● Abrams ComicArts

BY RICK PARKER

From noted cartoonist Rick Parker comes his long–awaited graphic novel memoir about his time in the United States Army, when he was drafted to serve during the Vietnam War

Praise for Drafted

“Rick Parker’s remarkable graphic novel Drafted is a painfully honest, funny, and often troubling account of his time in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Engaging, insightful and wonderfully drawn . . . a fascinating read.” —Derf Backerf, My Friend Dahmer, Trashed, and Kent State

“Rick Parker went through basic training a few years before I did, but man, everything in his graphic novel rings true, and clear. This is observational graphic storytelling at its best. If you've never been in the service, this will be an eye–opener, and if you are a vet, this will trigger some long–forgotten memories.” —Larry Hama, G.I.Joe, The ’Nam, and Vietnam Veteran

“Parker brings all of his expertise to bear; all of his humor, empathy, and humanity, and his sense of right and wrong. Drafted is his magnum opus.” —James Romberger, 7 Miles a Second

Drafted is a graphic novel memoir by Rick Parker, an inexperienced, introverted, and overly protected teenager growing up in Savannah, Georgia, in the 1950s. After flunking out of college his freshman year, he gets drafted into the United States Army and soon discovers how unheroic he actually is when faced with a life–or–death situation. Parker was lucky, and was stationed in Fort Still, Oklahoma, unlike the 58,220 soldiers who served overseas in Vietnam and never returned, but the horrors of war still permeated his tour of duty. Coming to the realization that he is not cut out for a military career, Parker pursues his dream of becoming an artist. In telling this story, he writes about how the Vietnam War was the last war in the United States that used the draft; how the draft affects those who serve; and how we as Americans think of war. As an established comics creator, Parker also covers how being an artist helped him survive his time in the US Army. A compelling and unique graphic novel memoir, perfect for fans of Joe Sacco, Derf Backderf, Thi Bui, and Brian Fies, Drafted is sure to garner interest from Parker’s dedicated followers and new fans alike— already proven by the response to the award–winning short film Rick Parker, I’m Afraid.

Rick Parker is a cartoonist best known for his work as the artist of the MTV Beavis and Butt–Head comic book series published by Marvel Comics. He is also the illustrator of the Ghoulunatics and a series of parody comics for Papercutz, which includes titles such as Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid, Harry Potty and the Deathly Boring, Breaking Down (a Twilight Saga parody), Percy Jerkson and the Ovolactovegetarians, The Hunger Pains, and The Farting Dead. He lives in Falmouth, Maine.

ESTABLISHED CREATOR:

Parker is a 45–year veteran of the comics industry. Drafted is the first graphic novel he has both written and illustrated.

RELEVANT TOPIC: Fewer and fewer people are enlisting in the military these days. Given recent discussions in the media around the draft and how Americans think of the Vietnam War and our ongoing military involvement overseas, this is the perfect book for classroom discussion.

HUMOROUS APPROACH: The darker themes and topics are balanced with moments of humor, showcasing Parker’s unique voice.

MOVIE ADAPTATION: In 2021, the short film Rick Parker, I’m Afraid was released and won first place at Sundance Collab, a digital space for independent artists from all over the world. It was director Shannon Meserve’s first film, and she is currently expanding it into a feature documentary.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *240 pages *WIDTH: 6" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 9 1/4" - 235mm

*Hardcover with jacket

PUB MONTH: APRIL

GRAPHIC NOVELS ISBN 978-1-4197-6159-1

US $24.99 CAN $31.99 UK £18.99 ËxHSLELJy761591z

ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-660-0

THE WEAPON THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

BY ALCANTE AND LF BOLLEÉ, ILLUSTRATED BY DENIS RODIER

From the Big Bang to Hiroshima, the incredible story of the most disastrous weapon ever invented

On August 6, 1945, at 8:15 in the morning, an explosive charge of more than 15 kilotons fell on the city of Hiroshima. Tens of thousands of people were pulverized, and everything within four square miles was instantly destroyed. A deluge of flames and ash had just caused Japan’s greatest trauma and changed the course of modern warfare and life on Earth forever. The world was horrified by the existence of the bomb—the first weapon of mass destruction. But how could such an appalling tool be invented? To answer this question, Alcante, Laurent–Frédéric Bollée, and Denis Rodier return to the origins of its main component, uranium, and shed light on the scientific discoveries around this element and its uses both civilian and military. Sifting through the history, from Katanga to Japan, through Germany, Norway, the USSR, and New Mexico,The Bomb is a succession of incredible but true stories. Alcante, Bollée, and Rodier have created an exhaustive and definitive work of nonfiction that details the stories of the unsung players as well as the remarkable men and women who are at the crux of its history and the events that followed.

Alcante has been fascinated by comic strips since he was young. Nevertheless he began by studying economic sciences, followed by academic research; in 1995, he won a scenario competition and had his first story published in Spirou, a weekly magazine. In 2002, Alcante started to regularly publish semi–realistic, semi–fantastic short stories that prefigured Pandora Box, his very first series. He lives and works in France. Laurent–Frédéric Bollée has been a successful journalist and writer for more than 20 years. Alongside his media work for various television and radio networks, he has also published nearly 40 graphic novels, including a volume in the XIII Mystery collection (part of the internationally acclaimed XIII saga). Long fascinated by Australia, Bollée began writing Terra Australis in December 2007, a 500–page historical masterpiece, which was published by SelfMadeHero in 2014. Bollée lives and works in Versailles, France. Denis Rodier began his illustration career in 1986, which led him, two years later, to the world of comics. Among his first work was a Batman story in Detective Comics (1988), and his portfolio includes other world–famous characters such as Wonder Woman and Captain America. In addition to his work for DC Comics and Marvel Comics, Rodier has also worked for Milestone Media, Dark Horse, Malibu Comics, and Image Comics. However, it is his work on Superman that has garnered Rodier his greatest acclaim. From 1991 and 1997, he was an inker on Action Comics and The Adventures of Superman, most notably on the award–winning, seminal “Death of Superman” storyline. Rodier lives and works in Canada. CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED: More than 20 years in the making,The Bomb is the definitive history of the creation of the atomic bomb and those who helped make it, launch it, and its aftermath. It has been translated into 14 languages, received critical acclaim in France, and was hailed as a classic and one of the most essential graphic novels of the year when it was first published in 2020. It has also received eight awards in the last two years, including the Québec BD’s Bédéis–Causa 2021 Award, the Prix de la critique ACBD 2020 Award from the Comic Book Critics and Reporters Association, and the Prix Cases d’Histoire Award for best historical graphic novel of 2020.

STUNNING VISUALS:

Exhaustively researched, this story comes to life with Rodier’s intricately detailed illustrations. Our edition includes a gray wash to add depth to Rodier’s artwork.

WORLD–FAMOUS CREATORS:

Alcante and Bollée are comics legends in France, and Rodier is a beloved creator in the United States, having established himself in the early 1990s as one of the artists on the “Death of Superman” storyline. He has more than 90,000 followers on Instagram (denis_rodier).

CANADIAN ARTIST: Rodier is French–Canadian and a big name in the Canadian comics market, as well as a perennial guest at TCAF.

SPECIFICATIONS

* Black and white illustrations throughout * 448 pages * WIDTH: 7 3/8" - 187mm * HEIGHT: 10 1/4" - 260mm * Hardcover POB

PUB MONTH: JULY

GRAPHIC NOVELS,

HISTORY, NONFICTION

ISBN 978-1-4197-5209-4

US $29.99 CAN $37.95 UK £21.99 ËxHSLELJy752094z

ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-530-6

BY MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT, STAN LEE, STEVE DITKO, AND JACK KIRBY; DESIGNED BY CHIP KIDD; COMMENTARIES BY TOM BREVOORT, MARK EVANIER, SARA DUKE, AND CHIP KIDD; PHOTOGRAPHED BY GEOFF SPEAR

Timed for the 60th anniversary of Spider–Man and includes two complete stories plus the original art from the Library of Congress!

Spider–Man first swung onto the comic book pages in August 1962 with the publication of Amazing Fantasy no. 15, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and with cover art by Jack Kirby, which was soon followed by The Amazing Spider–Man no. 1 in March 1963. Sixty years after the comics' publication, award–winning graphic designer Chip Kidd reimagines the iconic first stories using original vintage copies of both comic books to present these classic tales in a whole new way. Perfect for both lifelong fans and the latest generation of Marvel enthusiasts, the book also includes text by Chip Kidd, Marvel editor Tom Brevoort, historian Mark Evanier (Kirby: King of Comics), and Library of Congress curator Sara Duke. Stunningly photographed by award–winning photographer Geoff Spear, Amazing Fantasy no. 15 and Amazing Spider–Man no. 1 are showcased as you’ve never seen them before—oversized and up–close. This is a panel–by–panel exploration of both entire issues that captures every single detail and nuance of Lee and Ditko’s groundbreaking story, making it a must–have for every comic book collection.

Stan Lee (1922–2018) was a writer, editor, comic book creator, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics. Steve Ditko (1927–2018) was one of the most influential American comic book artists of all time, and the co–creator of Spider–Man. Jack Kirby (1917–94) created or co–created some of comic books’ most popular characters. Chip Kidd is a graphic designer and writer and editor at large for Pantheon. A three–time Eisner Award winner, he has written and designed more than a dozen books on comics. Geoff Spear is an award–winning photographer. Tom Brevoort is an executive editor and VP of publishing at Marvel Comics. Mark Evanier is a writer and historian and author of the award–winning Kirby: King of Comics. Sara Duke is a curator of Popular and Applied Graphic Arts in the Prints and Photographs division of the Library of Congress. Y

60th ANNIVERSARY: First there was Fantastic Four No. 1: Panel by Panel. Now, timed for the 60th anniversary of Spider–Man, award–winning designer Chip Kidd and photographer Geoff Spear deconstruct the iconic issues of Amazing Fantasy no. 15 and The Amazing Spider–Man no. 1 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, with cover art by Jack Kirby. The volume includes text by Kidd, Marvel editor Tom Brevoort, historian Mark Evanier, and Library of Congress curator Sara Duke.

MIGHTY BRAND: Marvel Comics, having celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2020, is one of the most recognizable brands worldwide.

NOT ONE BUT TWO

COMPLETE STORIES: In Spider–Man: Panel by Panel, Kidd and Spear examine both comic books, as well as the original art for Amazing Fantasy no. 15 from the Library of Congress. These bonus pages are included in their entirety along with close–up details and handwritten notes between Lee and Ditko from the margins of the pages.

SPECIFICATIONS

* Full-color illustrations throughout * 384 pages * WIDTH: 8 1/2" - 216mm * HEIGHT: 11" - 279mm * Hardcover with jacket

PUB MONTH: JULY

GRAPHIC NOVELS ISBN 978-1-4197-6401-1

US $60.00 CAN $75.00 UK £45.00 ËxHSLELJy764011z

CARTON QTY: 6

A VISUAL HISTORY

BY MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT; TEXT BY ROY THOMAS

The story of the most inspired comic book promotional campaign, collected here for the first time

In 1974 Marvel Comics publisher Stan Lee devised an ingenious promotional campaign—Marvel Value Stamps, which appeared on the letters pages of their monthly comics. Readers could cut out all 100 of these super hero and super villain stamps and place them in a special mail–order booklet. Once complete, these stamp books could then be redeemed for special discounts and exclusive merchandise. The program was so successful, a second set was released in 1975. And now, for the first time, these original stamp books, stamps, and all of the surrounding ephemera and source material are collected into one must–have volume for collectors and fans, along with text from Marvel Comics historian Roy Thomas and an all–new cover by Alex Ross.

Roy Thomas has been a comic book writer and editor since 1965, primarily for Marvel Comics and DC Comics. Inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2011, he currently edits Alter Ego magazine, writes the online Tarzan strips, and the occasional comic book. Thomas is also the author of two definitive histories for Taschen–75 Years of Marvel Comics: From the Golden Age to the Silver Screen and The Stan Lee Story. He lives in rural South Carolina. RESPECTED AUTHOR: Roy Thomas was Stan Lee’s editor in chief when the Marvel Value Stamps were published. Thomas has since become Marvel’s official historian, authoring two definitive history books for Taschen—75 Years of Marvel Comics: From the Golden Age to the Silver Screen (2014) and The Stan Lee Story (2018).

VALUE PACKAGE: At 368 full–color pages priced at $24.99, Marvel Value Stamps is the type of book that Abrams ComicArts is known for—an extensively researched and detailed look at the ingenious promotional campaign that led readers to buy Marvel comics in unprecedented numbers. Every aspect of these sought–after stamps and their creation are reproduced in one affordable volume.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *400 pages *WIDTH: 6 1/2" - 165mm *HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm * Hardcover POB

PUB MONTH: MARCH

COMICS

ISBN 978-1-4197-4344-3

US $29.99 CAN $37.95 UK £21.99 ËxHSLELJy743443z

CARTON QTY: 10

© 2022 MARVEL RARE MATERIAL: A complete collection of the original Marvel Value Stamps are near impossible to find and have never been reprinted, making this the essential book for collectors and longtime Marvel fans.

THE RISE AND FALL OF BOBBY FISCHER

BY JULIAN VOLOJ, ILLUSTRATED BY WAGNER WILLIAN

A graphic novel biography following the life of Bobby Fischer, from chess wunderkind and national hero to his eventual spiral into madness and infamy

The life of Bobby Fischer (1943–2008) had many unexpected moves— from his solitary childhood to his stratospheric accomplishments in the world of competitive chess, and eventually, his decent into mental illness and disgrace. Black & White begins in Brooklyn, where Fischer was born and raised by a single mother. By the time he was a teen, he had established himself as a loner and dropped out of school. But none of that mattered; he had found his true calling—chess. In 1972, Fischer played what many consider “the game of the century” against the Soviet Union’s chess champion Boris Spassky at the height of the Cold War. Later, Fischer became the youngest–ever US Chess Champion and the game’s youngest grandmaster. Never before had chess received such international attention. Fischer, whose sole focus in life up until then was chess, reached the Olympus of chess at 29, and then . . . he disappeared. Suffering from mental illness, the chess genius became increasingly paranoid, lost in anti–Semitic conspiracy theories—despite the fact that he himself was Jewish—and died as a fugitive in Iceland. With Black & White, author Julian Voloj and illustrator Wagner Willian have crafted a fascinating work that reveals Fischer’s history while also contextualizing his lasting impact on pop culture. Black & White is the first–ever graphic novel to tell Fischer’s story and examine his legacy.

Julian Voloj is a New York–based writer whose work has been published in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, the Washington Post, and many other national and international publications. Born to Colombian parents in Germany, where he studied literature and linguistics, Voloj moved to New York in 2004. His fascination for forgotten heroes and hidden figures stems from his own family history and has been a leitmotif in his nonfiction graphic novels. Wagner Willian is a comics artist, visual artist, writer, and editor. He has won the main awards in the Brazilian market, such as Prêmio Jabuti, HQMIX, and Troféu Grampo de Ouro, and has been published in France, Portugal, Germany, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Poland. He lives in São Paulo. CHESS IN VOGUE: Chess is having a big cultural moment with Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit and the 2020 film Critical Thinking starring John Leguizamo.

POP CULTURE LEGEND:

Interest in Fischer has proven to have real staying power over time. He became world famous in the 1970s, then infamous, only to remain a pop culture figure of interest long after his death in 2008.

STRONG CATEGORY: A great addition to the other graphic biographies and memoirs on the ComicArts list, including My Friend Dahmer, The Imitation Game, Becoming Andy Warhol, and Nobody’s Fool.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Black and white illustrations throughout *176 pages * WIDTH: 6 1/2" - 165mm * HEIGHT: 9 1/2" - 241mm

* Hardcover with jacket PUB MONTH: APRIL GRAPHIC NOVELS, COMICS

ISBN 978-1-4197-5986-4

US $24.99 CAN $31.99 UK £18.99 ËxHSLELJy759864z

CARTON QTY: 18

ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-593-1

BY EMMA OOSTERHOUS AND OLLIE HICKS

A queer graphic novel where the balls are fast, the smooches are spicy, and the girls . . . magical

In this queer graphic novel that’s equal parts romance, softball, and magical girl drama, Mickey Monsoon and Astra Maxima are best friends . . . and maybe more. That is, until Astra unceremoniously dumps Mickey to become a softball wunderkind at a private girl’s school in Switzerland. Years later, Mickey is the hotshot pitcher for the Belle City Broads, and their team is poised to sweep the league this season. But Micky is thrown off their game when Astra shows up to catch for the Gaiety Gals, the Broads’ fiercest rival. Astra is flirty, arrogant, and reckless on the field—everything the rule–abiding Mickey hates. Astra thinks Mickey’s cute and wants to fool around, even despite their rocky history and the trail of jilted softballers that Astra leaves in her wake. Too bad the only thing Mickey wants is vengeance for their broken heart and wounded pride! But even they have to admit—Astra is a certified babe. And that’s not all: Astra isn’t just a softball superstar, she’s a full–fledged magical girl. The only way for Mickey to defeat Astra is to betray the Broads and join the Danger Dames, a secret elite team, and start dating Astra’s ex! OK, that last bit wasn’t part of the plan . . . Mickey’s rapidly getting in too deep, but is she just in trouble or is she actually in love? Full of wet mitts, hard hits, and a bevy of softball–playing babes, Grand Slam Romance: Book 1 is a flawless home run that is sure to knock readers out of the park.

Ollie Hicks is a Black British comics creator and editor who lives in the UK and has Jamaican heritage. They have a PhD in comics studies–focused on 20th–century British and American girls’ comics–from the University of Dundee, which is gently gathering dust. They like to write funny gay stories with their funny gay wife, Emma Oosterhous. Grand Slam Romance is their debut graphic novel. Emma Oosterhous is a cartoonist, animal enthusiast, and lesbian from Colorado. In 2018, she earned a Marshall Scholarship and then an MDes in comics and graphic novels from the University of Dundee. She now lives in the UK, where she makes comics with her wife, Ollie Hicks. Grand Slam Romance is her debut graphic novel.

QUEER ROMANCE FOR

ADULTS: Perfect for adult readers who grew up on manga and books like Heartstopper; Fence!; and Check, Please! but are looking for a story with more mature themes

FIRST SURELY SERIES:Grand Slam Romance: Book 1 is the first volume in the first series on the Surely Books imprint. There are at least two more volumes in the works.

LGBTQIA+ CREATORS: Hicks and Oosterhous are a powerhouse queer creative team focused on hugely entertaining storytelling with a diverse cast of characters.

SOFTBALL SPOTLIGHT: Softball is one of the most popular sports in the United States. An estimated 40 million Americans will play at least one softball game annually, and softball’s largest sanction body, the Amateur Softball Associate of America (ASA) has more than 3.5 million registered players.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *240 pages *WIDTH: 6" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 8 1/2" - 216mm

*Hardcover with jacket

PUB MONTH: MAY

GRAPHIC NOVELS, LGBTQ+

HISTORY & CULTURE,

SPORTS

ISBN 978-1-4197-5801-0

US $24.99 CAN $31.99 UK £18.99 ËxHSLELJy758010z

ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-478-1

BY AYIZE JAMA-EVERETT, ILLUSTRATED BY TRISTAN ROACH

An Afrofuturist retelling of Alexandre Dumas’s classic 19th century novel The Count of Monte Cristo

The Last Count of Monte Cristo is a bold retelling of Alexandre Dumas’s classic tale of love, betrayal, revenge, and redemption. This speculative update pushes the narrative into a future hundreds of years after the polar ice caps have melted and submerged our planet into a new era of technology and culture. In this futuristic reinterpretation, author Ayize Jama–Everett and illustrator Tristan Roach revisit the original inspiration of the story—Dumas’s own father. A greatly respected general during the French Revolution, Dumas was one of the highest–ranking officers of African descent in a Western army in history. Like the protagonist of his son’s story, General Dumas was betrayed and spent years in prison before getting a chance to return to France. The Last Count of Monte Cristo is a radical and powerful graphic novel update that reclaims the cultural heritage of Dumas’s tale and suggests the terrible future that could threaten the human race if we continue to destroy our planet.

Ayize Jama–Everett has traveled extensively in Africa, New Hampshire, Northern California, and Mexico. He holds an MA in clinical psychology, divinity, and creative writing. He has taught at the Graduate Theological Union and California College of the Arts, and was a school therapist for ten years in Oakland. He believes the narratives of our times dictate the realities of the future, so he’s invested in working in subversive notions like family of choice, striving when not chosen to survive, and irrational optimism into his work. He lives in Harlem. Tristan Roach is based in Barbados and holds a BFA in graphic design. He is the owner and creative director of BounceHouse Creative Studio, which utilizes mediums such as graphic design, animation, and illustration. Roach is one of the founding members of Beyond Publishing Caribbean and has worked on indie titles and his own, including Spirit Bear. His work in comics has earned him a Gold Angel Award, among others.

ABRAMS COMICARTS - MEGASCOPE

AFROFUTURISM SHINES:

Abrams Megascope continues to redefine the genre with the success of After the Rain, Hardears, and Black Star.

NEW GENRES: The Last Count of Monte Cristo highlights two emerging literary genres—climate fiction and solar–punk—which predict the problems of the future but also presents their solutions.

ADAPTATION SUCCESS:

Graphic novel adaptions, such as Kindred, Parable of the Sower, and Dune, have been critically and commercially successful for ComicArts.

REDEFINING LEGACY: With recent revelations of Alexandre Dumas’s Afro–Caribbean ancestry, The Last Count of Monte Cristo seeks to bring new light and culture to a classic tale.

19TH–CENTURY CLASSIC:

According to Bookscan, The Count of Monte Cristo has sold more than 900,000 copies across formats, solidifying its place as one of the bestselling adventure and literary classics since its publication in 1846.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *160 pages *WIDTH: 6 1/2" - 165mm *HEIGHT: 9 1/2" - 241mm * Hardcover with jacket

PUB MONTH: APRIL

GRAPHIC NOVELS, FICTION,

ENVIRONMENT, AFRICAN

AMERICAN HISTORY &

CULTURE

ISBN 978-1-4197-4550-8

US $24.99 CAN $31.99 UK £18.99 ËxHSLELJy745508z

ebook ISBN 978-1-68335-933-3