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Books and Trade Paperbacks

They’re Back to Move It Move It

Our zoo friends from New York… er, Africa… er, Monte Carlo… WHATEVER are back in a new full-color comic collection. Madagascar: Escape Plans brings together issues #1 through #4 of the comic book series from Joe Books in one trade paperback. “Join Marty, Alex, Melman and the whole Madagascar crew on hilarious adventures… Featuring a buddy-cop adventure starring Alex and his arch nemesis Nana, a zany escape plan from Madagascar, a struggle between King Julien and the usurper who’s stolen his throne, and more!” Written by Patrick Storck and illustrated by Rik Hoskin, it’s coming on October 10th.

image c. 2017 Joe Books

Meet The Dinosaur Next Door

Bolivar is a new hardcover graphic novel written and illustrated by Sean Rubin and published by Archaia. Here’s what Sean says on his blog: “When a young girl named Sybil moves to New York, she discovers that her next-door neighbor is a little unusual, even by local standards. Bolivar is the world’s last living dinosaur, but everyone in the city is too busy to notice him.When Sybil and Bolivar are pulled into an adventure that spans from City Hall to New York’s Natural History Museum, Bolivar must make a choice: He can continue to live unnoticed, or he can let the city see who he really is.” Turns out that Bolivar is already under development at Warner Brothers as a feature film, possibly to be directed by Kealan O’Rourke. Stay tuned for more about that.

image c. 2017 Archaia

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The Daemons Return

Feels like it’s been a while now that author Philip Pullman has been promising his fans a follow-up to his landmark alternate-earth fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials. Now it looks as if the wait is over! La Belle Sauvage, the first book in the new trilogy The Book of Dust comes finally to bookshelves in late October. Here’s what the author says: ““I’ve always wanted to tell the story of how Lyra came to be living at Jordan College, and in thinking about it, I discovered a long story that began when she was a baby and will end when she’s grown up. This volume and the next will cover two parts of Lyra’s life: Starting at the beginning of her story and returning to her twenty years later. As for the third and final part, my lips are sealed.” Lots of talking animal companions are sure to abound in this, the author’s furriest universe.

image c. 2017 New Line Cinema

Just in Time for Howl-oween

If you’ve ever read horror comics from the 1970’s, then you know about Marvel Comics’ Werewolf By Night. Now they’re bringing the story together. “Jack Russell stars in tales to make you howl, as Marvel’s very own Werewolf! Learn how Jack became one of the grooviest ghoulies of the seventies in this classic collection of his earliest adventures! Afflicted with his family’s curse, Jack’s sets out in search for answers. Could they lie in the terrible tome known as the Darkhold? But Jack’s quest is fraught with danger – from mad monks to big-game hunters to a traveling freak show! Then there’s the terror of Tatterdemalion, the horror of Hangman and the torment of Taboo! But few encounters can compare with Krogg, the lurker from beyond – except, maybe, a Marvel Team-Up with Spider-Man – and a supernatural showdown with Dracula himself!” Werewolf By Night: The Complete Collection Volume 1 comes to stores this October.

image c. 2017 Marvel Comics

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Crackers, Gromit!

It’s a given that everyone does an “Art of…” book for their new animated features these days. Sometimes there are even retrospective “Art of…” books for various studios. Aardman Animation, however, had not jumped on that bandwagon — until now! The Art of Aardman is a new hardcover (available now from Simon & Schuster) that celebrates 40 years (!) of the house that brought us Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run, Shaun the Sheep and so much more. Featuring a forward by founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton, it takes a behind-the-scenes look at Aardman through the sketchbooks of such famous directors as Nick Park, Richard Starzak, and others.

image c. 2017 Simon & Schuster

Family Means Diversity

And yet more stuff from France for young readers, this time imported by Lerner Publishing Group. “Enjoy lively, colorful, fairy-tale-style fun with the Whiskers Sisters! Maya has antlers. Mia’s a cat. And May can’t quite talk yet. But they’re all family! They live in the woods with their grandfather, the Guardian of the Forest – and they get into all kinds of adventures with the chatty animals that live nearby. A letter from Mrs. Owl, the Whiskers Sisters’ mail carrier, prompts Mia and Maya to plan a celebration. But their little sister, May, has been swept up in Mrs. Owl’s mailbag! Soon May is in the woods having a wild afternoon. But will she make it home in time for the party?” Written and illustrated by Miss Paty, The Whiskers Sisters Volume 1: May’s Wild Walk is coming just after Christmas. Check out this new paperback over at Previews.

image c. 2017 Lerner Publishing

Stone in Paris

Humanoids (the publisher!) have imported a new hardcover graphic novel series for young readers called Gregory and the Gargoyles. We got this from Previews: “Young Gregory is unhappy and restless when his family moves to a new neighborhood, opposite a cathedral. Bullied by other kids, and left to his own devices at home, he discovers a strange medallion with a drawing of the church on it, and sets out explore the great building and the giant stone statues that rest on top. Before he knows it, Gregory is hurled back to 17th-century France, smack-dab in the middle of gargoyles, dragons, and sorcerers locked in an ongoing battle against dark forces. A hilarious, magical tale from master storyteller Denis-Pierre Filippi (Muse, Marshals) and artists J. Etienne (Brussli: Way of the Dragon Boy) and Silvio Camboni.” It’s in stores now.

image c. 2017 Humanoids

And Speaking of Friends…

Also from Silver Sprocket… The (human) star of Benji Nate’s web comic CatBoy says this about herself: “Hi, I’m Olive. My cat Henry is my best friend. I saw a shooting star and wished he could hang out with me like a person. I think I should have been more careful with my wording.” Now Silver Sprocket have assembled a 140-page trade paperback of CatBoy that includes the comics from Vice.com as well as unreleased new material and bonus artwork.

image c. 2017 Silver Sprocket

Friends With Benefits — and Fur

Also at San Diego Comic Con we came across Silver Sprocket, a publishing house with several funny-animal titles under their banner. Among them is Please Keep Warm, a funny animal web-comic written and illustrated by Michael Sweater. Here’s what he says: “Please Keep Warm is a comic about friendship, overcoming depression, finding your place in the world, and also sometimes black metal. Please Keep Warm covers exciting subjects like not having an idea for a novel, showing a child how to play DOOM II, and not knowing what day of the week Silicon Valley comes on. Please Keep Warm is essentially the television show Friends but with references to The Cure.” What he said. The first paperback collection of Please Keep Warm is called This Must Be The Place, and it’s available now through Silver Sprocket.

image c. 2017 Silver Sprocket