This is my first Bound Together column that’s based on a book I don’t own, but it’s a doozy. In 1988 Graphitti Designs produced for DC a collected edition of Watchmen: a black hardcover in a slipcase with a good amount of exclusive bonus material. Very similar to The Dark...

Lone Wolf and Cub is a wonderful manga series that has come to North America twice: prestige format comics from First Publishing in the 1980s and in twenty eight 4.25×6.5″ softcover volumes from Dark Horse. For anyone who hasn’t sampled this series go now and grab a paper or...

It was October 1978 that Empire, the first graphic novel, appeared on bookstore shelves.  That’s the same month Eisner’s A Contract With God made its début, and Empire is one illustrated story while Eisner’s work is a collection of short stories.  One can argue either way...

This book came into my hands via a recommendation from my local comic book shop.  Liar’s Kiss is a quick black and white crime drama.  Here’s the publisher’s blurb: THE WAY HE INVESTIGATES IS A CRIME IN ITSELF. Nick Archer isn’t much of a detective, but he’s managed to...

While at the Boston Comicon this month I spotted Zorro: The Complete Classic Adventures By Alex Toth signed and numbered two-volume slipcased edition at two dealers.  One dealer had it for $175 and the other for $40; I tried to haggle the $40 vendor down to $35 but he wouldn’t budge so...

Another book I had never heard of that was on my local comic shop’s shelf of new releases; the cover grabbed my attention and I gave Winterworld a quick thumbing.  I quickly added it to my buy pile and headed to the cash.  Here’s the publisher’s blurb:   Dixon &...

I’m not a fan of horror books or themes but the story just grabbed me; never would have picked it up but I’m a fan of Allred’s art.  iZombie: Dead To The World is about a young girl and her group of friends trying to make it through the day, except she’s a zombie. ...

This one came out of left field.  I was at my local comic book shop and spotted Taskmaster: Unthinkable on the rack.  I remember reading good things about the series but hadn’t given it any thought; being a light week I picked it up and am I glad I did.  Here’s the...

Like most people who shop regularly at a comic store I have a pull list that I submit when a new Previews magazine comes out.  Items are picked two months in advance and occasionally you forget what’s coming.  Last week I found Thor: For Asgard waiting for me.  Here’s the...

I wholeheartedly enjoy the Spirit: it’s a classic character in a crime-ridden city with a colourful supporting cast, mixing action, drama and comedy in equal measure.  DC Comics has recently launched their second iteration of a Spirit ongoing series and collected the first two story...

It’s Elektra and rebirth week at Comic Book Daily so I’m going to provide some insight on Elektra Lives Again from Epic Comics and Graphitti Designs. This was a huge book for 1990: Frank Miller had collaborated with Janson and Mazzuchelli to produce epic runs on Daredevil and...

This is the story of an accidental purchase of a signed and numbered book from the 1980s.  I was rummaging among the discount trade paperback section of my local comic shop when I came across Mechanics: A Love & Rockets Graphic Novel by Jaime Hernandez.  I had seen his art around for...

Nothing about this book from the outside interested me in the least.  When this collection was published site after comics site sang it’s praises so I decided to pick up Daytripper from Vertigo.  Here’s the publisher’s blurb: What are the most important days of your life?...

Fantagraphics keeps the hits rolling throughout 2011 and The Arctic Marauder is the latest in their Jacques Tardi translations line.  Here’s the publisher’s blurb: In our ongoing quest to showcase the wide range of Jacques Tardi’s bibliography, Fantagraphics reaches all the way...

Anything by Travis Charest goes right onto my “must have” list; he’s an amazing artist that seems to keep getting better.  Unfortunately he also seems to be getting slower with new work sorely lacking.  I anxiously awaited Weapons Of The Metabaron from Humanoids:...

I attended the full first day of Wizard World, roaming the floor from 4:00 – 9:00 PM.  The exhibit hall was significantly smaller than last year and it seemed a better fit, less cavernous. During my initial pre-show walk around I discovered an alarming dearth of retailers: at best it...

The comic convention season will be upon us in Ontario this weekend, kicking off with Wizard World Toronto.  For collected edition collectors that means two things: hunting and signing. A convention is good opportunity to find newer books on discount and to a much lesser extent locating a...

In 2008 The Umbrella Academy took the comic world by storm, winning an Eisner for best limited series and cementing the creative team of Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba as up and comers.  It was followed up by a second mini series and Dark Horse released both in deluxe oversized limited edition...

This one caught me by surprise.  As I read more and more collected editions my library of Fantagraphics books grows with new releases and older material “discovered” online and at my local comic shop.  I was perusing their 2011 catalogue when I came across volume 2: it looked...

A new artist on an entire story arc of Spider-Man, in one hardcover package.  Spider-Man: Big Time Premiere hardcover collects Amazing Spider-Man 648-651 by Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos.  Here’s the publisher’s blurb: Big changes are happening for the Amazing Spider-Man: Bigger...