2024 Releases
Here's everything Top Shelf has planned for 2024 (subject to change) listed in order of release -- with a few highlights from 2023 as well! Do yourself a favor this year and try some things that you're not that familiar with. You won't be disappointed.
And click on the links for a quick look at the entire publishing schedule; our mature-reader perennials, and our all-ages perennials.
December 2023
Funny Things: A Comic Strip Biography of Charles M. Schulz
Nominated for the 2024 Ringo Award for Best Non-Fiction Comic Work!
“The human being — self-doubting, proud, committed and sometimes dark — who forged one of the most significant artistic creations of the 20th century comes through in these pages. By using the visual language of the …
Transitions: A Mother’s Journey
Translated by Evan McGorray.
“Tackling a potentially controversial subject with intelligence and sympathy, Élodie Durand creates an informative, original, and deeply healing work.” —BDGest
“Through the character of Anne and the conflicted relationship between mother and …
![The Second Fake Death of Eddie Campbell & The Fate of the Artist [FLIP HARDCOVER]](/catalog/covers/second-fake-death-front-cover.jpg)
The Second Fake Death of Eddie Campbell & The Fate of the Artist [FLIP HARDCOVER]
“Through a collage of early 1900s–style illustrations, blunt political cartoons, subtle slice-of-life moments, gallows humor, and a surreal crime story, Campbell wrestles with his own existential crisis as he attempts to uncover the truth behind his apparent doppelgänger. It’s an indelible …
Cosmoknights (Book Two)
Nominated for the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Graphic Novel!
"I was absolutely obsessed with the first volume and this second one took my breath away. The space gays are still rescuing princesses and fighting the patriarchy, but the characters grow so much in this volume. Their …
But You Have Friends
One of NYPL's Best Comics of 2023!
“A tender graphic memoir about the loss of a close friend... thoughtful, loving, and honest.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“A scrapbook of vignettes, some brief and lighthearted, others longer and emotionally wrenching, that …
Lisa Cheese and Ghost Guitar (Book 1): Attack of the Snack
Winner of the 2024 MoCCA Arts Festival Award of Excellence!
“Combining a vintage comics aesthetic with vibrant, saturated colors... this fun and chaotic comic evokes underground punk zines through its blend of anger, heart, and anti-corporate themes. Lisa’s self-doubt and journey to find her …
The Unpetables (Book 1)
"Hog wild hilarity." —Kirkus Reviews
"Pigmund and Lizárdo are flippin' awesome! They may be unpetable, but they're also UNSTOPPABLE! Bring on the next adventure!" — Rob Harrell, author of Wink, Batpig, Life of Zarf, and Monster on the Hill
“Take a wild ride with Dennis Messner’s The …
Shelley Frankenstein! (Book One): CowPiggy
"Readers will enjoy watching Shelley in her destructive mode, but they will also enjoy seeing her evolve into a girl who learns important lessons about whether getting scared is really fun. The cute and colorful artwork is simply charming, with plenty of visual humor that will keep kids (and …
Rose Wolves (Book 1)
A Finalist for the Excellence in Graphic Literature Award!
“Warner’s sketchy illustrations, rendered using varying red hues, eloquently convey a story of love, friendship, and acceptance that is heartwarming and sweet.” — Publishers Weekly
“Cute without being …
Johnny Boo (Book 14): Johnny Boo is Bored! Bored! Bored!
"Johnny Boo is still as sharp and adorable as ever, and this stand-alone story makes for a great jumping on point to the series at large. Kochalka has a Mo Willems–like ability to take a limited number of sight words and make them into a genuinely funny book. — School Library Journal
Even …
January 2024
You Wish (Book 1)
“A whimsical new twist on the genie legend! This book is gorgeous!” —Jeff Smith, creator of Bone
“Magical, charming, gorgeous, funny and heartfelt! Jeff Victor’s You Wish is the kind of graphic novel I wholeheartedly wish I had growing up. Aside from the glorious art, get …
In Utero
Akira meets Aliens, and Annihilation meets Evangelion, in this coming-of-age monster tale from award-winning graphic novelist Chris Gooch.
Twelve years after a disastrous explosion, young Hailey is dropped off by her mum at a holiday camp in a dilapidated shopping mall. Alienated from the other …
February 2024
Mary Tyler MooreHawk
Jonny Quest meets Infinite Jest! This mind-bending book—half graphic novel, half postmodern mystery, and 25% footnotes—is a thrilling tribute to the ways we build meaning out of disposable pop culture.
WHO IS MARY TYLER MOOREHAWK? How did she save the world from a dimension-hopping …
March (Trilogy Slipcase Set)
by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
Winner of the National Book Award
"March can help a new generation understand that the arc of the moral universe doesn't just bend toward justice; humans must struggle to bend it. To read Lewis's graphic memoir... is to be reminded that what so many have taken for granted in American life today …
March: Book One
by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
Discover the phenomenal graphic novel memoir by US Congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis!
Winner of the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award — Special Recognition
A #1 New York Times Bestseller
A #1 Washington Post Bestseller
A Coretta Scott King Honor Book
An ALA Notable Book
One of YALSA's …
March: Book Two
by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
Don't miss the sequel to the #1 bestseller March: Book One!
New York Times Bestseller
One of YALSA's Great Graphic Novels for Teens
Winner of the Will Eisner Award
Winner of the Street Literature Book Award Medal
Winner of the Denver Independent Comic & Art Expo Award
"With March, …
March: Book Three
by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
Top Shelf is honored to present a milestone of comics history: the stunning conclusion to the award-winning and best-selling MARCH trilogy.
A #1 New York Times Bestseller
Winner of the National Book Award for Young People's Literature
Winner of the Coretta Scott King Book Award
Winner of the …
They Called Us Enemy
by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, and Harmony Becker
A New York Times Bestseller!
An ALA Notable Children's Book for Older Readers!
Winner of the Will Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work!
Winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Young Adult Literature!
Winner of the American Book Award!
Winner of the National Cartoonists Society …
April 2024
In Perpetuity
"The Hoey siblings (The Bend of Luck) twist pulp fiction into Lynchian strangeness in this savvy noir thriller set in the land of the dead. " - Publishers Weekly
"The muted tragedy, the gray melancholy of the A.L. and the still, silent wonder of the living world, the indescribable yet palpable …
May 2024
Korgi: The Complete Tale
The beloved wordless fantasy graphic novel is now collected in a single epic volume! Fall in love with the wondrous world of Korgi Hollow, packed with thrills, laughs, and exquisitely illustrated animal magic.
“An utterly charming fantasy world... Korgi is as intricately illustrated, rich, and …
June 2024
Wolfpitch
“An exuberant howl of a graphic novel, its swirling musical color celebrating the power of transformations, second chances, and the joyful noise of finding your people.” —Shannon Watters, co-creator of Lumberjanes
“Electric chemistry and leap-off-the-page …
July 2024
Deja Ross Speaks to Freaks
Who's brave enough to make friends with a monster? Deja discovers the hidden world of America’s mythical creatures in this lovable and exciting graphic novel!
Deja Ross is a seventh-grade cryptozoologist. That means she loves monsters… and hopes to someday prove they're real!
On a long …
Belzebubs (Vol 2): No Rest for the Wicked
Hail Satan and help with your kid’s math homework! It’s the return of everyone’s favorite demon-summoning family next door, the cartoon black-metal band Belzebubs!
Sløth is juggling his stay-at-home dad obligations with his lifelong dream of being a black metal icon. His breadwinner wife, …
August 2024
Jimmy’s Elbow
“Notably surreal... Readers primed for nothing but laffs may be in for a surprise, as the author folds quick takes on ‘silly’ vs. ‘serious’—not to mention life, death, spiritual apotheosis, and what it means to be ‘made in America’—into the manic proceedings. [Jimmy’s Elbow] …
Space Junk
“An accumulation of fiery indignities and small moments of beauty brings the dreamlike narrative to an explosive climax and a conclusion that’s both optimistic and satisfying... This lush allegory of defiance and growing up resembles a sci-fi version of Daniel Clowes’s Ghost World.” …
September 2024
Undergrowth
by Ricky Lima and Daniele Aquilani
After Red and her friends are killed by invaders from beyond, they’re revived inside massive organic battle-mechs. Time to take their planet back! It's a truly epic graphic novel about global crisis, mental health, and giant robots.
The world is being ravaged by four terrifying robotic …
October 2024
The Moon and Serpent Bumper Book of Magic
by Alan Moore & Steve Moore with various artists
★ "The authors make a compelling case for the importance of mysticism and magical thinking for the development of human consciousness and civilization in this marvelously entertaining, stunningly illustrated and designed masterwork." - Library Journal (Starred Review)
"As a guidebook to …
November 2024
The Unpetables (Book 2): Unpetable in the City
“You'll laugh! You'll gasp! You'll shriek! And then you'll laugh some more!” — Suzanne Lang (Grumpy Monkey)
“Strap in for an anarchic joyride with Pigmund and Lizárdo, two rule-breaking rebels with a cause: TO NEVER BE PET AGAIN!” — Janet Ginsburg
Out of the petting zoo and into …
December 2024
Surfside Girls (Book 4): The Clue in the Reef
Praise for the Surfside Girls series:
“Fantastic... Best friends Samantha and Jade are really likable, and their friendship and perseverance are a highlight... An incredibly fun story from beginning to end.” —To Be Continued
“The artwork by Kim …
January 2025
Dreamover
★ “Uncommonly immersive... a breathtakingly drawn debut weaving together humor, sweetness, angst, and a bit of magic.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
★ “The effervescence, intoxication, and all-encompassing magic feeling of being totally immersed in one’s first romantic …
February 2025
Shadowplay (Book 1): Midnight School
"Shadowplay is a raging fever dream that burrows down into the fears that haunt all of us. Sam Fonseca hits the ground running and never lets up." — Patrick Horvath (Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees)
"As surreal as it is nightmarish. A definite must-read for fans of things that go bump in …
March 2025
Shred or Dead
Can skateboarding save the world?! Level up from total noob to cosmic hero in this totally epic graphic novel that will kickflip your brain.
Sam and her little sister Gearhead just wanted a crew to belong to. But when the Too Cool Crew takes over their skating territory, this motley bunch of …
April 2025
The Well
“The Well has it all: the malaise of being an aimless young adult, the euphoria of new experiences, and the horror that your employers are committing crimes beyond your comprehension. This is cinema between two covers.” — Alex Krokus (Loud & Smart)
Cute characters, quarter-life crises, …
Low Orbit
An atmospheric and profound coming-of-age graphic novel about a Malaysian-American teen carving out her own identity in the uneasy space between friends and family.
Fifteen-year-old Azar feels stuck. Her mom's job forced them to move to Vermont, where Azar doesn't know anyone. Her only friends …
May 2025
Love Languages
"Opening with a painfully awkward multilingual friendship, this delightful graphic novel soon made me laugh out loud and even brought me to tears. A masterfully painted celebration of languages and love!” — Rumi Hara, author of Nori and The Peanutbutter Sisters
“James Albon’s decadent …
June 2025
You Wish (Book 2): Wishborn
Return to the magic lamp! New friends, foes, and family secrets await you as this captivating graphic novel series continues.
Avery's wish has been granted -- her family has been reunited, but she's about to discover her troubles are just beginning. A menacing new creature called the Shadow …
It Rhymes With Takei
by George Takei, Harmony Becker, Steven Scott, Justin Eisinger, and José Villarrubia
Following the award-winning bestseller They Called Us Enemy, George Takei’s new full-color graphic memoir reveals his most personal story of all—told in full for the first time anywhere!
George Takei has shown the world many faces: actor, author, outspoken activist, helmsman of the starship …
July 2025
Karmopolis (Book 1): The Land of Cars
Welcome to a world on wheels! It’s nonstop excitement in this nutty graphic novel starring two kids in a fast-paced future.
Karmopolis is a world made up of super-highways and super-vehicles! Drivers zip from their wheeled houses to the moving super-mall without ever touching the ground, while …
August 2025
The Land of Unfinished Dreams
Once upon a time, there was a brave hero named…Grandpa?! What’s he doing in this story?
Ned is a retired literature teacher without much excitement in his life, but when his grandkids come to visit, he loves to tell them bedtime stories. Every evening, the clumsy knight tries to save the …
Ionheart
This head-spinning, time-bending graphic novel is a nuclear fusion of fantasy and science fiction whose every page glows with an eerie light. Will you survive the blast?
Pursued by a terrifying demon, a young knight flees across the radioactive ruins of a fairytale land. His only weapon is the …
September 2025
Spoops: The Little Spirits of Halloween
Discover the whimsical magic behind Halloween in this timeless new illustrated fable for the whole family!
Who changes the leaves? Summons the autumn winds? Wakes ghosts and spirits to haunt houses and chill the air? Why, Spoops, of course! They hatch from the smallest gourds in your local …
More Weight: A Salem Story
“Every word is an accusation… and every whisper kills.” This staggering graphic novel explores the infamous Salem witch trials and the long shadows they cast more than 300 years later.
1692 is a year of terror. In Salem, Massachusetts, Giles and Martha Corey are forced to confront their …
Psychic Investigators, Evil Exterminators
If there’s something strange in your middle school… call these kids! High energy and huge emotions combine in this thrilling and fast-paced graphic novel about searching for ghosts and making connections!
Gabriel Navarro can see ghosts. At least, that’s what he’s always believed, until …
October 2025
Order of the Night Jay (Book 2): The River Rises
Return to the wilderness with nervous bear Frank and excitable raccoon Ricky as they dive deeper into the long-lost (and supernatural) secrets of Camp Jay Bird!
Frank is in big trouble. Sure, meeting Ricky made Camp Jay Bird less lonely… but they broke camp rules and made enemies of all the …
Bridge Planet Nine
A heist gone wrong. In this gritty, intimate sci-fi graphic novel, four down-and-out thieves touch down on an abandoned colony planet for an easy heist… until the masks come off.
Bridge Planet Nine, once a thriving outpost, is now deserted. Corporations have claimed what’s left of its …
November 2025
Where There's Smoke, There's Dinner
Bursting with color, flavor, and messy emotions, this unprecedented graphic memoir and “anti-cookbook” blends comics with satirical recipes to explore the intersections of food, femininity, frustration, and family.
Jennifer Hayden has never liked to cook. She’s not particularly good at it, …
F.A.R.M. System (Book 2): Rage
When super powers aren’t enough… some heroes look for a boost to give them the competitive edge. Award-winning graphic novelist Rich Koslowski continues his striking work of superhero satire!
Rich Koslowski’s original F.A.R.M. System graphic novel pulled back the curtain on the superhero …
December 2025
Rose Wolves (Book 2): Out of the Blue
Kids and families who love the beauty of the woods will adore this minimalist graphic novel sequel, spinning a new enthralling fable about family, disability, transformation, and the passage of time.
In the first volume of Rose Wolves, a young girl made a wondrous connection with a magical …
Cosmic Cadets (Book 2): Accused!
by Ben Crane & Andy Alves
There’s been a brazen theft, and all signs point to the Cadets’ guilt! Blast off to a colorful adventure full of mystery and intrigue!
While the crew of the ESS Khonsu is negotiating a treaty with the reclusive residents of an important nebula, someone attacks their hosts and makes off with …
January 2026
Pig Wife
“Pig Wife is beautifully disturbing. It’s charming, terrifying, weird, and visually stunning. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a horror story.” -- Will Carsola, co-creator of Adult Swim’s Mr. Pickles
Accidentally trapped in an underground bunker, a teen girl must navigate the …
