Top Shelf Productions

We've had an incredible ride so far with Double Barrel, the digital comics series by the mighty Minneapolis duo Kevin Cannon & Zander Cannon (no relation). For seven issues, Double Barrel has been bringing you two Cannons every month, serializing their new graphic novels, Heck by Zander and Crater XV by Kevin (the sequel to Far Arden), together with dozens of pages of bonus stuff in each issue. It's not just two outstanding adventure comics by top-class cartoonists, it's a whole little community and a comics education wrapped up in one package.

After 6 of the projected 12 issues, both Heck and Crater XV had been through some wild plot twists and game-changing reveals, and the Cannon boys took a month off to catch their breath... before heading downhill for the final half. If you're ready to join them, issue #7 is available now!

And one more thing -- they're going DRM-free! Starting now, the versions of Double Barrel sold by Google Books and the Apple iBookstore have no copy restrictions, and we're offering direct downloads of PDF, ePub 3, and CBZ formats for sale direct from www.topshelfcomix.com. And not to worry, all other retailers (Comixology, Comics+ by iVerse, Amazon Kindle) will continue to offer Double Barrel just like always.

The latest issue is always $1.99, while back issues go to half price - just 99 cents each - making it super-easy for new readers to catch up. Hop in and let's roll!

With a complicated blend of sadness, excitement, and awe, we are proud to celebrate James Kochalka's stunning achievement in American Elf, the daily diary comic strip that changed lives, inspired careers, and brought a daily dose of human connection and Kochalka magic to countless readers around the world. After over 14 years, James has decided to bring American Elf to a close, and tonight he posted the final strip.

Here's how our new editions of American Elf describe the series:

It's a simple idea -- every day, James draws a comic strip capturing a moment from his life-- but gathered all together, these moments take on rich new meanings. Both silly and profound, American Elf is a portrait of human life lived to the fullest, infused with the trademark passion and magic of Vermont's Cartoonist Laureate.

Click [MORE] to read some of our favorite praise for the series.

Meanwhile, we’re continuing to work with James to roll out the remastered digital editions of American Elf with new covers, for Comixology, Apple iBooks, ComicsPlus by iVerse, etc. - the latest one is American Elf 2005.

Beyond that... we don't know where James is going next, but we can't wait to find out!

Collectors and superfans, get your wallets ready: the inimitable Kevin O'Neill has teamed up with Galerie Champaka in Brussels to offer for sale his original art pages from 2009, this year's epic conclusion to the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century trilogy, written by Alan Moore.

The virtual exhibition on the Galerie's web site includes all 72 interior story pages from this "glorious creative tapestry" (The Independent), as well as the book's haunting front cover, and topped off with Kevin's full-color frontispiece.

Head over to the Galerie Champaka web site for more details and purchase information. And stay tuned from the next Moore/O'Neill League adventure, coming to you in February: Nemo: Heart of Ice!

Now available for pre-order from your local comic shop: a new, standalone, thrill-ride from the world of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen! This one's an absolute blast, so get your pre-orders in now and don't miss it.

NEMO: HEART OF ICE
by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill

-- A 56-page full-color hardcover graphic novel
-- ISBN 978-1-60309-274-6, $14.95 (US)
-- Co-Published by Top Shelf & Knockabout
-- Diamond code: DEC121247

In the current Diamond Previews catalog for books shipping to stores in February 2013!

In the grim cold of February surfaces a thrilling new League of Extraordinary Gentlemen book: NEMO: HEART OF ICE, a full-color 56-page adventure in the classic pulp tradition by the inestimable Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill.

It's 1925, fifteen long years since Janni Dakkar first tried to escape the legacy of her dying science-pirate father, only to accept her destiny as the new Nemo, captain of the legendary Nautilus. Now, tired of her unending spree of plunder and destruction, Janni launches a grand expedition to surpass her father's greatest failure: the exploration of Antarctica. Hot on her frozen trail are a trio of genius inventors, hired by an influential publishing tycoon to retrieve the plundered valuables of an African queen. It's a deadly race to the bottom of the world -- an uncharted land of wonder and horror where time is broken and the mountains bring madness. Jules Verne meets H.P. Lovecraft in the unforgettable final showdown, lost in the living, beating and appallingly inhuman HEART OF ICE.

To celebrate the digital launch of James Kochalka's new animated series, SuperF*ckers, we're kicking off a sale on Kochalka comics for your digital reading pleasure!

Now through December 2, download the complete SuperF*ckers graphic novel for the f*ckin' crazy price of $3.99, plus load up on his award-winning American Elf series for half price, and more!

Dive into the wild world of Kochalka now, get the inside scoop on SuperF*ckers, and be able to brag that you "knew him when"!

The good folks at Cartoon Hangover (home of the new hit series Bravest Warriors) are counting down the days to the launch of SUPERF*CKERS, the animated series based on James Kochalka's obscenely funny comics, launching this Friday (November 30th)!

If these GIF teasers whet your appetite, click over to watch the NEW official SuperF*ckers trailer and subscribe to SuperF*ckers so as not to miss a thing!

Mega-retailer Amazon has just released their 2012 Best Books of the Year list, and we spy a few familiar names on the Top 10 chart for Comics & Graphic Novels!

Jeff Lemire's devastating story of fatherhood and fear, The Underwater Welder, adds another feather in its cap with its appearance on the list, confirming this recent prediction in the New York Journal of Books: "This is a title almost guaranteed a place on the shortlist of the best graphic novels of 2012... Lemire is at the top of his game here." Under the Radar agrees: "Like all of Lemire's work, the story packs an emotional gut punch that hits you when you're not expecting it. It's sure to stand as one of the year's best books in any medium." If you're just now discovering The Underwater Welder, you're in luck: it's just arrived in a new printing, plus it's available in digital form via six different retailers, as well as the Top Shelf app!

We're also pleased to see Jeffrey Brown's sweet and funny book Darth Vader and Son make the list! The phenomenal success of that book, plus the release of his Sundance-hit movie Save the Date, make this quite a year for Mr. Brown. Following his lighthearted Star-Wars-themed take on fatherhood, published by Chronicle Books, Jeffrey will return to Top Shelf next year for the sober, literary flip-side: A Matter of Life. Stay tuned for more details!

The good folks at Publishers Weekly have announced their Best Books 2012 list -- and Ed Piskor's computer-hacker epic Wizzywig is one of only five titles featured in the graphic novel section!

Here's the brief write-up PW included, which links to a longer review: "The stories of the early hackers are almost too incredible to be true, filled with daring crimes, mad escapes, and twisted pun-ishments. In his graphic novel debut, Piskor uses real-life tales to create the story of Kevin 'Boingthump' Phenicle, a smart, awkward kid (based on a number of real-life hackers) whose computer genius takes him on a long, wild ride of daring escapades, a Robin Hood for the digital age."

Hats off to Ed for this latest in a string of rave reviews! For more information, critical acclaim, a 10-page sample, and even the music video, check out our catalog page for Wizzywig. The book's available from your favorite retailers now, in hardcover or digital format -- if you'd like to pick it up for yourself, or as a gift for the tech-head in your life.

Once again, this weekend brings us two major shows on opposite coasts... so Top Shelf will just have to be in two places at once!

On the east coast, it's one of America's biggest conventions, the New York Comic-Con! This show takes over New York City's Javits Convention Center, starting Thursday night and running through Sunday. Come by the Top Shelf booth (#1115) to meet Jeff Lemire (The Underwater Welder, Lost Dogs), Jeffrey Brown (Darth Vader and Son, Undeleted Scenes), Kagan McLeod (Infinite Kung Fu), Jennifer Hayden (Underwire), and Ray Friesen (Pirate Penguin vs. Ninja Chicken)!

Meanwhile in San Francisco, Brett Warnock will be holding down the fort this weekend for APE: The Alternative Press Expo! Joining him are Rich Koslowski (BB Wolf & the 3 LPs, Three Fingers), J. D. Arnold (BB Wolf, and Wayne Shellabarger (Veeps: Profiles in Insignificance)! And hey, speaking of Veeps, don't miss the Vice-Presidential debate this Thursday, October 11, then swing by the Top Shelf booth at APE for Wayne's savvy (and sardonic) analysis...

Hope to see you there!

This Halloween, Top Shelf's spookiest and silliest all-ages characters are teaming up for a FREE mini-comic of all-new stories by James Kochalka and Jess Smart Smiley!

We're joining Diamond Comic Distributors' Halloween ComicFest to bring you Tricky Treaters, a 12-page full-color comic book available at your local comic shop. Inside this all-ages treat are a new James Kochalka comic featuring Johnny Boo, the Best Little Ghost in the World, and a new Jess Smart Smiley comic starring Harold and his bat friends from Upside Down: A Vampire Tale (in stores very soon)!

Head over to your favorite comic shop to grab a free copy -- or better yet, buy a bundle of 20 copies (for only $4.99!) to pass out to the neighborhood kids on Halloween night! To learn more or find the nearest store, check out the official Halloween ComicFest web site.

As Bruce Springsteen once said, "Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J."!

Yep, this weekend we're selling books and bowling strikes at a unique one-day show: The Asbury Park Comic-Con, held Saturday, September 29, in historic Asbury Lanes, down on the Jersey Shore. If you're in the area, come out and say hello to Top Shelf's Leigh Walton, ably assisted by authentic Jersey girl Leah Starker. It should be a hoot!

Our big sale is now over -- thank you to everyone for making it such a success. With your support, we'll "kick start" some amazing projects coming soon. Up next: the spooky all-ages romp Upside Down: A Vampire Tale by Jess Smart Smiley, and the dark and wondrous August Moon by Diana Thung, followed by the gorgeous Unearthing by Alan Moore & Mitch Jenkins in December.

Our tireless team has been packing & shipping out your orders from day one, but there's still a bunch of packing to do! All orders will be out the door within the next few weeks. We appreciate your patience -- and again, thanks for helping us continue to make great books. Happy reading!

Your friend thru comics,

Chris Staros

This week, new digital releases on the Top Shelf app and our other digital platforms include a Top Shelf classic and a brand-new chapter in a beloved series.

Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele are back for more futuristic drama in their bestselling Surrogates saga, as newly minted Detective Harvey Greer works to keep the peace in a world world transformed by surrogate technology. In the second chapter of The Surrogates: Case Files, a pathologically anxious man is found dead in a public restroom with his wallet missing. But why would this germaphobe go anywhere without his surrogate?

Plus, while you're in the mood for detective work, check out Rich Koslowski's dark, Ignatz-award-winning opus, Three Fingers! It's a documentary-style exposé of the seedy underworld of the animation industry, featuring exclusive interviews with elderly cartoon stars of the Golden Age and bringing to light the conditions under which your favorite "actors" worked. Three Fingers is a twisted delight that will forever change the way you think of those little white gloves.

The love just keeps rolling in for Jeff Lemire and his new graphic novel The Underwater Welder!

On top of the earlier praise we rounded up a few weeks ago, several more big pieces have landed this week -- including the book's appearance on the New York Times bestseller list!

Jeff has a short interview in the Times with George Gene Gustines, who notes "he has not lost his ability to pack an emotional wallop."

A longer interview appears in the major Canadian magazine Maclean's, where Jeff reveals, "This book is about two things: the pressure of becoming a parent, and the pressure of trying to follow up Essex County with something just as good. For me, that was really crippling."

Back in the United States, NPR presents an excerpt and a thoughtful review, declaring the book "wise and moving... these pages are poignant and masterful, and represent some of the very best work [Lemire]'s ever done."

Our continued congratulations to Jeff on the success of this very personal and very powerful story!

And if you've already plowed through Welder three or four times and need a new comics fix, check out IFC's in-depth interview with Ed Piskor about his computer-hacker epic Wizzywig: "one of the year’s best graphic novels, combining a thrilling, dramatic tale of curiosity, risk, and consequence, with a fascinating study of what can happen when technology and the ways we use it evolve faster than the government’s understanding of it."

While the Harvey Award voting closes up this week (fingers crossed for Kagan McLeod's Infinite Kung Fu and Robert Venditti & Brett Weldele's The Homeland Directive, plus nominations for Jeff Lemire, Craig Thompson, and Eddie Campbell!), more awards are in the works.

Today the Small Press Expo (SPX) announced its slate of nominees for the Ignatz Awards. The nominees include three Top Shelf books: the bittersweet personal history Harvey Pekar's Cleveland by Harvey Pekar & Joseph Remnant, the gorgeous young-love tragedy Lucille by Ludovic Debeurme, and the fantastical family drama The Pterodactyl Hunters by Brendan Leach!

Congratulations to Joseph, Ludovic, and Brendan, as well as the many members of the Top Shelf extended family who also made the list, like Lauren Barnett, Corinne Mucha, and Noah Van Sciver!

We hope to see you all at SPX next month for the award ceremony.