Macmillan is one of the “Big Six” book publishers. In addition to their own imprints, such as First Second, they also distribute a variety of other publishers, such as Seven Seas, Drawn + Quarterly, and Papercutz.
What follows are books scheduled for the first third of 2013. All information [aside from my bracketed comments] comes from the publishers’ catalog.
I’ve featured the new stuff, and relegated the serial titles (Smurfs, manga) to a simple listing. Of course, search the EANs for more information! Or visit their website!
But first, if you’re wondering what’s due this Fall, check my post from April. Here are a few more titles I missed, including some Kate Beaton calendars!
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There She Blows: A 2013 Hark! A Vagrant Literary Calendar by Kate Beaton
Beethoven Birthday Party: A 2013 Hark! A Vagrant Calendar by Kate Beaton
The Rapture of the Nerds by Cory Doctorow (By (author)), Charles Stross (By (author))
From the two defining personalities of post-cyberpunk SF, a brilliant collaboration to rival 1987’s The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling
Welcome to the fractured future, at the dusk of the twenty-first century.
Earth has a population of roughly a billion hominids. For the most part, they are happy with their lot, living in a preserve at the bottom of a gravity well. Those who are unhappy have emigrated, joining one or another of the swarming densethinker clades that fog the inner solar system with a dust of molecular machinery so thick that it obscures the sun.
The splintery metaconsciousness of the solar-system has largely sworn off its pre-post-human cousins dirtside, but its minds sometimes wander…and when that happens, it casually spams Earth’s networks with plans for cataclysmically disruptive technologies that emulsify whole industries, cultures, and spiritual systems. A sane species would ignore these get-evolved-quick schemes, but there’s always someone who’ll take a bite from the forbidden apple.
So until the overminds bore of stirring Earth’s anthill, there’s Tech Jury Service: random humans, selected arbitrarily, charged with assessing dozens of new inventions and ruling on whether to let them loose. Young Huw, a technophobic, misanthropic Welshman, has been selected for the latest jury, a task he does his best to perform despite an itchy technovirus, the apathy of the proletariat, and a couple of truly awful moments on bathroom floors.
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Al Capp: A Life to the Contrary by Denis Kitchen (By (author)), Michael Schumacher (By (author))
The first major biography of Al Capp, creator of Li’l Abner—a comics legend and a deeply complicated man.
More than thirty years have passed since Al Capp’s death, and he may no longer be a household name. But at the height of his career, his groundbreaking comic strip, Li’l Abner, reached ninety million readers. The strip ran for forty-three years, spawned two movies and a Broadway musical, and originated such expressions as “hogwash” and “double-whammy.” Capp himself was a familiar personality on TV and radio; as a satirist, he was frequently compared to Mark Twain.
Though Li’l Abner brought millions joy, the man behind the strip was a complicated and often unpleasant person. A childhood accident cost him a leg—leading him to art as a means of distinguishing himself. His apprenticeship with Ham Fisher, creator of Joe Palooka, started a twenty-year feud that ended in Fisher’s suicide. Capp enjoyed outsized publicity for a cartoonist, but his status abetted sexual misconduct and protected him from the severest repercussions. Late in life, his politics became extremely conservative; he counted Richard Nixon as a friend, and his gift for satire was redirected at targets like John Lennon, Joan Baez, and anti-war protesters on campuses across the country.
With unprecedented access to Capp’s archives and a wealth of new material, Michael Schumacher and Denis Kitchen have written a probing biography. Capp’s story is one of incredible highs and lows, of popularity and villainy, of success and failure—told here with authority and heart.
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Letting It Go by Miriam Katin
A Holocaust survivor struggles to let the past go
Miriam Katin’s debut graphic novel, the 2006 memoir We Are On Our Own, was a unique portrait of how one family survived World War II. A companion to We Are On Our Own, Letting It Go shows Katin, now an adult, dealing with her son Ilan’s recent move to Berlin. As she struggles to accept his decision, she realizes that her hesitations have more to do with long-held grudges than any sort of legitimate concern.
Whereas We Are On Our Own probed Katin’s loss of faith and talked about her experiences during the war, Letting It Go examines the lasting trauma of surviving World War II from a very different vantage point, focusing on her life as a middle-aged New Yorker. The flowing, expressive style employed in We Are On Our Own has been refined in this full-color masterpiece. A panel-less style lets the story find a natural rhythm, with wise and funny anecdotes along the way. Katin has the light hand of a master storyteller in this, an insightful and serious but also wry account of the myriad ways trauma infects daily existence, both for survivors and for their families.
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Kitaro by Shigeru Mizuki
Meet one of Japan’s most popular characters of all time—Kitaro, the One-Eyed Monster Boy
Meet Kitaro. He’s just like any other boy, except for a few small differences: he only has one eye, his hair is an antenna that senses paranormal activity, his geta sandals are jet-powered, and he can blend into his surroundings like a chameleon. Oh, and he’s a three-hundred-and-fifty-year-old yokai (spirit monster). With all the offbeat humor of an Addams Family story, Kitaro is a lighthearted romp in which the bad guys always get what’s coming to them.
Kitaro is bestselling manga-ka Shigeru Mizuki’s most famous creation. The Kitaro series was inspired by a kamishibai, or storycard theater, entitled Kitaro of the Graveyard. Mizuki’s series was created in 1959. Originally the series was intended for boys, but once it was picked up by the influential Shonen magazine it quickly became a cultural landmark for young and old alike. Kitaro inspired half a dozen TV shows, plus numerous video games and films, and his cultural importance cannot be overstated. Presented to North American audiences for the first time in this lavish format, Mizuki’s photo-realist landscapes and cartoony characters blend the eerie with the comic.
Burden by Joe Ollmann
Faith, trust, and alien abductions
Burden follows the slow, often wry disintegration of a relationship. Mark and Susan have been together for five years, and despite Mark’s occasional bouts of depression, they have always had a strong bond, prompting envy and jealousy from their friends. A movie rental sets in motion events that test their relationship’s strength and their faith in each other.
When Mark’s suppressed memory of being abducted by aliens is uncovered while he is watching an alien-abduction film, Susan is forced to deal with the repercussions. Though she tries to be supportive, it grows increasingly difficult as Mark becomes obsessed with alien-abduction chat rooms and refuses to leave the house. With all the keen observational wit and incisive, self-deprecating dialogue of Mid-Life, Burden is Joe Ollmann at the top of his form. Another hallmark of Ollmann’s style—his ability to write page-turning stories—is in strong evidence throughout. With a self-aware quip and an ever-finer-drawn line, Ollmann has done it again.
You’re All Just Jealous of My Jetpack: Cartoons by Tom Gauld
A new collection from the Guardian and New York Times Magazine cartoonist
The New York Times Magazine cartoonist Tom Gauld follows up his widely praised graphic novel Goliath with You’re All Just Jealous of My Jetpack, a collection of cartoons made for The Guardian. Over the past eight years, Gauld has produced a weekly cartoon for the Saturday Review section of Britain’s best-regarded newspaper. Only a handful of comics from this huge and hilarious body of work have ever been printed in North America—and these have been available exclusively within the pages of the prestigious Believer magazine.
You’re All Just Jealous of My Jetpack distills perfectly Gauld’s dark humor, impeccable timing, and distinctive style. Arrests by the fiction police and imaginary towns designed by Tom Waits intermingle hilariously with piercing observations about human behavior and whimsical imaginings of the future. Again and again, Gauld reaffirms his position as a first-rank cartoonist, creating work infused with a deep understanding of both literary and cartoon history.
Animals with Sharpies by Michael Dumontier (By (author)), Neil Farber (By (author))
Paintings by two of Canada’s most influential contemporary fine artists
Animals with Sharpies is a collection of paintings with hand-lettered texts. In each painting, Michael Dumontier and Neil Farber have depicted an animal holding a Sharpie, ostensibly writing a message. These messages are varied in nature: political and religious tracts, confessions, recipes, arithmetic problems, and more. Above all, these paintings are funny, but they are also startlingly poignant and jarring for the humanness of the suffering and longing depicted in these animals’ simple words.
Dumontier and Farber, two of the founding members of the highly influential art collective the Royal Art Lodge, have been collaborating on art projects for more than fifteen years. Their collaborative style is unique from that found in their individual works and is respected internationally: they’ve exhibited together in France, Switzerland, Canada, the United States, Belgium, Spain, England, and Germany.
Dumontier and Farber have a strong sense of the absurd, but they are also deeply insightful about the world in which their art is created. Animals with Sharpies is a mixture of new, previously unseen pieces and older pieces.
Moomin Builds a House by Tove Jansson
The debut appearance of everyone’s favorite pest, Little My!
Another classic Moomin story reworked in full color, with a kid-proof but kid-friendly size, price, and format.
After Mymble’s family comes to visit the Moomins, her littlest and most badly behaved sister, Little My, is left behind. She promises to behave if she is given Moomin’s bedroom; Moomin, tired of being forced out of his room, decides to build a house where all the rooms will belong to him. With Little My helping out, things are sure to go awry, but in the end, Moomin’s house-building misadventures teach him the value of a home.
Tove Jansson’s flawless cartooning is brought to life in a whole new way within these pages. A delight for the whole family!
Moomin Falls in Love by Tove Jansson
With Moominvalley underwater, will Moomin’s romantic tendencies get him in trouble?
Another classic Moomin story reworked in full color, with a kid-proof but kid-friendly size, price, and format.Moominvalley is flooded, so Snorkmaiden and Moomin head out to rescue anyone stranded in the deluge. They bring home Miss La Goona, the leading lady of the visiting circus, who turns out to be quite a demanding houseguest. Nonetheless, Moomin, having read a few too many romantic novels, falls head over heels in love with her, and chaos ensues.
Tove Jansson’s flawless cartooning is brought to life in a whole new way within these pages. A delight for the whole family!
Nancy: Volume 4: The John Stanley Library by John Stanley (By (author)), Seth (Designed by)
9781770461093, 1770461094
The irresistible adventures of Nancy and Sluggo
In the fourth and final volume of the John Stanley Library’s Nancy comics, the whole gang is back. Readers are treated to still more uproarious antics from Nancy, Sluggo, Spike, Aunt Fritzi, and Mr. and Mrs. McOnions. In these stories, Nancy has a dream that seems a little too real, Sluggo’s moth cupboard turns out to be pretty profitable, and Rollo Haveall takes rhubarb and blackberry pie revenge on an ungrateful Nancy.
Stanley drew these comics as a journeyman on the stories. He tended toward absurdist punch lines, but also mimicked the logic of children very well. Stanley’s work is incredibly fresh and funny half a century later. Pudgy, irritable, and always trying to find ways to have fun, Sluggo and Nancy’s high jinks are laugh-a-minute.
[Doesn’t Dark Horse publish Nancy comics?]
Masters of Mystery: The Strange Friendship of Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini by Christopher Sandford
“Veteran celebrity biographer Sandford brings together two fierce yet mutually respectful antagonists…A fascinating account of an unlikely relationship.”—Kirkus Reviews
Eye of the World: The Graphic Novel, Volume Three by Robert Jordan (By (author)), Chuck Dixon (By (author)), Marcio Fiorito (Illustrated by), Francis Nuguit (Illustrated by)
The third volume of the New York Times bestselling, full-color, graphic novel adaptation of Robert Jordan’s epic fantasy classic, The Eye of the World
With the full permission and cooperation of the Jordan estate, adapted by well-known comics writer Chuck Dixon, The Eye of the World: The Graphic Novel has been hailed as an exciting interpretation of Robert Jordan’s classic fantasy novel. It features brilliant interior art by Marcio Fiorito and Francis Nuguit, and stunning covers by Jeremy Saliba and Seamus Gallagher. It collects issues thirteen to eighteen of the comic book.
Rand; his friends Mat, Perrin, and Egwene; the Aes Sedai Moiraine and her Warder, Lan Mandragoran; Thom the gleeman and Nynaeve, the village Wisdom, split into three groups while trying to escape the ancient, dead city of Shadar Logoth, where they are pursued by the deadly Mashadar. A disastrous river crossing leaves Perrin and Egwene on their own—until they meet a mysterious stranger who claims that he and Perrin share a remarkable ability. Meanwhile, Rand, Mat, pose as Thom’s apprentices as they sail downriver on a cargo ship.
The Battle of Blood and Ink: A Fable of the Flying City by Jared Axelrod (By (author)), Steve Walker (Illustrated by)
An exciting new steampunk fantasy adventure in graphic novel form
If you’re visiting the flying city of Amperstam without the latest printing of The Lurker’s Guide, you might as well be lost. This one-sheet is written, edited, and printed by Ashe, a girl raised on the streets of the flying city, and is dedicated to revealing its hidden treasures and deepest secrets—including many that the overcontrolling government doesn’t want anyone to know. The stakes are raised when Ashe accidentally uncovers the horror of exactly how Amperstam travels among the skies and her discovery garners the attention of those who would rather that secret be kept in the hands of the city’s powerful leaders.
Soon Ashe is on the run from thugs and assassins, faced with the choice of imperiling her life just to keep publishing, or giving in to the suggestion of a rich patron that she trade in her voice and identity for a quiet, comfortable life. It’s a war of confusion for Ashe, but one thing is very clear: just because you live in a flying city, you can’t always keep your head in the clouds.
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Lizzie Newton: Victorian Mysteries Vol. 2 by Hey-Jin Jeon, Kiha Lee
Alice in the Country of Clover: Cheshire Cat Waltz, vol. 4 by QuinRose, Mamenosuke Fujimaru
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I Don’t Like You At All, Big Brother!!, vol. 5-6 by Kusano Kouichi
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Alice in the Country of Joker: Circus and Liar’s Game, vol. 1 by QuinRose, Mamenosuke Fujimaru
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Dance in the Vampire Bund Gaiden: Dive in the Vampire Bund 2 : Dive in the Vampire Bund by Nozomu Tamaki
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Haganai: I Don’t Have Many Friends, vol. 2 by Yomi Hirasaka, Itachi
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Mayo Chiki!, vol. 2 (2nd Edition) by Hajime Asano, Niito
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Witch Hunter, vol. 5-6 by Jung-Man Cho
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A Certain Scientific Railgun, vol. 7 by Kazuma Kamachi, Motoi Fuyukawa
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Angel Para Bellum, vol. 3 by Nozomu Tamaki, Kent Minami
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Crimson Empire: Circumstances to Serve a Noble, vol. 1 by QuinRose, Hazuki Futaba
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Dance in the Vampire Bund Omnibus 2 by Nozomu Tamaki
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Alice in the Country of Joker: Circus and Liar’s Game, vol. 2 by QuinRose, Mamenosuke Fujimaru
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Dance in the Vampire Bund, vol. 14 by Nozomu Tamaki
Poseidon: Earth Shaker by George O’Connor
In volume 5 of Olympians, author/artist George O’Connor turns the spotlight on that most mysterious and misunderstood of the Greek gods, Poseidon: Earth Shaker. Thrill to such famous stories as Theseus and the Minotaur, Odysseus and Polyphemos, and the founding of Athens—and learn how the tempestuous Poseidon became the King of the Seas.
A Neal Porter Book
Curses! Foiled Again by Jane Yolen (By (author)), Mike Cavallaro (Illustrated by)
Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley
Jerusalem: A Family Portrait by Boaz Yakin (By (author)), Nick Bertozzi (Illustrated by)
Feynman by Jim Ottaviani (By (author)), Leland Myrick (Illustrated by)
Bad Kitty School Daze by Nick Bruel
America’s favorite feisty feline goes to school . . . obedience school.
Kitty and Puppy are out of control! They’re screaming, fighting, hissing, and drooling all over the house, and all of the commotion is upsetting Baby. Time for school—obedience school, that is. Can Kitty learn to follow the rules and make friends with the other students or will she bring chaos to the classroom?Find out in Bad Kitty’s hilarious, new (mis)adventure!
Annoying Orange Graphic Novels #1: Secret Agent Orange by Jim Salicrup (By (author)), Rick Parker (Illustrated by) [Or is it Scott Shaw! and Mike Kazaleh?]
Orange has jumped out of the fruit bowl and into his first graphic navel!
Has Orange gone insane—or insaner? He believes he’s always been a top secret agent for the CIA and his mission has been to take out 1,000,000,000 targets by any means necessary, usually with a kitchen knife. Can the virtually unstoppable Orange really manage to pull off a billion hits before someone is able to end this madness?
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Annoying Orange Graphic Novels #2: Orange You Glad You’re Not Me?
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Power Rangers Super Samurai #3: Gamers End
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Garfield & Co. #8: Secret Agent X
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Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew #2: Secret Sand Sleuths
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Ninjago Graphic Novels #6: Warriors of Stone
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Geronimo Stilton #12: The First Samurai
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The Smurfs #14: The Baby Smurf
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The Smurfs Graphic Novels Boxed Set: Vol. #10-12
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Monster Graphic Novels: Boxed Set Vol. #1-4
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The Best of the Three Stooges #3
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The Three Stooges Graphic Novels #4: Don’t Try This at Home
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Dance Class Graphic Novels #4: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Paris…
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Ernest and Rebecca Graphic Novels #4: The Land of the Waking Stones
Disney Fairies Graphic Novels #11: Tinker Bell and the Most Precious Gift
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Ariol Graphic Novels #1: Just a Donkey Like You and Me by Emmanuel Guibert (By (author)), Marc Boutavant (Illustrated by)
Brand new series from multiple award-winning author Emmanuel Guibert and renowned illustrator Marc Boutavant!
Ariol is your everyday tween donkey with blue glasses. He lives in the suburbs with his mom and dad. His best friend is a pig. He’s in love with a beautiful cow in his class. His teacher is a dog. His gym teacher is a huge rooster. In short, Ariol is just like you and me.
“Doesn’t Dark Horse publish Nancy comics?”
No, but they do publish John Stanley’s Little Lulu comics.
Fantagraphics has, however, recently begun a reprinting of the Nancy comic strips by Ernie Bushmiller. Maybe that’s what you’re thinking of?
Oops. Somewhere, someone has done an illustration where they meet. Perhaps with Little Dot as well.
Thanks for the gracious No Prize explanation, but I did get the Stanley Nancy confused with the Stanley Lulu.
I’ve seen too much… it’s too easy to get confused…