Barry Windsor-Smith: Storyteller

Dark Horse/Fantagraphics. All written and drawn by Barry Windsor-Smith.

Originally an ongoing series of oversized comics published by Dark Horse, each issue contained chapters of three serials, The Freebooters, The Paradoxman, and Young GODS. Although Windsor-Smith was commited to twelve issues, a dispute with Dark Horse led to the abrupt cancellation of the book after only nine. Fantagraphics is now planning to rerelease the existing material in a series of oversized hardcover collections. The eccentric capitalization of Young GODS is Windsor-Smith's.
Adastra in Africa (OGN). [From Fantagraphics: Windsor-Smith, who had been absent from comics since he halted production of his BWS: STORYTELLER series in 1997, returns to the Princess Adastra character from STORYTELLER's "Young GODS" serial in this self-contained 1999 adventure originally conceptualized as the lost "LIFEDEATH III" story for Marvel Comics' Uncanny X-Men. The book was shelved for several years when Marvel felt that Windsor-Smith's ending endorsed and/or promoted suicide, an assertion that Windsor-Smith says is as laughable as it is unfounded. ADASTRA IN AFRICA is a stand-alone graphic novel to be released ONLY in hardcover and signed hardcover formats. No softcover edition will be released. The story spotlights the young, exiled goddess traveling to an African village and striving to bring salvation to the famine-stricken area. It's a compelling tale of an outsider attempting to use her own non-traditional methods to help a defiantly proud people regain its vitality, without compromising the tribe's heritage and values. The graphic novel features some of the most beautifully dense and gracefuldrawing of Windsor-Smith's legendary career. Windsor-Smith, who vehemently denies that the story promotes suicide, refused to acquiesce to the editors' demands to change the story and pulled the book from them. He liked the story so much, however, that he decided to rework it as an Adastra story shortly after undertaking the BWS: STORYTELLER series a few years ago. Now, more than a decade after it was begun, it is finally in print.]
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Publisher" from Issue 1 and "A Word From the Author" from Issue 2; back endpapers, a 2-page letter column, apparently unpublished; all in the form of design roughs. 4-page introduction by several writers. "The Pizza Story," 25-page story, apparently unpublished.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 Old Book of the Week 9/29/04
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.]

Opus
Opus 1. [From Fantagraphics: Simply put, at 176 pages of the finest full-color reproductions possible, OPUS is the definitive retrospective of Windsor-Smith's career to date. In 1999 Fantagraphics Books presented the first in a series of hardbound volumes titled BARRY WINDSOR-SMITH: OPUS (the second volume will be released in April 2000). These full color editions will present scores of never-before-published paintings and drawings from the artist's 30-year career, while reprinting many of his classic works from the '70s, '80s and '90s. Not autobiography in the strictest sense, the texts in these gorgeous art books are sure to create excitement and controversy among his legion of existing fans while simultaneously attracting new readers from devotees of the paranormal, as Windsor-Smith recounts his life's adventures not so much as a painter, storyteller and comics artist, but in the mysterious realms of cosmic experience. Writing with the wit and style that has kept Windsor-Smith at the forefront of the storytelling arts for over three decades, the artist explores the new meanings and changing values of objective reality in this modern world of quantum physics and its attendant theories of time travel, multi-dimensional life-forms and extraterrestrial visitors. In addition, OPUS presents many of Windsor-Smith's greatest achievements in art, acknowledging all facets of his professional career as well as featuring an incredible amount of never-before-seen sketchbook material, paintings, and illustrations. Windsor-Smith provides commentary along with all of the art included; cumulatively, OPUS offers significant insight into the mind of one of comics' all-time greatest creators with its mix of artwork, autobiography, and philosophy. No Barry Windsor-Smith fan can resist OPUS' allure.] Old Book of the Week 12/3/03
Opus 2. [From Fantagraphics: There is a new voice to add to a growing roster that includes: Whitley Streiber, Budd Hopkins, John E. Mack, and Apollo astronaut Edgar Mitchell…With his previous book, BWS: OPUS Vol. 1, legendary artist Barry Windsor-Smith joined the illustrious ranks of the experiencers and researchers at the new frontiers of consciousness, and the evolutionary crossroads of reality. After astonishing encounters with precognition and time loops the artist found himself on a transcendental journey into another dimension of time and space. Now, in the long-awaited second volume of the OPUS series, Windsor-Smith continues his autobiography called TIME RISE. Following his bizarre inter-dimensional journey, the young superstar of Marvel Comics' Conan the Barbarian fame discovers that he has acquired advanced psychic abilities! This is the true story of the artist's struggles to deal with the transcendental, yet maddening, effects of meta-consciousness.]
Barry Windsor-Smith's web site.