A couple of things to keep your eyes open for in March 2022 from Top Shelf as the second book in the Red Panda & Moon Bear series launches, and Alan Moore‘s debut novel Voice of the Fire from 1996 gets an anniversary rerelease.
Red Panda & Moon Bear: The Curse of the Evil Eye is Jarod Roselló‘s return to his popular kid superheroes. The series stars two Cuban American kids who protect their neighborhood from threats big and small – but all before their parents get home. The first book debuted in 2019 and was awarded best book for young readers by Chicago Public Library and New York Public Library, and made it on the Nerdies graphic novel list that same year (sitting alongside the latest Dog Man and New Kid). You can check out some preview pages at the end of this post.
The synopsis:
In their second amazing graphic novel, these Cuban American kids are getting even better at using their powers to protect the community… but has their luck just run out?
When an evil curse descends upon the city of Martí, it’s up to Red Panda and Moon Bear to put a stop to it… but it won’t be easy! First, they’ll have to solve weird mysteries, fend off new monsters, and uncover the secret history of their neighborhood. With their trusty dog companions and some magical new friends by their side, Red Panda and Moon Bear must find a way to defeat Mal de Ojo — The Evil Eye — and keep it from ruining the lives of everyone they love!
Earlier this year it was announced that The Alan Moore had signed a major book deal with Bloomsbury. The deal includes a short story collection and a prose quintet. In March you can go back to the start of his forays into long fiction with his debut novel Voice of the Fire getting a 25th anniversary rerelease from Top Shelf and Knockabout. The book actually released around 1996 so presumably this got delayed by the pandemic supply shortages. The paperback rerelease will come with a new cover design by John Coulthart.
Returning in a gorgeous new paperback format: the astonishing first prose novel from the legendary Alan Moore — an epic yet intimate portrait of a single English town across the whole span of human history.
In a story full of lust, madness, and ecstasy, we meet twelve distinctive characters that lived in the same region of central England over the span of six thousand years. Their narratives are woven together in patterns of recurring events, strange traditions, and uncanny visions.
Throughout, the image of the fire resonates between the tales, while Moore finds a different voice for each character – though most are inherently duplicitous in some manner, leading to a further commentary on the disparity between myth and reality, and which is more likely to endure over time.
Red Panda & Moon Bear: The Curse of the Evil Eye preview:
Red Panda & Moon Bear: The Curse of the Evil Eye
ISBN 978-1-60309-501-3 | Diamond: OCT210384 | $14.99 (US) | 216 pages
Full-color softcover graphic novel with flaps
6″ x 9″ | for middle grade (age 8-12) and up
Voice of the Fire (25th Anniversary Edition) by Alan Moore
ISBN 978-1-60309-507-5 | Diamond: NOV210422 | $14.99 (US) | 304 pages
Softcover prose novel | 5″ x 8″ | for mature readers (16+)
Co-Published by Top Shelf Productions (USA) and Knockabout (UK).