Top Shelf Productions

We're so excited to return to the beautiful city of San Diego twice this summer, and we're kicking that off this weekend! Our team will be spending some quality time with some of our most fervent supporters, the librarians of the American Library Association! 

If you're attending ALA this year, we can't wait to connect with you at booth #1625. Rumor has it that there may even be an advance copy of the long-awaited Moon and Serpent Bumper Book of Magic at our table that can be viewed with the right incantation. (And by that we mean “ask us nicely and we'll give you a little peek!”)

If you aren't attending this year, this is a great weekend to visit your local library and check out the amazing things they have on offer! Keep an eye on our social media channels for updates from ALA Annual, as well. 

From the creator of the GLAAD Award-nominated Doughnuts and Doom comes a tale of music, milkshakes, making up, and making out!

Izzy’s a bass-playing werewolf. Geraldine’s the ghost of an amazing jazz pianist. Delilah’s the meanest drummer in town. They’d be the perfect trio to win the Battle of Bands...except Geraldine can't play a solo since she passed away, and Izzy and Delilah are at each other’s throats at every opportunity. Can they work through their problems to win the competition, or will they be defeated by Delilah's ex-band and their villainous frontman, Dylan?

Sparks will fly, milkshakes will melt, and ears will ring in this delicious queer tale!

Wolfpitch by Balazs Lorinczi
ISBN 9978-1-60309-539-6 | Diamond: APR241160
$19.99 (US) | 192 pages | Full Color Paperback
Browse Preview Pages | In Stores Now!
Pre-order Now at Your Local Comic Shop or Indie Bookstore!

Christian Slade's incredible wordless fantasy story is now collected in a single epic volume. Fall in love with the spectacular world of Korgi Hollow in this tale of thrills, chills, and joy. 

Join the ranks of Korgi's many fans at your local comic shop or indie bookstore today!

Praise for Korgi:
“Once you pick up Korgi, if you have a heart, you will not be able to put it down or stop going ‘That’s so cute!!!’” — Heidi MacDonald, The Comics Beat

“If there was ever a true ‘all-ages’ book, this is it. Korgi hits every note perfectly, and can hook readers all across the spectrum with its tantalizing suspense and action.... The art is spectacular.” — School Library Journal’s Good Comics for Kids

Korgi: The Complete Tale by Christian Slade
ISBN 978-1-60309-538-9 | Diamond: MAR241194
$39.99 (US) | 584 pages | B&W Softcover with Flaps
Browse Preview Pages | On Sale Now!
Pre-order Now at Your Local Comic Shop or Indie Bookstore!

Greek mythology meets film noir -- It’s a surreal smuggling operation across the boundaries of life and death in the latest moody mystery from award-winning graphic novelists Peter & Maria Hoey! 

Peter and Maria Hoey spoke with HiLoBrow about the book in an enlightening interview about the influences, storytelling, and setting of In Perpetuity, and how its A.L. isn't so different from L.A. after all... 

"I looked at the Greek model of the afterlife: shades wandering forever in the Elysian fields. No sensual pleasures or pain, just a sort of anesthetized blankness. All of this pointed to a rootless sort of experience that might be found in Los Angeles. Since “no one walks in L.A.,” the shades would spend a lot of time driving aimlessly. At that point I figured there had to be some organizing principal of an economy. People would have jobs and apartments, but since it’s a city of the dead their main preoccupation is killing time." 

Visit your favorite indie bookstore or local comic shop today for your own copy of In Perpetuity. 

In Perpetuity by Peter & Maria Hoey
ISBN 978-1-60309-537-2 | Diamond: FEB241082
$19.99 (US) | 208 pages | Full Color Paperback
Browse Preview Pages | In Stores Now!
Buy Now at Your Local Comic Shop or Indie Bookstore!

In the New York area this weekend? We heard all the cool kids are meeting up at the Metropolitan Pavilion for MoCCA Arts Fest 2024!

Visit us at table #25 to meet a bevy of Top Shelf talent! You'll meet:

• Jeff Victor (You Wish)
• Kevin Alvir (Lisa Cheese & Ghost Guitar)
• Sofia Warren (Radical: My Year with a Socialist Senator)
• Nate Powell (Come Again, March)

In addition, we'll have two show debuts! Ryan Jampole will join us to sign his new book Taka (on sale 3/19/24 from our friends at IDW Publishing), and Maria Hoey will premiere her latest stunning collaboration with Peter Hoey, In Perpetuity, at the Coin-Op Books table #125.

All those plus our buzzed-about new releases like Dave Baker's Mary Tyler MooreHawk, Chris Gooch's In Utero, and much more! We'll see you at MoCCA table #25!

LOS ANGELES, CA (February 16, 2024). Internationally celebrated publishers Top Shelf Productions (USA) and Knockabout Ltd (UK) are proud to announce the publication date of the long-awaited THE MOON AND SERPENT BUMPER BOOK OF MAGIC. Born of the longstanding creative partnership between legendary writer Alan Moore (From Hell) and his creative and magical mentor Steve Moore (no relation), this celebration of magic and the occult has been meticulously under development for nearly two decades and is brought to life through a combination of prose, illustration, and sequential art from five incredible artists. This veritable grimoire of the magical, the mystical, and even the macabre will be on sale in October 2024.

Mary Tyler MooreHawk from the mind of Eisner-nominated madman Dave Baker is On Sale Now! Need more reasons to check it out? Some very cool people have been saying some really nice things! 

“Easily one of the most intriguing new graphic novels of 2024.” — IGN

“A dense, fascinating work.” — The Beat

“One of the most exciting things to hit the American comics market in a long time... Put simply, Mary Tyler MooreHawk is a masterpiece. It is the kind of graphic novel that will be talked about, pored over, and re-examined for years to come.” — ComicBook.com

“Mary Tyler MooreHawk emerges as a beacon of optimism, reminiscent of classic adventure characters like Nancy Drew and Jonny Quest, setting the stage for a narrative that challenges the norms of contemporary comics." — ToonsMag

“It’s unlikely that you’ve ever read a graphic novel quite like Dave Baker’s Mary Tyler MooreHawk before. This sprawling adventure tale is both a heady pulp adventure and a formally inventive work with more layers than you’d expect. (It would fit comfortably beside the work of James Stokoe and Tom Scioli on your shelves.)” — Vol. 1 Brooklyn

Dave chatted with Freaksugar to dish on what music is on his Mary Tyler MooreHawk playlist!

We also want to call out an incredible video review/essay from YouTube channel NuComics. Their stylish, in-depth video “Mary Tyler Moorehawk: On Fandom & Cult Media” is a stunning demonstration of the thought-provoking riches contained in the MTMH experience.

We can't wait for you to check out Mary Tyler MooreHawk. Tell us when you do! 

Mary Tyler MooreHawk by Dave Baker
ISBN 978-1-60309-536-5 | Diamond: DEC231104
$29.99 (US) | 276 pages | Full Color Hardcover
Browse Preview Pages | In Stores Now

Akira meets Aliens, and Annihilation meets Evangelion - This coming-of-age tale from award-winning graphic novelist Chris Gooch is a monster.

We're thrilled to work with the great Australian cartoonist Chris Gooch (Bottled, Deep Breaths, Under-Earth) on his next gem. In Utero is a teen action-horror with heart that explores mother-daughter relationships, growing up, and the feeling of being alien... in more ways than one. 

“In Utero is everything I love about comics. Gripping, heartfelt storytelling and wonderful characters set in a haunting sci-fi world. Chris Gooch might be my new favorite cartoonist!” —Jeff Lemire, author of Sweet Tooth and Descender

“Tightly plotted... eerie and introspective.” —Publishers Weekly

“A coming-of-age story wrapped in an eerie creature feature, backdropped by a rotting shopping mall and a psychic realm... a creepy read and a great-looking book.” — Kotaku AU

In Utero by Chris Gooch
ISBN 978-1-60309-534-1 | Diamond: NOV231067
$24.99 (US) | 248 pages | Limited Color Paperback with Flaps | Young Adult (13+)
Browse Preview Pages | On Sale Now!
Pick it up from at Your Local Comic Shop or Indie Bookstore!

Congratulations to Hannah Templer! Cosmoknights (Book Two) has been nominated in the category of Outstanding Original Graphic Novel in the 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards!

Ten-year-old Avery McLean lives with her single dad in the middle of nowhere, entertaining visitors to their gas station with card tricks. But it turns out the real magic was in her all along.

Animator and cartoonist Jeff Victor's debut graphic novel has already garnered high praise from top creative talent like Jeff Smith (Bone) and Jorge Gutierrez (The Book of Life), but we're sure its biggest fan will be the kid in your life. 

You Wish (Book 1) by Jeff Victor
ISBN 978-1-60309-532-7 | Diamond: NOV231066
$14.99 (US) | 152 pages | Full-color Paperback with Flaps | Middle Grade (8+)
Browse Preview Pages | On Sale Now!

Somehow, the year is almost over! We're excited to share this look back at our fantastic 2023 (with a few gems from the tail end of 2022), and hope it will inspire some great ideas for gifts during this festive season. 

CLICK HERE TO EXPAND THE GIFT GUIDE!

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Looking for a great gift for the young comic fans in your life? We've got you covered with a ton of books for kids of all ages!

Early Readers
Our longtime buddy James Kochalka has got you covered, with three great books!

• Dragon Puncher Punches Back - The Eisner Award-winning series returns with nonstop silly action! Who can say no to a cat who punches stuff?!
• Johnny Boo is Bored! Bored! Bored! - Even good little ghosts get bored sometimes! But fun is never far in this award-winning series. For example... check out this magic hammer!
• Glork Patrol and the Magic Robot - A tiny friend and a huge new enemy spell trouble for the Glork Patrol! Saddle up for space shenanigans! 

Middle Grade
Great for independent reading and family readalongs alike!

• Skull Cat and the Curious Castle - It's Scully the Cat's first day as keeper of the garden for a very spooky castle... but where has everyone gone?! Time to be a hero, Skull Cat!
• Cosmic Cadets: Contact! (Book One) - Stranded on an alien planet, the kids of the E.S.S. Khonsu must learn how to be heroes... and fast! If they can't, the galaxy could fall into war!
• The Unpetables - After breaking out of Uncle Milo's All Natural Petting Zoo and striking out on their own as "freelance pets," Pigmund and Lizárdo have one strict rule: No petting! 
• Shelley Frankenstein! Book One: CowPiggy - Meet Shelley Frankenstein, who just wants to create scary monsters... but they always turn out cute! Until this time...
• Rose Wolves - A little girl picks a flower from an unusual bush in the forest which blooms into a magical rose wolf, one missing a leg just like she is missing an arm. Now, the girl and wolf must journey together to find where they belong. A silent and captivating fairy tale.

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Shopping for young adults or the young at heart? From video-game nostalgia to queer space adventures, Top Shelf released a title this year that will be right up their alley! 

• Super Trash Clash - When Dul stumbles on a vintage copy of one of the worst games ever made, childhood memories come rushing back. It's an uppercut right in the feels!
• Cosmoknights (Book Two) - Pan has finally escaped her dead-end planet and has bonded with rebel gladiators Bee and Cass, as well as the mysterious hacktivist Kate. But a rescued princess, childhood friends, and life on the run threaten this found family's peace!
• Lisa Cheese and Ghost Guitar: Attack of the Snack - Meet Lisa, a sweet unicorn girl with a cyborg arm... and anger issues! Now, she's late for her first day of work and she's under attack by an occult fast food chain! Can her musical dreams survive the pressure?
• What If We Were... (Book Two) - It's time for high-fantasy adventure with Nathalie and Marie, plus their new friend/crush Jane Doe! Jump into their wildest and most hilarious games of imagination yet as these teen girls rewrite the universe to their own rules!
• But You Have Friends - After the suicide of a dear friend, Emilia is left with nothing but memories. This graphic memoir sweetly reflects on the meaning of friendship, love, and loss. Named one of New York Public Library's Best Comics of 2023.

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Last but not least, we debuted a number of incredible titles for adult readers in 2023! 

• Funny Things: A Comic Strip Biography of Charles M. Schulz - Get to know the man behind Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the entire Peanuts gang, brought to life in the medium that made him a household name. Publishers Weekly called it "an affectionate yet bracing portrait of an artist who never overcame self-doubt, workaholism, and insecurities to appreciate his own greatness" in a starred review. 
• Transitions: A Mother's Journey - When Anne learns her 19-year old is transgender, she struggles to understand her child's new identity. A warm, informative, and moving story of a family's journey to acceptance. Starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal!
• F.A.R.M. System - Turns out, superheroes are a bit like pro athletes, preparing for their shot at the big leagues through a combination of marketing, endorsements, behind-the-scenes training, psych evaluations... or they could take some, er, shortcuts.
• Edmund White's A Boy's Own Story: The Graphic Novel - One of the most acclaimed LGBT novels of all time receives a stunning visual adaptation! Follow the life of our protagonist as he comes of age in 1950s Midwestern America as a gay man. 
• Ashes - One of Spain's most brilliant modern graphic novelists makes his English-language debut in this tale of old friends reuniting for the mother of all road trips. This twisty page-turner was called by IGN "the first great graphic novel of 2023"! 
• Chester 5000 (Revised Edition) - Jess Fink's romantic delight for adults only! This erotic love child of steampunk and silent films is back in print, with minor art updates throughout. 
• The Second Fake Death of Eddie Campbell - Eddie Campbell is not himself. But these days, who is? It’s meta-fictional mystery and mischief as the award-winning artist of From Hell sets out to find his own imposter. Plus, on the flipside: a deluxe new presentation of The Fate of the Artist, Eddie Campbell’s classic work of graphic meta-memoir!

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Thanks for joining us in this look back, and we hope you found a new book to fall in love with! Happy Holidays from all of us here at Top Shelf Productions, and we can't wait to see you in 2024.

Advance buzz for both of these books is sizzling ahead of their releases in January 2024! First, Jeff Victor makes his graphic novel debut with the the heartwarming, pulse-pounding genie adventure You Wish, coming to middle-grade readers and families January 9th/10th. Then, Melbourne multi-award-winner Chris Gooch follows his triumphant streak of Bottled, Deep Breaths, and Under-Earth with the jaw-dropping mother/daughter sci-fi thriller In Utero, hitting stores January 23rd/24th.

See why industry titans like Jeff Smith and Jeff Lemire are raving about these incredible reads, and pre-order now from your favorite shop!

Top Shelf's November has brought two exquisitely beautiful new graphic novels on issues of gender identity (Transitions: A Mother's Journey) and disability (Rose Wolves), with universal themes of transformation & love.

Top Shelf Productions is proud to announce the release of a commemorative poster to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the publication of March: Book One, the first volume in the award-winning graphic memoir trilogy by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell about Lewis and his colleagues’ life on the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement.