Best of
Sequential-Art

2001

Tintin: The Complete Companion


Michael Farr - 2001
    An overview of the world-famous comic character and of his adventures through the 23 titles of the complete oeuvre, the Complete Companion contextualizes Hergé's work and places it in its historical period by showing side by side by side the drawings and the references used by the artist to establish believable backgrounds and realistic details.Also included are large numbers of sketches that Herge would rework and polish until he would find the clearest, most easily readable line, giving birth to a style that would later be called the Clear Line.

Peanuts: The Art of Charles M. Schulz


Chip Kidd - 2001
    Schulz and his art, providing an unprecedented look at the work of the most brilliant and beloved cartoonist of the twentieth century. Here is the whole gang–Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Snoopy, Peppermint Patty, Schroeder, Pig-Pen, and all the others from the original Peanuts strips.More than five hundred comic strips are reproduced, as well as such rare or never-before-seen items as a sketchbook from Schulz's army days in the early 1940s; his very first printed strip, Just Keep Laughing; his private scrapbook of pre-Peanuts Li'l Folks strips; developmental sketches for the first versions of Charlie Brown and the other Peanuts characters; a sketchbook from 1963; and many more materials gathered from the Schulz archives in Santa Rosa, California.The art has been stunningly photographed by Geoff Spear in full color, capturing the subtle textures of paper, ink, and line. The strips–which were shot only from the original art or vintage newsprint–reveal how, from the 1950s through 2000, Schulz's style and the Peanuts world evolved. The book features an introduction by Jean Schulz and has been designed and edited by renowned graphic artist Chip Kidd, who also provides an informed and appreciative commentary. This celebration of the genius of the most revered cartoonist of our time is a must for anyone who has ever come under the spell of Peanuts.From the Hardcover edition.

The World of Edena


Mœbius - 2001
    When they discover the mythical paradise planet Edena, their lives are changed forever. The long out-of-print Edena Cycle from Moebius gets a deluxe hardcover treatment! Moebius's World of Edena story arc comprises five chapters--Upon a Star, Gardens of Edena, The Goddess, Stel, and Sra--which are all collected here.A storyboard artist and designer ("Alien, Tron, The Fifth Element," among many others) as well as comic book master, Moebius's work has influenced creators in countless fields.

Stray Bullets, Vol. 4: Dark Days


David Lapham - 2001
    STRAY BULLETS: DARK DAYS tells the story of Beth and Virginia's time in Los Angeles, fourteen-year-old Virginia's growing relationship with the young boy Bobby, and the horrible kidnapping that rips apart all of their lives. A gut-wrenching noir thriller of small joys, big horrors, and the crushing weight of guilt... Collects STRAY BULLETS #23-30.

Stray Bullets, Vol. 1: Innocence of Nihilism


David Lapham - 2001
    An introverted young boy on the verge of manhood gets a lesson on just how far is too far when he falls for a needy woman who lives life in the fast lane. Or party with a pair of low-rent hoods who learn what is really important in life just when they shouldn't. And even learn the story of the most infamous gangster who ever lived, Amy Racecar, who talks to God, lunches with the President, and just may be responsible for the end of the world. These are some of the tales that will rip out your guts and break your heart.

Looney Tunes (1994-) #78


David Cody Weiss - 2001
    A classic Looney rivalry hits prime time as Elmer hosts a TV fix-it show and Bugs throws a monkey wrench into the mix! Plus, Daffy and Porky become superspies, and Sylvester is forced to guard Tweety with his life!

Real, Vol. 1


Takehiko Inoue - 2001
    Three very different personalities have only one thing in common--their passion for basketball.Meet Tomomi Nomiya, a young tough whose passion for basketball is at the core of his very being. When he gets into a motorcycle accident rendering a girl paralyzed for life, his world is turned on its head. Tomomi quits his team, drops out of school, and struggles to find some kind of resolution to his oppressive feelings of guilt.From the creator of Slam Dunk and Vagabond, also available from VIZ Media.

Spy vs. Spy: The Complete Casebook


Antonio Prohías - 2001
    This commemorative issue features their creation, history and illustrious late creator, Prohias. Illustrations.

Hitman, Vol. 5: Who Dares Wins


Garth Ennis - 2001
    When both a group of S.A.S. British commandos and an avenging troop of mafia soldiers target hit man Tommy Monaghan and his best friend and partner, Natt, the two odd couple assassins stand side by side in a fight they know they can not win. With their deaths imminent, the two friends who have made a living through death examine their existence and the lives they've led.Collected from HITMAN #23-28.

The Complete Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers: Volume One


Gilbert Shelton - 2001
    

The Complete Wendel


Howard Cruse - 2001
    Originally published in The Advocate throughout the 1980s, Howard Cruse’s Wendel is widely considered the first gay comic strip to be featured in mainstream media. A topical and heartfelt chronicle of one gay man’s journey through the often-rocky Reagan-Bush years, the strip followed the adventures of Wendel Trupstock, his boyfriend Ollie, and an unforgettable cast of supporting characters. More realistic than most comics of the time, Wendel did not observe the traditional comic strip formula. Instead, it presented realistic depictions of relationships, politics, personal struggles, and public triumphs, all seen through a gay perspective that was just coming into relative widespread acceptance. Wendel became more than a comic strip as it, and Cruse, were propelled into the rarefied pop culture category reserved for art and artists that not only entertain, but also influence and are influenced by shifts in public consciousness. Its influence was such that Tony Kushner wrote, "Wendel unfolds with the narrative complexity, nuance, detail, and honesty of a great satirical novel." The Complete Wendel contains every episode of the series and includes a new foreword by Cruse, who contextualizes the story of the creation and publication of the strip within the often tumultuous political zeitgeist of the 1980s. It also features a new cover and a special "where are they now" section created for this book.

Green Lantern/Green Arrow


Dennis O'Neil - 2001
    While battling crime across the country, Green Lantern and Green Arrow also dealt with issues of ecology, feminism, drug addition, and much more. This special anniversary edition collects the entire run of thirteen stories, plus three shorter stories reprinted here for the first time.Collects Green Lantern #76-87, 89, and stories from The Flash #217-219 and 226.

Pictures That [Tick]


Dave McKean - 2001
    A true iconoclast, McKean mixes illustration, painting, photography, sculpture, and digital art for a comics experience unlike any other. Some pieces are poignant, some are silly, but all are beautiful and thought provoking. Each is completely unique, and gathered together they represent a tour-de-force achievement. A perfect companion to McKean's Cages, Pictures That Tick stretches the boundaries of comics art, and the short-story format in some ways allows him to create an even broader artistic vision.

The Ring of the Nibelung, Vol. 1


P. Craig Russell - 2001
    Craig Russell's adaptation of the Ring cycle by German composer Richard Wagner is about to be collected in a handsome two-volume set. Volume One, with new introductions and behind-the-scenes production art, presents The Rhinegold and The Valkyrie. The magical gold of the Rhine maidens is stolen, leading to a twisted story of vengeance and betrayal. The tainted product of the theft, a simple ring, perverts the will of everyone it comes in contact with, from the most lowly hunchback to the father of the Gods. Read the original tale of the cursed Ring, as adapted by one of comics' finest creators, P. Craig Russell.

Haw!


Ivan Brunetti - 2001
    HAW! is not for the young or weak of heart!

Ai no Kusabi Vol. 1: Stranger


Rieko Yoshihara - 2001
    Ruled by a computer system named Jupiter, men are divided into classes based on their hair color. The Blondies, genetically altered by Jupiter, are the highest class and occupy the capital city of Tanagura. Those with black hair, Mongrels, are forced to live in the slums, Ceres. Iason, the leader of the Blondies, encounters Riki, a mongrel, in the streets of Ceres one night and sets out to own him.---Taken from back cover:The Man's upturned blue eyes were so unimaginably beautiful that they could make anybody tremble with awe. In this moment, however, they also glimmered with an icy fire--perhaps revealing the fury of his wounded pride, or rather, a manifestation of his uncontrollable obsession.Ceres: a city without ethics or taboos, ruled by instincts and lusts. These are the slums--immutable, eternal, home to those poor, caged souls stricken with a perpetual melancholy.After three years, Riki unexpectedly returns to Ceres, but all is not well. The "Charisma" of the slums is a changed man. Faced with growing suspicion that he's lost his spark, and haunted by the memory of what happened during those three years away from the slums, Riki finds himself pulled into the escalating gang warfare as rivals attempt to wipe out his pack before they can regroup under their newly-returned leader. And then there is the frighteningly cold, regrettably familiar man he meets by chance one day: the beautiful Iason Mink. What secrets lie behind the smile of that bewitching Blondy?

The Coffin


Phil Hester - 2001
    For Dr. Ashtar Ahmad, it has been more than a dream; it's been a lifelong obsession. And while he has not conquered death's rule over the body, he has found a way to keep the soul alive - a complex suit that houses the inner being of the deceased and allows them to go on living. When a group of unknown assailants come of Ahmad's research, the doctor is caught in the crossfire, and his only chance at survival is an untested prototype of his most prized invention. But when the megalomaniacal tycoon responsible for the break-in kidnaps Ashar's daughter to use as a bargaining chip in acquiring the groundbreaking discovery, the good doctor must discover how to stop his enemy and keep his soul intact. Can he make up in death for his misdeeds from life? A mix of classic science fiction and superhero comic books, The Coffin points in the direction of the bold new future of the genre-driven graphic novel.

Drawn & Quarterly Vol. 4


Chris Oliveros - 2001
    New cartoonist Miriam Katin explores terrifying childhood memories in Hungary during the time of the Soviet invasion in 1956 and French cartoonist Blutch provides another brutal look at the unsavory history of boxing. Other highlights include "The Bleeding Tree," a haunting story by new Swiss cartoonist Nicolas Robel, a new full color strip by Ron Rege Jr, and the return of R. Sikoryak, with his retelling of "The Scarlet Letter" as seen through the eyes of...Little Lulu? This edition also includes an expanded "Archives" section, with another breathtaking 30 page overview of Frank King's Gasoline Alley Sunday pages in color, focusing on the early years of the strip from 1922 through 1925. D&Q will also delve into the past with an impressive 20 page "poster gallery" of Harry Mayerovitch's stunning World War Two posters he produced at the time for Canada's National Film Board, none of which have been reproduced in color since the 1940's Covers and endpapers by noted illustrator Steven Guarnaccia.

Sonambulo in Sleep of the Just: The Collected Case


Rafael Navarro - 2001
    Collection of the original Xeric Award-winning comic classic, emphasizing on the weird tales of Sonambulo, a former masked-luchador turned private-detective.Awarded Xeric Foundation grant.

Bernie no Enikki


MINEKO - 2001
    According to the author ~ in the future our world has been wiped out more or less by our own stupidity and intolerance: in the world that follows, all the inhabitants are cats who live together peacefully in spite of nationality and race.