Top Shelf Productions

The award-winning creators behind the landmark March series returned triumphantly to The Rachel Maddow Show last week to promote March: Book Two, as Maddow brought their work to life with a stunning blend of archival footage, animated art from the book, and live studio interviews.

Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell had fond memories of the show, having appeared together once before in November 2013 for March: Book One. But nothing could have prepared them for the amazing segment that awaited.

After setting the stage with a recap of Gandhi's techniques of nonviolent activism, Maddow discussed the implementation of those techniques by Lewis and his allies in the civil rights movement. She recapped March: Book One and then walked viewers through key moments from March: Book Two, including the terrifying violence unleashed by the 1961 Freedom Rides and the backstage disputes about Lewis's electrifying speech at the 1963 March on Washington.

Maddow then spoke with all three creators of March, discussing the widespread adoption of the series by schools, libraries, and awards, the responsibility the authors feel to be candid, and the reaction from young readers whose passion for civil rights is ignited after reading it.

Both books continue to ride the New York Times bestseller list for Graphic Books, and also for the first time landed on the Times' monthly list for Race & Civil Rights bestsellers. Watch the segment now and grab your copy today!

The hits keep on coming! No sooner have we published the final chapter of the acclaimed League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: NEMO trilogy (Nemo: River of Ghosts) than it's time to announce two long-awaited Top Shelf releases — the gorgeous Omnibus Edition of Eddie Campbell's sprawling mythological epic Bacchus and the boundary-breaking crossover of James Kochalka's beloved series for kids, Johnny Boo Meets Dragon Puncher!

"Bacchus mixes air hijacks and ancient gods, gangland drama and legends, police procedural and mythic fantasy, swimming pool cleaners and classics. It shouldn't work, of course, and it works like a charm. ... Eddie Campbell is the unsung King of comic books. ... The man's a genius, and that's an end to it." — Neil Gaiman

"A story of surprising richness and gravity… Bacchus stands as one of Eddie Campbell’s crowning achievements as writer, artist, and executive creator." — The Comics Journal

“Campbell is one of the premier cartoonists of his generation.” — Publishers Weekly

"No one else in the medium combines emotional truth, literary intelligence, and formal daring with such adroitness and elegance." — Booklist

Eddie Campbell’s Bacchus is a true epic, spanning a decade of work, over a thousand pages, and several millennia of alcohol consumption.

In Bacchus, the visionary behind From Hell (with Alan Moore) and Alec: The Years Have Pants presents his version of “an American-style comic book,” filtered through his own brilliant, whimsical, and wide-ranging sensibility. With a fine blend of action, comedy, suspense, and an ear for a great story, Bacchus brings the gods and myths of ancient Greece to modern life, as if they had never left.

The 560-page Volume One collects the first half of the Bacchus saga and will hit stores in JUNE!

“A landmark book for the kindergarten crowd.” — School Library Journal
"A true crowd-pleaser.” — Kirkus Reviews
"Magically captures the exact sense of zaniness often discovered in [backyard] playtime... and with huge panels and spare dialogue that will amuse kids and adults, it’s also the rare graphic novel that makes an excellent read-aloud." — Booklist

James Kochalka's totally-bonkers comics for kids recently earned him the Eisner Award (Best Publication for Early Readers)... now he's celebrating with the craziest concept yet — a crossover between his beloved Johnny Boo and Dragon Puncher series!

When Johnny Boo Meets Dragon Puncher, the result is an explosion of adventure and fun.

Click through for more details and sample pages, and pre-order now from your favorite retailer for release in JUNE!

“These are Victorian-influenced pulp fiction tales, and that’s enough, but they are also monuments to world-building as Moore and O’Neill construct enormous fictional amalgamations from the literature of the past. No one else has ever done it nearly as well as these two.” — Comic Book Resources

“Perfect, potent adventure comics, cramming in crazy amounts of characters while maintaining an addictive forward plot momentum.” — Heeb Magazine

“A wonderful concluding chapter to an excellent series. Moore and O’Neill have done that rare thing of creating a spinoff that actually betters the original.” — Pipe Dream Comics

Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen reaches a new milestone today, as Top Shelf Productions releases the grand finale of the Nemo spinoff trilogy, a pulse-pounding 56-page hardcover entitled River of Ghosts.

In 2012, with the stunning conclusion of Century, the top-selling third volume of the League saga, creators Moore and O’Neill brought their literary-crossover saga to an incredible climax. Critics called it “magnificent,” a “glorious creative tapestry,” and “arguably one of the greatest comics of all time.” The authors might have been tempted to stop there and rest on their laurels... but one character, Captain Nemo’s steel-hearted daughter Janni, demanded the spotlight for herself, and a spinoff was born!

With a classic two-fisted spirit of adventure, the NEMO graphic novels have followed the terrifying pirate queen in her confrontations with unearthly Antarctic horrors (in 2013's Heart of Ice) and mechanical metropolitan monstrosities (in 2014's The Roses of Berlin).

Now, Top Shelf Productions and Knockabout Comics present what may be the Captain’s final voyage! It’s 1975, and our aging heroine is beginning to display a tenuous grip on reality. Pursuing shadows from her past—or her imagination—Captain Janni Nemo steers her wondrous ship Nautilus on an obsessive journey into the tropical mysteries of the Amazon, in a last attempt to put to rest the blood-drenched spectres of old. What awaits? New allies, outrageous enemies, inscrutable youths, impossible creatures, and a truly flabbergasting final battle. Don't miss Nemo: River of Ghosts — available today wherever books and comics are sold!

Last night, Congressman John Lewis continued his mission to share the legacy of the civil rights movement with today's youth, making his first appearance as a guest on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Lewis discussed his award-winning graphic novel series, March (co-written with Andrew Aydin and drawn by Nate Powell), which is swiftly becoming an essential resource for bringing the past alive to new generations and inspiring readers to carry on the powerful tradition of nonviolence.

In an episode fully devoted to Lewis, the congressman walked host Jon Stewart through some of the many civil rights milestones he witnessed and led throughout his astonishing career. “People must understand," he said. "And that’s why we did these two books here, March: Book One and Book Two, to tell the story, so our young people — our children, and their children — will understand what happened and never forget it.”

The next morning, Congressman Lewis continued the conversation and discussed March on CNN's New Day.

March: Book One and the new March: Book Two, called "essential reading" by dozens of outlets including USA Today and The Washington Post, have spent a combined 50 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller List. Among other honors, March: Book One is a Coretta Scott King Honor Book, the freshman reading selection at several major universities, and the first graphic novel ever to receive a Robert F. Kennedy Book Award.

Ever since he first joined Top Shelf with the 2006 autobiographical collection Please Release, Nate Powell has been one of the most fascinating cartoonists we've had the pleasure to publish. Longtime fans have joined us in watching his career unfold: winning the Eisner Award for Best Graphic Novel, speaking at the United Nations and on The Rachel Maddow Show, bringing the award-winning March saga to life, and much more.

Now, following the release of the New York Times bestseller March: Book Two, Powell looks back on the past decade and has assembled a stunning collection of seventeen short works. Coming in May 2015 and open for pre-orders now, you mustn't miss You Don't Say.

"You Don't Say is more than just a collection of immaculate stories; it's also a glimpse at the evolution of one of today's most gifted storytellers." — Scott Snyder

"Haunting, poetic, and visually lyrical, You Don’t Say will get stuck in your head — you’ll be humming its tunes long after you’ve closed the book." — Becky Cloonan

A celebrity glares. A community burns. A child’s heart breaks. A recipe summons a ghost. A dying woman makes her peace. An art form sustains the spirit.

In You Don't Say, award-winning graphic novelist Nate Powell (Swallow Me Whole, March) collects a decade of powerful short works. Autobiography, fiction, essay comics, collaborations, and more fill these thoughtful, pitch-black pages, comprising rare and previously unreleased material from 2004-2013.

Click here for an 8-page preview, and pre-order now with your favorite retailer for release in May!

U.S. Congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis has brought his award-winning and best-selling graphic novel series March to the Bay Area this week, with a visit to Apple headquarters and speeches to thousands of students at San Francisco State University and San Francisco Public Library, as part of the launch tour for the new March: Book Two.

Congressman Lewis and co-author Andrew Aydin spoke to Apple employees in Cupertino and beyond, following an introduction from Apple CEO Tim Cook, who said: "My hope is that everyone reads this, & I would love to see the day that it's required reading in every school." Later, Cook tweeted his support of the trilogy:

Honored to host @RepJohnLewis at Apple today. His 50-year march for justice and equality inspires us. @MARCHTrilogy pic.twitter.com/I5ye7OdIDi

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) February 17, 2015

Cook's praise for March now joins the chorus from other major figures and media outlets:

"Congressman John Lewis has been a resounding moral voice in the quest for equality for more than 50 years, and I'm so pleased that he is sharing his memories of the Civil Rights Movement with America's young leaders. In March, he brings a whole new generation with him across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, from a past of clenched fists into a future of outstretched hands." — President Bill Clinton

"A riveting and beautiful civil-rights story… Lewis's gripping memoir should be stocked in every school and shelved at every library." — The Washington Post

"Essential reading... the story of a true American superhero." — USA Today

"A riveting chronicle of Lewis’s extraordinary life… it powerfully illustrates how much perseverance is needed to achieve fundamental social change." — O, The Oprah Magazine

"An astonishingly accomplished graphic memoir." — NPR

Written by Lewis & Aydin and drawn by award-winning artist Nate Powell, March has become a cultural phenomenon, an instant #1 New York Times bestseller, and the first graphic novel to ever receive a Robert F. Kennedy Book Award. Today, as we head into the 50th anniversary of the landmark "Bloody Sunday" march in Selma that he led with Hosea Williams, the story of March is more essential than ever.

It's fitting that, just as Lewis and his generation were inspired by the 1950s comic book "Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story," Lewis is now performing the vital work of educating young people about the past and inspiring them to build the future — through the transformative power of nonviolence.

Bring out the palms and break into psalms for Mark Russell and Shannon Wheeler, as the audiobook version of God Is Disappointed in You has been nominated for the Audie Award, often called "the Oscars of the audiobook industry"!

Congratulations and best of luck to Mark, Shannon, and narrator James Urbaniak (The Venture Bros.) — with fellow nominees including Amy Poehler, Jim Gaffigan, and Dave Barry, it's fine company to be in.

God Is Disappointed in You is the tongue-in-cheek "condensed" version of the Bible you never knew you needed -- hilariously modern, but surprisingly authentic -- written by Mark Russell and packed with cartoons by Eisner-award-winner Shannon Wheeler. After the smash-hit sellout of its first printing, it's been "resurrected" in a revised new printing and is now available in stores everywhere!

“With March, Congressman John Lewis takes us behind the scenes of some of the most pivotal moments of the Civil Rights Movement. In graphic novel form, his first-hand account makes these historic events both accessible and relevant to an entire new generation of Americans.” — LEVAR BURTON

"Essential reading... March is a moving and important achievement." — USA Today

"Riveting." — O, The Oprah Magazine

An astonishingly accomplished graphic memoir." — NPR

"Visually stunning… This insider’s view of the civil rights movement should be required reading for young and old; not to be missed." — School Library Journal (starred review)

John Lewis has been many things in his career: a civil rights activist, a featured speaker at the March on Washington, a leader of the "Bloody Sunday" march in Selma, a respected member of Congress, a recipient of the Medal of Freedom, and a worldwide symbol of the power of nonviolent protest.

With his latest project, he's added "#1 bestselling author," as his multi-part graphic novel autobiography, March, has become a smash success. Today, the long-awaited March Book Two reaches store shelves, poised to be even bigger than its predecessor — and perhaps even more relevant to this day and age. With March: Book Two, Congressman Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell give us a first-hand experience of milestone events that transformed the nation, including the 1961 Freedom Rides and the 1963 March on Washington.

At a time when, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the majority of states earn a D or F grade in teaching the Civil Rights Movement to their young people, March has quickly become a key resource for schools, libraries, activists, and the general reader. It’s been adopted in classrooms nationwide, spent 40 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List, and even become the first graphic novel to win a Robert F. Kennedy Book Award. What's more, three major universities planned their freshman orientations around March, compelling 15,000 students nationwide to read and discuss it in a single month.

Why a graphic novel? Because John Lewis remembers the impact that a 1957 comic book "Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story" had on him and his whole generation, inspiring them to take up nonviolence and join the civil rights movement. Now he's having the same impact on young people today.

As America continues to grapple with issues of race and the legacy of the civil rights movement, March offers an unforgettable success story and a way forward — one that's already been embraced by countless readers who are looking for hope today.

Congressman John Lewis is an international icon, and his story is now more essential than ever. See why this project has become such a phenomenon — join the March!

With the stunning conclusion of Century, the top-selling third volume of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, creators Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill brought their literary-crossover saga to an incredible climax. Critics called it "magnificent," a "glorious creative tapestry," and "arguably one of the greatest comics of all time." Moore and O'Neill might have been tempted to stop there and rest on their laurels... but one character, Captain Nemo's steel-hearted daughter Janni, demanded the spotlight for herself, and a spinoff was born!

With a classic two-fisted spirit of adventure, the NEMO graphic novels have followed the terrifying pirate queen in her confrontations with unearthly Antarctic horrors (in Heart of Ice) and mechanical metropolitan monstrosities (in The Roses of Berlin).

Now, Top Shelf Productions and Knockabout Comics present what may be the Captain's final voyage! It's 1975, and our aging heroine is beginning to display a tenuous grip on reality. Pursuing shadows from her past—or her imagination—Captain Janni Nemo steers her wondrous ship Nautilus on an obsessive journey into the tropical mysteries of the Amazon, in a last attempt to put to rest the blood-drenched spectres of old. What awaits? New allies, outrageous enemies, inscrutable youths, impossible creatures, and a truly flabbergasting final battle. Don't miss Nemo: River of Ghosts — preorder now for release in March!

Two Industry Leaders Combine Forces

SAN DIEGO, CA - Leading comic book and graphic novel publisher IDW Publishing announced today that it has acquired Top Shelf Productions, the award-winning independent publisher of graphic novels, including the #1 New York Times and Washington Post bestseller March by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell, Alan Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (with Kevin O'Neill) and From Hell (with Eddie Campbell), Craig Thompson's Blankets, Nate Powell's Swallow Me Whole, and Jeff Lemire's Essex County.

"The acquisition of Top Shelf is a milestone for IDW," said Ted Adams, IDW CEO and publisher. "We looked a very long time for a company that would complement our own publishing line-up, and in Top Shelf we found the ideal match. The addition of Top Shelf's library further positions IDW's leadership role among the top powerhouses in comics."

Top Shelf will remain a distinct imprint within IDW and co-founder Chris Staros will join the company as Editor-in-Chief, Top Shelf Productions. Top Shelf's fans can expect the same independent editorial approach that has garnered industry-wide awards and made it an envy among its peers.

"IDW is committed to preserving and growing the Top Shelf brand, which we've long admired," said IDW president and COO Greg Goldstein. "Chris and his team have built a great working relationship with creators, fans, and retailers alike, and IDW will work diligently to expand Top Shelf's publishing capabilities and market reach while further developing those relationships."

Founded in 1997, Top Shelf Productions offers a broad library of comic books and graphic novels from dozens of the industry's top independent creators. Following the acquisition, Top Shelf's headquarters will remain in Marietta, GA.

"Top Shelf and IDW complement each other perfectly," said Top Shelf Productions co-founder and publisher Chris Staros. "We both started around the same time, and when I would watch IDW over the years, as a fellow publisher, I'd see them making smart move after smart move. Now I'm extremely excited to combine their talents and resources with Top Shelf's award-winning literary approach to comics. And believe it or not, the idea to join forces hit us both at exactly the same time. Last year, as I was about to pitch Ted and Greg this 'crazy' idea, they approached me to suggest the same thing! How's that for a good omen? Together, we're going to be able to publish some incredible work. I'm really looking forward to this."

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Happy holidays from Top Shelf! We're celebrating with a bundle of discounted digital bundles available from Comixology, so you can grab a ton of great comics with just a few easy clicks.

In this holiday shopping season, don't forget to treat yourself to some fun... After all, you may (fingers crossed) find yourself with free time on your hands! Or, use the "Send as Gift" feature to nab a last-minute digital gift for a loved one.

What kind of bundles? Just take a look at these deals:

• Top Shelf Seasonal Bundle (twenty of our all-time most beloved graphic novels, by the top names in the field) - $69.99!
• American Elf (the complete award-winning strip by James Kochalka, spanning 14 years of autobiographical magic) - $9.99!
• The Girlfriend Trilogy (Jeffrey Brown's landmark works of autobiographical intimacy) - $8.99!
• The Surrogates (the complete bestselling sci-fi series by Robert Venditti & Brett Weldele) - $5.99!
• Double Barrel (the complete digital magazine by Zander & Kevin Cannon, containing two full graphic novels and much more) - $5.99!
• Motorcycle Samurai (the acclaimed saga so far, by kinetic cartoon wizard Chris Sheridan) - $4.99!

These discounted sets are available now through December 22, so head on over and download a bundle or two while they last!

The Association of Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association, today released the 2014 updates to their Graphic Novel Reading List, which aims to be a handy summary of the best graphic novels available for young readers each year. We're pleased to find two Top Shelf Kids Club titles receiving this honor: the Johnny Boo series by James Kochalka (for Grades K-2), and Monster on the Hill by Rob Harrell (for Grades 3-5)!

Congratulations to James and Rob for this great recognition, and if you're looking to start or expand a collection of youth graphic novels, please take a look at the full ALSC list — as well as the full Top Shelf Kids Club line!

It's been a little over a year since we released March: Book One, and this graphic novel memoir by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell turned into a smash hit. Debuting at #1 on both the New York Times and Washington Post Bestseller lists, March has quickly become a key resource for parents, librarians, teachers, and readers searching for a powerful way to bring the lessons of the civil rights movement alive for the modern world.

Now, after 40 weeks on the Bestseller List, after university reading programs, awards, and dozens of events making up the most ambitious book tour in Top Shelf history... it's time for Phase Two.

Our distributor Diamond Comics has released their November catalog for books shipping in January, confirming your suspicions that March: Book Two is set for release in January 2015 — and you can pre-order it from your favorite retailer! To celebrate, they've also published the first interview with all three creators discussing what lies ahead in Book Two:

"If Book One is Star Wars, then Book Two is our Empire Strikes Back. The stakes are higher, the heroes are stronger, and the danger is more lethal... we show how these young people became a truly national force, and one of the key elements of the broader Civil Rights Movement." — Andrew Aydin

Diamond's also showing off a few first glimpses of interior art from Book Two. Don't miss it!

Retailers can now place their orders for March: Book Two with Diamond code NOV141657. In addition, there are two special editions available exclusively from Top Shelf — a hardcover edition, and a limited edition signed & numbered hardcover.

Thanks for all your support. We can't wait to get this incredible book into your hands.

With PINOCCHIO, VAMPIRE SLAYER, Dusty Higgins & Van Jensen have turned a clever premise into a critically acclaimed fan-favorite comic adventure. Now the entire 528-page saga can be yours — along with a dozen other unhallowed books & graphic novels — in the name-your-own-price Humble Horror Book Bundle!

Launching today and continuing for two weeks, this DRM-free digital deal celebrates Halloween with work by Stephen King, George R.R. Martin, Neil Gaiman, Clive Barker, Joss Whedon, Joe Hill, Max Brooks, and many more spooky talents. After naming their own price, customers can download thousands of pages of horror entertainment, while simultaneously helping to prevent real-life horrors: a variable portion of each purchase can be allocated to both the anti-sexual-assault organization RAINN and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

For more details and to download your Bundle today, visit www.humblebundle.com/books.

PRAISE FOR PINOCCHIO, VAMPIRE SLAYER:

One of YALSA’s Top Ten Graphic Novels for Teens!
"It's the greatest thing I've read all year. And you'll notice my nose didn't grow one bit when I said that." — Mark Waid
"Page after page of amazement." — Publishers Weekly
“The premise for this graphic novel is really almost too good to be true… and the execution doesn't disappoint.” — Booklist
"Outstanding." — Topless Robot
"Sometimes dark, sometimes silly, but always fun, Pinocchio coming of age Batman-style is just the thing for fantasy and horror fans." — MTV
“Really, really good.” — Comics Alliance
"Seriously, it's perfect." — Comic Book Resources

This puppet may not be a real boy… but he just might be a real hero.

When bloodthirsty monsters invade Pinocchio's hometown and kill his father Geppetto, Pinocchio discovers a new benefit to his magical nose: telling lies produces a never-ending supply of wooden stakes to combat the vampire hordes! Will Pinocchio be able to defeat these horrors, avenge his father, and save his friends?

Jensen (Green Lantern Corps) and Higgins (Knights of the Living Dead) present a captivating blend of comedy, horror, romance, and adventure, rooted in the original Italian novel but brought - as if by magic - to new life.

Download your Humble Bundle at www.humblebundle.com/books!

New York Comic Con is upon us! For this super-sized show, we've crammed our tiny booth full of Top Shelf talent. At booth #2238 you'll find:

Eric Orchard is coming from Toronto for the debut American signing of his critically-acclaimed graphic novel for all ages, Maddy Kettle: The Adventure of the Thimblewitch. He's a tremendously talented illustrator and his book is truly gorgeous, full of whimsy, comedy, and quirky atmosphere.

Mark Russell and Shannon Wheeler are flying out from Portland for the east-coast debut of their very popular GOD IS DISAPPOINTED IN YOU panel (a big hit at Emerald City and San Diego Comic-Cons), based on their witty and informative book of the same name (just released in a new printing), which will be Friday at 5:15pm, and they'll sign their book throughout the show. It's the perfect gift for the believer AND the heathen in your life.

Brennan Lee Mulligan and Molly Ostertag are two young New Yorkers who have racked up a tremendous following for their webcomic Strong Female Protagonist, a smart and very modern take on the superhero genre through the eyes of a new generation. They had a phenomenally successful Kickstarter to bring it to print, and now Top Shelf is helping them distribute the book! Molly and Brennan be with us at NYCC, signing debut copies.

Come on by booth 2238 and say hello!