Melody: Story of a Nude Dancer


Sylvie Rancourt - 2013
    Rancourt passes the reader a gift: the ability to experience and see a venal adult life through the forgiving, blameless and easily-wounded eyes of a child."-Chris Ware, from his introductionIn 1980, Sylvie Rancourt and her boyfriend moved to Montreal from rural Northern Quebec. With limited formal education or training, they had a hard time finding employment, so Rancourt began dancing in strip clubs. These experiences formed the backbone of the first Canadian autobiographical comic book, Melody, which Rancourt wrote, drew, and distributed, starting in 1985. Later, she collaborated with the artist Jacques Boivin, who translated and drew a new series of Melody comics for the American market-the comics were an instant cult classic. Until now, the Rancourt drawn-and-written comics have never been published in English. These stories are compelling without ever being voyeuristic or self-pitying, and her drawings are formally innovative while maintaining a refreshingly frank and engaging clarity. Whether she's divulging her first experiences dancing for an audience or sharing moments from her life at home, her storytelling is straightforward and never sensationalized. With a knowing wink at the reader, Rancourt shares a world that, in someone else's hands, might be scandalous or seedy, but in hers is fully realized, real, and often funny. The Drawn & Quarterly edition of Melody: Story of a Nude Dancer, featuring an introduction by Chris Ware (Building Stories), places this masterpiece of early autobiographical comics in its rightful place at the heart of the comics canon.

Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book


Gerard Jones - 2004
    "This history of the birth of superhero comics highlights three pivotal figures. The story begins early in the last century, on the Lower East Side, where Harry Donenfeld rises from the streets to become the king of the 'smooshes'-soft-core magazines with titles like French Humor and Hot Tales. Later, two high school friends in Cleveland, Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, become avid fans of 'scientifiction,' the new kind of literature promoted by their favorite pulp magazines. The disparate worlds of the wise guy and the geeks collide in 1938, and the result is Action Comics #1, the debut of Superman. For Donenfeld, the comics were a way to sidestep the censors. For Shuster and Siegel, they were both a calling and an eventual source of misery: the pair waged a lifelong campaign for credit and appropriate compensation." -The New Yorker

Smut Peddler


C. Spike TrotmanMr. Darcy - 2012
    It was an anthology of erotic comics, with contributions from some of the best and the brightest creators. There were three issues, and they were AWESOME. But that was it. The third Smut Peddler mini was followed by a years-long publishing hiatus...UNTIL NOW.

Wolverine: Origin #1


Paul Jenkins - 2001
    Wolverine's origin is finally revealed!

The Maxx, Vol. 1


Sam Kieth - 1995
    A master of denial, Julie Winters created a magical dream world where she unknowingly escapes to when reality is too much. But when the two planes of existences momentarily connected, her supernatural spirit protector merged with a homeless man and the Maxx was created. Now existing in both worlds but suffering from amnesia whenever he crosses over, the Maxx tries to battle his apparent fits of insanity as he protects Julie in both realities from the murderous sorcerer Mr. Gone and the Isz, his magical minions.

Batman: A Visual History


Matthew K. Manning - 2014
    It also charts the careers of the Super Heroes and super-villains -- Robin, the Justice League, the Joker, Catwoman -- associated with Gotham City's Dark Knight. The debuts of every key Batman character are featured, as well as some details of Batman movie and TV series, both live-action and animated.Perfect for any comic book fan, this visually stunning, definitive guide arrives in a slipcase featuring specially commissioned artwork by a top DC Comics artist plus two original prints.Written by Matthew K. Manning with additional text by Matt Forbeck.

Club Fantasy


Joan Elizabeth Lloyd - 2004
    It's a place to lose your inhibitions--and just possibly to find whatever you desire most. In this deliciously sensual novel, Joan Elizabeth Lloyd introduces Jenna and Marcy Bryant, identical twins who are very different in their longings, and reveals the secret heart of two sisters on the verge of an awakening. . .She Knows What She Wants. . .Jenna Bryant has always been the free spirit while her twin sister Marcy is the careful planner. Now, she has the sort of life Marcy--and most women--dream of: a marriage proposal from her steady, reliable attorney boyfriend, Glen. But the house with the white picket fence isn't for Jenna. Instead, she wants the chance to explore the cravings she's never indulged, and when she gets an offer to stay at a friend's brownstone in New York City, she jumps at the opportunity.And She Knows How To Get ItLeaving behind her sister and her boyfriend, Jenna is soon reveling in the Manhattan party scene, discovering hidden talents she never knew she possessed. It's Jenna's idea to turn the innocent-looking brownstone into the Eros Hotel, a sexual fantasyland that caters to the deepest yearnings of the men and women willing to pay the price for their anything-goes indulgences. Learning how to satisfy the intimate desires of so many exotic, tantalizing people frees Jenna in a way she never could have predicted. But when Glen pays a visit, Jenna must choose between the business and the life he offers

Marriage Of Convenience


Cher Etan - 2015
    A number 1 best seller in the African American Romance category.A complete story with no cliff hanger, brought to you by best selling author Cher Etan.Jonathon is facing losing it all.His grandfather has given him an ultimatum:Marry and be in a stable relationship by the time you're 30, or lose out on your inheritance.There's just one problem; the women Jonathon has so far associated himself with are less than marriage material, and would probably cause more issues in the long run than they're worth.So when he 'bumps into' Leila on the way to a benefit she's organizing, he soon decides she's the perfect woman for the deal.Smart, caring and attractive, and not the kind of woman who would get greedy and take him for all he's worth.But how will Leila, a woman who's been heartbroken in the past, feel about marrying for convenience?And when Jonathon's granddad realizes his grandson's marrying a woman of color on an average salary, how will he react?Find out in this touching romance story by best selling romance author Cher Etan.Suitable for over 18s only due to sexual scenes so hot you'll need an ice shower.

Deogratias, a Tale of Rwanda


Jean-Philippe Stassen - 2000
    He is an ordinary teenager, in love with a girl named B�nigne, but Deogratias is a Hutu and B�nigne is a Tutsi who dies in the genocide, and Deogratias himself plays a part in her death. As the story circles around but never depicts the terror and brutality of an entire country descending into violence, we watch Deogratias in his pursuit of B�nigne, and we see his grief and descent into madness following her death, as he comes to believe he is a dog.Told with great artistry and intelligence, this book offers a window into a dark chapter of recent human history and exposes the West's role in the tragedy. Stassen's interweaving of the aftermath of the genocide and the events leading up to it heightens the impact of the horror, giving powerful expression to the unspeakable, indescribable experience of ordinary Hutus caught up in the violence. Difficult, beautiful, honest, and heartbreaking, this is a major work by a masterful artist.

Silver Surfer: Requiem


J. Michael Straczynski - 2007
    Now his ride is about to come to an end. It starts with a small spot - a blemish that will spread until he is no more.

Glacial Period


Nicolas de Crécy - 2005
    There will be four and each will be a vision of this great museum by a different artist. De Crécy, at the sight of the incredible richness of the museum’s collection was overwhelmed and felt small and ignorant. The result is a story set thousands of years hence in a glacial period where all human history has been forgotten and a small group of archeologists fall upon the Louvre, buried in age-old snow. They cannot begin to explain all the artifacts they see. What could they have meant? Their interpretations are nonsense, absurd, farcical.

Dark Desires


Sallyanne Johnson - 2021
    She’s had enough heartbreak to last a lifetime and has vowed to never let a man control her ever again. When the surprise new owner of Gladstone Country Manor comes tearing into her life, his sizzling looks, and cocky arrogance stir a reaction in Sophie that she isn’t expecting. Art Black is a wealthy, successful entrepreneur who’s into fast cars and fast women. He likes to exercise control in all areas of his life and the bedroom’s no exception. He always gets who he wants, and he wants Sophie.Sophie fears Art's trouble, a heart breaker wrapped up in a charming, handsome veneer but can't deny the overwhelming attraction she feels for him. Even though she does her best to fight her feelings, she soon finds herself wrapped up in a steamy relationship with Art, where her boundaries are put to the test, and she begins to learn the truth about the man she’s falling for.But Sophie knows there’s more to Art than he's willing to reveal and she's worried her heart won't be able to survive a break from this man. When secrets and lies are uncovered that threaten to unravel their happily-ever-after, Sophie’s wants to run, but will Art let her go?Dark Desires is book one in a trilogy. Book Two will be released in March 2021.Contains mature content and explicit themes. Suitable for 18+,

মানবী


Humayun Ahmed - 2009
    ফ্ল্যাপে লিখা কথাঃI hear a sudden cry of pain!There is a rabbit in a snare:Now I hear the cry again,But i cannot tell from where.But i cannot tell from whereHe is calling out for aid;Crying of the frightened air,Making everything afraid.Making everything afraid,Wrinkling up his little face.As he cries again for aid;And i cannot find the place!And i cannot find the placeWhere his paw is in the snare;Little one! Oh, little one!I am searching everywhere.JAMES STEPHENS

Betrayal


Eric Shanower - 2007
    On the island of Tenedos, just off the coast of Troy, Achilles leads the attack. When the dust settles, Achilles finds himself one step closer to his tragic fate. Meanwhile, the Trojans prepare their defenses and gather allies. Agamemnon's offer of a peace embassy to King Priam reassures few. War appears inevitable. Even Helen dreads to face what lies ahead for her and everyone she loves or once loved.

The Pits of Hell


Yoshikazu Ebisu - 1981
    Exhausted Salarymen are pushed beyond the brink. Blood, sweat and screams of 'FUCK YOU!' pour out of the characters within The Pits of Hell, and yet a sense of humour always shines through. Bold, absurd and all too real, Ebisu Yoshikazu's work feels distinctly underground, almost punk. The Pits of Hell collects eight classic stories by Ebisu Yoshikazu, originally published between 1969 and 1981. The collection features a foreword by Minami Shinbo and an essay by Ryan Holmberg placing Ebisu Yoshikazu and his work into context.