Deluxe Editions

Bone (One-volume omnibus; hardcover and paperback editions; 1-55). [From Cartoon Books: After being run out of Boneville, the three Bone cousins, Fone Bone, Phoney Bone and Smiley Bone are separated and lost in a vast uncharted desert. One by one, they find their way into a deep forested valley filled with wonderful and terrifying creatures. It will be the longest - but funniest - year of their lives. Winner of 9 Harvey Awards and 9 Eisner Awards including Best Cartoonist and Best Humor Publication, as well as being named Best Comic by the National Cartoonists Society, Bone has also won multiple international awards in Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Finland and Norway.] GNR review.

The Complete 30 Days of Night (3-issue mini + short + extras; w Steve Niles; a Ben Templesmith). [From IDW: 30 Days of Night, the surprise hit that revitalized horror comics and became the #1 trade paperback of the year, gets the deluxe treatment in this special limited edition collection. Oversized, slipcased, containing all three issues, all three scripts with Templesmith's original sketchbook material , the never-reprinted story from Wizard Edge, the pitchbook that sold the movie, a brand new short prose story by Niles, illustrated by Templesmith, and more--this book has everything the legions of 30 Days fans crave!]

The Complete Dark Days (6-issue mini + short + extras; w Steve Miles; a Ben Templesmith). [From IDW: The companion volume to The Complete 30 Days of Night gets the same deluxe treatment in this ultimate hardcover collection! Containing the six-issue mini-series that follows Stella Oleman¹s efforts to expose the presence of vampires to the world, this impressive package also features a wide array of bonus materials: Steve Niles¹ original outline and all six scripts, a complete cover gallery, conceptual artwork by Ben Templesmith, and a brand-new 30 Days of Night short story penned by Steve Niles.]

The Freebooters. [From Windsor-Smith Studio: The Freebooters Collection chronicles the exploits of Axus the Great, all-but retired from his career as the most celebrated warrior of an exotic, ancient world. Having survived a life of perils beyond imagining, Axus, past his prime and living large (and larger) off his considerable renown, now spends his days as merry and melancholy proprietor of his inn and tavern, The Ram & the Peacock, regaling his patrons with tales of his glory days. The transition from word-beater to innkeeper and celebrity is not an easy one for our hero, whose exploits have been scaled back to occasional forays with his band of brigands to harass the local Kaliph, all in search of the thrills of adventures past. Into this whimsical tableaux of barmaids, brawlers and tourists that populate the Peacock and it¹s host city, the opulent, infamous Shahariza, rides the young seer-in-training Aran Ana-Kashan. He bears news that his hero Axus' arch foe of old, the unspeakably terrible Ammon-Gra, is on the verge of being resurrected, threatening the very existence of all that is known. Reluctantly, the aging Axus, in the company of the stalwart remnants of his fabled Red Brigade, along with the young naif, Aran, finds himself drawn once again into the maelstrom of the ultimate adventure - saving the world! The Freebooters was one of three titles serialized in the acclaimed 1990s graphic story periodical BARRY WINDSOR-SMITH: STORYTELLER. Windsor-Smith Studio is pleased to announce that The Freebooters Collection, the second of the BWS: STORYTELLER collected editions, will be published in Spring 2005 by Fantagraphics Books. This book presents all of The Freebooters material that appeared in issues 1-9 of STORYTELLER, plus the Freebooters chapter completed for the never-published issue #10, and many pages of new story and editorial content created specially for this edition. BARRY WINDSOR-SMITH: STORYTELLER, while a critical success during it's short life in 1996 and 1997, prematurely ceased publication when its creator, claiming mismanagement on the part of the original publisher, withdrew it from publication. In The Freebooters Collection, the previously unpublished Chapter 11, originally slated for STORYTELLER #10, provides a graceful finale to the narrative thread that was underway in the latter issues. But there will be no expedient wrap-up of the larger story line concerning the impending threat of Ammon Gra. BWS is certainly aware that the loyal, and most appreciated readers of the original magazine would like to see a resolution to that tale, but to artificially accelerate a story intended to run over many years to a contrived conclusion would contradict the naturalistic pacing that was a hallmark of STORYTELLER. The Freebooters Collection, which will include many pages of new story material created specially for this edition, as well as a never-before-seen, 20+ page alternate beginning to The Freebooters saga from 1995, presents the best wrap-up of the adventures of Axus and Aran and their lively cast of supporting characters that is possible under the circumstances. The author appreciates your indulgence and continued support. We are confident that The Freebooters Collection will provide a satisfying body of revisited and new material that will appeal to all fans of the original series, and to new readers as well.]

Invincible: The Ultimate Collection 1 (1-13). [From Image Comics: Get in on the ground floor. This massive hardcover collects the first 13 issues of Robert Kirkman¹s Eisner Nominated superhero hit along with all the extras from the first three trade paperback volumes and even more on top of that! Invincible: The Ultimate Collection, Volume 1 is a can¹t miss for anyone who¹s wanted to start reading Invincible, but needed an easier way to start from the beginning. Introduction by Brian Michael Bendis.]

Invincible: The Ultimate Collection 2 (14-24, 0). [From Image Comics: Beginning in January 2003, Invincible quickly gained status as the little book that could. Making its debut alongside four other new superhero books in a market already overcrowded by superhero comics, in a month known for slow sales in nearly every industry, and from two creators barely known to the comic buying public, the deck was stacked solidly against success. Add to that an erratic shipping schedule, and it's easy to see why Invincible struggled to gain readers with its early issues. But creators Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker, along with colorist Bill Crabtree refused to give up! They continued the book despite low sales and with the addition of artist Ryan Ottley halfway through the first year, things started to look up for the title. Being featured in Wizard Magazine as February 2004's "Book of the Month" only shortly before being nominated for an Eisner Award for "Best New Series" set the stage for what would be a banner year for the title. Ryan Ottley's Russ Manning Award nomination for "Best New Talent" (an honor bestowed on Cory Walker the year before) and Bill Crabtree's Harvey Award nomination for "Best Colorist" along with Robert Kirkman's creative expansion at both Image and Marvel Comics brought new eyes to the title. Sales began to spike upwards. The title is now considered a sleeper hit, with each new issue setting a sales record for the title, back issues becoming nearly impossible to find and paperback collections going into multiple printings. In January 2005, Paramount Pictures optioned the rights to adapt the title into a major motion picture with Kirkman tapped to pen the screenplay. The little book that could just keeps on going. Now, for the first time ever, Image Comics brings you the second volume of the definitive collection of Invincible. Picking up right where Volume 1 left off, Invincible: The Ultimate Collection, Volume 2 is the culmination of a year's worth of blood, sweat and tears chronicling the life of Mark Grayson and his rise to becoming the most compelling and exciting new superhero created this century.]

Leave It To Chance 1: Shaman's Rain (1-4). [From Image Comics: It's her fourteenth birthday and Chance Falconer, daughter of world famous paranormal investigator Lucas Falconer, has only one thing on her mind: to follow in her father's footsteps as his rightful successor as a defender against the occult. For generation after generation, there has always been a Falconer ready to defend the city of Devil's Echo from the darkest forces imaginable. Unfortunately, her father feels otherwise. Haunted by a scarring past and fearing for his daughter's life, Lucas wants to skip a generation and pass the torch of responsibility on to the next Falconer male. So what's left for a bright and mischevious girl to do except strike out on her own and prove to the world that she's more than ready! What follows is the adventure of a lifetime, filled with shape shifting Trogs, Indian mysticism, Sewer Goblins, a fire breathing dragon, and even a monstrous sized, city destroying Toad. Nominated for both the prestigious Harvey and Eisner Awards, Leave It To Chance is guaranteed to charm readers of all ages.]

Leave It To Chance 2: Trick or Threat & Other Stories (5-8). [From Image Comics: Teenage troubleshooter and occult investigator Chance Falconer returns for more adventure in the second compilation of the Harvey and Eisner award-winning Leave It To Chance. The daughter of the most prominent super-natural detective in the city of Devil's Echo continues in her father's footsteps, aided again by her ever-faithful pal and pet dragon St. George. Collecting issues #5 through #8 of Image's innovative all-ages series, Trick or Threat and Other Stories introduces our intrepid heroine to a new circle of friends, and pits Chance against a new cast of dastardly villains, misunderstood monsters and other-worldly apparitions. From the festive streets of Devil's Echo on Halloween night, to the haunted pirate caves below her boarding school—even at her favorite shopping mall—the young danger-magnet Chance finds paranormal peril at every turn, but always manages to save the day.]

Leave It To Chance 3: Monster Madness (9-11). [From Image Comics: Reprinting Leave it to Chance #[9-11] from the classic original series. Chance is faced with a threat of monstrous proportions in this third volume in a series of over-sized hardcover editions priced to sell at the unbelievably low price of $14.95. Charming and witty with wonderful art and a heroine everyone can root for. Mix Harry Potter and Nancy Drew and you have Leave It To Chance.]

Lost Girls Deluxe Slipcased Edition (complete series, including unpublished issues; w Alan Moore; a Melinda Gebbie).. [From iBooks: For more than a century, Alice, Wendy and Dorothy have been our guides through the Wonderland, Neverland and Land of Oz of our childhoods. Now like us, these three lost girls have grown up and are ready to guide us again, this time through the realms of our sexual awakening and fulfillment. Through their familiar fairytales they share with us their most intimate revelations of desire in its many forms, revelations that shine out radiantly through the dark clouds of war gathering around a luxury Austrian hotel. Drawing on the rich heritage of erotica, Lost Girls is the rediscovery of the power of ecstatic writing and art in a sublime union that only the medium of comics can achieve. Exquisite, thoughtful, and human, Lost Girls is a work of breathtaking scope that challenges the very notion of art fettered by convention. This is erotic fiction at its finest. Similar to DC's Absolute editions of Watchmen and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Lost Girls will be published as three, 112-page, super-deluxe, ovesized hardcover volumes, all sealed in a gorgeous slipcase.]

Love & Rockets, Palomar: The "Heartbreak Soup" Stories (Reprints all the Palomar stories from Vols. 1-6; all of Vol. 8; most of Vol. 14; a short story, "Toco"; all by Gilbert). [From Fantagraphics: For the first time ever, Fantagraphics is proud to present a single-volume collection of Gilbert Hernandez's "Heartbreak Soup" stories from Love & Rockets, which along with RAW magazine defined the modern literary comics movement of the post-underground generation. This massive volume collects every "Heartbreak Soup" story from 1993 to 2002 in one 500-page deluxe hardcover edition, presenting the epic for the first time as the single novel it was always intended to be. Palomar is the mythical Central American town where the "Heartbreak Soup" stories take place. The stories weave in and out of the town's entire population, crafting an intricate tapestry of Latin American experience. Hernandez's densely plotted and deeply imagined tales are often compared with magic realist authors like Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Isabel Allende (House of the Spirits). His depictions of women and Mexican-American experience have been universally lauded as the best examples the artform has to offer. Luba, the guiding spirit of Palomar since the outset, has been hailed by The Nation, Rolling Stone, and Time magazine as one of the great characters of contemporary American fiction. Hernandez's work, in addition to the obvious magic realist comparisons, shares an affinity with other Latin American and Spanish writer/artists, like Frida Kahlo, Federico Garcia Lorca and Pablo Picasso, all of whom applied a surrealist eye to what they saw and experienced. Palomar follows the lives of its residents from Luba's arrival in the town to her exit, twenty years later. Included are such classic tales as "Sopa de Gran Pena," "Ecce Homo," "An American in Palomar," "Human Diastrophism," and "Farewell, Mi Palomar." Palomar presents one of the richest accomplishments in the history of the artform in its ideal format for the first time, making it a must-have for longtime Love & Rockets fans and new readers alike.] ArtBomb review

Love & Rockets, Locas: The Maggie and Hopey Stories (Reprints all the Locas stories from the original series, except for several from Volume 1 and a scattering from the other volumes, mostly Penny Century and wrestling stories; all by Jaime). [From Fantagraphics: One of the most humane, graceful and imaginatively inexhaustible artists in American popular culture, Jaime Hernandez has created in Locas one of the great American novels of the last 25 years, graphic or otherwise. Spanning a quarter-century, Locas tells the story of Maggie Chascarrillo, a bisexual, Mexican-American woman attempting to define herself in a community rife with class, race and gender issues. Maggie's story begins in the early-1980s Southern California rock scene, when it was shifting from the excesses of glitter rock to the gritty basics of punk and new wave. "Hardcore" punk rock came to the fore, and the teenaged Maggie finds herself drawn to the anarchy, energy and diversity of the scene, which in the hands becomes a very real, habitable place populated with authentic human beings rather than stereotypes. She quickly befriends Hopey Glass, a feisty anti-authoritarian punkette who quickly becomes Maggie's on-again, off-again lover and a constant presence in her life throughout the book. Maggie comes of age in this tumultuous environment, with class and racial tension fueling the rising violence between punks and the already antagonistic LAPD. Hernandez's naturalistic storytelling and mastery of body language and facial expressions, and his pitch-perfect depiction of barrio life all makes for an exhilarating read. His characters are infused with strength, intelligence, independence, imperfection, bitchiness, frailty, obsessiveness, and so much more. Maggie evolves from an angry young punk into a mature woman. She encounters cruelties large and small and resigns herself to dashed hopes, shattered illusions, and even death with ironic acceptance. Locas presents an incomparable body of work in comics form, created over 20 years (which not coincidentally mirrors Maggie's arc), and told with an uncompromising beauty and grace. As the New York Times Book Review has described it, "These stories have all the visual smarts of film and the narrative smarts of literature....Hernandez specializes in psychological detail; we see both text and subtext immediately ....What better than to open a book that shows there is more going on than we dream of in our workaday philosophies?"]

The P. Craig Russel Library of Opera Adaptations 1: The Magic Flute (NBM Publishing; OGN, originally published by Eclipse Books). [From NBM: Long out of print, the many adaptations that Russell has done of famous operas are finally collected again in 3 volumes, in the wake of his highly successful massive recent adaptation of Wagner’s Ring of the Nibelung. This first volume presents his adaptation of one of Mozart’s most famous works, a farcical tale mixed with fantasy. The story begins as the Queen of the Night sets Prince Tamino on a quest to rescue her daughter, Pamina from the evil Sarastro. On the way, he meets the bird-catcher Papageno, who is “persuaded” to help Tamino in his quest. Tamino’s spiritual quest is counterpoised with Papageno’s own earthly search for his one true love, Papagena. Both couples’ strivings are juxtaposed with the eternal conflict between Sarastro and the Queen of the Night.]

The P. Craig Russel Library of Opera Adaptations Volume 2 (NBM Publishing; from various sources).[From NBM: Russell's classic adaptations of Richard Wagner's Parsifal from the legend of the Holy Grail, Ariane & Bluebeard by Maeterlinck and Dukas, "The Clowns" taken from I Pagliacci by Leoncavallo, as well as two songs by Mahler: "The Drinking Song of Earth's Sorrow" and "Unto This World."]

The P. Craig Russel Library of Opera Adaptations Volume 3 (NBM Publishing; from various sources).[From NBM: This collection of Russell’s classic adaptations concludes with Pelleas & Melisande by Maeterlinck and Debussy, Salome by Richard Strauss and the all new The Godfather’s Code from Cavalleria Rusticana by Mascagni.]

Powers, the Definitive Collection Volume 1 (Super-size hardcover; 1-11). [From Brian Michael Bendis: You asked for it ands now it is here!! THE FIRST EVER POWERS HARDCOVER. but not only is it a hardcover... its a hardcover of the entire first year in chronological order. issue 1- 11. the first three epic powers stories presented in order of publication for the very first time. remastered. redesigned, and reformatted. plus all the powers bonus features you have come to know and love. sketchwork, scripts, interviews, galleries, original designs and a powers collection first: a best of the letter column year one. this is where the story begins. a must have for your comic library.] Book of the Week 1/25/06: Often, super-hero comics have adopted elements of crime fiction. But Powers may be the first time that a sustained crime-fiction comic has adopted elements of super-heroes—and boy, does it work. Hard-boiled detective Christian Walker and his new partner Deena Pilgrim work in a special unit of the police department that deals with crimes involving super-powered being. Not only is this perhaps the best crime comic ever written, but it also succeeds in presenting a fresh take on super-heroes, here seen through the eyes of the cops who have to clean up their messes. This is great stuff, here presented in a deluxe super-sized format. And while I'm not sure Oeming's clean, open art will benefit from the extra size, still the hardcover is cheaper than the two trades covering the same material. This is one of the best comics going, and if you've missed out on it, here's a great chance to get in on the ground floor.

Powers, the Definitive Collection Volume 2 (Super-size hardcover; 12-24). [From Brian Michael Bendis: Following hot on the heels of the FIRST-EVER POWERS HARDCOVER comes – wait for it – THE SECOND POWERS HARDCOVER...EVER. It’s a hardcover collection of the entire second year of POWERS in chronological order! The first three epic POWERS stories, issues #12-24, are presented in order of publication – remastered, redesigned and reformatted! Also featuring all the POWERS bonus features you’ve come to know and love: sketchwork, scripts, interviews, galleries, original designs and another POWERS Best of the Letter Column, Year Two! This is the most celebrated year of this award-winning title! A must-have for your comic library!]

Rising Stars Hardcover (1-24, 0, ½, Prelude). [From Top Cow Comics: Writer J. Michael Straczynski's superhero tour-de-force is collected, beginning to end, in one MASSIVE bookshelf volume. Follow the 113 superpowered "Pederson Specials" as they grow up, live, love, die, and ultimately try to save the world. One of the greatest comic series EVER is now available for your bookshelf!]

Sin City Library Set I (Vols. 1-4). [From Dark Horse Comics: A collector's dream! Sin City fans the world over are clamoring for oversized archival editions of the legendary noir series from Frank Miller, and Dark Horse is rising to the occasion! In the tradition of the EC Library, these deluxe hardcovers measure 9" x 12", are printed on high-quality paper stock, and collect each original series along with the color series covers. The four hardcover volumes of set I are packaged in a handsomely designed slipcase-a long-awaited addition to the bookshelves of discriminating comics fans. This slipcase holds volumes one through four of Sin City, the hard-boiled stories that started it all! Never before seen at this size, the now-infamous Marv, Dwight, Gail, Miho, Hartigan, Nancy, and the Yellow Bastard will transport you to Sin City and show you the bloody lives they lead... bloody by choice or by circumstance.]

Sin City Library Set II (Vols. 5-7, Art of Sin City). [From Dark Horse Comics: This second Sin City slipcase completes the oversized archival editions, available only in these exceptional collections. The handsome 8"x12" books feature the individual stories printed on high-quality paper stock and showcase Miller's atmospheric cover art from the original comics! Created with serious Frank Miller collectors and art connoisseurs in mind, these new archival editions are sure to satisfy! This slipcase holds Sin City volumes five through seven: Family Values, Miller's first direct-to-trade work; Booze, Broads, and Bullets, an expansive compilation of short stories from the Town without Pity; and Hell and Back, the longest Sin City story to date! This Library set also includes a special edition of The Art of Sin City, a lush complement to these deluxe volumes. The Art of Sin City extends the reach of the Eisner, Harvey, and National Cartoonists Society award-winning series by showcasing content‹such as Miller's preliminary sketches‹that cannot be found elsewhere. Now the groundbreaking work that sent a rush of adrenaline through the entire industry is available in an attractive archival format!]

Stray Bullets 1: Innocence of Nihilsm (1-7). [From El Capitán: They never saw it coming - they never had a chance! These are their stories. Follow the lost lives of people who are savagely torn apart by events beyond their control. As the innocent world of an imaginative little girl is shattered when she witnesses a brutal double murder. Or an introverted young boy on the verge of manhood gets a lesson in just how far is too far when he falls for a needy woman who lives life in the fast line. Or party with a pair of low-rent hoods who learn about what is really important in life just when they shouldn't. And even learn the story of the most infamous gangster who ever lived, Amy Racecar, who talks to God, lunches with the President, and just may be responsible for the end of the world. These are some of the tales that will rip out your guts and break your heart.] Also out as a trade

Stray Bullets 2: Somewhere Out West (8-14). [From El Capitán: On the Run From the Past - With No Hope for a Future! Somewhere out West there is a town no one knows about - a desert town whose inhabitants wait for the day a great earthquake will bring them beachfront property. Here, two young lovers on the run from the Mob will learn that love is more than just another four-letter word. A once-beautiful, now-broken woman will let the demons of her past pull her down into a thick soup of depravity and death. A betrayed little girl running from everything will decide to help someone and be scarred forever. And a big lug with big dreams will achieve fame and glory and then throw it all away. These are just some of the people whose tales will stick in your gut for the rest of your days.] Also out as a trade

Stray Bullets 3: Other People (15-22). [From El Capitán: Take a ringside seat for these brutal tales of twisted emotions. An ordinary housewife, burning with a sick passion, will see her afternoon's entertainment turn deadly for an innocent child. A bright young woman, incapable of love, will destroy the hearts of men and cut the widest swath of destruction seen since Sherman's march to the sea. A distinguished teacher, unable to control his base desires, will learn that the telephone is mightier than a white-hot slug in the gut. And a faithful husband, yearning to "swing wild," will bring home a problem he would gladly sell his immortal soul to solve. These are some of the real-life battles that will knock you to the mat and have you seeing stars.]

Walking Dead Omnibus 1 (1-24; a Tony Moore, Charlie Adlard). [From Image Comics: How many hours are in a day when you don't spend half of them watching television? When is the last time any of us REALLY worked to get something that we wanted? How long has it been since any of us really NEEDED something that we WANTED? The world we knew is gone. The world of commerce and frivolous necessity has been replaced by a world of survival and responsibility. An epidemic of apocalyptic proportions has swept the globe causing the dead to rise and feed on the living. In a matter of months society has crumbled, no government, no grocery stores, no mail delivery, no cable TV. In a world ruled by the dead, we are forced to finally start living. This deluxe hardcover features the first 24 issues of the hit series along with the covers for the issues all in one massive, oversized slip-cased volume. Perfect for long time fans, new readers, and anyone needing a heavy object with which to fend off The Walking Dead.]

Walking Dead Book 1 (1-12; a Tony Moore, Charlie Adlard). [From Image Comics: How many hours are in a day when you don't spend half of them watching television? When is the last time any of us REALLY worked to get something that we wanted? How long has it been since any of us really NEEDED something that we WANTED? The world we knew is gone. The world of commerce and frivolous necessity has been replaced by a world of survival and responsibility. An epidemic of apocalyptic proportions has swept the globe causing the dead to rise and feed on the living. In a matter of months society has crumbled, no government, no grocery stores, no mail delivery, no cable TV. In a world ruled by the dead, we are forced to finally start living.]

Walking Dead Book 2 (13-24; a Charlie Adlard). [From Image Comics: This hardcover features another 12 issues of the series, along with the covers for the issues all in one oversized hardcover volume. Perfect for long time fans, new readers, and anyone interested in reading a zombie movie on paper that never ends.]

Young GODS & Friends (Contents: front endpapers, "A Word From the Publisher" from Issue 1 and "A Word From the Author" from Issue 2; back endpapers, a 2-page letter column, apparently unpublished; all in the form of design roughs. 4-page introduction by several writers. "The Pizza Story," 25-page story, apparently unpublished. A 2-page new beginning to the original series, designed to set it into a new context for a projected re-purposing of the series. Chapters 1-10, originally published in Storyteller. "Chapter 11," 6 pages, unpublished. "Chapter 12," 8 pages (page 7 uncolored; page 8 uninked and uncolored), unpublished. 2-page synopsis of where the series would have gone. "Tempus Fugit," 7-page story (one page out-of-sequence) with 1½ pages of notes. "The Party," 18 pages of excerpts from the revamped issues 10-12 of Storyteller, featuring all the Storyteller characters in a storyline designed to give some closure to the series, plus 1 page of notes and 1 page of sketches; further excerpts will appear in future volumes. "Fragments," 1 self-rejected page from Chapter 5 or 6 with one page of commentary. "More Fragments," 3 self-rejected pages from "The Pizza Story" plus 1 page of commentary. "Yet More Fragments," 4 self-rejected pages of a Destiny story, 7-page first attempt at Chapter 1, and 1 page of commentary. 1-page afterword by BWS. 2 pin-ups of Adastra, one in color and one B&W.) [From Fantagraphics: While bearing a superficial resemblance to Marvel Comics’ The Mighty Thor, a 1960s series by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the story and characters of Young GODS & Friends are sexy, ribald, politically incorrect, and outrageously funny. On the evening prior to a spectacular galaxy-spanning wedding, the reluctant groom, Prince Heros, son of Otan, Ruler of All-Worlds, needs one last adventure before succumbing to life in a marriage of convenience and political intrigue. With his boyhood friend and cousin Strangehands, Heros of All-Worlds sets off across the Abraxus Nebula for a night of innocent adventure, recreating their childhood passion for “dragon chasing.” Amusing circumstances dictate that the royally gorgeous yet foul-mouthed spitfire Princess Adastra, older sister of the bride-to-be Celestra of Orgasma, shall be coming along for the dragon ride that, through the mysteries of time and space, lasts considerably longer than just one night. Thus begins this odyssey of three errant gods with entirely mismatched goals and personalities seeking fun across the universe. This volume collects the entirety of the artist’s Young GODS stories from the acclaimed Barry Windsor-Smith: STORYTELLER comic book series from the 1990s, including the hotly-anticipated, previously unpublished issues 10 and 11, plus new story material created especially for this edition. BWS: STORYTELLER presented Young GODS, The Paradoxman, and The Freebooters, three fresh, new comics series written and drawn by Windsor-Smith, in a novel format that rotated each monthly series into the lead feature. Widely regarding these entertaining and literate tales as the best comics work of the artist’s career, Windsor-Smith’s 30-year fan base was crushed when STORYTELLER’s schedule came to an abrupt and premature halt with issue 9, in 1997, with BWS claiming lack of support and bad faith on the part of the original publisher. Beginning with Young GODS & Friends in 2003, Fantagraphics is collecting each of BWS:STORYTELLER’s titles into separate full-color editions including all of the stories published in issues 1 through 9, and, in the case of Young GODS & Friends, many never-before-published pages, plus background information and behind-the-scenes art.] ArtBomb review