Cartoon Books announces BONE Deluxe Edition Part One: The Valley

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The Great Cow Race now has a slipcover

Jeff Smith’s beloved classic BONE is getting what might just be the ultimate edition: a beautiful oversized slipcased edition, that comes with tons of cool collectibles and lots of extra features. 

Cartoon Books just announced a new Kickstarter for the BONE Deluxe Edition Part One: The Valley, an oversized reprinting of the first two BONE graphic novels, Out from Boneville & The Great Cow Race. The campaign launches on November 26, 2024 at NOON EST – but you can check out the BONE prelaunch page on Kickstarter to stay in the loop.

The 352 page edition includes many extras: photos, early scripts, drawings, articles, and reviews, and a foreword by Maggie Thompson. The art will be in black and white, revealing the story behind the making of BONE and Cartoon Books. Printed in a 12.5″ x 8.75″ format – bigger than ever reprinted before – there will be both hardcover and trade paperbacks, each with a slipcase.The comics will be in black and white, with extras in color.

Bone is without doubt a comics classic, so owning it in this deluxe edition is tempting, even if you have a few copies lying around already (like The Beat.) BOne has previously been released in color from Scholastic, the editions best known to youngsters; a handsome one volume hardcover edition from Cartoon Books (the one closest at here at Stately Beat Manor), a COLOR one volume edition, and previously black and white trades. But this sounds like the most deluxe edition yet. 

It’s also the second release in the Cartoon Books Deluxe Edition series, following THORN: The Complete Proto-BONE College Strips 1982 – 1986, which came out earlier this year. Future releases will include deluxe editions of Jeff Smith’s other work, including RASL and TUKI.

<img class=”wp-image-509531″ src=”https://www.comicsbeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/a-row-of-books-with-different-colors-description.jpeg” alt=”A row of books with different colors

Description automatically generated”>Book Three of Tuki (of a planned six volumes) is coming, by the way, and you can click on the image below for a free sample.

<img class=”alignnone wp-image-509515″ src=”https://www.comicsbeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/a-silhouette-of-a-person-looking-at-a-tree-descri.png” alt=”A silhouette of a person looking at a tree

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BUt let’s get back to this Bone deluxe edition. DETAILS AND PICS: 
 

The hardcover will be a Kickstarter exclusive, with skivertex cover! What is Skivertex? Apparently some kind of luxury binding. Sounds nice!


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The trade paperback will be the mass market edition.

 

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In case you’ve forgotten, this is a comics classic indeed:


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The Great Cow Race:

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As is increasingly the case with Kickstarters, instead of getting bonuses as reward tiers, they will be available as add-ons….and you will want to add some on. Here they are! 

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These beautiful high quality cloisonne pins are highly polished and feature Fone Bone, Ted, Phoney Bone in his chef hat and Smiley Bone in the cow suit. Pins are sold individually.
 

<img class=”wp-image-509521″ src=”https://www.comicsbeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/a-cartoon-of-a-person-and-a-cow-description-autom.jpeg” alt=”A cartoon of a person and a cow

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A set of four ceramic coasters featuring iconic images of the Bone Cousins and Thorn, all highlighting unforgettable moments from the early series! Coasters are full color and measure 4”x 4”.
 

<img class=”wp-image-509522″ src=”https://www.comicsbeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/a-cartoon-of-a-monster-running-away-from-a-tree-d.jpeg” alt=”A cartoon of a monster running away from a tree

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A colored, oversized (6” x 3”) update to the original flipbook released in 1994, features a scene right out of The Great Cow Race animated by the great Disney animator and Director Tom Bancroft, with clean up drawings by famed Monsters Beware graphic novelist Raphael Rosado. The flipbook has now been colored for the first time by Tom Gaadt! Watch the Stupid Rat Creature chase Fone Bone over and over!
 

<img class=”wp-image-509523″ src=”https://www.comicsbeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/a-map-of-valley-with-mountains-and-a-sign-descrip.jpeg” alt=”A map of valley with mountains and a sign

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Mark Crilley’s Map of The Valley that has appeared in many editions of BONE, will be printed on art quality paper! This die-cut piece measures 8.5” x 12” and is suitable for framing.
 

 

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Fone Bone’s transformation through the years! This item measures 8.5″ x 12″ and will be printed on art quality paper.
 

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A fun first for Cartoon Books! Introducing Infinite Objects digital picture frame, or video print! This animated custom frame features the infamous Rat Creature chase scene. Watch Fone Bone get endlessly chased! No set up required. Just take it out of the box and it turns on in your hands – like magic! Measures 7”.

AND SOME VERY LIMITED TIERS:  <img class=”wp-image-509526″ src=”https://www.comicsbeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/a-book-with-a-signature-on-it-description-automat.jpeg” alt=”A book with a signature on it

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The Hardcover Slipcase and Signature Tier: Jeff will sign the inside of your hardcover slipcase edition and is limited to just 200.

 

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The Hardcover Slipcase and Remarque Tier: Penciled head sketch by Jeff of one of his characters inside the book (artist’s choice)! Limited to 50

 

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The Big Merch Tier shows the return of a fan favorite collectible item: The BONE Special Red Box set! A host of merchandise is included in this tier, along with the Kickstarter Exclusive Hardcover Slipcase edition!

 

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The Mystery Cow Tier: you’ll find an assortment of merchandise along with an original art piece drawn and inked by Jeff featuring Smiley Bone in his cow suit! LIMITED TO 10!

 

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…and The Commissioned Art Tier! For the first time and possibly the last, Jeff will be offering commissioned drawings! Fully inked on 11″ x 17″ Bristol. Choose up to 5 characters ONLY from the BONE canon. Backers will work directly with Jeff to create their unique piece. NOTE: Image is representational only. LIMITED TO 3!

 

<img class=”wp-image-509532″ src=”https://www.comicsbeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/a-book-box-with-a-cartoon-character-description-a.jpeg” alt=”A book box with a cartoon character

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WHEW. A lot of goodies but BONE is one of the great comics classics, so it deserves all the extras. 

Heidi MacDonald
Heidi MacDonaldhttps://www.comicsbeat.com/
Heidi MacDonald is the editor-in-chief of The Beat and an award winning author and editor. She is the co-author of The Secret Teachings of a Comic Book Master.

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