Pantheon Graphic Novels News

Overwhelming praise for ASTERIOS POLYP!

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:57:40 -0500

Readers,

I know I've been going on about ASTERIOS POLYP for awhile now, but here at Pantheon we just can't wait for the publication of this book! Every single day this week, I have received a rave review in my inbox for ASTERIOS POLYP.

I just had to share a few with you:

Portland Mercury called it "An absolutely incredible piece of visual communication. high-concept integration of image, text, and color that, for all its intellectual swagger, is ultimately a perceptive, funny, and empathetic case study of the book's title character." To read this review, click here.

In their "Graphic Spotlight / ComicCon issue", Kirkus Reviews stated that "this is graphic narrative at its most virtuosic....Yet nothing in his previous work--or anyone else's--prepares the reader for the creative peaks and philosophical depths achieved here. Polyp may only be a hero in his own mind, where much of this story takes place, but he serves as an unlikely protagonist for a narrative that is provocative and compelling."

Richard Pachter at the Miami Herald raved that "There's no costumed crime fighting, just the small moments of life, though Mazzuchelli's extraordinary sense of design and drama ascends to heroic heights. This absorbing, idiosyncratic tale of love, ambition and opportunity marks the return of one of the modern masters of graphic storytelling."

The Contra Costa Times insisted that "You'll be in awe of how perfect it is and certainly envious of it if you are a writer. What a beautiful, staggeringly brilliant piece of literature."

Well, my friends, I think we all know what this means. Run, don't walk, to the nearest bookstore on August 18th and hope that they are not yet sold out of ASTERIOS POLYP. Or, if you want to just play it on the safe side, simply click here and preorder a copy.

Happy 4th of July!

-Lauren

Asterios Polyp COMIC BOOK RESOURCES review

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:47:38 -0500

Below is an excerpt from the Comic Books Resources review of ASTERIOS POLYP. To read the full review, click here.

The "about the author" blurb on the inside back cover of "Asterios Polyp" says only this: "David Mazzucchelli has been making comics his whole life. This is his first graphic novel." That last sentence seems wrong, doesn't it? How can this be his first graphic novel if many of us -- most of us -- have volumes on our shelves with his name along the spine? Though originally serialized, "Daredevil: Born Again" is surely a graphic novel. So is "Batman: Year One." They may be genre graphic novels, but that doesn't mean they should be disqualified.
Yet, those two collaborations with Frank Miller are decidedly different than what we get in "Asterios Polyp." And if the "about the author" blurb was written by Mazzucchelli himself, which is highly likely, than it's telling that he would boldly differentiate between what he's done in the past, "making comics," and this hardcover "graphic novel." But "Asterios Polyp" is different, and as Mazzucchelli's first major solo project, it deserves to be treated differently.
It is, undoubtedly, a major work of graphic narrative. A true graphic novel in a way that so few comics-with-spines really are.
I don't want to get into the old debates about the inaccuracy of the term "graphic novel," because everyone knows that it's used to mean anything from a thick collection of "X-Force" comics to "Maus" I and II. But if "graphic novel," as a concept, bears any resemblance to the idea of a literary novel, then very few would actually qualify. If we exclude the graphic memoirs, what are we left with for great true graphic novels? Graphic novels that don't rest comfortably inside the confines of "genre fiction"? "Jimmy Corrigan"? "Bottomless Belly Button"? "Stuck Rubber Baby"? It's a small list indeed.
"Asterios Polyp" deserves a spot on that list, and after reading it a second time, I'm convinced that no matter how you define the term "graphic novel," Mazzucchelli's first graphic novel is one of the great comics of all time.

To order a copy of ASTERIOS POLYP, click here.

CBLDF Launches "Conversational Comics," a Summer Speaker Series at Union Pool, Brooklyn

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:17:29 -0500

CBLDF Launches "Conversational Comics," a Summer Speaker Series at Union Pool, Brooklyn

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund proudly presents Conversational
Comics: a new summer speaker series taking place on three separate Saturday afternoons at Union Pool in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Join them for lively panel discussions with artists currently changing the face of comics, all moderated by comics critic Bill Kartalopoulos. Then stick around to get a book signed, hit the taco truck, and sip a summer drink with the featured cartoonists.

All events take place at 2:00 pm in the back room at Union Pool. Union Pool is located at 484 Union Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211, one block from the Lorimer-Metropolitan G and L stop.

June 27 @ 2:00 pm
Autobiography: My Life in Comics
David Heatley (My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down, Kramers Ergot), Lauren Weinstein (Girl Stories, The Goddess of War) and Julia Wertz (Fart
Party) will discuss the process, pleasures, and problems of making comics based on their own personal lives and observations.

July 11 @ 2:00 pm
Telling Stories: Fiction in ComicsJessica Abel (Artbabe, La Perdida), Jason Little (Shutterbug Follies) and Matthew Thurber (1-800-Mice, Kramers Ergot) will talk about the nature of narrative and fiction in comics. We'll consider forms of storytelling that comics can adapt, and others that comics can generate.

August 15 @ 2:00 pm
Lines on Paper: Drawing and Cartooning
Austin English (Windy Corner, Christina and Charles), Lisa Hanawalt (Stay Away From Other People, I Want You), and Dash Shaw (Bottomless Belly Button, BodyWorld) will discuss the relationship between image-making and drawing for comics. How do pictures work differently in comics than they do on gallery walls?

Suggested donation for each event is $5. All proceeds go to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Bill Kartalopoulos teaches classes about comics and illustration at the New School. He is a Contributing Editor at Print Magazine, where he frequently writes about comics.

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund was founded in 1986 as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of First Amendment rights for members of the comics community. For additional information, donations, and other inquiries please visit www.cbldf.org

Enjoy!

video of Josh Neufeld from ComicCon

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:50:47 -0500

Watch this video of Josh Neufeld discussing the transition from web comic to printed comic:

A.D. and Josh Neufeld - Tour Dates!

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:02:54 -0500

According to Dave Eggers, "A.D. is one of the best-ever examples of comics reportage, and one of the clearest portraits of post-Katrina New Orleans yet published. An essential addition to the ongoing conversation about what Katrina means, and what New Orleans means."

Make sure to pencil these special dates into your schedule if you'd like to meet Josh Neufeld:

A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge Book Tour (times and dates are subject to change)

Wednesday, August 19: Josh commemorates A.D.'s release with a presentation and signing in Austin, Texas, @ Book People. 603 N. Lamar, Austin, 7pm.

Thursday, August 20: A.D. presentation & signing with Josh @ Domy Books in Houston, Texas. 1709 Westheimer, Houston, 6 pm.

Friday, August 21: A.D. hits New Orleans. Release party with Josh and some of the book's subjects, live and in person! Plus an art show, live music, and refreshments. The Canary Collective, 329 Julia Street, New Orleans, 7pm.

Saturday, August 22: Josh signs books at the Maple Street Book Shop,
7523 Maple St, New Orleans, 1pm.

Tuesday, August 25: A.D.'s New York release party @ Idlewild Books, co-sponsored by Teachers & Writers Collaborative and Smith Magazine. Live music, refreshments, and an art auction to benefit New Orleans relief organizations. 12 West 19th St., New York City, 7pm

Friday, August 28: Josh presents A.D. and signs books @ The Book Cellar, in Chicago. 4736-38 North Lincoln Ave., Chicago, 7pm.

Saturday, August 29: Katrina's fourth anniversary. Josh will be doing an author coffee @ Writers Workspace Chicago. 5443 N. Broadway St., Chicago, 11am.

Wednesday, September 16: Josh, Pantheon editor Lisa Weinert, and SMITH comics editor Jeff Newelt discuss the evolution of A.D. from web to print. McNally Jackson Books, 52 Prince Street, New York City, 7 pm.

September 26-27: A.D. hits D.C. for the annual Small Press Expo (SPX). Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, 5701 Marinelli Road, North Bethesda, Maryland.

October 8-11: Josh will be a guest of Portland's Wordstock Literary Festival, "the largest celebration of literature and literacy in the Pacific Northwest." Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Oregon.

November 14-15: Josh will appear at one of the biggest book festivals in the country, The Miami Book Fair International: http://www.miamibookfair.com/

Mocca 2009 was a success!

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:16:28 -0500

Some Highlights from MoCCA 2009:

David Mazzucchelli was the hit of the show. He was there on both Saturday and Sunday signing early copies of his new graphic novel, Asterios Polyp, and chatting with fans. We sold out of 100 advance copies so quickly that people were offering us huge sums of money just to "book" their copy before the signing. Apologies to anyone who wasn't able to get their hands on a copy, but the book will be out in stores on 7/7 and you can preorder a copy here. Also, the retrospective is still happening at the MoCCA site and they are selling one-of-a-kind, signed ASTERIOS POLYP posters!

Josh Neufeld stopped by and signed early galleys of his new graphic novel A.D., which is due out in stores 8/18! Preorder a copy here.

Charles Burns visited our booth, as promised, and signed a bunch of copies of BLACK HOLE.

I bought a copy of TRICKED by Alex Robinson - one of my favorite graphic novelists!

Asterio Polyp

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:28:38 -0500

Check out the 6/10 issue of Entertainment Weekly, in which David Mazzucchelli's new graphic novel ASTERIOS POLYP receives a rave review. Here's a taste:

"When we first meet the brilliant and bullheaded professor Asterios, just before his New York City apartment is destroyed by fire, he's glumly watching sex tapes of himself and his ex-wife. He flees the building and heads out of town as flashbacks show him, 20 years earlier, blithely tossing off obnoxious cocktail-party bons mots and sleeping with students. His youthful self's slicked-back hair and ever-present smirk recall one of Chester Gould's Dick Tracy villains, and the stuffy middlebrow conversations that swirl around him bring to mind Woody Allen's favorite targets. ...Elegant, deceptively simple line work and nearly subliminal color symbolism make everything go down like candy. The narrative comes back to earth for a profoundly satisfying climax, but you'll want to keep turning pages -- all the way back to the beginning, for another read."

My personal favorite quote from the review: "it's as if John Updike had discovered a bag of art supplies and LSD."

Go Asterios (and David)!

mocca09

Wed, 27 May 2009 16:32:52 -0500

MOCCA 2009!!

Hopefully you're all pumped for the annual Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art festival! This year it's being held the weekend of June 6-7 at the 69th Regiment Armory at Lexington Avenue and 25th Street in New York City. The festival will be open to the public from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. both days. General admission is $10/day or $15/weekend, but is only $10/weekend for MoCCA members.

Here are some Pantheon highlights:

Keep your eyes peeled for Pantheon author Josh Neufeld, whose new graphic novel A.D. is already getting rave reviews. With quotes pouring in from all over (fans include comics legend Harvey Pekar, author Dan Baum, activist Cornel West, and producer/director Tia Lessin) and huge buzz at NY Comic Con, A.D. is sure to be one of the titles to watch out for at MoCCA. Neufeld will also be doing a meet n' greet at the Pantheon booth on Saturday from 3-4 p.m.

David Heatley will also be there on Saturday signing copies of his book My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down at the Pantheon booth.

Keep a look out for Kim Deitch, Jessica Abel, and Charles Burns, who will be attending the show and stopping by the Pantheon booth to chat with fans.

Look forward to seeing everyone!
-Lauren

Pirates! update

Mon, 04 May 2009 10:05:09 -0500

Pirates! fans everywhere: We are proud to announce the 4th installment of Gideon Defoe's madcap PIRATES! series. If you've never read Gideon Defoe's books before, we strongly suggest you start now!

For those of you who are familiar with the series, The Pirates! In an Adventure with Napoleon does not disappoint. Publishers Weekly insists that "lovers of Monty Python and the novels of Cabin Boy star Chris Elliott will appreciate this sendup of swashbuckling sea adventures."

Kirkus raves that PIRATES! is "relentlessly, aggressively, inventively and often hilariously silly."

The Pirates! In an Adventure with Napoleon is a swashbuckling tale of lavish tea parties, planning regulations, educational museum exhibits, and naked political ambition. And--unlike all of its thrilling predecessors--there is not much ham involved.

And the best part: the first 2 people to email pantheon@randomhouse.com will receive a *free* copy in the mail!

Alex Ross - Rough Justice

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:04:35 -0500

NEWS ALERT: ROUGH JUSTICE to be published in March 2010!

Superstar Alex Ross is back at Pantheon, with all-new DC Comics drawings, featuring his exquisite pencil work. As beautiful as the Alex Ross paintings in Mythology were, the most surprising revelation to many fans were the preparatory sketches, brilliantly rendered in graphite.

This book allows fans to peer over Alex's shoulder and see his thought process: What makes a composition work? What doesn't? How many different poses for these characters can you try, to keep making them look fresh? And just how do you reinvent the most beloved and most depicted comics icons in the world?

In Alex's case, you use a little (actually, a lot) of rough justice...

MoCCA!

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:00:54 -0500

Attention David Mazzuchelli fans!!!

In celebration of the release of his highly-anticipated book, Asterios Polyp, The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art will present David Mazzucchelli's first retrospective exhibition in the U.S.

Mazzucchelli's career encompasses early groundbreaking work in Daredevil and Batman: Year One; idiosyncratic short stories in his self-published anthology, Rubber Blanket, and elsewhere; the graphic novel adaptation of City of Glass; and his new graphic novel, Asterios Polyp. For over 25 years, Mazzucchelli has distinguished himself with articulate storytelling and emotive drawings in service to comics in a variety of genres.

The Comics of David Mazzucchelli presents over 80 original comic pages, drawings, prepatory sketches and covers from the artist's archives, allowing an invaluable look at Mazzucchelli's artistic journey. The exhibition will be curated by Dan Nadel.
The opening reception will be Saturday, June 6th, 7-9pm at the festival, but the exhibition will run through August at the MoCCA location.

For more info, visit www.mocca.org.

2009 PubWest Book Design Awards

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:38:52 -0500

PANTHEON winners in the 2009 PubWest Book Design Awards!

Breakdowns: Portrait of the Artist as a Young %@&*! received a Gold Award in the 2009 PubWest Book Design Awards Graphic Album - Previously Published Matter category.

BAT-Manga: The Secret History of Batman in Japan received a Silver Award in the 2009 PubWest Book Design Awards Art / Photography Book category.

Congratulations to the winners!

Craig Thompson!

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 16:26:42 -0500

Calling all Craig Thompson fans!

Craig will be making several appearances in Portland throughout the month of April:

1 - On April 17, he'll be a Guest of Honor at the Stumptown Comics Charity dinner. Proceeds going to the non-profit Stumptown Comics Foundation and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. A few tickets remain for this pop culture event of the season in Portland. You can find out more at Stumptown Comics.

2 - Throughout the month of April, there will be a gallery show at the Portland Center for Contemporary Arts. (1111 SW Broadway). Craig is showcasing pages from BLANKETS, CHUNKY RICE, and a world premiere page unveiling from his pending book, HABIBI.

3 - On April 19, Craig Thompson is making a one-day appearance at the Stumptown Comics Fest.

DASH SHAW

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:16:50 -0500

Dash Shaw received an Eisner "best web comic" nomination for his upcoming graphic novel BODYWORLD, which Pantheon will publish in 2010. BODYWORLD is currently a webcomic posted here.

Shaw will be giving two readings next week:

---April 12, 7:00 pm at the KGB bar - information can be found here.
---April 15-17: Emerging Writers Festival at Franklin & Marshall College.

Some more info:
Dash Shaw is the cartoonist of Bottomless Belly Button. He is also a regular contributor to the Fantagraphics quarterly comics anthology Mome. Besides making comics, he also dabbles in animation and painting. He was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1983; grew up in Richmond, Virginia, and now lives in Brooklyn, New York. To find out more about Dash Shaw, check out his website.

NEWS ALERT!

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:09:03 -0500

NEWS ALERT!

Recognized as the 'Oscars' of the American comic book business, the Eisners are presented annually before a packed ballroom at Comic-Con International in San Diego, America's largest comics convention. Pantheon has four nominations in the 2009 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards:

Art Spiegelman's BREAKDOWNS has been nominated in the categories of Best Archival Publication and Best Publication Design.

Joan Sfar's The Rabbi's Cat 2 has been nominated in the category of Best U.S. Edition of International Material.

A short story from I LIVE HERE called "Chechen War, Chechen Women," by Joe Sacco, has been nominated for Best Short Story.