Top Shelf Productions

The creator of Swallow Me Whole (Best Graphic Novel Eisner-winner) returns with a massive exploration of violence, childhood, and coming of age in a culture of war games. Don't miss it!

ANY EMPIRE
by Nate Powell
-- ISBN: 978-1-60309-077-3, Diamond code: MAY11-1196
-- 384-page hardcover graphic novel, 6.5" x 9.5"
-- $19.95 (US), Older teens (16+) and adults

"The most prodigiously talented graphic novelist of his generation. ... Powell's exceptional visual-storytelling gift transforms a potentially obvious antiwar parable into a ravishingly beautiful, emotionally resonant, thoughtful, and provocative work of art." -- Booklist (starred review)

"Any Empire by Nate Powell is everything a graphic novel should be, and few are." -- Larry Hama, author of GI Joe comics since 1982

"At times poignant, at at others surreal, Any Empire is an engaging, never preachy work about childhood, centering on those secret currents that define our youthful rivalries and the games we play." -- MTV Geek

"Powell's understanding of the way his characters live -- constantly feeling a little insecure about their position among their own peer group -- and his ability to convey their daydreams work together to express a truth about a world where violence erupts organically from a culture of macho gamesmanship and cheap plastic guns." -- Noel Murray, The AV Club

"We've all experienced the world's endless cycle of innocence shattered, and Powell renders it all in lovely chiaroscuro... he crafts memorable and heartfelt characters that linger in the mind and scar the heart." -- Under the Radar

"Like in his award-winning Swallow Me Whole, Nate Powell appears to deliver a naturalistic portrayal of young lives but the strange and symbolic, the interior lives, are never far away and seep between and within the panels... With Any Empire, he crafts a surprising, affecting, troubling graphic novel that haunts the mind." -- Paul Gravett, author of Graphic Novels: Stories to Change Your Life

Along with a bundle of convention apperances, Kagan McLeod will be traveling to these special INFINITE KUNG FU events across North America! Check infinitekungfu.com for more details:

This Friday, Sept 2 in Toronto!
-- Revival Bar, 783 College St, Toronto, Ontario
-- 9pm - $5 or free with purchase of book
-- The Beguiling presents Infinite Kung Fu book signings, author Q&A, and a live DJ Duel from Hop Fu (DJ 1XL and DJ Excess) accompanying a screening of a classic Shaw Brothers film!

Saturday, October 1, at Strange Adventures!
-- 5262 Sackville St, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Saturday, November 19, at Danger Room Comics!
-- 201 W 4th Ave, Olympia, Washington
-- plus other Olympia events that weekend TBA!

Big thanks to The Beguiling, Strange Adventures, and Danger Room for their support of this incredible book.

"The thing about progress is that you never know where it’s going to lead..." The Homeland Directive author Robert Venditti took time yesterday to talk politics with Alyssa Rosenberg at ThinkProgress! She calls it "an exceptionally good graphic novel for the moment," with "a sophisticated sense of how government works," then follows with thoughtful questions.

Check out the interview for a glimpse into Rob's complex goals in writing the book, its connections to real-life politicians & problems, and the paradoxical situation in which American government finds itself.

If you haven't read The Homeland Directive yet, pick it up today and see why it became a New York Times Bestseller!

The psychedelic celebration continues for Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill's new graphic novel, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century: 1969!

First item: it's the bestselling graphic novel of the month! Our distributor Diamond reports that it's far and away the #1 book for July 2011.

Next item: Intrepid reporter Zack Smith at Newsarama has just concluded an epic 4-part interview with Alan Moore! Check out parts One, Two, Three, and Four -- all packed full of insight into the League, the 1960s, and everything under the sun.

If you can't get enough League and want to catch every single reference, hard-working fans have stepped up to provide detailed annotations: Jess Nevins, The Mindless Ones (one, two, three), Revolution SF, Newsarama.

And what are the critics saying? "Part fun fiction exercise, part straight up adventure story, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century: 1969 is a flat-out fun book to read. Underneath all of the references and allusions is a very easy-to-follow story that has all of that other stuff built up all around it." says Chad Nevett at Comic Book Resources

"Easily one of the best of the year, from its acid-trip showdowns on the astral plane to its head-nods to The Beatles (er, I mean, The Rutles), Mick Jagger's literal satanic majesty, and the monochrome comedown of punk rock's nihilistic birth in the ensuing '70s." -- Scott Thill, Wired

Grab your copy today from your favorite retailer -- or even digitally through Comics+!

Hey friends,

In the new Diamond PREVIEWS catalog we have a very special book: the Top Shelf debut of Jennifer Hayden! She's a marvelous artist with a larger-than-life writing voice, as her autobiographical webcomic UNDERWIRE has demonstrated. Now Jennifer presents the book collection of UNDERWIRE, collecting her very best stories together with brand-new pages.

We loved reading Jennifer's stories, and through them, exploring her world and meeting her family. Now we're delighted to welcome her to the Top Shelf family and share her with you all. Check the online preview and pre-order now!

UNDERWIRE by Jennifer Hayden
-- $9.95 (US)
-- ISBN 978-1-60309-076-6
-- Diamond order code: AUG11-1205
-- 80-page softcover graphic novel with french flaps, 6.5" x 8.5"

"Hayden's work reminds me of why I began drawing comics, and why I continue. They're comforting, straightforward and strongly connected to life." -- Gabrielle Bell, author of LUCKY and CECIL AND JORDAN IN NEW YORK

"Underwire explores the funny, and often absurd, aspects of being a lady. Cheers to the artist for spotlighting female characters... and, hopefully, getting more women psyched about comics." -- Whitney Matheson, USA TODAY

"With a busy black-and-white palette of comforting cartoon grit, Hayden recalls Robert and Aline Crumb in this offkey anthem to misfit domesticity." -- Adam McGovern, COMIC CRITIQUE

Sometimes you just gotta pick yourself up by your brastraps.

UNDERWIRE collects the wise and witty autobiographical comics of an captivating new voice: Jennifer Hayden, cartoonist and politically incorrect mother of two. She may not have all the answers, but she's not gonna let that stop her from enjoying the prime of her life -- her forties!

Since its internet debut at ACT-I-VATE.com, UNDERWIRE has attracted praise for its sharp tongue, enchanting style, and warm wisdom. These everyday observations -- about womanhood, parenthood, growing up, and rocking out -- add up to something not only funny, but also quite profound. After a few stories, you might even feel like a member of the family.

Now, for the first time in print, Top Shelf presents twenty-two stories from the beloved webcomic, plus seventeen new pages of comics and art created exclusively for this collection.

Break out the champagne: it's a hat trick for writer Robert Venditti! Following The Surrogates and the graphic novel adaptation of Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, he's landed once again on the Graphic Books section of the New York Times Bestseller list -- and this time without even the help of a big-budget film!

Featuring jaw-dropping artwork from Mike Huddleston, The Homeland Directive is now in stores everywhere -- including a digital version for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch through the Comics+ app! For details and a six-page preview, click here. Grab it today and see why The Comics Journal calls it "one of the most beautifully illustrated original graphic novels in recent memory," while Library Journal says it "demands edge-of-your-seat attention while raising serious questions about terrorism, personal privacy, and government responsibility."

Congratulations to Rob and Mike for this very well deserved honor!

Yes, it's LEAGUE Day once again! After a blistering sell-out launch at last weekend's Comic-Con in San Diego, the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen's latest adventure (Century: 1969) is now available in stores everywhere. Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill will leave your head spinning and your brain fried in this tale of psychedelic gangsters, Satanic pop stars, and the perils of immortality.

With perfect timing, two lengthy interviews with Alan have just gone live for your reading pleasure: first with Subhajit Banerjee in The Guardian, then with Scott Thill in Wired. You'll learn how the League's latest adventures connect to 60s touchstones like The Prisoner and Michael Moorcock, how Alan and Kevin dealt with the first League book set in their own era, and Alan's views on everything from the end of flower power to the future of culture in the digital age. Don't miss both interviews, and pick up the new League wherever books & comics are sold!

We always make a splash at San Diego Comic-Con -- it's the biggest show of the year -- but honestly, with so many incredible artists and such important new books debuting, PLUS our first books launching on the iPad, this year might be our most jam-packed convention ever! We hope you'll come to see us, July 20-24, at the Top Shelf Booth (#1721) -- and everybody can check out our digital books through Comics+!

Tons of top artists signing at booth #1721!

For five exhilarating days, we'll be cramming together more talent than you'd think could fit in one room, let alone one convention booth! Get ready to meet over a dozen of our greatest authors:

-- Craig Thompson (Blankets deluxe edition)
-- Kagan McLeod (Infinite Kung Fu)
-- Nate Powell (Any Empire)
-- Robert Venditti (The Homeland Directive)
-- Ray Friesen (Pirate Penguin vs Ninja Chicken)
-- Andy Runton (Owly)
-- James Kochalka (Johnny Boo) and family!
-- Jeffrey Brown (Incredible Change Bots Two)
-- Jeff Lemire (Essex County)
-- JD Arnold & Rich Koslowski (BB Wolf & the 3 LPs)
-- Eric Skillman (Liar's Kiss)
-- Matt Kindt (Super Spy)
-- plus your crew: Chris Staros, Leigh Walton, and our new ebook expert, Chris Ross!

Seven amazing books hot off the press for a Comic-Con debut!

-- BLANKETS (new hardcover edition)
-- INFINITE KUNG FU
-- ANY EMPIRE
-- THE HOMELAND DIRECTIVE
-- OKIE DOKIE DONUTS
-- PIRATE PENGUIN VS NINJA CHICKEN
-- THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN: CENTURY 1969

Finally, don't forget to come by the official Top Shelf panel at Comic-Con, Saturday July 23 at 4:30 in room 8! We'll have Q&A with the Top Shelf family of authors, plus tons of sneak peeks at what's coming next from us!

Top Shelf Productions joins iVerse Media for digital product launch.

San Diego, CA-18 July 2011 – One of the most diverse and highly-regarded publishers in the world of comics, Top Shelf Productions, is expanding into the digital market. iVerse Media is proud to announce the release of 70+ digital graphic novels from Top Shelf, available today for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch through the Comics+ app.

The first wave of titles includes work from top-selling and award-winning creators such as Andy Runton, Robert Venditti, Nate Powell, Jeff Lemire, Jeffrey Brown, James Kochalka, Renee French, Alex Robinson, Matt Kindt, and many more.

“We are incredibly proud to be releasing this first wave of Top Shelf titles at Comic-Con this year,” said iVerse Media CEO Michael Murphey. “Top Shelf really showcases the art of comics, and we’re excited to be the first to take this journey with them into the digital space.”

The launch titles from Top Shelf include such hits as Owly, The Homeland Directive, Any Empire, Swallow Me Whole, Essex County, Incredible Change-Bots, Johnny Boo, and Too Cool to Be Forgotten. With books spanning every age group and every genre (comedy, drama, action, memoir, fantasy, science fiction, even art books), there's sure to be something for every reader. Following this initial wave, many more titles from Top Shelf’s rich catalog will be released over the coming weeks and months.

"At Top Shelf, we're dedicated to telling stories that people connect with; reader-friendly comics with subtext and heart, each presented with a distinctive visual style," explained Top Shelf publisher Chris Staros. "Now with the iVerse digital launch, it'll be easier than ever to discover the amazing work our authors are doing, and maybe even find yourself a new favorite."

Top Shelf and iVerse are breaking new ground -- of the major English-language literary/art-comics publishers, Top Shelf is the first to offer its graphic novels for the iOS platform. And with prices ranging from $0.99 to $14.99, they hope to welcome plenty of new readers.

Titles are available now in the Comics+ Application for iOS. For more information visit: http://comicspl.us

James Kochalka is a living legend: indie comics hero, diary comic pioneer, webcomics maestro, musical superstar, and more. His work (including American Elf, Johnny Boo, Dragon Puncher, and more) even earned him the title of Cartoonist Laureate of the state of Vermont! But did you know that his whole family are superstars? Now's your chance to find out, because they're all coming to San Diego!

Come by the Top Shelf booth (#1721) to meet the whole Kochalka family -- James, Amy, Eli, and Oliver! They're the stars of American Elf and Dragon Puncher, plus the kids are precocious young cartoonists themselves. The family will be signing a special print created by James just for this show!

Hey Twitter fans, help us spread the word about Kagan McLeod's INFINITE KUNG FU and its amazing video trailer! Starting now and running through Tuesday (July 19), everyone who tweets the following message will be entered to win a free copy of INFINITE KUNG FU, signed and with a sketch by Kagan!

I loved this trailer of @KaganMcLeod's INFINITE KUNG FU & want to win a signed copy from @topshelfcomix! http://t.co/CdRFpwk

To make it easier, here's a magic button that's pre-programmed to tweet it for you:
Tweet
Or you can simply click this link, which does the same thing:
http://tinyurl.com/IKFcontest

Tweet the message any way you like, and you'll automatically be entered to win, from a random drawing the day before Comic-Con: Tuesday July 19.

Thanks for helping make INFINITE KUNG FU a success, and we'll see you in San Diego!

What a week! As we prepare for a giant San Diego Comic-Con, one of our most-anticipated graphic novels hits stores! From Robert Venditti, the writer of the New York Times bestselling series The Surrogates, comes a brand-new graphic novel with jaw-dropping artwork from Mike Huddleston. THE HOMELAND DIRECTIVE is a relentless thriller about privacy, national security, and technology's dark potential -- starring a researcher who, framed for murder and on the run from the government, discovers more than she ever imagined.

One of our most anticipated launches at next week's Comic-Con is Kagan McLeod's martial magnum opus, INFINITE KUNG FU. It's an epic saga over 10 years in the making, from one of the most talented illustrators of his generation.

Now, to help spread the word of this monster book, Kagan and his brother Sean have created the coolest "book trailer" video we've ever seen! CLICK HERE TO WATCH IT AT YOUTUBE, stay for the amazing ending, and please embed & share it with friends!

It's a great day -- Top Shelf's long-awaited book collections of two amazing webcomics are finally in stores everywhere!

For adults only, Jess Fink's Chester 5000 is a deluxe hardcover (complete with spot gloss and embossed cover) collecting her hit erotic webcomic into a sweet, silly, and sexy graphic novel. Stuffed with romance, action, drama, and a whole lot of lovin', it's the impossibly charming story of a Victorian sex robot and the woman who loves him. Check it out here and pick it up today from your comic shop! (if you don't see it, ask -- some retailers may have missed it since the book was listed only in Diamond's "Adult" catalog, but they can still order it now!)

Joining Chester is the much-beloved Gingerbread Girl by Paul Tobin & Colleen Coover! Previously serialized for free on our webcomics site Top Shelf 2.0, Gingerbread Girl follows the mysterious and charming Annah Billips, a 20something cutie with either a dark secret or a few screws loose. Join her girlfriend, her would-be boyfriend, her neighbors, innocent bystanders, and passing animals as they all attempt to piece together the mystery of Annah... and the Gingerbread Girl.

Pick up both of these great books today from your favorite store!