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This week we're giving you our entire Top 50 Bestsellers for 2021. Each one includes my personal comments on how and why I think they earned their spot here. We did the top 20 a few weeks ago but I neglected to combine several hardcover and softcover items, so that starting with #7 a few titles have moved around and are now replacing others. Our big item this week is the new Infected by Art. With no Spectrum annual since 2020, this will help to fill the gap on a look at the latest in fantasy and sci fi art. It's an excellent series and has been very popular year after year, second only to Spectrum. See News and Notes below for more news. |
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Trouble seeing images? Click here to view on our blog. Click here for last week's new items. Click here to see ALL New Arrivals, beginning with the latest and going back 30 days. |
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INFECTED BY ART Volume 9 |
Also available are Volume 6 [INA06H. $39.95] and Volumes 7 and 8 [INA07H, INA08H. $R34.95 each]. See them all here. |
Top 50 items of 2021! |
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1. SPECTRUM FANTASTIC ART QUARTERLY MAGAZINE #1 1000-copy printing. Highly Recommended. Edited by Cathy Fenner and Arnie Fenner. Frank Frazetta is remembered by his sisters Carol Frazetta, Jean Frazetta Falice, children Bill Frazetta, Holly Frazetta, Heidi Frazetta, collaborators James Gurney, Steven E. Gordon, William Stout, and granddaughter Sara Frazetta. Includes unpublished art and photos. Painter Dan dos Santos and New York Times bestselling writer Patricia Briggs discuss their 16-year collaboration on the Mercy Thompson series of fantasy book covers. Plus Gregory Manchess on painting book covers, Rich Corben, Steve Hickman, Ron Cobb, and Rowena tributes, and much more. Spectrum/Underwood Books, 2021....More. Item Code: SPEQ01 Magazine, 12x12, 88pg, Full Color $25.00 |
| This came out at the very end of 2021, but with very limited distribution, plus our special bookplate (bookplates are gone), it's been our most popular item all year. |
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2. AL WILLIAMSON STRANGE WORLD ADVENTURES Hardcover Almost Gone! Publisher Exclusive Hardcover Edition, limited. Our Highest Recommendation. Normally only available from Flesk, they are letting us have a limited number of these, one shot only. The first of four collections, expanded to an oversized 10x13 size. Publisher John Fleskes says its his favorite new book and I have to agree. This is both the perfect introduction to Al Williamson's work but also offers new, previously unseen work for veteran fans — all from the original artwork and reproduced in full color, like an Artist's Edition! Flesk, 2021. Out of print....More. Item Code: ALSTRH Hard Cover, 9x12, 128pg, b&w $49.95 |
| This ranking includes sales of the softcover, which remains available [ALSTR. $39.95]. Both editions are OUT OF PRINT but we have a good stock left. |
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3. TALES FROM THE CRYPT The Revolutionary Art of Mad and EC Comics Special Price! Recommended. 100 pages of EC and Mad Comics greatness, original art, and essays outlining the history, designed to accompany the 2018 Society of Illustrators exhibit. New to us, just offered at a special price. Deluxe printing and paper, limited edition, containing detailed color reproductions of the art of Jack Davis, Frank Frazetta, Wally Wood, Johnny Craig, Al Williamson, Graham Ingels, Marie Severin, Al Jaffee, Angelo Torres, and many others. Society of Illustrators, 2018. ...More. Item Code: TALFROM Soft Cover, na, 100pg, Full Color |
| This one slid by us because we don't regularly stock exhibit catalogs from Society of Illustrators. But they must have overprinted it and suddently it was on sale from them. |
| 4. XENOZOIC By Mark Schultz Hardcover Signed SOLD OUT |
| One of the most popular series ever, redone with a brand new cover. This and the softcover are both completely sold out. We do have a few other Xenozoic items, click here. |
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5. ILLUSTRATORS QUARTERLY SPECIAL #13 The Art of Glamour |
| These special issues from England have often been very popular.The very first special #1: Spanish Artists [IQS01. $45.99] has been reprinted twice. The John Burns Special #8 (the Modesty Blaise artist) was just off the top 20 list [IQS08. $37.99]. |
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6. LITTLE NEMO Dream Another Dream Closeout Price! Our Highest Recommendation. By Bill Sienkiewicz, Charles Vess, P. Craig Russell, David Mack et al. Contemporary artists pay tribute to this beloved and imaginative Sunday page. They have created 118 entirely new Little Nemo pages, all full Sunday page size! Contributors also include Paul Pope, J.H. Williams III, Carla Speed McNeil, Peter Bagge, Dean Haspiel, Farel Dalrymple, Marc Hempel, Nate Powell, Jeremy Bastian, Jim Rugg, Ron Wimberly, Scott Morse, David Petersen, J.G. Jones, Mike Allred, Dean Motter, Yuko Shimizu, Roger Langridge, Craig Thompson, and Mark Buckingham, among many others. Locust Moon, 2014. Rush Service and International shipping would require an additional charge....More. Item Code: LNDRH Hard Cover, 16x21, 144pg, Full Color |
| I think this made the list last year also. It's an amazing book and an amazing bargain, thanks to the publisher's special price to us. |
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7. FRANK CHO Pencil and Ink Hardcover Publisher Edition Publisher Edition. Limited availability. Highly Recommended. Introduction by Thomas E Sniegoski. This new collection of Frank Cho's personal works focuses primarily on his exceptional pencil and ink drawings, but with several fine full color, finished works too. 120 works from the last two decades, none of it from The Art of Frank Cho. This companion title features his most recent ballpoint-pen women, nudes, sketches and studies of the figure, recent Sherlock Holmes and monster drawings, along with Jungle Queen commissions done over the years. Flesk, 2021. Mature readers. ...More. Item Code: FRANPEH Hard Cover, 9x12, 128pg, Partial Color $39.95 |
| When I did the previous top 20 I forgot to add together the SC and Publisher Editions, so this didn't make the cut. We're down to the last 20 copies on the Publisher Edition. |
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8. REED CRANDALL ILLUSTRATOR OF THE COMICS Signed Signed extra-illustrated full color 7x10 bookplate! Now in softcover. Our Highest Recommendation. By Roger Hill. The special bookplate features a painting never before reproduced in full color featuring John Carter, Dejah Thoris & friends, and Tars Tarkas going into battle (nudity). From the 1940s to the ‘70s, Reed Crandall brought a unique and masterful style to American comic art. Using an illustrator's approach on everything he touched, Crandall gained a reputation as the "artist's artist" through his skillful interpretations of Golden Age super-heroes Doll Man, The Ray, Firebrand, and Blackhawk (his signature character); horror and sci-fi for the legendary EC Comics line; Warren Publishing's Creepy, Eerie, and Blazing Combat; THUNDER Agents and Edgar Rice Burroughs characters; and even Flash Gordon for King Features. TwoMorrows, 2021. ...More. Item Code: REEDCRA Soft Cover, 9x11, 156pg, Full Color $39.95 |
| I love this book—Crandall has always been one of my very favorite illustrators. Which is why we printed a killer bookplate to go with it. |
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9. ILLUSTRATION MAGAZINE #73 Highly Recommended. Pin-Up and Cheesecake Art take front and center in two feature articles: Peter Driben, one of the most prolific American pin-up artists of the 1940s and '50s — best known for his hundreds of cover paintings for Beauty Parade, Titter, Wink, Flirt, and more. And Zoe Mozert, one of the "big four" names in pin-up, as prolific and famous in her day as contemporaries Rolf Armstrong, Earl Moran, and Gil Elvgren. Numerous examples of original artwork as well as rare tear sheets and photographs. Plus a look at Doc Savage model Steve Holland, by the author of the new book on him; Robert Osonitsch, The Illustrator's Photographer; and 1950s and 60s automotive specialists, Art Fitzpatrick and Van Kaufman. Illustrated Press, 2021....More. Item Code: IL73 Magazine, 8x11, 112pg, Full Color $15.00 |
| Several popular issues are quickly selling out. Such as #60, 62, and 72. See them all here. |
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10. INFECTED BY ART Volume 8 Highly Recommended. Edited by Todd Spoor and Bill Cox. With a cover painting by Mark Molchan, this year's collection once again contains one of their most diverse groups of fantasy and science fiction artists ever. Selected by a jury panel, 267 artists are represented with works traditionally painted and digitally painted, illustrations in pencil and pen and ink, and sculpted works. The jury comprised artists Dan Chudzinski, Justin Gerard, Don Maitz, Stephan Martiniere, and Annie Stegg — and and each of these jurors also has work included. 335 artworks. Next to Spectrum, the most popular annual of fantasy artwork available. Infected By Art, 2020. Mature Readers. ...More. Item Code: INA08H Hard Cover, 9x11, 328pg, Full Color $34.99 |
| With no Spectrum Annual this year, this helped take up a bit of the slack. It's always popular, with many artists not found in Spectrum. |
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11. MR. MONSTER The Original Adventures of Doc Stearne Signed Signed full color bookplate with new work by Michael T. Gilbert, limited to 300! Our Highest Recommendation. Mr. Monster was one of the many heroes created during the Golden Age of Canadian comics. But Michael T. Gilbert updated this same Mr. Monster in the 1980s, and we've all seen what fun he had with the character. This new collection includes the two original 1940s Mr. Monster stories plus the earlier Doc Stearne stories and covers, all by creator Fred Kelly. Plus never-before seen art, an interview with Kelly, a new afterword by Gilbert and an original pin-up gallery from over two-dozen contemporary Canadian artists! Raid, 2021. ...More. Item Code: MRMOHS Hard Cover, 7x9, 110pg, Partial Color $34.95 |
| This comes with a very cool full color bookplate—between that and the fun content, it's a favorite. |
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12. MARK SCHULTZ CARBON Volume 4 Hardcover Signed Almost Gone! Our Highest Recommendation. Signed extra-illustrated limitation page, 800 copies. Embossed cloth binding with color just jacket. Normally only available from Flesk, they are letting us have a limited number of these signed copies, one shot only. Carbon 4 is the latest collection that highlights Mark Schultz's favorite recent and past works. From the barbaric past to the nightmarish future — from the ocean's depths to the farthest planets — Carbon 4 features Mark Schultz's most-ambitious works to date! Several are shown in both pencil and finished inks states, side by side. Flesk, 2021. Out of print....More. Item Code: MSC04HS Hard Cover, 9x12, 58pg, b&w $40.00 |
| Signed and limited to 800 copies. |
| 13. GRIMM FAIRY TALES HOLIDAY PINUP Special Alfredo Reyes Cover SOLD OUT |
| We dabbled a bit with these Zenescope special issues, and they've occasionally done quite well. Normally we don't offer lower priced comics, but we make an exception every so often. |
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14. THE ART OF ENRIC Hardcover Oversized. Highly Recommended. A long-overdue, career retrospective of Spanish illustrator Enric, long a favorite among comics and illustration fans, most of whom were introduced to Enric by the incredible paintings that he created for Warren Publishing, 52 in all. And specially for his Vampirella magazine covers and the much loved six-foot Vampi poster. This large and comprehensive 9 x 12 inch, 350-page hardcover book takes us on a journey through Enric's entire career, from his earliest comic book work right up to his sought-after private commissions that continue to be in high demand to this day. His paintings of Conan, Red Sonja, Supergirl, Tarzan, and Wonder Woman are all here. Also included is a detailed interview, photos of him at work and of his models. Many previously unpublished pieces, including fine art paintings and nudes. FPG, 2021. ...More. Item Code: ARTEH Hard Cover, 350pg, Partial Color $49.00 |
| This ranking includes the deluxe--while not cheap, it's done well [ARTED. $275] and is limited to only 195 copies. |
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15. DAN BRERETON'S NOCTURNALS Volume 1 Black Planet and Other Stories Signed Closeout Price! Signed plate. From 2007. Highly Recommended. Handsome black leatherette binding, inlaid color cover plate, gold embossing, extra portrait and cover galleries,The first of three hardcovers reprinting the entire critically acclaimed Nocturnals storyline. Oversized. This contains new story material, in preparation for the 2007 relaunch of the series, plus the original six-issue Bravura mini-series Black Planet, the Witching Hour story arc from Dark Horse Presents, an all-new crime noir story, and a lengthy afterword by Dan Brereton about the origins of the Nocturnals. Olympian, 2007....More. Item Code: DN01HS Hard Cover - No Dustjacket, 7x11, 254pg, Full Color |
| Signed and half price, hard to go wrong. We love Dan's work. |
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16. GRIMM FAIRY TALES 2021 SWIMSUIT SPECIAL By Dave Franchini. Special 38-page issue. Grimm Universe heroines and lady villains, soaking up the sun while wearing the season's hottest swimsuit fashions! Top artists contribute gorgeous pin-ups: Mike Krome, Alfredo Reyes (many), Dawn McTeigue, Derlis Santacruz, Michael Dooney, Mike DeBalfo. Includes a never before published Grimm short story by Moy R. Zenescope, 2021. ...More. Item Code: GRIMS21 Comic, 7x10, 48pg, Full Color $5.99 |
| Another Zenescope comic book special. |
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17. AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS Oversized hardcover with exquisite artwork. Our Highest Recommendation. By H.P. Lovecraft. Art by François Baranger. Following up his stunning illustrated Call of Cthulhu, Baranger is back with a matching volume in what we hope will be a continuing series! Acclaimed for his work as a concept designer for cinema and video games, he has performed the incredible task of re-imagining one of H.P. Lovecraft's most classic and horrific tales into visual art — Landscapes of frozen wastes, unspeakable creatures millions of years old found in an abnormal state of preservation, strange geometric structures at the top of black mountains. Words cannot do the visuals justice. It is a book with images to pour over. Design Studio Press, 2020....More. Item Code: ATMOUNH Hard Cover, 10x14, 64pg, Full Color |
| Companion to 2019's bestseller, The Call of Cthulhu, by the same artist and writer. Just amazing art! [CALLCH. $29.95/$27.95]. Gary Gianni's own version, Call of Cthulu: A Mystery in Three Parts came out also, but is an entirely different adaptation [CALCT.$19.95]. |
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18. THE ART OF SAUL TEPPER Almost Gone! Limited, 900. Highly Recommended. By Daniel Zimmer. Saul Tepper (1899-1987) was a life member of the Society of Illustrators and was elected to its Hall of Fame in 1980. His work is most closely compared to that of Dean Cornwell, and he worked for all the same popular, nationally selling magazines as Cornwell. He eventually did an almost equal proportion of fiction and advertising assignments, for both magazines and for many national accounts, such as Mobil Oil, Texaco, Packard, General Motors and Coca-Cola. This is the first-ever collection of his work. Tepper began his career working with Albert Dorne, studied under Harvey Dunn and, like Dunn, went on to teach after a long and successful career. Illustrated Press, 2020. Out of print....More. Item Code: ARTSTH Hard Cover, 9x12, 224pg, Full Color $44.95 |
| We just got word this has gone out of print, along with Zimmer's other 2021 release, The Art of Herbert Paus [ARTHPH. $44.95]. However we still have a good stock of both. |
| 19. BURROUGHS BULLETIN #100-102 2019-2020 SOLD OUT |
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20. COVER ME The Vintage Art of Pan Books 1950-1965 Highly Recommended. By Colin Larkin. An affectionate and thoroughly-researched celebration of the classic Pan Books paperbacks, beautifully illustrated with sumptuous full-color reproductions of over 300 of the original cover paintings! From Robert Heinlein classics to Edgar Rice Burroughs, Agatha Christie mysteries to pulp fiction and cheesecake, and lots of it, Pan has always commissioned their own art for their often-iconic paperback covers. Here's that art, and the story behind the company. Telos, 2020....More. Item Code: COVMH Hard Cover, 9x11, 264pg, Full Color $55.00 |
| This was a pleasant surprise; it sold nearly as well as The Art of Reginald Heade, from the same British publisher. I'm not the only one who loves vintage paperback art! |
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21. THE ART OF PULP FICTION An Illustrated History of Vintage Paperbacks Our Highest Recommendation. Edited by Ed Hulse, with Will Murray, Gary Lovisi and David Saunders. Wow, this looks even better than I could have imagined. Finally, THE book on vintage paperback art — a visual feast of great artwork! -Bud. From 1940 to 1970, paperbacks eclipsed pulp magazines and hardbound books as the most popular delivery vehicle for escapist fiction. And it was all about the cover art. To catch the eyes of potential buyers they were adorned with covers that were invariably vibrant, frequently garish, and often lurid.IDW, 2021. ...More. Item Code: ARTPFH Hard Cover, 10x11, 240pg, Text/Partial Color |
| A new release in the "Art of Pulp" series. Beautifully done, packed with obscure, steamy and fascinating art. |
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22. THE FANTASY ART OF FRAZETTA 2022 Calendar Almost Gone! Highly Recommended. Extra tall again this year. Includes Prehistoric Times, The Brain, Chained, Lava Fight, Lost World, etc. — re-titled paintings first done for paperbacks by Robert E. Howard and other fantasy writers (Jongor!?) in the 1970s and 80s. Frank Frazetta often renamed these to prevent copyright or trademark issues, so let's just say most of these are classic paintings, some from Warren magazines like Creepy and Eerie also. Sellers, 2021....More. Item Code: FRAZ22 Calendar, 10x14, 32pg, Full Color $14.99 |
| Our best-selling non-adult calendar this year! And it is still available as I write this. |
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23. PRINCE VALIANT Volume 23 1981-82. Written by Hal Foster. Art by John Cullen Murphy and Cullen Murphy. Renowned painter and graphic novelist George Pratt (Batman, Sandman) introduces the volume. In these full-page Sunday pages, Prince Valiant journeys from the upper regions of the Alps to the bowels of the Earth on an allegorical quest for humility involving the mysterious Wanderer, a curse on the kingdom, monstrous imps, and a mystical casket. Fantagraphics, 2021. ...More. Item Code: PV23H Hard Cover, 11x14, 124pg, Full Color |
| Volume 24 is here too but it arrived in November, so not enough time to compete with 23 which had many months to sell. These come out roughly twice a year and even though we're beyond the Foster-drawn Sundays, the've done very well. We hope to eventually see the more modern strips by Gianni, Yeates and Schultz. |
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24. THE ART OF HERBERT PAUS Almost Gone! Our Highest Recommendation. Herbert Paus (1860-1944) is known best for his faultless draftsmanship, his sense of design, and his brilliant use of color. For many years he was a frequent cover artist for Popular Science, Woman's Home Companion, American Magazine, and Collier's. He was a member of the government's committee on pictorial publicity during World War I, and painted many effective posters to support the war effort. Paus also painted for such advertisers as Hart Schaffner & Marx, Goodyear, General Motors, Certain-teed, and Victor Records. Illustrated Press, 2021. Out of print....More. Item Code: ARTHPH Hard Cover, 9x12, 224pg, Full Color $44.95 |
| This has gone out of print but we still have copies available. |
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25. ILLUSTRATORS QUARTERLY SPECIAL #8 The Art of John M. Burns Highly Recommended. By Barry Coker and Peter Richardson. A long overdue retrospective of John Burns' art, with contributions from friends and colleagues, as well as access to unpublished art and revealing glimpses into John's creative process, including his personal work and sketchbooks. You may know him best as the cover artist of the Modesty Blaise collections, as well as the illustrator on her strips for several years. But he's done Judge Dredd, adventure work, Daniel, The Seekers, strips for Boy's Life, personal works including several nudes to be found here, and lots more wonderful full color, painted comic pages. Nudity. Book Palace, 2020. Mature Readers. ...More. Item Code: IQS08 Soft Cover, 9x11, 144pg, Partial Color $37.99 |
| Not all British artists are well known in the U.S. but John's work on Modesty Blaise makes him more widely known. |
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26. HAREM Highly Recommended. By Valentine Gallet. In the wake of Bonaparte's Egyptian Campaign, artists of the nineteenth century became fascinated by the Orient and, most particularly, the harems which were so remote from western culture. These places rapidly provided a pretext for drawing the languid bodies of beautiful naked women, whose depiction in any other context would have been frowned upon. This assembly of numerous works by Orientalist painters constitutes a sublime testimony to an imagined fantasy Orient, located between eroticism and sensuality. Plentiful nudity. Konemann, 2020. Mature Readers....More. Item Code: HAREM Soft Cover, 8x10, 280pg, Full Color $15.95 |
| This examines the popular Orientalist painters. Most previous collections were far more expensive but this is a bargain for so much material. And the many nudes don't hurt sales either. |
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27. ILLUSTRATORS QUARTERLY SPECIAL #14 Edgar Rice Burroughs Recommended. This special issue showcases some of the greatest art ever to grace the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs, published from around the world in comics, books, magazines, posters and films. Tarzan springs out of the page, featuring an interview by Bill Stout with the amazing Joe Jusko as Joe shares some of the most spectacular Tarzan art ever seen and reveals how and why these paintings came about. Also John Watkiss and his inspirational art for Disney's 1993 animated classic Tarzan. Book Palace, 2021. Due: Feb. ...More. Item Code: IQS14 Soft Cover, 9x11, 128pg, Partial Color $38.99 |
| This hasn't even arrived here yet but still places. The IQ Specials are very well done and remain some of our most popular art books. And being from England, this has limited availbility in the U.S. And Edgar Rice Burroughs interest remains very high, spurred by all the new and redone editions from ERB Inc and others. |
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28. TROTS AND BONNIE Signed Signed bookplate! By Shary Flenniken. Introduction by Emily Flake. In the 1970s and 1980s, National Lampoon was home not only to some of the funniest humor writing in America but also to many of its best cartoons. One of the greatest was Trots and Bonnie by Shary Flenniken, a comic strip that followed the adventures and mishaps of the guileless teenager Bonnie and her wisecracking dog, Trots. New York Review Comics, 2021. Mature Readers....More. Item Code: TROTSHS Hard Cover, 9x11, 160pg, b&w $39.95 |
| A well-deserving break-out book. I loved this strip in the National Lampoon back in the underground comics days, and I have lots of company. |
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29. BARRY WINDSOR SMITH'S MONSTERS Highly Recommended. Monsters is the legendary project Barry Windsor-Smith has been working on for over 35 years. A 360-page tour de force of visual storytelling, Monsters' narrative canvas is vast and deep. The year is 1964. Close-mouthed, damaged, innocent, trying to forget a past and looking for a future, it turns out that Bobby Bailey is the perfect candidate for a secret U.S. government experimental program — an unholy genetics program discovered in Nazi Germany during World War II... Fantagraphics, 2021....More. Item Code: BARMH Hard Cover, 8x11, 366pg, Full Color |
| Barry's limited signed edition was not a small printing at 1200, but it still sold out almost overnight. This was the first limited edition from Barry in a very long time and it's an interesting, unsual story, too. Fortunately the regular edition remains available. |
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30. BASIL GOGOS MONSTER 2022 Calendar Almost Gone! Oblong 11 x 8.5 inches. Deluxe calendar for 2022 featuring wonderful monsters by Basil Gogos and classic horror dates!!! These include several of his most famous Famous Monsters of Filmland covers plus some surprises. Includes his visions of Universal's Wolfman, Dr. Jekyll, Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, The Mummy, Phantom of the Opera, Dracula, Creature from the Black Lagoon and more. Bonus: original release dates for all the early monster films and actor's birth dates in each month. Okay, truth be told, with a black background this will only work for your notes if you have a special white or silver ink pen! Fantaco, 2021....More. Item Code: BG22 na, 11x8, 24pg, Full Color $17.95 |
| We received this a bit late in the season and still have copies as I write this. Done by the same publisher as the Gogos books, so distribution was very limited. |
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31. THE ART OF BRIAN BOLLAND Closeout Price! Highly Recommended. Often referred to as the "artist's artist," Brian Bolland has produced some of the most memorable and inspiring illustrations—primarily cover art—ever. This handsome volume is a retrospective of this astonishing artist's career and a look at the man himself. It begins with his rarely-seen British series, including Judge Dredd and Tank Girl, but quickly moves into iconic U.S. work on 63 covers for Animal Man, the legendary Camelot 3000, Wonder Woman, The Invisibles, Batman: Killing Joke. Every cover he's done is powerful, a knockout, minutely detailed. Image, 2006. Out of print....More. Item Code: ARTBBH Hard Cover - No Dustjacket, 9x12, 176 pg., Partial Color |
| We got a great buy on this direct from IDW, they were overstocked and had to get copies out of Diamond's warehouse. We laid in plenty because it's a great book at a very low price. |
| 32. WARREN TUFTS' COMPLETE LANCE 1955-1960 SOLD OUT |
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33. CINDERELLA BLOODY XMAS ANNUAL 2020 Jay Anacleto Cover Almost Gone! By Dave Franchini. Art by Manuel Preitano et al. Cover art by Jay Anacleto. Have you missed her? Cinderella is back and is making a list and, uh, planning to kill everyone on it twice? This post-holiday season, don't miss the return of the Grimm Universe's most insane...er, societally different resident, as she takes on Krampus in the north pole, oh, and holiday cheer...somehow. Don't eat the red snow this Winter! Seven artists all contribute to this massive 64-page story. One even offers a Peanuts spoof with a giant, killer Snoopy, and there's some tongue-in-cheek going on elsewhere, too. But we also have serious horror adventure, as our scantily-clad heroine dices and slices. Love this Variant Cover C by Anacleto! Zenescope. 2020. Out of print....More. Item Code: CIND2020 Comic, 7x10, 64pg, Full Color $7.99 |
| This just sold out in January. Jay Anacleto does superb work and I wish we'd see more of him. |
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34. MOEBIUS ALLA RICERCA DEL TEMPO Over 330 reproductions. Highly Recommended. This impressive new exhibition book features an all-new look at the master of French comics and fantasy art. Packed with reproductions from original artwork and paintings, and essays on the themes of time and archeology. Based on an exhibit at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN) in 2021. If you don't have the Italian catalogs Moebius: Visioni di Fine Millennio (1997) or Infinito (1998), then there are even more works you will have never seen before. Text in Italian and French. Moebius Production/Comicon Edizioni, 2021. ...More. Item Code: MOEBLH Hard Cover, 10x13, 176pg, Partial Color $90.00 |
| This came out late in the year and has a high cover price, but it's the first major new look at Moebius in some time. Beautiful book. |
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35. THE ART OF REGINALD HEADE Special Edition Almost Gone! Import from England. Our Highest Recommendation. By Stephen James Walker. This deluxe special edition of the acclaimed The Art of Reginald Heade is extensively revised and greatly expanded with almost double the page-count. It features over 400 additional, ultra-rare Heade artwork images, and presents many others in larger size than before. Reginald Heade is renowned among vintage paperback fans and collectors as the pre-eminent British pulp fiction and good girl/bad girl cover artist of the 1940s and 1950s. His beautifully-rendered, erotically-charged depictions of a parade of sexy, scantily-clad young virgins and vixens — the so-called "Heade Women", are near-legendary among lovers of classic pin-up art. Telos, 2020. Out of print....More. Item Code: ARTRH01H Hard Cover, 9x11, 320pg, Full Color $75.00 |
| One of the most collectible of all the cover artists on paperbacks. But being from England, he's not as well known in the U.S. as he could be. But this and a second book, plus the new Hank Janson: Under Cover is rectifying that. |
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36. USE MUSIC TO KILL PHIL HALE Signed Signed bookplate! Oversized Deluxe Edition. Two hundred paintings, photographs, drawings and collages in Phil's distinctive style, from a career that has spanned fine art, portraiture, illustration, fashion photography & nudes, film and music. Paintings — from Phil's solo shows in London, Tokyo and New York. Drawings — including new robot designs for Johnny Badhair gaming project. Donald M. Grant, 2020....More. Item Code: USEMHS Hard Cover, 11x11, 272pg, Partial Color $59.99 |
| Publisher Donald Grant has always been known for fine art books that sometimes push the envelope, and this is one. I'm pleased it's done so well. Again, probably limited distribution. |
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37. JOHN SEVERIN TWO-FISTED COMIC BOOK ARTIST Signed Our Highest Recommendation. Exclusive full color, double-sided bookplate signed by authors Greg Biga and Jon B. Cooke. A spirited biography of one of the most prolific creators in the history of American comics! From a start in 1947 at the Simon & Kirby shop, John Severin co-created the legendary Western strip American Eagle, and became an EC Comics mainstay, working with Harvey Kurtzman on MAD and Two-Fisted Tales. In addition to a 40 year association with Cracked magazine, his pivotal Marvel Comics work included an extended run on The Hulk, and teaming with sister Marie Severin to create the definitive comics version of King Kull. TwoMorrows, 2021. Due: Feb....More. Item Code: JOHSEH Hard Cover, 8x11, 160pg, Full Color $39.95 |
| This was the cover feature on a catalog and we did one of my all-time favorite bookplates to go with it. But...Twomorrows rejected the first printing and it had to go back to press—overseas—so we're still waiting for our shipment. It's ended up quite late. |
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38. HEAVY METAL MAGAZINE #300 Iannciello Cover Recommended. Cover art by Claudia Iannciello. A new era begins with a celebration of 300 incredible issues. Classic and new comic book creators from all over the world join the magazine to celebrate its 300th! Moebius with a short piece published in English for the first time as well as an interview, never released. Richard Corben, Liberatore, Vaughn Bode, Stephanie Phillips, Justin Jordan, Blake Northcott, et al Heavy Metal, 2020. Mature readers....More. Item Code: HM300 Magazine, 8x11, 144pg, Full Color $9.99 |
| Sold out. We are still being told they plan to reprint this, but I am not holding my breath. HM has had issues over the past couple years, but they did manage to get back on schedule in 2021. Click here to see all our available issues. |
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39. THE EC ARCHIVES Shock Illustrated Collects #1-4 plus scripts for #5. Our Highest Recommendation. Written by Daniel Keyes, Al Feldstein, and Robert Bernstein. Enjoy the complete run of Shock Illustrated, an innovative "Picto-Fiction" magazine containing illustrated prose stories of wife swapping, drugs, prostitution, thrill killers, and more of society's dark underbelly — written by Daniel Keyes (Flowers for Algernon), and drawn by Jack Kamen, Reed Crandall, Graham Ingels, Angelo Torres, George Evans and Al Williamson! Painted covers. Includes the rare 3rd issue, only 100 ever distributed, plus the never-published lost fourth issue, with pencils from Frank Frazetta! And...scripts for issue 5! Dark Horse, 2021....More. Item Code: ECASHH Hard Cover, 8x11, 248pg, b&w |
| These Picto-Fiction issues are a personal favorite of mine; I loved the freedom the EC artists had to really do their best work in a larger format and without bad color printing muddying it up, as was the case with many of the vintage EC comics. Plus each one has material that never made it into print when these Picto titles all were abruptly cancelled. |
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40. STERANKO The Self-Created Man Highly Recommended. By James Romberger. Art by Jim Steranko. James Romberger's long-awaited examination of the comics and film work of Jim Steranko, America's first comic book auteur. It is presented in three parts — a biographical overview; a comprehensive interview with Steranko that articulates 144 graphic and narrative innovations found in his comics from 1966-1984; and a critical analysis of his film conceptualizations for Alain Resnais, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola. Romberger's unique perspective offers an insightful and readable commentary about one of the most enigmatic and influential creators of our time. Ground Zero Books, 2018....More. Item Code: STERSE Soft Cover, 6x9, 162pg, Text/Partial Color $24.00 |
| An fine tribute from a very small publisher, again, probably saw very limited distribution. And it was unavailable for some time before he did a second printing. Steranko remains one of our most highly desired vintage artists. |
| 41. JIM SILKE'S BETTIE PAGE QUEEN OF THE NILE SOLD OUT |
| This new edition of a Bettie Page classic is a lot of fun and beautifully drawn by Silke, who was influenced by both Frazetta and Dave Stevens, but is a fine artist and designer himself. Jim designed and contributed to Bettie Page: Queen of Hearts, which I co-published with Dark Horse in 1995. It's currently out of print. |
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42. VAMPIRELLA & RED SONJA Special Set By Tom Sniegoski, Bill Willingham, Ramos and Cararo. Cover by Joe Linsner. Two Valentine's Day comic book specials: In a terrifying alternate reality, Dracula and Vampirella have wed and the world has been plunged into darkness. Humanity has become little more than cattle... and Red Sonja's greatest enemy becomes... her greatest admirer?!?! You thought Kulan Gath being evil was frightful, wait until you see him head-over-heels in loooove!!! Dynamite, 2021....More. Item Code: VAMRSP Comic, 7x10, 40pg ea, Full Color $9.99 |
| Our most popular comics set that we made up. We don't do many of these, but when a special project like this comes along, I can't resist supporting it. With Marvel and DC's new distribution systems, it's gotten very hard anymore to do these. I liked making sets of their replica editions. |
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43. EC COVERS Artist's Edition Our Highest Recommendation. This once-in-a-lifetime Artist's Edition collects the original art, in the same size as they were drawn, of more than 120 EC covers by EC's best. This gigantic (14 pounds) tome includes: Wally Wood, Harvey Kurtzman. Graham Ingles, Johnny Craig, Al Williamson, Frank Frazetta, Jack Davis, Al Feldstein, and more. That's 40% of EC's entire New Trend covers! Each has been shot from the original art, scanned in color, enabling the reader to see all the subtle little nuances that make original art unique. Blue pencil notations, zip-a-tone, whiteout, all of these and more are clearly visible. IDW, 2021. Rush Service and International shipping would require an additional charge....More. Item Code: ECCAEH Hard Cover, 15x22, 160pg, b&w $150.00 |
| The best-selling Artist's Edition we've seen in years. And long delayed, both from the start for some production reason, and then probably due to covid. So it took a couple years for this to come out but boy, was it worth the wait. Unbelievable to see the original covers with this kind of detail. It really IS like seeing the original art, having owned a couple of these covers myself. |
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44. THE FIRE OF THESEUS Recommended. From the original French Graphic Novel. By Jerry Frissen. Art by Francesco Trifogli, covers by Gerald Parel.Theseus, the great Hero of Athens—was a woman? What legend has retained is merely a web of lies, a fable to hide the truth. It's time Her story was told. When the former Queen of Athens is murdered by the king's soldiers, their illegitimate daughter is sold into slavery. She vows to slay those who put her there, including her father the king. And the famous Minotaur is part of this saga, too. Well drawn. Nudity, adult situations. Humanoids, 2020....More. Item Code: FIRETH Hard Cover, 8x10, 112pg, Full Color |
| Here's a surprise, one of the very few Graphic Novels to make this list. Produced in France. Excellent art and adult themes. |
| 45. THE PROVOCATIVE COLETTE SOLD OUT |
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46. OF DUST & BLOOD The Battle at Little Big Horn Closeout Price! Highly Recommended. By Jim Berry, art by Val Mayerik. This gripping graphic novel details the day of The Battle at The Little Big Horn. We see it through the eyes of a 7th Cavalry scout on one side of the battlefield, and a young Lakota warrior on the other side. Featuring appearances by Sitting Bull, Custer, and Crazy Horse, as well as generous portions of meticulously researched history on every page. The book's art and authenticity have been highly praised. NBM, 2018. Out of print....More. Item Code: OFDUSH Hard Cover, 9x12, 48pg, Full Color |
| An excellent, gritty look at the Indian's perspective on the Battle of Little Big Horn. We handled it when it came out in 2018, and when it hit a remainder/sale list, we brought in a bunch at the new lower price. |
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47. PRE-CODE CLASSICS WEIRD ADVENTURES THRILLERS Volume 1 Closeout Price! Collects Weird Adventures #1, 1951, and Weird Thrillers #1-5, 1951-1952. Highly Recommended. By Frank Giacola, Alex Toth, Murphy Anderson, Sy Barry et al. Sporting what must surely be one of the finest (albeit short) runs of painted covers, Ziff Davis's Weird Thrillers and the one-shot (numbered 10, go figure) Weird Adventures remain one of the field's most overlooked entries. Until now. Here also are Gene Colan, Bob Powell, George Tuska, Bill Everett and Joe Kubert! These issues are in a class by themselves, as well as being some great sci-fi, fantasy and horror. And, oh, the covers...each one is a gem. PS Artbooks, 2016. Out of print....More. Item Code: PCWAT01H Hard Cover, 7x10, 216pg, Full Color |
| One of the very few PS Artbooks that we still have available which went on sale a while back. We only have five copies left. |
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48. THE GIRL FROM HOLLYWOOD Centennial Edition In 1921, Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote a novel unlike any other in his entire catalog — a sordid tale of drug addiction, corruption, and murder set against the backdrop of Prohibition-era Hollywood. He believed it to be one of his finest works, written as it was from his own experience after he and his family moved to their Tarzana Ranch in Southern California and became exposed to both the allure and perils of nearby Tinseltown. Now, celebrate the hundredth anniversary of this timeless work in The Girl from Hollywood Centennial Edition, featuring a new foreword by Michael D. Sellers (author of John Carter and the Gods of Hollywood), a specially commissioned frontispiece by renowned artist Douglas Klauba, classic cover art by P. J. Monahan, and rare and never-before-seen bonus materials from the archives of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., in Tarzana, California. ERB Inc, 2021....More. Item Code: GIRLHO Soft Cover, 6x9, 340pg, Text/b&w $19.95 |
| Not an ERB title that has often been reprinted, it's been decades since we've seen any printing of this rare early work. I like the cover art and it's surprised us at how well it's done. Thank you, ERB Inc for bringing this back into print. |
| 49. PRE-CODE CLASSICS SPACE BUSTERS/SPACE PATROL SOLD OUT |
| 50. PRE-CODE CLASSICS LARS OF MARS/CRUSADER FROM MARS/EERIE ADVENTURES SOLD OUT |
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51. GIGER By HR Giger New printing. Bargain-priced. Recommended. Foreword by Timothy Leary. H.R. Giger (1940-2014) reigns as one of the leading exponents of fantastic art. This collects important work from throughout his life, from early pen and ink renderings to his final brightly colored pieces. It also features a lengthy section of his erotic art, none of which we can show here, being very explicit. Full biography and profusely illustrated, all at a bargain price. Taschen, 2021. Mature Readers. ...More. Item Code: GIGEH Hard Cover, 8x10, 96pg, Partial Color $15.00 |
| An expensive general look at Giger, from Taschen. |
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52. ILLUSTRATORS QUARTERLY SPECIAL #10 The Art of Sydney Jordan & Jim Holdaway Two art books in one, a massive 160 pages. Highly Recommended. At long last, a fitting tribute to two of the greatest British newspaper comic strip artists, Sydney Jordan, renowned for the fine Sci Fi strip Jeff Hawke, and Jim Holdaway, the definitive artist on Peter O'Donnell's iconic Modesty Blaise newspaper strip. And of course, both artists had long careers with much more to be talked about. Foreword by Brian Bolland, Jeff Hawke gallery, in-depth interview with Jordan, Modesty Blaise and Romeo Brown gallery from original art, and much more. Book Palace, 2021. ...More. Item Code: IQS10 Soft Cover, 9x11, 160pg, Partial Color $45.99 |
| More tie-in with Modesty Blaise (Holdaway) and Sydney Jordan is a much-beloved early sci-fi/adventure illustrator. Both are British. This is being reprinted, and we expect it in March or April. |
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53. THE ART OF PULP HORROR An Illustrated History Our Highest Recommendation. Edited by Stephen Jones. Foreword by Robert Silverberg. This remarkable companion to the award-winning The Art of Horror and The Art of Horror Movies, from the same creative team behind those acclaimed illustrated volumes, looks at the sexy, sleazy, and sensational subject matter in books, pulps, vintage magazines, comics & comic magazines, and movies, that has helped to shape modern horror. Profusely illustrated with more than 800 rare and unique images from around the world — including book and magazine covers, interior illustrations, movie posters, comic books, promotional items, tie-ins, and previously unpublished artwork commissioned especially for this book — this handsome volume charts the history of escapist horror and the individuals who created it. Applause, 2020. Condition: Copies have bumped corners and are worn on the edges and spine....More. Item Code: ARTPHH Hard Cover, 10x11, 256pg, Partial Color |
| This came out in late 2020 so the first sales didn't count, otherwise it'd be higher up. Excellent book, and since then, the Art of Pulp Fiction (paperbacks) appeared, and it's up top of this list. These "Art of Pulp" books are a fine series. |
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54. THE CALL OF CTHULHU Oversized hardcover with exquisite artwork. Our Highest Recommendation. By H. P. Lovecraft, art by François Baranger. Introduction by John Howe. The Call of Cthulhu was first published in Weird Tales in 1928 and it's an absolute classic, spawning countless spin-off stories and art right to the present day. Now, French artist François Baranger presents the ultimate illustrated version. The art is just amazing; his vision of the giant sea god Cthulhu is one of the best ever. A testament to the quality is that the hugely respected John Howe (Lord of the Rings) contributes a major essay on HPL and Baranger's interpretation. The complete story text is here, intermingled with full and double-page illustrations. Design Studio, 2019....More. Item Code: CALLCH Hard Cover, 11x14, 64, Full Color |
| With art by François Baranger, this was first published in France. Along with the matchng two-volume At The Mountains of Madness, also by Baranger, these represent a pinnacle of Lovecraft-inspired art. Beautiful, large format books with panoramic, epic-sized paintings. This came out in 2020 and yet it still placed here, having continued to sell and sell. |
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55. MANDY AND SKOOTS A BIOGRAPHICAL SCRAPBOOK Signed Signed. Highly Recommended. By Dean Yeagle. All new! Mandy just turned 22; she works at various jobs (dog-walking, life guard, waitress-on-skates, fish wrangler at the aquarium) while studying oboe, environmental science, French poetry, Victorian novels and, while naturally shy, volunteering as a life-class model (for Art's sake) at the art school where she also takes classes. They have, to date, not asked her for a single tuition payment. The lovely and very often unclothed young lady created by Playboy Magazine cartoonist Dean Yeagle. And our bestselling "convention sketchbook" each year. Caged Beagle, 2019. Mature Readers....More. Item Code: MANSKS Soft Cover, 8x11, 48 pg., Partial Color $20.00 |
| Here’s more Mandy collections by Dean Yeagle. |
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56. GRIMM TALES OF TERROR QUARTERLY 2020 Halloween Special Igor Vitorino Cover By Joe Brusha et al. Art by Dario Tallerico, Oliver Borges, Novo Malgapo et al. In a new Quarterly format, with 72 pages of "pulse-pounding horror," join Keres, the goddess of death as she brings her own brand of punishment and justice to those unlucky enough to be worthy of her wrath! A modern day werewolf story, with demonic characters Amon (who looks like Satan) and Samadi. A book-length three part story, with additional "Tarot Card Chapter Breaks" drawn by Shelton Goh, with colors by Ivan Nunes. Variant cover A, art by Igor Vitorino and Ivan Nunes. Minor nudity. Zenescope. 2020....More. Item Code: GRIMTQ20 Comic, 7x10, 72pg, Full Color $8.99 |
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57. PETE VON SHOLLY'S LOVECRAFT ILLUSTRATED Signed Signed bookplate! Highly Recommended. A visual chronology of ALL 62 of Lovecraft's stories and novellas — over 325 color illustrations detail scenes from each of his stories. With over 200 full color, landscape-oriented pages, the illustrations are presented in the order the stories were written with copious quotes and commentary for each. Von Sholly is a writer, artist, director, and producer: his storyboard work for TV shows and movies includes Darkman, The Mask, James and the Giant Peach, Mars Attacks!, Scooby Doo, The Real Ghostbusters, The Bride of Chucky, The Mist, and dozens more. Clover Press, 2020....More. Item Code: PETLIHS Soft Cover, 11x8, 208pg, Full Color $29.99 |
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58. ILLUSTRATORS QUARTERLY SPECIAL #9 Crime Comics Special |
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59. ILLUSTRATORS QUARTERLY SPECIAL #15 Warren The US Artists Highly Recommended. This explores and showcases the art of Warren Magazines' US Artists, the iconic series of horror comics published by James Warren and featuring many big-name American artists, including Ken Kelly, Richard Corben, Bernie Wrightson, Neal Adams, Steve Ditko, Alex Toth, Kenneth Smith, Frank Frazetta, Wallace Wood, John Severin, Reed Crandall, Carmine Infantino and Louise Simonson. Book Palace, 2022. Due: Feb. ...More. Item Code: IQS15 Soft Cover, 9x11, 144pgs, Partial Color $38.99 |
News & Notes |
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We did get a handful of new items this week but we'll officially list them next week here. In the meantime, you will find these on our home page as New Arrivals. |
New Hurt Books Our man Harry here has added a mess of new Imperfect Books to our offerings. The Leg, Frank Thorne, Women of Hammer, Cho's Jungle Girl Omnibus, Knights of Heliopolis, Red Sonja, Conan, various Omnibus volumes… See the latest on our home page under Closeouts or just click here. We rarely have more than 3 or 4 available, sometimes just two. Once they sell out, they will disappear off our website. Occasionally we list these in this weekly email, but some sell out before that happens. |
At the Earth's Core: Letterpress Edition Following up on the sold-out Artist Editions of A Princess of Mars and Tarzan of the Apes, the next in this amazing series will be ready in March or April. It's being printed Letter Press, just the way the original editions were done. You can feel the impression of the type and pictures on each page! Publisher Jim Gerlach has included dozens upon dozens of b&w illustrations in the text itself, wonderfully adding to the story…pen and ink work by Frank Frazetta, Bill Stout, John Coleman Burroughs and others. We have just added several of these pages to our scans of this on our website. If you have one of the previous books and would like a matching number, let us know asap. We're not sure if we will be bringing in quite the same number of copies as Tarzan of the Apes, which sold out very quickly. If you don't get your number (or even a copy) reserved, you could miss out, we can't hold them for you after the publication date. I don't know how fast this will sell out; Tarzan took me totally by surprise. And I have to admit, each volume is more beautifully done than the last one. Of course, this will also be filled with color plates too. It will contain over 90 plates and illustrations, including new work by Bill Stout and Jaime Chase. Sanjulian and Bob Eggleton are painting new images; one will become the new jacket, the other the new endpapers. Jim hasn't decided which one to use yet! To get your number reserved, contact LaDonna, Ladonna@budsartbooks.com. |
Taschen XXL: The Art of Frank Frazetta This is currently in production…a new definitive edition covers Frank's entire career, including a close examination of his early comics and pen & ink illustration. Editor Dian Hanson asked me to proof the captions, which are highly detailed about each illustration used. I feel privileged to be working on this and although I know they can't use everything I've added, it's nice to know some of my decades of collecting and enjoying Frank's work may make it into the book. We'll officially announce it when the publication date is firmed up. Taschen's XXL books are the massive $200 editions that include The History of EC, Masterpieces of Fantasy Art, Marvel Comics Library: Spider Man, The Star Wars Archives (2), The James Bond Archives, The Stan Lee Story, George Herriman: The Complete Krazy Kat in Color, and others. Typically these will sell out over a year or two, and a year or two or three later, may appear in a smaller format at $80, although there is no guarantee of that. The recent Art of Pin-Up is an example of this; the XXL edition is gone and it's now available in a large format, but smaller than the XXL [ARTOPH. $80, $70]. |
54th California International Antiquarian Book Fair Bud Plant and Hutchison Books, our "sister" business, will have a booth at this show Feb 11-13. Click on this link for full details. This will be our first opportunity to exhibit the wonderful books from the Richard Dix collection. Richard collected illustrated, children's and art books, and comics related material since the early 1970s and was a good friend and customer all that time. Anne and I have never handled a more impressive, wide-ranging and better condition collection. This is your chance to see the best we have from it. Contact her right away if you will be attending, in case she has any free passes left. There is also a free virtual version of this big show. It opens Feb 12 at 9am (PST). We will have sixty books pictured and described there also. After the show opens at 9am, go to Exhibitors and click on our name under Exhibitors M-S to find us. We are bringing up new books every week on Anne's new website, just created late last year. Anne also sends out occasional email lists; sign up with her. Questions? Call 530-273-9762 or email info@budplantandhutchisonbooks.com. ~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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Website IndexSee our website for thousands of books of the Unusual and Hard-to-Find ~ Hundreds on Sale! |
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