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A Disney… Classic?

Okay, how did we miss this one? Disney Hamlet, Starring Donald Duck, a new full-color graphic novel written by Giorgio Salati and illustrated by Paolo De Lorenzi. “The ghost of a betrayed king appoints Prince Ducklet to restore peace to his kingdom in this adaptation of the classic tragic play by William Shakespeare. Huey, Dewey and Louie, along with Uncle Scrooge, head on a road trip to Denmark, passing by the famous landmark–the phantom castle of Ducksinore! The triplets recall the story of Ducklet, written by the celebrated playwright William Duckspeare. Scrooge’s interest is piqued and the story of tragedy, betrayal, and corruption unfolds.”  Published by Dark Horse Books in trade paperback, it’s available now from Penguin Random House.

image c. 2019 Dark Horse Books

Dig The Rock

Non-human adventures on a far-0ff planet. Sounds right up our alley. Glint is a new full-color graphic novel series for middle readers, written by Samuel Sattin and illustrated by Ian McGinty (Adventure Time). “On tiny Mora ― hurtling through space trying to find a star bright enough to sustain its fading life―everyone must do their part to keep the planet alive. Workers work. Leaders lead. Fighters fight. But Loon Ozoa, confined to the life of a pit worker but born with the heart and passion of a warrior, dreams of enlisting in the Temple of Sacred Defense and fighting the monstrous Feeders that threaten his people’s existence. When his friend Val Mol, second in command of the Rightful Blade, promises Loon a place in his ranks, Loon hopes to finally serve a higher purpose. But his hoverhog-riding, glint-slinging, mine-master grandma and her motley crew―the Cloud Raiders―are none too pleased about Loon trading in his drill rig for a shift sword. Determined to serve Mora, Val and Loon’s place in the military soon gets them lurched right into the murky waters of a conspiracy, one that holds dark secrets at the hands of their supreme regent. Will Val and Loon remain loyal to their commander, or will the secrets they uncover change everything they thought they knew about the purpose of their fight and fate of their planet?” The Hollywood Reporter actually did a write-up on this one. Glint Book One: The Cloud Raiders came out earlier this year from Lion Forge, and more volumes are on the way.

[Side note: We at InFurNation would like to extend our thoughts, prayers, and a good share of tears to the staff of Kyoto Animation — those who lost their lives and those who did not. Bright Blessings in this time of tragedy.]

image c. 2019 Lion Forge

They’re Binding Him With Science

Comic publisher Humanoids have a new all-ages imprint called BIG, and the first publication from it is called Bigby Bear. “A series of vignettes on imagination, science, mathematics, and the life of our planet…shared from the perspective of a curious bear and his furry, forest-dwelling friends! Bigby Bear lives peacefully in the lush mountains where he was born. Struggling to figure out nature and its elements, Bigby engages in silly experiments of all kinds. Accompanied by his loyal rabbit friend, he gives us the secret to living a happy, simple life: To follow your curiosity, and make friends along the way.” Written and illustrated by Philippe Coudray, Bigby Bear is available now in hardcover.

image c. 2019 BIG

More Stories from the Pridelands

Love it or loathe it, Disney’s new CGI (we here at IFN refuse to say “live action”) version of The Lion King is coming soon — and the merchandising machine is in full swing. Along that line, we came across The Lion King: Wild Schemes and Catastrophes, a new full-color graphic anthology in trade paperback. “Journey through Pride Rock and beyond in four stories focusing on the life of Simba as a cub and what awaits him on his path to become the lion king.” Written by John Jackson Miller (Star Wars, Mass Effect) and illustrated by Alexandra Fastovets, Danilo Antoniucci, and Timothy Green II, it’s available now from Disney Comics and Dark Horse Books.

image c. 2019 Dark Horse Books

This Guy’s Got Class

Here’s a new full-color graphic novel we discovered thanks to Previews: Mr. Wolf’s Class.From Eisner Award-–winning creator Aron Nels Steinke, a vibrant, funny new series that charmingly captures the everyday antics of a fourth–grade classroom! Mr. Wolf has just started teaching at Hazelwood Elementary. He wants the first day of school to go well, but he’s got his hands full with his new class. Some of his students include: Margot, who is new in town and is trying to make friends. Sampson, who brought something special to school for show-–and-–tell. Aziza, who just wants everyone to be quiet and do their work. And Penny, who is very sleepy because she has a new baby brother at home, goes missing!” Look for it in hardcover over at Scholastic. Oh,  and makes sure to check out the sequel, Mr. Wolf’s Class: Mystery Club.

image c. 2019 Graphix

 

Save the Hive — Save the World

We’ll admit we weren’t familiar with the works of comic creator Mary Fleener, but maybe we should have been: Check out her new graphic novel from Fantagraphics, Billie The Bee. “Meet Billie, an oversized honeybee with an even bigger personality! She’s bold, boisterous, and always singin’ up a storm. Billie lives a sweet life exploring the marshes of San Diego and making friends with Kay the kind Fox, Rayleen the rattlesnake, and Flo and Mo, the dirty joke-telling turtle sisters. But one day humans arrive and illegally release some rabid creatures into the marsh lands, upsetting the delicate ecological balance of the habitat. Can Billie and her woodland friends band together to repel these wild outsiders? And when a natural disaster strikes, does Billie have what it takes to lead the hive? Mary Fleener’s intricate crosshatching and signature mind-bending forays into cubist storytelling masterfully conjure up the world of her plucky honeybee protagonist. A deep dive into the secret life of bees, Billie’s story is by turns both charming and harrowing.” It’s available now in hardcover.

image c. 2019 Fantagraphics Books

Can’t Stop The Rock

Archaia has a special edition reprint you should know about — with a long title! See what’s happening down at Fraggle Rock… “It’s the annual ‘Splish-Splash Friend Bash’ at Fraggle Pond and all of Fraggle Rock is invited! But when a few bullies decide to crash the party, Gobo, Boober, and the other Fraggles will have to look out for one another and come up with a plan to help everyone get along. Written and illustrated  by Jay Fosgitt (Bodie Troll), Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock: The Rough Side of the Rock celebrates Jim Henson’s timeless television series with an inspiring story of acceptance and friendship for fans of all ages.” It’s issue #2 of Archaia’s Fraggle Rock comic, but now it’s in a premium hardcover picture book format. Check out the preview over at Graphic Policy. (Happy 4th!)

image c. 2019 Archaia

Fred Patten Lives On… In Writing

We got this direct from the late Fred Patten’s sister Sherry Patten: McFarland Publishers will soon be releasing one of Fred’s last books, Furry Tales: A Review of Essential Anthropomorphic Fiction (which features a forward from none other than Kyell Gold). From now through June 30th, McFarland is offering a 25% discount on books ordered on line — including not-yet-published books like this one! The book itself is set to be released this summer, according to McFarland. Visit the publisher’s web site to find out more.

image c. 2019 McFarland Publishing

Gold Is In Them Hills

One thing we like about visiting conventions is coming across “how did we miss this?” items. For instance: At BLFC we stumbled across The Tale of Jasper Gold, a black & white on-line comic written and illustrated by Jamil Gonzalez. “When settled rancher Jasper Gold’s bounty-hunting past catches up to him, Jasper must take up his gun once again to track down a gang of criminals as he searches for his lost daughter. The Tale of Jasper Gold is a tale of dastardly villains, gun-toting bounty hunters, and courageous heroes of the West.” Last year, Volume 1 of the Jasper Gold story arc was collected in a trade paperback graphic novel by Jarlidium Press. It’s available now from Rabbit Valley. [In other bunny news: If you didn’t hear, the Rabbit Valley crew are retiring from their appearances at furry conventions. Soon they’ll be moving to on-line sales only. We’ll miss you folks in our travels!]

image c. 2019 Jarlidium Press