SO HARD: Limited Edition A BOY AND A GIRL hardbacks

Oni Press has made limited edition hardback versions of A Boy and a Girl to sell at conventions and via their web portals.

I have a small amount myself, and so have added a quantity to my own store, which you can buy and have signed by me.

Order them here.

The contents are the same in terms of interior pages, but you get a sturdier version with a nice metallic ink on the cover.

You can, of course, also order the regular version, as well as a selection of my other publications, in the store. I will be adding Natalie's art from the book soon. E-mail ahead if there are pages you want before it all goes up. golightly [a] gmail dot com

Current Soundtrack: At Berkeley, dir. Frederick Wiseman

I LIKE TO RIDE MY BICYCLE, I LIKE TO RIDE MY BIKE

NOW IN THEATERS...

* The Armstrong Lie, an excellent documentary about the Lance Armstrong con job. Spoiler Alert: Jocks are assholes.

* Contracted, body horror minus most of the horror.

* Is the Man Who is Tall Happy? An animated* conversation between Michel Gondry and Noam Chomsky. (*As in, cartoon.)

* Late for My Mother's Funeral, an experimental documentary about the life of an interesting woman and how her children remember her.

* Persistence of Vision, a fascinating documentary about the troubled animated masterpiece The Thief and the Cobbler.

WATCH IT AT HOME...

* Hannah Arendt, a well-done biography picture about one of the 20th Century's most advanced thinkers.

* Prisoners, a morality play done as a kidnap thriller, starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Current Soundtrack: Sleigh Bells, Bitter Rivals

I HEARD THE COUNTDOWN START

The second part of "Integer City" is released next week in Dark Horse Presents #31.

Dark Horse just solicited the penultimate chapter for March, and the issue has a gorgeous cover by none other than Michael Wm. Kaluta, who did a swell "Carson of Venus" cover for me back in the days when I was editing DHP.

Eisner and Harvey Award Winner: Best Anthology!
Dark Horse Presents #34
Christopher Sebela (W), Dean Motter (W/A), Dennis Culver (W/A), Rich Johnston (W), Darrin Grimwood (W), Brendan McCarthy (W/A), Jamie S. Rich (W), Justin Aclin (W), Michael T. Gilbert (W/A), Mike Baron (W), Kel McDonald (W/A), Brian Churilla (A), Simon Rohrmüller (A), Brent Schoonover (A), Nicolás Daniel Selma (A), Steve Rude (A), and Michael Kaluta (Cover)

On sale Mar 19
FC, 80 pages
$7.99
Ongoing

Dennis Culver delivers seaside high jinks in Davey Jones and the Mystery of the Monocle Men, Justin Aclin and Nicolás Daniel Selma’s S.H.O.O.T. First is back in action against secular threats, Kel McDonald takes you on a balloon ride in Across the Channel, and Mike Baron and Steve Rude complete their long-running Nexus story “Into the Past”! 

• Plus, new installments of Cruel Biology, Mister X, Integer City, The Deleted, Miss Cranbourne, and Mr. Monster!

“Dark Horse’s prestigious anthology series . . . showcases emerging talent alongside some of the greatest writers, artists and cartoonists comics has to offer, as well as promising new and underground talents.”—ComicsAlliance 

“Comics’ best kept secret trove of great comics.”—Comic Book Resources

The whole serial is in the can. The team, as ever, is Brent Schoonover on art, Jean-Francois Beaulieu crushing it on covers, and Crank! lettering it up all nice and readable.

Anybody reading along so far? Drop a comment and let me know what you think. 

Or better yet, contact Dark Horse via their message boards, toss them a shout on Twitter or via Facebook, and tell them you want to see more from us!

Current Soundtrack: Felt, "Birdmen"

THEN YOU HAVE EVERYTHING

The Double Life of Miranda Turner #2 is available for download from Comixology right now.

14 pages of comics, full color, $0.99!

Miranda has taken a break from hunting for her sister's killer to star in a Broadway play. Not that it means she'll be staying out of trouble. Strange things are happening in the middle of rehearsals. Miranda's cast mates start exhibiting extreme behavior, and most of them look like they are going to end up in jail--or worse--before opening night. That is, unless the Cat and her spectral companion can figure out just what the heck is going on.

Preview the first four pages over at Comic Buzz. 

Also, welcome our new colorist, Paulina Ganuchea, a talented artist in her own right.

Current Soundtrack: Eve, Lip Lock

IF I COULD, I'D FLY YOU AWAY ON A BIG OL' PAIR OF WINGS

So, bad news is that A Boy and a Girl suffered a snafu at Diamond, and they failed to flip the right switch to have it land in stores this week.

I know that sounds like a euphemism, but it's actually the total truth.

Common wisdom is I should play nice and pretend "oops, this shit happens," but the same basic incompetence made Spell Checkers vol. 3 a week late, too, so I'm starting to take it personal and fuck them. I've given up suffering fools, gladly or otherwise.

Allegedly the book will be in stores December 18, but I'll only believe it when I see it. If you hear about warehouse fires and trucks crashing, assume they contained a copy of A Boy and a Girl. 

Good news is that iO9 has a long preview of the book today. You can read it here, though realize it contains major spoilers that apparently we have decided to share with you all.  If you are buying the book already, seriously, you don't need to read this, sit tight. If you are on the fence, I will trust marketing wisdom and assume this will help. 

Either way, I have enough faith in the book, I know it is good even once you know its secrets.

By the way, buy it from my store and I'll ship it immediately. Signed. All spoilers intact! And the only distributor who will see a dime is the U.S. Postal Service. Also, Amazon has it already, so why the fuck not?

Also, you might want to check Comixology in the morning. I have a hunch that it will be available there tomorrow.

Original art will go on sale officially next week, but since I'm selling it...well, if you get an early copy and see a page, just e-mail golighty at gmail dot com.

Current Soundtrack: Ashanti, "Never Should Have," Justin Timberlake, "Not a Bad Thing" + the attached hidden track.

 

GIVE LIFE BACK TO MOVIES

WATCH IT AT HOME...

* Bettie Page Reveals All, a documentary built around a recording of the pin-up queen telling her own story, frustratingly amateurish in execution.

* Out of the Furnace, Scott Cooper's follow-up to Crazy Heart features Christian Bale looking for justice and revenge in the Jersey backwoods.

* The Punk Singer, an engrossing portrait of former Bikini Kill and Le Tigre-singer Kathleen Hanna.

* Spinning Plates, a three-way documentary looking at the different approaches of a trio of restaurants around America.

Plus, for Portlanders, a chance to see some Christmas movies on the big screen.

WATCH IT AT HOME...

* Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion, the 1970 Oscar-winner for Best Foreign Language Picture, now released on disc by Criterion.

Current Soundtrack: Simon & Garfunkel, Bridge Over Troubled Water

BORN IN A UFO

Wow. We did it. Nine episodes in nine weeks.

Our finale is one of the best we've done, which is why we saved it for last. Michael Allred and I having a chat about all kinds of crazy topics. Particularly tune in for Part III when we move into his studio and take a look through his most recent pages (at least at the time), including Batman '66 covers and FF interiors. 

There is also a little bonus there: Mike and the Gear performing a Dandy Warhols song.

Links to the second and third parts follow the episode, but here they are for your easy access: Part II - Part III

Other links: 

My reprinted introduction from Madman Atomic Comics vol. 1

A gallery of Paul Pope drawing Allred characters

Oh, and hey: It Girl and the Atomics vol. 1 available for digital download for only $4.99! That's 2/3 off! (Sale ends December 2nd.)

Like us on Facebook to keep getting From the Gutters news.

And follow us on Twitter.

Current Soundtrack: These New Puritans, Field of Reeds

COLD FEELINGS

NOW IN THEATERS...

* The Book Thief, minimal damage and portentous language in a literary version of the Holocaust.

* Frozen, the latest from Disney is a bit lopsided, but still an entertaining musical adventure. Plus, a great Mickey Mouse short!

* Le Joli Mai, Chris Marker's lost chronicle of Paris, 1962.

* A Lady Snowblood/Kill Bill, Vol. 1 combo

* Nebraska, the latest from Alexander Payne puts Bruce Dern on a journey for a million bucks.

* Nicky's Family, a documentary about the man they call "the British Schindler."

* Philomena, an unexpected family drama from Stephen Frears, with the amazing Dame Judi Dench in the title role.

WATCH IT AT HOME...

* Ladies of Leisure, a 1930 dramedy from Frank Capra, starring the incomparable Barbara Stanwyck.

* Parade's End, an overlong, underfelt adaptation of Ford Madox Ford, written by Tom Stoppard and starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Rebecca Hall.

Current Soundtrack: Cate Le Bon, Mug Museum

ELECTRIC LADY

Another week already gone by, and we're now one episode away from the end of the first season of From the Gutters.

The two-part chat I had with Ming Doyle is one of my favorites, partially because she's the one person I didn't know at all going into the interview. I found her to be a charming conversationalist and gracious given how wrecked we were following the Stumptown Comics Fest.

It was also nice to do the interview at Floating World Comics, where I used to work part-time and also where I shop.

Please also check out my write-up on Ming's work, and particularly her book Mara, over at FromtheGutters.com.

Next week is our finale. Michael Allred is our Thanksgiving turkey. Stay tuned!

Current Soundtrack: Esperanza Spalding on NPR

BLUE MONDAY b/w THE BEACH

NOW IN THEATERS...

* Blue is the Warmest Color, the controversial Cannes champion is an emotional, erotic epic.

* First Comes Love, a self-absorbed documentary about late-in-life single motherhood.

* The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. An improved sequel in what is becoming my favorite franchise. Great blockbuster entertainment!

* The Seven Samurai vs. The Magnificent Seven: the NW Film Center is playing both Kurosawa's original and the John Sturges remake.

* Terror on the Beach, an obscure creeper made for TV in 1973, starring Dennis Weaver and Susan Dey.

WATCH IT AT HOME...

* Miss Sadie Thompson and Salome, two 1953 vehicles showing a very different Rita Hayworth.

Not an actual Hunger Games image, but I like the idea of Finnick and Johanna hanging out on Carnaby Street.

Current Soundtrack: Nicky's Family

MY FUNNYBOOK VALENTINE

Dark Horse has solicited the fourth part of my six-part serial with Brent Schoonover, Jean-Francois Beaulieu, and Crank, “Integer City.” Part 1 is in Dark Horse Presents #30 and goes on sale tomorrow. You can preview the first two pages, plus some of the other stories, over at Multiversity.

Here is the cover to #33.

Dark Horse Presents #33

Christopher Sebela (W), Jamie S. Rich (W), Darrin Grimwood (W), Brendan McCarthy (W/A), Dean Motter (W/A), Mike Baron (W), Michael T. Gilbert (W/A), Phil Stanford (W), Fred Van Lente (W), Rich Johnston (W), Chad Lambert (W), Brian Churilla (A), Brent Schoonover (A), Steve Rude (A), Patric Reynolds (A), Reilly Brown (A), Simon Rohrmüller (A), Christine Larsen (A), and Michael Schlicting (Cover)

On sale Feb 19 / Full Color / 80 pages / $7.99

Christopher Sebela (Captain Marvel, Ghost) crafts a horror tale from World War II—there’s blood in the water in Cruel Biology! And two misters return to the pages of DHP, as Dean Motter delivers a new noir tale starring Mister X and Michael T. Gilbert’s Mr. Monster faces off against a telepathic threat bent on world domination! Plus, new installments of Nexus, Fred Van Lente’s Saint George, Kill Me, and more!

Current Soundtrack: The Indelicates, Diseases of England, Part 4: DLC

LAST CHANCE AT LOVE

Today is the final order day for A Boy and a Girl, my graphic novel with Natalie Nourigat. Plenty of copies will still be available to order after, but today is the day your local comic book establishment can order the book (using the code on this ad) and be sure to have it in their shop on December 11.

Read the first chapter now.

Current Soundtrack: The Who, Tommy (2013 remaster)