A belated welcome to Craig Russell to our blog! We’ve got a series of fascinating videos/interviews of him working specifically on his next Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde, the 5th volume with the Happy Prince, coming out in April and to be premiered at MoCCA in NY end of April. We’ll post one a week of those and also have him comment in regular blog entries on his work.

The book is being solicited for now at comics stores.

We’re also busy at the office working on putting together the book to go out to the printer tomorrow. The artwork is stunning and Lovern Kindzierski’s colors just beautiful! Lovin’ every minute.

“Here are the female descendants of Wilhelm Busch’s Max and Moritz. Like Busch’s awful boys, it’s impossible not to cheer these two through all their silliness and well-deserved comeuppances.”

Booklist on Kinky & Cosy.

From Robot 6:

Chris Mautner: “You know who’s great? Lewis Trondheim. Trondheim continues to reveal his life to readers on a weekly basis over at his Web site (and the NBM blog), most of which has been collected in his “Little Nothings” series. The lastest book, My Shadow in the Distance, offers more of the same, and such a wonderful same it is.”

Also on Little Nothings, this from Don McPherson at Eyeoncomics:

“This collection of one-page, slice-of-life cartoons are eminently relatable, and the universality of Trondheim’s ‘toons becomes even more apparent when one considers this book is a translation of work originally crafted and presented in French.”

Bookgasm on Ernie Colon’s new Inner Sanctum, says it’s fun if be it predictable…:

“Colón’s art, however, is a pleasure throughout.” —Rod Lott 

Also on Inner Sanctum from Comics Bulletin:

“This book is a hell of a lot of fun, an anthology of wonderfully drawn short tales, all of which amuse and delight and feature terrific artwork. And Ernie Colón’s storytelling chops are still a glory to behold.”

Paste Magazine on Bubbles & Gondola: “7.2. Full of small surprises, pleasurably mopey.”

Stargazing Dog still gets comments, this from Warren Peace:

“It’s really nice to see a book like this get release on American shores, aspiring to neither high artistic statements or in-your-face excitement, but still lodging itself firmly in the heart.”

The Cleveland Plain Dealer/Cleveland.com calls Salvatore 2 a ‘delightful follow up.”

Ernie Colon gets an excellent interview over at Comics Bulletin by Jason Sacks. And Andrew “Captain Comics” Smith over at Scripps Howard News Service has this to say about it:

“[Colon] can scare the pants off you. I highly recommend “Inner Sanctum,” which ought to come with a reinforced belt.”

Smith (same review) also has come around on Salvatore. Where he hated vol.1, now with volume 2:

“An Eventful Crossing” has changed my mind entirely. All the stories are progressing dramatically and are holding my interest, and what I interpreted as inane, random dialogue in the first book has transformed into solid (and funny) characterization. I was wrong to dismiss this book as an artist’s self-indulgence, and hope now to correct my error. “Salvatore” is initially hard to embrace, because it is a story that refuses to conform to expectation and classification. But it’s that very quality that’s making it a unique and entertaining read for me now.”

Gene Ambaum at Unshelved, a site beloved by Librarians, recommends Trondheim’s Little Nothings 4:
“I read everything by Trondheim that’s available in English. But I would have picked this up for the cover alone.”

It is also reviewed at Playback:stl.

Comic Book Resources chooses Rohan at the Louvre as one of 12 to look forward to this year.

“Geary’s historical mysteries always sparkle with clarity, both in the artwork and plot.”

Joe Sutliff Sanders, Teacher Librarian on Geary’s Sacco & Vanzetti

Here’s what we’ve got solicited through comics bookstores this month to come out in March:

The main news is a beautiful art book import (in English and French) presenting the life work of Peyo, the creator of not only the Smurfs but many other great series:

PEYO, The Life and Work of a Marvelous Storyteller
Issued on the occasion of a recent exhaustive exhibition of original art by Peyo, father of the Smurfs, this is a hefty compendium chock-a-block with reproductions of his original pages from Johan & Peewit to Poussy the Cat and more, and of course with plenty of Smurfs art! Accompanied by text on the history of Peyo’s creations. A limited direct import from France. Once the few we’re able to import are sold out, no more!
8 ¼ x 11, 250pp. full color trade pb., $50, ISBN 9782953974300; see a preview.

Dungeon Zenith set
Volumes 1-3
Lewis Trondheim, Joann Sfar, Boulet
Specially priced set! Collecting the main core introductory storyline to the popular sprawling dark-humored epic spoofing horror and heroic fantasy. Includes volumes newly back to press! This is the series Pendleton Ward called a ‘big inspiration’ for his ever more popular “Adventure Time” series.
6 ½ x 9, 288pp., full color trade pbs., 3 volume banded set, $39.99, normally $43, ISBN 978-1-56163-624-2  See more on the series.

Now, you might notice we have up on our Coming Up page this month the next Boneyard set 5-7, due to some miscommunication, Diamond did not solicit for it this month and will for May.

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Meantime over at PAPERCUTZ:

ALL NEW 3 STOOGES COMICS!!! The movie’s comin’ and they’re recreating the 3 amazingly… so here goes:

THE THREE STOOGES #1 “Bed Bugged!”
Jim Salicrup, George Gladir, writers
Stan Goldberg, art
On the eve of the new major movie, Moe, Larry, and Curly are back in this collection of all-new comics stories written by Papercutz Editor-In-Chief Jim Salicrup and Sabrina the Teenage Witch creator George Gladir, drawn by legendary Archie Comics artist Stan Goldberg. In the title story “Bed Bugged,” the stooges find themselves as exterminators in a wealthy house full of priceless works of art. Can the three clear the house of bugs and leave the place intact? Their first collection of shenanigans will take them from Sumo Wrestling School to the set of a Spaghetti Western and all the way to Hollywood! Expect eye-pokes, gags, and slapstick galore in this return of the classic trio for an all-new audience.
6 x 9, 64pp., full-color paperback: $6.99
ISBN 978-1-59707-315-8
6 x 9, 64pp., full-color hardcover: $10.99
ISBN 978-1-59707-316-5 

PAPERCUTZ SLICES #4 “The Hunger Pains”
Stefan Petrucha, writer
Rick Parker, artist
Papercutz parodies the hot YA series just before its big budget film adaptation hits theaters in the fourth volume of Papercutz Slices. Ratkiss Everspleen decides to take her sister Dim’s place in the annual televised “Battle to the Death,” even though Mayor Underwear insists participation is completely optional. Ratkiss and her fellow contestant Peek A Choo soon begin training under Heybitch Blubbernasty for the most unnecessary battle of their lives. Expect laughs galore in this pointed parody that pokes fun at everything from Glee to Winnie the Pooh.
6 x 9, 64pp., full-color paperback: $6.99
ISBN 978-1-59707-312-7
6 x 9, 64pp., full-color hardcover: $10.99
ISBN 978-1-59707-313-4

PAPERCUTZ SLICES #1-3 Boxed Set
Maia Kinney-Petrucha, Margo Kinney-Petrucha, and Stefan Petrucha, writers
Rick Parker, artist
Laugh out loud comics parodies “Harry Potty,” “Breaking Down,” and “Percy Jerkson and the Ovolactovegetarians” all in one specially priced boxed set!
6 x 9, 192 pages, full-color paperback: $19.99
ISBN:  978-1-59707-274-8

DISNEY FAIRIES #8 “Tinker Bell and Her Stories for a Rainy Day”
Silvia Gianatti, Augusto Machetto, Paola Mulazzi, writers
Emilio Urbano, Elisabetta Melaranci, artists
Tinker Bell’s oldest friend Peter Pan and her oldest enemy Captain Hook both guest star in the newest volume of the Cyblis Award nominated series. Containing four magical stories jam-packed with rare appearances by some of the most beloved Disney characters including the lovable bumbling pirate Mr. Smee and fairies of Pixie Hollow who have never appeared in comics—until now.
6 x 9, 64pp., full-color paperback: $7.99
ISBN 978-1-59707-303-5
6 x 9, 64pp., full-color hardcover: $11.99
ISBN 978-1-59707-304-2

THE SMURFS  #11 “The Smurf Olympics
Peyo – writer and artist
Yvan Delporte, writer
Papercutz celebrates the Summer 2012 Olympic Games with “The Smurf Olympics”! Hefty Smurf loves to play sports, but he can’t get the other Smurfs to play with him. His solution – create “Smurf Olympics”! The Smurfs divide themselves into two teams, all competing for the grand prize: a kiss from the Smurfette. But when one Smurf is turned down by both teams, he decides to compete on his own, throwing the games into chaos! Can one Smurf take on the whole village? And can the Smurfs stop cheating and playing pranks on each other long enough for the games to actually take place?
6 ½ x 9, 56pp., full-color paperback: $5.99
ISBN 978-1-59707-301-1
6 ½ x 9, 56pp., full-color hardcover: $10.99
ISBN 978-1-59707-302-8 

 
THE SMURFS #4-6 Boxed Set
Peyo – writer and artist
Gos -writer
Yvan Delporte, writer
Volumes 4 through 6 collected into one boxed set with close to 150 pages of comics! Includes “The Smurfette”, “The Smurfs and the Egg,” “The Smurfs and the Howlibird.”
6½ x 9, 192 pages, full-color paperback: $17.99
ISBN:  978-1-59707-306-6

Ernie Colon’s latest graphic novel, INNER SANCTUM, hit comics bookstores yesterday, if you haven’t checked it out yet, make sure not to miss it, it’s a beauty, a work of love by Colon who grew up listening to this classic radio show late at night, feeling delicious shivers of fright under the sheets.

It’s horror, it’s retro, as much fun as watching a good ‘ole B&W movie and it’s Ernie at his best!

If your comics bookstore doesn’t have it, show some blood trickling down from your mouth and tell ‘em to get with it or be food.