168-page full-color 11.75" x 9.25" softcover • $35.00 ISBN: 978-1-60699-617-1
Ships in: April 2013 (subject to change) — Pre-Order Now
On the long road to becoming an Oscar-winning animation director, Gene Deitch became an intense jazz fan. At the age of 21, he discovered The Record Changer magazine, a jazz collector's magazine filled with fanatical, scholarly, and purist essays about jazz as well as listings of hard-to-find jazz albums. Every jazz swinger in the '40s was called a cat (as in "cool cat"), so Gene Deitch created a cartoon feature for Record Changer titled "The Cat," which quickly became a fixture of the magazine. He also started drawing the covers, which graced almost every issue from 1945 to 1951 along with "The Cat." Deitch's stylistically virtuoso images exquisitely embodied the essence of jazz and became a visual paean to the joy of collecting and appreciating jazz.
Fantagraphics Books is proud to collect all of Deitch's Record Changer covers and "Cat" cartoons in one coffee-table, landscape-format art book, reproducing his covers in the same gorgeous colors in which they first appeared as well as the black-and-white Cat cartoons, with commentary and reminiscences by Deitch himself. Originally published in 2003 in hardcover and out of print for years, this redesigned, first-ever paperback edition will delight a new generation of fans.
"This oversized volume... is a hipster's delight nonpareil." – Booklist
"Anyone hoping for a contact high from the manic crazy-man pulse of the '40s hipster should look no further than here. To momentarily slip into the vernacular, this really is a bitch. Five stars." – MOJO
"Deitch achieves what only the greatest cartoonist can — a deep spiritual resonance with minimal representation. The Deitch covers are thrilling for their quiet beauty. [...] This is a terrific rediscovery of a forgotten giant of a small world." – New York Press
"This book is a must for any collector of vinyl, shellac and even wax. Four stars (and a thousand laughs) for this volume." – Anything Phonographic
"Excellently reproduced volume. [...] Hard to think of a better present." – Jazzwise
If you didn't get a chance to watch our slideshow of photos of Castle Waiting Vol. 2: Definitive Edition by Linda Medley, here's a sampling of images — click them for bigger versions to see the art in all of its glorious detail. And dig that classy bound-in ribbon bookmark! We're expecting the book to be available next month; hopefully this is the next best thing to flipping through a copy yourself.
Whoa! Did you see that? Click here to see it again if you missed it!
We're pleased to unveil the final cover art for the eagerly anticipated Hernandez Bros. art book Love and Rockets: The Covers, off to the printer now! The black art on the cover will be printed on a transparent acetate overlay. Devilishly clever designer Jacob Covey explains: "It's essentially identical to how these old covers were proofed — with a hand-colored background and a black line art overlay. The case will be printed with a reproduction of the color art from a 1994 proof we had at the office. Only with the jacket in place will the art and title appear. Cool? Cool." Cool!
The book will include the front and back cover art by Gilbert, Jaime and Mario (without logos, prices or other distractions) from all 50 issues of the original series and the 15 original trade collections, plus some scans of original art and other surprises, all meticulously restored from the best available source material (remember folks, this stuff predates digital) and faithfully recolored.
Fans have been clamoring for a book like this for years, and now it's finally almost here! Pre-order today!
With its long-awaited second volume, Linda Medley's witty and sublimely drawn fantasy eases into a relaxed comedy of manners as Lady Jain settles into her new life in Castle Waiting.
Unexpected visitors result in the discovery and exploration of a secret passageway, not to mention an epic bowling tournament. A quest for ladies' underpants, the identity of Pindar's father, the education of Simon, Rackham and Chess arguing about the "manly arts," and an escape-prone goat are just a few of the elements in this delightful new volume.
The book also includes many flashbacks that deepen the stories behind the characters, including Jain's earliest romantic entanglements and conflicts with her bratty older sisters, the horrific past of the enigmatic Dr. Fell, and more.
Originally released in a slightly shorter version when the series ceased publication, this new edition includes over 60 pages' worth of brand new additional story and epilogue, and the entire book has been re-lettered in a livelier, more inviting style for an even more engaging reading experience.
Wandering Son fans, we know you've been jumping up and down in anticipation of the new volume of Shimura Takako's bittersweet, beautifully told saga of two gender-questioning teens and their friends & family. Well, this is either wonderful news or agonizing torture for you: we got our advance copies of Volume 4, which means it should be on shelves in June (and available from us a bit sooner)!
As the kids get older and deeper into the throes of adolescence, the more complex their lives get and the deeper the drama gets! We've posted the entire first chapter for you to read for free, and you can pre-order your copy right here.
(You can also save some money and be guaranteed to receive the next 3 volumes as soon as they're available with our post-paid, 20%-discounted 3-volume subscription!)
Cathy Malkasian's debut graphic novel Percy Gloom netted her the Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award at the 2008 Eisner Awards. Now we're pleased to present the sequel, Wake Up, Percy Gloom! In it, our diminutive, bulb-headed hero seemingly pulls a Rip Van Winkle. Awakening in an unfamiliar land, he embarks on a quest to find his mother; fantastical happenings ensue. Whether you were beguiled by the first book or you're meeting Percy for the first time, you'll be sure to find his gorgeously-illustrated new adventure full of delight, wonder, humor and pathos. The book's at the printer for release later in Spring. We have a 17-page teaser for you, and you can pre-order a copy right here.
In keeping with a long-standing hip hop tradition, Ed Piskor has asked a bunch of his pals & peers to "guest" on his new book Hip Hop Family Tree (coming this Fall) by contributing pin-up pages. Traditional Comics maestro (and Gangsta Rap Posse creator) Benjamin Marra just posted up his tribute to Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.
Donald, the nephews, and Unca Scrooge are back for more laughs and adventures featuring cattle rustlers, jewel smugglers, deep sea diving, stampeding elephants, a rocket race, golf, and a g-g-g-ghost! Walt Disney's Donald Duck: The Old Castle's Secret is the 4th book (and Vol. 6 chronologically) of our Complete Carl Barks Disney Library series, and it's coming your way in June! Here's a peek at an advance copy.
If you've picked up other volumes in the series so far, you know why fans and critics have been raving about these books. Why, both The A.V. Club and Paste named the first book the best reissue/archival collection of 2011!
Read a 22-page excerpt from the title story, and pre-order your copy right here.
You'll be able to pick up your FREE copy of this special comic exclusively at participating comic shops on Saturday, May 4, 2013. Lots of shops have sales on FCBD so it'll be a great time to pick up available volumes in our Prince Valiant series!
Are you ready to get Groove-y? Our new, redesigned, remastered paperback edition of the great Gene Deitch's The Cat on a Hot Thin Groove is just a couple months away and we have advance copies in house to show off. Collecting Deitch's jazz illustrations and cartoons from The Record Changer magazine 1945-1951 in an oversized coffee table book, it's a jazz fiend's, vinyl collector's, midcentury illustration lover's, retro-phile's dream! Right now you can groove on an 18-page excerpt and pre-order a copy (at 30% off through March 18 as part of our Art & Illustration sale!) right here.
