As far as we’re concerned, THIS is the first big announcement of the show: First Second has picked up Paul Pope’s long unavailable SF/fantasy epic THB. (Shown above a con special edition of THB available only at AdHouse. GET IT QUICK!
First Second Books announced today its plan to publish Paul Pope’s highly anticipated multi-volume Martian epic, TOTAL THB, as well as an original commission for young readers, BATTLING BOY.
Pope’s sprawling TOTAL THB-a full-color, four-volume set totaling over 1200 pages-is scheduled to release in 2009. (An oversize Deluxe Collectors edition in black and white is planned as well). TOTAL THB will include the never-before-seen final chapters of the story, whose teenage heroine HR Watson comes of age on Mars with her extraordinary protector ‘THB’, a water-activated, inflatable bodyguard.
BATTLING BOY, to be published as a series in two simultaneous volumes, introduces a youthful hero who faces off against various demons in the city of Monstropolis. It will be released by First Second in 2008.
Says Pope, “I’m excited about the alliance THB will have with First Second. Mark Siegel is an old-time fan of the series, and together we will finally be getting the entire THB story out there-in full color and in a series of beautifully designed trade paperbacks, falling right on the heels of BATTLING BOY.”
Mark Siegel, Editorial Director of First Second, adds, “THB is a major milestone in graphic novels, and BATTLING BOY is highly accessible, his most mainstream project yet, and will introduce Paul Pope to a whole new world of readers.”
Dubbed the “Jim Morrison of American comics”, Pope has earned a sizeable reputation in the industry with his virtuoso brushwork and unmistakable blend of American, Japanese, and European influences. THB-Pope’s magnum opus-has gained an international audience through his self-published serialization.
Pope concludes, “I’ve always called THB my Dune. THB is the American Akira. It’s big and shimmering and strange and new, and hopefully it will reach a wide audience of readers who really love comics.”
That’s great news! We just got in Pulphope today (and promptly sold out!) and it looked wonderful. Pope is definitely one of the best and most original artists of this generation.
So I can get a color paperback or a hardcover blackandwhite, but not a hardcover color edition? Does this mean that his color work is of lesser value? Or will it be issued later?
“THB is the American Akira.”
Wow.
I love ya, Pope, but a little humility is not an unattractive thing.
This is somewhat good news. The book sounds good and I’m a THB fan from way back. But I’m supposed to buy the whole g-dang thing to get the last couple of chapters? And in color? I liked it in B&W just fine.
Dune? Akira? I think he’s underselling it. This is the best news to come out of San Diego, nothing’s going to top this for me. And I don’t care if I’ve already got most of it, I’ll buy this in a spiffy book version or two.
THB is good, but I think Pope’s style overshadows the story’s plot.
..and today I can find no new information about Total THB, much less a publishing date. :(
There’s been no news about THB being canceled, either, on Pope’s blog or on any other Web site, so the title is, apparently, still a work in progress.
SRS
I think it’s hilarious that there’s two comments here from just a couple of days ago – I just finished reading the 100% HC and decided to see google what was going on with the THB one and found this site – funny that three people would think of searching for this on the same day that I had (there was only Kap’s answer when I checked and I noticed I still had the tab open today and saw Synsidar’s).
I’m hoping it’s coming out soon – I’ve read in other places that it’s got a planned 2010 release… but has Battling Boy even been released yet? I haven’t heard anything about that either, apart from a possible film license.
So i take it that this collection is not coming out?? I got all hyped because of the new Hard bound one trick rip off book Image is releasing and was looking to see if there was any progress on this release! Come On Some one Put this book out! I need It I have most the collection but Can Never find Issue 2 or 4 and it drives me Mad i have both Ash can editions But can not Find an Issue 2 it is maddening! Paul pope is an under rated genius of the graphic medium! Comic Fans need to stop crying about Spider-man issue 700 and start DEMANDING A DAMN THB OMNIBUS!!
Comments are closed.