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By Leroy Douresseaux
October 8, 2007 - 16:31
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TOP SHELF SEASONAL SAMPLER 2007
Top Shelf Productions is celebrating its 10th Anniversary by publishing the Top Shelf Seasonal Sampler 2007. A showcase of the Atlanta and Portland-based indie publisher’s 2007 publishing efforts, this book, which includes titles still to be released, is as much a compact history of the company as it is a catalog of art comics and alt-comix delights.
For inquiring minds (or nosey people like myself), the brief historical essay and six-page timeline/publishing history at the end of the book is a little goldmine of info on the acclaimed publisher. On the other hand, readers simply interested in recent and upcoming titles will find most of the Seasonal Sampler a useful guidebook. A section devoted to this year details each 2007 release with a short write up and generous book excerpt.
What better way to introduce potential readers to Regards from Serbia, a comprehensive collection of Aleksander Zograf’s comix related to life during wartime in his native land of Serbia? This thick sampler will also give readers a fragrant whiff of Andy Hartzell’s Fox Bunny Funny, which is on my shortlist as one of the year’s best graphic novels. And what would a Top Shelf sampler be without a taste of the sublime Jeffrey Brown, who offered Feeble Attempts back in March.
Top Shelf, which will also offer a sampler next year, also uses this year’s sampler to preview hot 2008 books, including two Alan Moore’s works, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Vol. III) with Kevin O’Neill and The Moon & the Serpent Bumper Book of Magic with Steve Moore and others. Craig Thompson (Blankets), Alex Robinson (Box Office Poison), and budding star Nate Powell (Please Release) also have new books coming next year.
Not long into its history, Top Shelf was already showing itself to be one of the best publisher’s of graphic novels and serious comics in North America. The Seasonal Sampler also provides illustrated write ups of perennial favorites including the magical juvenile graphic novel Spiral-Bound by Aaron Renier and the essential sci-fi graphic novel The Surrogates by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele.
Top Shelf has sold through its supply of the Top Shelf Seasonal Sampler 2007, but buyers may still find copies by searching for adventurous comic book shops.
Select Bin reviews of 2007 Top Shelf releases:
Essex County (Vol. 1): Tales from the Farm
Visit the publisher at topshelfcomix.com.
