] A Terry Dodson Sketchbook Collection –coming in soon, call to order Joseph Michael Linsner – Dawn 2019 Sketchbook [DAW19S, $20.00] –coming in soon, call to order Juanjo Guarnido – Art of Juanjo Guarnido 2019 [ARTJG19, $30.00] –coming in soon, call to order Dan Panosian – Urban Barbarian Volume 2 [DPU02 , $25.00] –coming in soon, call to order Mindy Lee – Mindy Doodles Book 3 [MIND19, $25.00] –coming in soon, call to order Tommy Lee Edwards – Analog the Art of Tommy Lee Edwards [ANAL19, $25.00] –coming in soon, call to order Tim Sale – 2018 and 2019 Sketchbooks [TS18, $25.00], [TS19, $25.00] –coming in soon, call to order Dean Yeagle – Mandy and Skoots – we actually got this in BEFORE Comic-Con and it’s available now We’re also working on sketchbooks from Stanley "Artgerm" Lau, Mark Brooks, Chad Hardin, and maybe some more surprises. Don’t call yet on these, but watch our weekly emails.

If you would like to see more pictures from the show, many are being posted to our Facebook page. I have nothing but gratitude for the committee people who decided to include me in the guest list. It was fun doing the show without an exhibit, but doing it as an invited guest with all the perks, it doesn’t get much better than that. Thanks for bearing with me, and hope you enjoyed my report. ~Bud
	View of the convention center from my room.

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A new Marvel Monograph on J. Scott Campbell, Terry Moore’s new sketchbook, Moebius’ Silver Surfer, new Pre-Code Horror titles, Hellboy, Grimm specials and lots more!

Obviously many items were timed to appear for Comic-Con last week, so we have 29 new items. A new Marvel Monograph on J. Scott Campbell, Terry Moore's new sketchbook, Auad's two fine books on Henry Raleigh and Nestor Redondo are now on sale. Moebius' Silver Surfer in a new deluxe edition, four new Pre-Code Horror titles, Hellboy 25 Years of Covers, two Grimm specials, two Conan archives, a stunning Star Wars collection by Al Williamson, the Art of Baron Yoshimoto, a signed deluxe collection of Lady Death cover art. Plus three top selling 2020 calendars: Boris, Virgil Finlay and R. Crumb. Dig in! Our brand new August catalog can be downloaded NOW. Cover by Mac Raboy!

Art Books  |  New On Sale Art Books  |  Comics & Archives Conan  |  Newspaper Strips & Graphic Novels  |  New Pre-Code Horror Sketchbooks  |  2020 Calendars – Best of the Best!  |  Statues  Mature Readers  |  News & Notes  |  Website Index Click here to see ALL New Arrivals, beginning with the latest and going back 30 days.

Art Books

MARVEL MONOGRAPH The Art of J Scott Campbell The Complete Covers Volume 1, 1998-2013. Highly Recommended. The latest entry in the Marvel Monograph collection focuses on the earliest work of acclaimed Marvel cover artist J. Scott Campbell. Includes his work on series such as Amazing Spider-Man, Black Panther, Savage She-Hulk, All-New X-Men and many more. Also includes original pencil studies, character studies on both inside covers, and more bonus material. A fine selection of his dynamic work, showing why he is still a fan-favorite artist right up to now for both Marvel and for our own customers. Marvel Monograph, 2019...More. Item Code: MARMJSC Soft Cover, 8x11, 112pg, Partial Color $19.99 $17.99

Just in is Marvel Monograph: Art of Humberto Ramos Spider-Man [MARMHR. $19.99, $17.99].

HELLBOY 25 Years of Covers Recommended. Introduction by Dave Stewart. Foreword by Mike Mignola. To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the first issue of Hellboy, this deluxe art collection includes more than 150 full-page covers from Mike Mignola (a great many), Richard Corben, Frank Cho, Phil Noto, Duncan Fegredo, Mark Chiarello, Tim Sale, Geof Darrow and many others! all appear with no logos or text, just pure artwork. Mignola's fascination with ghosts and monsters began at an early age; reading Dracula at age twelve introduced him to Victorian literature and folklore. Dark Horse, 2019...More. Item Code: HELBOH Hard Cover, 8x12, 200pg, Full Color $34.99 $29.99

More Hellboy is HERE.

RETROSPECTIVE SCENES FROM A SENTIMENTAL WORLD Background Illustrations and Scenes by 33 Japanese Artists. Recommended. This third book in the background illustration series focuses on touching, delicate and emotional scenes, gathering together a collection of cityscapes, countryside, a beach, a classroom after school, and a building rooftop at dawn and dusk, sunrise and sunset. Here is a manga feel, the eloquent, beautifully colored feel of a Miyazaki film and the characters that we often find in them. Delicate colors and unique angles, looking back at those moments when you were alone with your crush after school, or walking with your childhood best friend, the unforgettably beautiful views from summers long gone, and the rain-splashed window you gazed out after your first broken heart. PIE, 2019...More. Item Code: RETSC Soft Cover, 10x10, 160pg, Full Color $39.95

See the two matching volumes on our website. And here is more from this specialty distributor, PIE, who specialize in unusual art books from around the world. The Baron Yoshimoto collection below is also from them.

THE ART OF BARON YOSHIMOTO Recommended. By Baron Yoshimoto. From Baron Yoshimoto's vast collection of works from his 60-year career ranging from Gekiga (comics aimed at adult audiences with a dramatic and cinematic style and more mature themes) and illustrations, to paintings. For the first time ever, this book collects Yoshimoto's works from the 1980s, when he spent time in the US. Works from exhibitions under the name “Ryu Manji” in the 1990s and works from Yoshimoto's live drawing event done in collaboration with Katsuya Terada are showcased as well. Fantasy and realistic beautiful women, alien creatures, and warriors, both men and women, are portrayed full page size. PIE, 2019. Mature Readers...More. Item Code: ARTBYH Hard Cover, 8x12, 184pg, Full Color $49.95

LADY DEATH MASTERPIECES The Art of Lady Death Volume 1 Signed Signed by Brian Pulido, limited, 2500. Recommended. By Brian Pulido. Art by Jay Anacleto, J. Scott Campbell, Brom, Artgerm et al. An all star cast of creators offer up their takes on Pulido's famous bad girl. Featuring two dozen never before seen images among more than 200 pages of illustration. Over-sized hardcover in a custom full color slipcase. All in full page, and full color, work by Jay Anacleto, Artgerm, Frank Cho, Brom, J. Scott Campbell, Greg Horn, Adam Hughes, Budd Root, Nei Ruffino, Billy Tucci, Mirka Andolfo, Jim Balent, Eric Basaldua, Joe Benitez, Jenevieve Broomall, Ryan Brown, Greg Capullo, Elias Chatzoudis. Coffin Comics, 2019...More. Item Code: LDM01HS Hard Cover - No Dustjacket, 10x13, 200pg, Full Color $79.99

See more Lady Death on our website.

RUSSIAN PAINTING 1800-1945 Detailed captions in six languages, including English. Recommended. By Daniel Kiecol. Art by Aivasovsky, Ilya Repin et al. From the earliest examples of national art at the beginning of the nineteenth century and the romantic seascapes of Aivasovsky, to the great Realists such as Ilya Repin and the innovators of the Russian avant-garde, Russian painting offers a wealth of works of art to discover. Chapters include Classicism to Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, Art Nouveau, Symbolism, and Russian Avante-Garde. Grandiose landscapes, haunting portraits, and exciting artistic experiments—hardly any other artistic nation offers a comparable variety of styles and artistic personalities. Konemann, 2019...More. Item Code: RUSPAH Hard Cover, 11x12, 528pg, Partial Color $49.95 $44.95

We have three copies left of Russian Art of the Avante-Garde [RUSAR. $27.95, $14.95].

New On Sale Art Books

ART OF NESTOR REDONDO New Closeout Price! 1,000-copy first printing. Our Highest Recommendation. Edited by Manual Auad. Nestor Redondo (1928-1995) was the Philippine's foremost comic book illustrator starting in the early 1950s, and a major U.S. comics artist in the 1970s and early '80s. He was really more of an illustrator than a cartoonist, boldly shown here with an abundance of superbly rendered illustrations. This book is a pure delight. Redondo had a smooth, capable line that will remind you of the finest inkers in comics: Mark Schultz, Frank Frazetta, Dave Stevens, Russ Manning. Yes, he is THAT good. Auad, 2016. Out of Print....More. Item Code: ARTNR Soft Cover, 8x11, 80pg, b&w $24.95 $12.50

HENRY PATRICK RALEIGH The Confident Illustrator New Closeout Price! Our Highest Recommendation. By Christopher Raleigh. Henry Patrick Raleigh rose from school dropout at age 12 to esteemed Saturday Evening Post illustrator within the span of two decades. During his nearly forty-year career, Raleigh was one of the highest paid newspaper and magazine artists in the United States, creator of iconic World War I propaganda posters, and arguably the most prominent story illustrator of the Jazz Age. This is the first book ever on the artist, and it's beautifully done. It features an abundance of full color work, from crowd and party scenes to wonderful advertising pieces. Auad, 2016...More. Item Code: HENPRH Hard Cover, 9x12, 128pg, Full Color $34.95 $17.50

See our website for Auad Publishing's other three fine books: Bernet (2003), signed & limited to 200, [RB614. $150], Frank Brangwyn's Way of the Cross [FRBR. $65, $25] and Al Parker [ALPAH. $44.95, $29.95].

Comics & Archives

KIRBY IS...MIGHTY! King Sized Highly Recommended. The greatest Thor tales drawn by Jack "The King" Kirby. They're stories so utterly epic that even Marvel's King-Size format struggles to contain them. Featuring Thor's first appearance; a bruising battle between Thor and Hercules; the mind-bending first appearance of Ego the Living Planet; the invasion of Asgard by Ulik and his horrifying troll army; and concluding with a multi-part saga where Thor faces the immeasurable power of the world-devourer Galactus that reveals Galactus' origin. All giant Artist's Edition size but in FULL COLOR with stories complete, ready to read. Marvel, 2019...More. Item Code: KIRMH Hard Cover - No Dustjacket, 14x22, 320pg, Full Color $100.00 $89.95

This joins Kirby Returns King Sized, and Kirby is...Fantastic King Sized, which are $100, $85 and $89.95, respectively. And the bargain of them all, The Fantastic Four Behold...Galactus! is still just $50, $44.95 and it's the same huge size. Or get a regular size version: [FFBE. $24.99, $21.99]. And see more general Kirby collections here.

SILVER SURFER PARABLE 30th Anniversary Collects #1-2, 1989, winner of the Eisner Award. Highly Recommended. By Stan Lee. Art by Moebius. One of the all-time great stories of the Silver Surfer, by Stan Lee and visionary French artist Jean Giraud, aka Moebius -- as stunning now as it was 30 years ago! A star falls to earth. Panic grips the planet as mankind prepares for its inevitable end. But the star is a ship, and inside is a god. All he asks is adoration. Overcome with relief, man rushes to obey. There is only one voice of dissent that will not be silenced: the Silver Surfer, who knows this "god" as his former master! Bonus 32 pages: Moebius talks about this work, and a portfolio of his Marvel posters, comics and book covers. Marvel, 2019...More. Item Code: SILVPH Hard Cover, 10x13, 88pg, Partial Color $39.99 $34.99

See the Surfer in The Fantastic Four and other collections on our website.

DECADES MARVEL IN THE 00'S HITTING THE HEADLINES By Bendis, Millar, Whedon, Brubaker et al. Art by Bagley, Andy Kubert, Kyle Baker, John Cassaday, Steve Epting et al. Introducing a brand new Ultimate universe for a new generation of readers! Telling the story they said could never be told...the origin of Wolverine! And revealing hidden secrets of the program that produced Captain America! Red-hot creator Joss Whedon revamped the X-Men, while Civil War led to Spider-Man's secret identity going public -- and Captain America's shocking death! Plus, living legends meet when Spider-Man teams up with President Barack Obama! Marvel, 2019...More. Item Code: DECA00 Soft Cover, 7x10, 248pg, Full Color $24.99 $21.99

See the other Decades volumes starting with the 1940s, on our website.

WEIRDWORLD The Dragonmaster of Klarn Collects material from Epic Illustrated #9, 11-13; Marvel Super Action #1, 1976-79. Recommended. By Doug Moench. Art by John Buscema. There's nowhere weirder than Weirdworld and no better artist to draw it than the great John Buscema. Elves Tyndall and the beautiful Velanna have already had several adventures in this magical land, but when a powerful wizard threatens lives, the troubled troupe is off on a new and deadly quest, in search of the magic blade known as the Glorywand. Goblins, dragons and the undead lie in wait on their epic journey across Weirdworld. Marvel, 2019...More. Item Code: WEIDR Soft Cover, 7x10, 112pg, Full Color $15.99

MARVEL MASTERWORKS Captain America Volume 11 Collects Captain America #201-214 & Annual #4, 1976-77. Recommended. By Jack Kirby. Jack Kirby concludes his '70s Captain America tenure with adventures that only the King of the Marvel Age of Comics could create! It begins when the Falcon goes missing in an other-dimensional asylum that's run by the inmates! The tale of the Night People and Agron the Unburied One is a tense sci-fi horror thriller. "The Swine" features iconic moments: the debut of Arnim Zola; the return of the Red Skull; and Nazi X, the android with Hitler's brain! Plus an Annual with Cap vs. Magneto and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants! Marvel, 2019...More. Item Code: MCA11H Hard Cover, 7x10, 304pg, Full Color $75.00 $65.00

Volume 8 is on sale at $75, $45, and we have Volume 10 at $75, $65. See other recent Masterworks here.

GRIMM UNIVERSE PRESENTS 2019 Cover C John Royle Variant cover by John Royle. By Joe Brusha et al. Art by JG Miranda et al. The Grimm Universe is expanding. From an Age of Camelot to secret societies working in the shadows and other-worldly monsters invading the realms, new players are taking the board. Find out what awaits in the coming year with a collection of 8 brand new, never released stories setting the stage for the next phase of the universe. This is a can't miss issue! Includes The Black Knight, Oz "On the Run," Van Helsing's Daughter, our steam-punk heroine, "A Zodiac is Born," Dragonsblood, Robyn Hood "Side Job," and Gretel in "Heartbreaker." Zenescope...More. Item Code: GRIMMC Comic, 7x10, 64pg, Full Color $7.99

GRIMM UNIVERSE PRESENTS 2019 Cover B Derlis Santacruz Variant cover by Santacruz. By Terry Kavanagh. Art by JG Miranda. The Grimm Universe is expanding. From an Age of Camelot to secret societies working in the shadows and other-worldly monsters invading the realms, new players are taking the board. Find out what awaits in the coming year with a collection of 8 brand new, never released stories setting the stage for the next phase of the universe. This is a can't miss issue! Includes The Black Knight, Oz "On the Run," Van Helsing's Daughter, our steam-punk heroine, "A Zodiac is Born," Dragonsblood, Robyn Hood "Side Job," and Gretel in "Heartbreaker." Zenescope, 2019...More. Item Code: GRIMMB Comic, 7x10, 64pg, Full Color $7.99

We also have the 2018 Cosplay special [GFTC18. $5.99], the 2017 Halloween Special [GFTH17. $5.99], the 2018 Holiday Special [GFTH18. $5.99], and the adult coloring book plus the Grimm Fairy Tales Alice in Wonderland Statues, regular and variant white, both discounted to $14.99 and $24.99, respectively.

COMIC BOOK IMPLOSION An Oral History of DC Comics Circa 1978 2019 Eisner Award Nominee: BEST COMICS-RELATED BOOK. Recommended. By Keith Dallas and John Wells. A series of massive cutbacks and cancellations in 1978, quickly became known as “The DC Implosion.” One of the most notorious events in comics gets an exhaustive oral history from the creators and executives involved (Jenette Kahn, Paul Levitz, Len Wein, Mike Gold, and Al Milgrom, among many others), as well as detailed analysis and commentary by other top professionals, who were “just fans” in 1978 (Mark Waid, Michael T. Gilbert, Tom Brevoort, and more)—examining how it changed the landscape of comics forever! TwoMorrows, 2018...More. Item Code: COMBOO Soft Cover, 8x11, 136pg, Text/Partial Color $21.95 $19.95

See the website for more about the history of comics in our Comics Reference section.

Conan

CONAN The Jewels of Gwuhlur and Other Stories Collects Jewels of Gwahlur #1-3, 2005, and Daughters of Midora, Mad King & Weight of the Crown. Highly Recommended. By Jimmy Palmiotti & Darick Robertson. Art by P. Craig Russell, Mark Texeira & Robertson. Conan hunts one of the world's greatest treasures in an action-packed adaptation by P. Craig Russell of the original REH story! As Conan seeks the prized Teeth of Gwahlur, he discovers that a former dancing girl is being compelled to pose as a long-dead oracle. Plus, in more tales, a king's daughter is kidnapped by a sorcerer -- and only Conan and the girl's sister can save her! And, intrigued by a leader known as the "Mad King of Gaul," Conan joins his army — but when tragedy strikes, will Conan be worthy to wear the crown? Marvel, 2019...More. Item Code: CONJG Soft Cover, 7x10, 176pg, Full Color $19.99 $17.99

CONAN THE BARBARIAN The Life and Death of Conan Book One Collects #1-6. Recommended. By Jason Aaron. Art by Mahmud Asrar. Robert E. Howard's creation returns to comics, in an epic tale as only Marvel could bring you! Conan's travels have brought him to the far reaches of the unknown, from his birthplace in Cimmeria to the kingdom of Aquilonia and all in between. As his fighting prowess allows him to carve his way through life, so too does it attract the forces of death! This all-new ages-spanning saga forever changes Conan's destiny! Stories of Conan's birth, youth, as pirate, fighting the beautiful and deadly Witch Queen, and as king. Very handsome artwork, looks like a good read. Marvel, 2019...More. Item Code: CONBL01 Soft Cover, 7x10, 144pg, Full Color $19.99 $17.99

See more Conan Archives and Chronicles on the website.

Newspaper Strips & Graphic Novels

STAR WARS LEGENDS Epic Collection The Newspaper Strips Volume 2 The Newspaper Strips Volume 2. Our Highest Recommendation. By Archie Goodwin. Art by Al Williamson. In his best EC comics style, Al Williamson brings his superlative imagination and rendering to the Star Wars world. A perfect match of artist and material, as good as anything Al ever did on his dream job, Flash Gordon. Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO and R2-D2 continue to take the fight to the Empire, but it's a dangerous galaxy out there! As Luke is enslaved by the Serpent Masters, Doctor Arakkus prepares a death trap, and the rebels' base is besieged! There are dangers in the depths of Aquaris, and an ancient threat lurking in the heart of Yavin's moon! Marvel, 2019...More. Item Code: SWLEG02 Soft Cover, 7x10, 504pg, Full Color $39.99 $34.99

Volume 1 is in stock at the same discounted price [SWLEG01]. We have 27 more books with Al's artwork, see them here.

JAMES BOND ORIGIN Volume 1 Recommended. By Jeff Parker. Art by Bob Q. At last, the definitive account of James Bond's exploits during World War II in an all-new story! March, 1941: Seventeen-year-old James Bond is a restless student in Scotland, an orphan, eager to strike out and make his mark on the world. But a visit by an old family friend coincides with The Clydebank Blitz, the most devastating German attack on Scotland during the War. James will fight through hell to survive, coming out the other side determined to make a difference. He'll find his calling in a new British government service, secret in nature... Dynamite, 2019...More. Item Code: JAM01H Hard Cover, 7x10, 160pg, Full Color $24.99 $21.99

We have just one and two copies left of other Bond material, comic strips and another graphic novel. See the website. We are just now ordering the next book in this new series, which will be Live and Let Die.

New Pre-Code Horror

PRE-CODE CLASSICS TALES OF HORROR Volume 3 Collects Tales of Horror #10-13, 1954 and The Black Knight #1, 1953. Art by Ben Brown, George Olesen et al. Coming from Toby Press just a couple of years shy of Showcase #4 and the whole industry getting turned on its head, the third PS volume of Toby's Tales of Horror includes a bonus comic book, 1953's debut issue of The Black Knight. This unusual pink cover is one of the stranger from the pre-code era—girls and snakes, no less. The interiors are pretty nifty, too with the roster of artists and writers including Ben Brown, George Olesen, Chas. Kuhn, Art Helfant, Myron Fass, Ellis Eringer, Sal Trapani, Al Gordon, and H.L. Larsen. PS Artbooks, 2019...More. Item Code: PCCT03H Hard Cover - No Dustjacket, 7x10, 184pg, Full Color $44.99

PRE-CODE CLASSICS HAND OF FATE Volume 4 Collects Hand of Fate #23-25,1954 and Challenge of the Unknown #1, 1952. Recommended. By Ken Rice. Art by Lin Streeter, Ken Rice et al. Ace were turning out class acts of four-colour nastiness for several years and the fourth volume of Hand of Fate goes one step further with a bonus 1950 title in the shape of issue 1 of Challenge of the Unknown. And funksters, that's quite a shape! Artists include Lou Cameron, Sy Grudko, Richard Case, Jim McLaughlin, Ken Rice, Louis Zansky,Lin Streeter, Larry Woromay and Warren Kremer. PS Artbooks, 2019...More. Item Code: PCHF04H Hard Cover - No Dustjacket, 7x10, 184pg, Full Color $44.99

MYSTERIOUS STORIES Volume 1 Collects #2-7, 1954-56. Highly Recommended. Art by George Woodbridge, Angelo Torres, A.C. Hollingsworth, Hy Fleishman, et al. We have a real sleeper here. George Woodbridge was a brilliant artist but wasn't in comics long enough to be well-recognized today. Here he does three covers and a story, collaborating with Angelo Torres on the cover and story in #3--it looks like Frazetta drew it. From here he went on to a 44-year career with Mad Magazine, beginning in 1957. The first issue of this was Horror from the Tomb. Fetid horror stories also featuring more fine work by more unsung artists: Kurt Schaffenberger (Superman, Lois Lane), Richard Doxee (a stand-out at Stan Lee's Atlas) and Cal Massey. PS Artbooks, 2019...More. Item Code: MYS01H Hard Cover - No Dustjacket, 7x10, 216pg, Full Color $44.99

PRE-CODE CLASSICS BAFFLING MYSTERIES Volume 4 Collects #20-24, 1954-55. Recommended. Art by Jim McLaughlin, Lou Cameron, Jay Scott Pike et al. This closes out the run, leading off with #20 and an Overstreet "Classic bondage cover." #25 sports a surrealistic cover. There aren't too many contents pages that can boast this level of writer and artist scribblers: the above-mentioned plus Gene Colan, Sy Grudko, Louis Zansky, Ken Rice, Martin Rose, Mike Sekowsky, Maurice Gutwirth and George Appel. Cameron's work is stellar; Sekowsky went on to become a DC Comics icon; McLaughlin is a lost master whose work is sometimes brilliant; Zansky was a mainstay at Classics Illustrated. PS Artbooks, 2019...More. Item Code: PCBM04H Hard Cover - No Dustjacket, 7x10, 184pg, Full Color $44.99

See the website for previous volumes in the three series above, plus all of our PS Artbooks and Pre-Code Horror.

Sketchbooks

TERRY MOORE 2019 Sketchbook Signed Signed! Recommended. All-new illustrations of our two heroines in the art nouveau style of Mucha; hanging out with one another; in swimsuts; with other players in the Strangers in Paradise series. Also illustrations of Motor Girl and that series' supporting characters. Teasing partial nudity, including a look at Katchoo's major tattoo on her back, and pin-up negligée tease. Terry Moore, 2019...More. Item Code: TM19S Soft Cover, 6x8, 24pg, b&w $10.00

His 2018 sketchbook sold out; but we still have the sequel, Strangers in Paradise XXV: The Chase [TMSPS] and Hide and Seek [TMSP02S]. Both are signed and $15.99 each. And by special order, Terry Moore Strangers in Paradise Gallery Edition, 248 pages of full size original art, 2018, 12x17 [TMSGEH. $125]. We also have a few left of Motor Girl #1 and 2, [MOT01S, MOT02S. $15.99, $8.99 each]. Eleven of #1, just one of #2.

2020 Calendars – Best of the Best!

SCI-FI ART OF VIRGIL FINLAY 2020 Calendar Twelve all-new works this year. Highly Recommended. By Virgil Finlay. Whoever is choosing these knows their stuff, these are wonderful, complex, powerful sci-fi and fantasy works among his best. Virgil Finlay was an American pulp fantasy, science fiction and horror illustrator. While he worked in a range of media, from gouache to oils, Finlay specialized in detailed pen-and-ink drawings accomplished with abundant stippling, cross-hatching, and scratchboard techniques. This calendar showcases 12 such intricate and atmospheric line pen and ink drawings in all their glory. Flame Tree, 2019...More. Item Code: SVF20 12x12, 24pg, b&w $14.99

Last Chance! Five copies left of Finlay's 2019 Calendar [SVF19. $6.99]. We also have several out of print Finlay books in Rare & Out of Print.

R. CRUMB 2020 Calendar It's Crumb for everyone--well, almost everyone. Three months feature nudity. Recommended. Prolific American cartoonist R. Crumb is known for his satire of modern American culture, as well as creating a nostalgia for the folk culture of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. He founded the underground comix publication Zap Comix. This calendar showcases 12 of his fantastic cartoons, including the hugely popular Fritz the Cat, Keep on Truckin' and covers of his magazine Weirdo. It's an excellent cross-section of work, with nothing too offensive and seven pieces in full color. Flame Tree, 2019...More. Item Code: RC20 12x12, 24pg, Partial Color $14.99

See Crumb's latest, R. Crumb's Dream Diary [RCDREH. $25] , and his other books on our website.

BORIS VALLEJO & JULIE BELL Fantasy 2020 Calendar Featuring 13 all-new paintings, with a stunning bonus centerfold. Highly Recommended. By Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell. Our annual glimpse into fantasy, with twelve all-new paintings by this amazing team. A dazzling spectacle to behold. Victorious, sword-wielding warrior goddesses. Fearless nymphs confronting a dragon's dark forces. And an ethereal pair: a fairy and a mermaid ascending over a rippling, dawn-lit waterfall. Rendered in breathtaking detail by husband-and-wife team Boris Vallejo (America's premier fantasy artist) and Julie Bell (international award–winning fantasy and wildlife artist), each original painting transports viewers to a thrilling alternate world full of mind-bending beauty, fantasy, and magic. Workman, 2019...More. Item Code: BVJB20 12x12, 24pg, Full Color $14.99

Dreamland by Boris and Julie is still available on sale [BVJBDH. $35, $15.95]. Click on the banner way up top for all the other 2020 Calendars in stock now.

Statues

DC DESIGNER SERIES WONDER WOMAN Statue By Jenny Frison Limited, 5,000! Designed by Jenny Frison. Sculpted by Jack Matthews. The DC Designer Series Statue line is born from the imaginative vision of the comics industry's top artists. This statue, taken from a celebrated, Jenny Frison-illustrated cover from the Rebirth era of the Wonder Woman comics series, takes Frison's vision and expands it into three dimensions for a highly detailed showpiece. Cast in polyresin, the statue captures a Wonder Woman who is prepared for battle, armed with her shield, an Amazonian spear and the Lasso of Truth on her hip. Quite large, good details. DC, 2019...More. Item Code: DCDWWJ 16 tall, Full Color $150.00

See the website for other Wonder Woman statues, more statues in general, and more books of Wonder Woman.

Mature Readers Four items this week, from Fine Art Eroticism to vintage Erotic Photography...and two DVD/Blu-Ray films. City of Pleasure: Paris Between the Wars offers heretofore uncollected vintage photography of debauchery and kinkiness as Paris let loose after World War I and went a bit crazy, just as Berlin did. This has a bit of everything, and the quality of the work is very good. Also, some nice illustrative work as it chronicles period publications. See more vintage photography books, such as Born Wild in Berlin, Working Girls, Voluptuous Panic, and Hollywood Beach Beauties on our Mature Readers part of the website. Erotic Art is an enormous art book that covers the history of the genre, from the middle ages to Japanese and Chinese work, with a good emphasis on the 19th century and Art Nouveau, Symbolism, and Academic nudes. It's from Koneman, which is a direct competitor with Taschen in the art books area. And two films: Mascara and The Pink Ladies present vintage exploitation and some surreal goings-on, with housewives and hanky panky of the 1970s. Click here to see more adult DVD's. Nude Photography  |  Erotic Art   |  Erotic Films: DVDs  |  Adult Graphic Novels  |  All Pin-Up & Adult Click here to add yourself to our Adult's Only mailing list.

News and Notes

San Diego Comic-Con I lost one day this week coming back from Comic-Con, and another catching up with orders, so I don't have time to continue my San Diego Comic-Con report here. I wrote about the first two days of the show earlier, which we posted to our Facebook page along with many photos. And we used it as the editorial in the latest catalog, so you can download it HERE and read that if you'd like.

So...we're going to do a special email with just Comic-Con news—my personal adventures mixed with photos and details of upcoming projects. Watch for that early next week. ~Bud

Our Catalog and Contact Info We publish a color catalog every two months—if you’ve placed an order in the last 12 months, you will receive it hot off the press. If this is your first order, or if you’d like an extra copy, you can add one to your order: click here. Or call or send us your address and we’ll mail one to you. You can also download it here Place your order before noon PST, Monday through Friday for SAME DAY shipping (for in-stock items). Note: FREE SHIPPING OVER $300. If your order total is $300 or more and you are in the U.S., we pay the standard shipping cost. Contact us: csr@budsartbooks.com or 530-273-2166 Mon-Fri 9-4

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