Books Comic history Comic strips

Hey Kids! Comics! Gift a Comic Book

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D. D. Degg December 15, 2023 3 minutes 0 comments

Below are some comic strip and cartoon books scheduled for December 2023 release.
Images and links (mostly) via the books’ publishers,
though ordering through your local comic shop or independent book store is a good idea.

Comics Revue Presents December 2023

features Drago by Burne Hogarth; Flash Gordon by Harry Harrison; Rick O’Shay by Stan Lynde; Gasoline Alley by Dick Moores; Alley Oop by V. T. Hamlin; Steve Canyon by Milton Caniff; Casey Ruggles by Warren Tufts; Sir Bagby by R&B Hackney; Garth by Peter O’Donnell;  and many more.

Prince Valiant Vol. 27: 1989 – 1990 by Cullen Murphy and John Cullen Murphy

On a quest in the Asian lands of Cathay, Prince Valiant encounters a fire-breathing mechanical dragon and the legendary adventurer Prester John.

Garfield Fully Caffeinated His 75th Book by Jim Davis and Crew

Garfield’s back in this brand-new full-color compilation comic strip book

Dictionary of British Cartoonists and Caricaturists 1730-1980 (paperback edition)

It was the first book to encompass the entire field from c.1730 when Hogarth published the first of his ‘modern moral pictures’ to 1980. In addition to describing the careers and achievements of the artists and the characteristics of their styles, more than 500 entries give details of their publications, their illustrations to books and periodicals, exhibitions of their work, public collections in which their work is represented and literature on or referring to them.

Walt Disney’s Silly Symphonies 1935-1939: Starring Donald Duck and the Big Bad Wolf

Ruben Bolling reviews the book for Boing Boing:

This week, Fantagraphics is releasing a gorgeous book reprinting the “Silly Symphony” comic strips from July, 1935, to February, 1939. “Silly Symphony” was syndicated to newspapers at this time as a “topper,” appearing on Sundays above the larger “Mickey Mouse” comic strip. It started as a vehicle for publishing print versions of Disney’s popular “Silly Symphony” series of cartoon shorts, but during this period, it evolved into an umbrella title for different types of Disney comic strips.

It is by “Walt Disney” who in this volume consists of writers Ted Osborne, Merrill de Maris and art by Al Taliaferro, Floyd Gottfredson, Hank Porter, Bob Grant. The stories are “Three Little Kittens”, “The Life and Adventures of Elmer Elephant”, “The Further Adventures of the Three Little Pigs”, “Donald Duck”, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, “The Practical Pig”, “Mother Pluto”, “The Farmyard Symphony”, and “Timid Elmer”. (hat tip to David Young for these details)

Comic Books, Special Collections, and the Academic Library

Comic Books, Special Collections, and the Academic Library collects best practices for the acquisition, preservation, storage, and cataloging of comics, particularly single-issue (or floppy) comics.

Lawless days like the mid-1930s needed the toughest policemen to dispense justice—men like Dick Tracy! In Volume 3 of his long-running series, the bold detective tangles with Zora Arson, her escaped-con brother, Boris, and the evil “Cutie”—who gets cute by springing a death trap involving two famished bobcats! … Faceless foes bookend the stories in Dick Tracy Volume 4, the latest entry in the Clover Press/Library of American Comics reissue of the original six Dick Tracy volumes in the larger format that became the series standard.

Four Gathered on Christmas Eve by Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Becky Cloonan, James Harren

Four tales of the bizarre and terrifying to keep you company on the cold yule night. A unique approach to the ghost story format where the creators themselves become part of the story.

Gareth Branwyn review for Boing Boing:

In this handsome collection, four highly-regarded comics creators—Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Becky Cloonan, and James Harren—revive the Victorian tradition of telling fireside ghost stories on Christmas Eve.

Each creator brings their unique vision to these fireside tales.

The Pirate Ship: Collected Strips 2017-2022 by Robert Bergeron and Katy Finch

A 60 page anthology of the The Pirate Ship comics as seen in The Mainer and The Bollard published between 2017-2022.

Popeye Variations: Not yer Pappy’s Comics an’ Art Book

Collects the Comics Kingdom Popeye’s Cartoon Club strips plus:

The project includes pin-ups from contributors such as Adventure Time storyboard artist Derek Ballard, The New Yorker‘s Roz Chast, The Book of Life director and acclaimed painter Jorge Guiterrez, legendary comic artist Kelley Jones, and Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell.

With over 100 pages of Popeye art and comic strips, including new art, new comic strips, and art by Bud Sagendorf from the original 1940s & 1950s Popeye comic books.

Alley Oop and the Million-Dollar Nugget by V.T. Hamlin

Alley and Oola join the California Gold Rush — and strike it big! Also introducing Oxy Twenty-Four, the million-year-old moon man who really messes with Alley’s world, first in modern times and then going back to Moo and making more trouble! This volume reprints all the daily strips from 1959.

Doctor Moebius and Mister Gir

Working closely with publisher Casterman and Moebius Production, Dark Horse now brings you Numa Sadoul’s landmark interviews with Jean “Moebius” Giraud. The master reflects on his many lives as an artist and man, from his Heavy Metal breakthrough era to a year before his untimely passing.

Spy vs. Spy Omnibus by Antonio Prohias (new edition)

Since the 1960s, “Spy vs. Spy” has been one of the most popular features in MAD Magazine. The diabolical duo of double-crosses and deceit (one dressed in black, the other in white) have continued to one-up each other — til death do they part.

The Comical Eye’s British Monarchy: From Alfred the Great to Charles III

The story of the British Royal Family told over a thousand years, with the reigns of every monarch sketched in a sharp, funny, and useful vignette of words and pictures—and the perfect gift for historians and royal watchers alike. A single-sheet poster-size booklet. Words by Leo Schulz, Art by Teresa Robertson.

A Miserable Guide to Saskatoon 2 – by Marc Rousseau

Julia Peterson for Saskatoon Star Phoenix reviews the book and interviews the cartoonist.

Rousseau, a comic artist, moved to Saskatoon from California in 2012. As he got to know the city and its colourful characters, he started drawing “little one-off jokes” about his second home.

A few years and an ever-expanding set of humorous comics later, Rousseau took those jokes and created A Miserable Guide to Saskatoon.

Popeye the E.C. Segar Popeye Sundays Volume 3: The Sea Hag & Alice the Goon

Volume three centers around the epic Popeye adventure, “Plunder Island,” in which our endearing cast of characters takes to the high seas in search of buried treasure — but must contend with the ruthless Sea Hag and her strange sidekick, Alice the Goon. Steeped in shadow and gothic imagery, this tale is an atmospheric and suspenseful departure from the typical Popeye aesthetic — with a little screwball comedy thrown in for good measure.

Alley Oop In World War II Complete Sundays Volume 4: 1942-1944 by V. T. Hamlin

Alley Oop’s full color, Sunday Page time-traveling adventures continue! 139 never-before-reprinted pages are presented in this oversize hardcover. Come with Alley as he crashes into the War in the Pacific, becomes a screen star in Hollywood’s Golden Age, and much more!

Lauren Ipsum Throws the Book At You by Charles Brubaker

Rabbits and foxes and mermaids… Oh my! Join Lauren Ipsum and her friends (and enemies) running the St. Paws Library in her new book! Contains a bonus story “The Chosen One”.

The Catholic Cartoon Collection: No. 1 by Joshua Masterson

Enjoy the fun, hectic, and holy moments of the everyday life of Fr. Otto and his parish in this very first Catholic Cartoon collection!

Best Australian Political Cartoons 2023

Featuring Dean Alston, Peter Broelman, Andrew Dyson, John Farmer, First Dog on the Moon, Matt Golding, Fiona Katauskas, Mark Knight, Jon Kudelka, Johannes Leak, Sean Leahy, Alan Moir, David Pope, David Rowe, John Spooner, Andrew Weldon, Cathy Wilcox, and more …

Airhorn of Truth: The Complete Sunday Comix by Brett Hamil (cartoonist interview)

This book collects all 152 Sunday Comix published weekly by the South Seattle Emerald between June 2020 and June 2023, presented here in the order they appeared.

Print on demand facsimiles:

Famous Funnies – A Carnival Of Comics

The debate rages as to which publication can be called the first comic book, but there’s no doubt that FAMOUS FUNNIES – A CARNIVAL OF COMICS is in the running for many reasons.

The Adventures Of Mr. Obadiah Oldbuck

The 1842 Classic Early Comic — Amusing, heart-felt and amazing!

feature image by Tom Gauld © The New Yorker