Best of
Graphic-Novels-Comics-Manga

2009

Simon's Cat


Simon Tofield - 2009
    Now, the feline Internet phenomenon makes his way onto the page in this first-ever book based on the popular animated series. Simon's Cat depicts and exaggerates the hilarious relationship between a man and his cat. The daily escapades of this adorable pet, which always involve demanding more food, and his exasperated but doting owner come to life through Tofield's charming and hilarious illustrations.

Cat Diary: Yon & Muu; 猫日記よん&むー; Neko Nikki Yon to Mū


Junji Ito - 2009
    J-kun, a dog person, was coerced into adopting two cats by his fiancee A-ko: Muu, a Norwegian cat, and Yon who has an accursed face. Much to the chagrin of J, the cats do not immediately love him. The difference between fear and comedy is paper thin. Here's a cat comedy from a horror manga author.

Dogs: Bullets & Carnage, Vol. 4


Shirow Miwa - 2009
    But the aims of Bishop, who wears his own “collar,” are unclear: why is he revealing these things now, and why did he save Heine in the first place? Meanwhile, Badou takes on another freelance job from Granny Liza to gather information—and soon discovers it was the information that his brother died pursuing…

Pim and Francie: The Golden Bear Days


Al Columbia - 2009
    Collecting over a decade s worth of artifacts, excavations, comic strips, animation stills, storybook covers, and much more, this broken jigsaw puzzle of a book tells the story of Pim & Francie, a pair of childlike, male and female imps whose irresponsible antics get them into horrific, fantastic trouble. Their loosely defined relationship only contributes to the existential fear that lingers underneath the various perils they are subjected to. Columbia s brilliant, fairytale-like backdrops hint at further layers of reality lurking under every gingerbread house or behind every sunny afternoon. Never have such colorful, imaginative vistas instilled such an atmosphere of dread, and with such a wicked sense of humor. This is a comprehensive collection of Columbia s Pim & Francie work, including paintings, comics, character designs, and much more, all woven into something greater than the sum of its parts, with Pim & Francie careening from danger to danger, threaded together through text and notes by the artist. This is the first book collection by Columbia, a well-regarded talent amongst longtime fans of the alternative comic book scene, and one who will thrill an entirely new audience with the singular, inspired, fully-realized fantasies within Pim & Francie.

Astonishing X-Men Trilogy Collection


Joss Whedon - 2009
    A new menace emerges, however, that tests the team to their limits, forcing them to question their every ideal, as they discover that the threat is a 'cure' for the mutant phenomenon - a cure that holds a dark secret! Three graphic novels collected in an attractive slipcase.

The Complete Battlefields, Volume One


Garth Ennis - 2009
    As the German army smashes deep into Soviet Russia and the defenders of the Motherland retreat in disarray, a new bomber squadron arrives at a Russian forward airbase. Its crews will fly flimsy wooden biplanes on lethal night missions over German lines, risking fiery death as they fling themselves against the invader- but for these pilots, the consequences of capture will be even worse. For the pilots of the 599th Night Bomber Regiment are women. In the deadly skies of the Eastern front, they will become a legend- known, to friend and foe alike, as the Night Witches. Dynamite presents the first stories of the acclaimed Battlefields series in one massive, oversized hardcover - Night Witches, Dear Billy, and Tankies. This edition features some ever-so-slight tweaks the creators have meticulously restored, plus bonus art material including a complete cover gallery and a special look at the making of the stories.

Tales Designed to Thrizzle, Volume One


Michael Kupperman - 2009
    And now the first four issues of Michael Kupperman s revered series are finally collected into one deluxe hardcover. Even better, Kupperman has taken the original two-color printing and made the entire book full color These tales are more thrizzling than ever What are tales designed to thrizzle? Tales designed to thrizzle are about evil girls and their owls. They are about Jesus half-brother Pagus, the Mysterious Avenger, Dick Crazy, scary snakes, delicious bacon, Private Eye Johnny Silhouette, the Silver Knight, Murder She Didn t Write, the Mannister, the Space Patrol, portraits where the eyes move, Pablo Picasso, sex blimps (and their logical inverse, sex holes), the hot boy band Boybank, soccer joust, Underpants-On-His-Head Man, Hercules the Public Domain Superhero, Cousin Granpa, Mister Bossman, Mark Twain, the silent robot Citobor and, of course, the Thirties.The stories in Tales Designed to Thrizzle made their debut in 2009 on the Cartoon Network s Adult Swim program as Snake N Bacon. The show, a mix of live-action, puppetry and animation, stars David Rakoff (This American Life), Bill Hader (Saturday Night Live), Kristen Schaal (Flight of the Conchords), James Urbaniak (The Venture Brothers), and Dan Bakkedahl (The Daily Show), and is produced by Kupperman, Robert Smigel (SNL, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog), Scott Jacobson (The Daily Show) and Rich Bloomquist (The Daily Show).

Dames, Dolls, and Gun Molls


Robert Maguire - 2009
    Maguire created gorgeous cover images for more than a thousand books and worked for virtually every mainstream publisher in the U.S. Best known for his incomparably sexy "femme fatale" images for pulp paperbacks in the 1950s and 1960s, Maguire built a long and legendary career showcasing character portraits that were iconic and beautiful, painting subjects that felt simultaneously real and sensually compelling. Now, art historian and living pin-up legend Jim Silke casts his curatorial eye toward Maguire's long and fascinating career in his first art collection/artist biography, Dames, Dolls, and Gun Molls. With a keen eye for criticism and his trademark style and wit, Silke explores the legacy of an artist whose work is known by millions the world over.

Grendel: Behold the Devil


Matt Wagner - 2009
    Behold the Devil follows Rose through this lost period early in his criminal career, as he is under scrutiny not only by the police and media, but also by the prying eyes of an unseen -- possibly supernatural pursuer. Unusually shaken and paranoid, the criminal mastermind is forced to take steps that redefine the evil of the entity known as Grendel!

Oh, My Sweet Alien! Omnibus


Kouji Miyata - 2009
    Love knows no bounds in this extraterrestrial romantic comedy!

Soft City


Pushwagner - 2009
    Though it was found in 2002, Brofoss didn’t learn of the discovery until some segments were published.Soft City is both a creation of its time and timeless: the almost hallucinatory story of a society tight in the grip of an omnipresent corporation, one that employs them, feeds them, informs them, entertains them–but which may or may not be what it seems. It conveys the political sentiments of its time in a simple, pure line offering only meager spots of color.This pictorial novel describes the standardized daily life in an Orwellian, dystopian city. With compassion, feeling for the absurd and a sometimes satirical view, Pushwagner perceives the life of a family in a top-down organized city.

Grimm Fairy Tales Holiday Edition 01


Joe Brusha - 2009
    Get lost in a gorgeous yet terrifying world which includes the famous nutcracker prince as he battles a monster of epic proportions in this thrilling and frightening reinvention of a classic tale from the company that does it best! Gear up for the holidays with the giant-sized Grimm Fairy Tales Holiday Edition!

The Warriors: Movie Adaptation


David Atchison - 2009
    Now, for the first time, this movie phenomenon has been adapted into a thrilling graphic novel. The story chronicles one night in the lives of the New York City street gang, the Warriors, and their harrowing journey for survival and redemption. Cyrus, the messianic leader of the city's largest gang, the Riffs, declares a truce and calls a summit in the Bronx with all the rival gangs in attendance. Cyrus's vision is to unify all the gangs into one superorganization, one that the cops will never be able to control. But during the meeting, Cyrus is assassinated, and the murder is pinned on a member of the Warriors. With no time to prove their innocence, the Warriors have no choice: they must run - for their lives and for their honor. But it's a long, long way from the Bronx to Coney Island, especially with an entire city of ruthless thugs swearing vengeance and out for blood.