Cover by David Petersen
If I were to ask you to name five titles available on Free Comic Book Day last spring, could you do it without looking upward and whispering “Uh…?” I grabbed a bunch that day, and six months later I only vaguely remember what I walked out with. That’s not to say FCBD isn’t fun or even blossoming with great stories. But when you get right down to it, those pamphlets be paltry.
“Bok bok bok?!”
Paltry, I said. Not poultry. Relax.
Anyway. Come next December, you’re gonna remember with pristine clarity at least one of FCBD 2012’s offerings. Because one inventive publisher isn’t just putting out a flimsy flipbook. No, the gangstas at Archaia have announced that their contribution is a hardcover collection. Despite the upgrade, this 48 page anthology is FREE.
For our money (heh), this is gonna be tough to beat as the best incentive to scramble down to the comic shop on a Saturday morning. Smart on Archaia’s part, because that hardcover looks to showcase whole heaps of upcoming projects in a luxurious package. Nothing raggedy about this. Highlights? A new Dapper Men story from Eisner winners for best graphic novel, Jim McCann and Janet Lee! Cosby and Eliopoulos’ Cow Boy (we’ve seen pages; it’s excellent), and the return of some favorite characters from last month’s Book of the Month, Rust.
Let’s take a look at the full details.
MOUSE GUARD, LABYRINTH AND OTHER STORIES
Original Graphic Novel Hardcover
2012 Free Comic Book Day
Retail Price: Free
Page Count: 48 pages
Format: Hardcover with no dust jacket (paper over board), 6” x 9”, full color
UPC: 811514010689 00311
Country: U.S.Written by Jeremy Bastian, Nate Cosby, Royden Lepp, Jim McCann, Ted Naifeh and David Petersen
Illustrated by Jeremy Bastian, Chris Eliopoulos, Cory Godbey, Janet Lee, Royden Lepp and David Petersen
Cover by David PetersenThis Free Comic Book Day, Archaia offers readers the chance to experience history in the making with a FREE, gorgeous, 48-page, 6” x 9” full color hardcover original graphic novel featuring all-new material! David Petersen returns with an all-new Mouse Guard tale that’s guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings! Lose yourself once again in Jim Henson’s amazing world of Labyrinth, featuring a fantastical story from Eisner Award nominee Ted Naifeh (Courtney Crumrin) and Cory Godbey (Fraggle Rock). Get a new perspective on Jet Jones in Royden Lepp’s critically acclaimed Rust, with a short story seen through the eyes of younger brother Oswald Taylor. Jeremy Bastian’s acclaimed Cursed Pirate Girl hits the high seas in this whimsical, swashbuckling tale of wonderland journeys and unimaginable dangers. Nate Cosby (Pigs) and Chris Eliopoulos (Franklin Richards) present Cow Boy, a comedy/western that tells the tale of a young bounty hunter determined to send his entire outlaw family to jail. And Jim McCann and Janet Lee follow up their Eisner Award-winning Return of the Dapper Men with an all-new short story that leads into the upcoming sequel, Time of the Dapper Men. Witness the origin of a new, major character! And…the return of 41?!
Who says the best things in life aren’t free? I think it was Conan. He was clearly wrong. Because this looks great!
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Thats very cool. I wonder how much shops will have to pay to get these to give away. I hope its more than one per shop kinda thing.
I just did my Keanu Reeves “Whoa!”
How much is the STORE paying for this “Free” Hardcover. Because I know stores have to pay for these free books, and a Hard Cover can’t be cheap.
My guess 25-50 cents per book plus shipping. A lot of shops will probably reserve this for their monthly customers instead of giving to possible new store customers.
Honestly even if a store tries to require a certain purchase to receive this for free, I would make that purchase. It’s too awesome of a promotion.
Archaia hopefully is taking the hit (as far as production costs, etc.) on this more than the retailers. I don’t believe they would be as naive as to reward the readers and not the retailers as well by making the cost too high.
Dig it.
Now this is #winning!
Curious what the Mouse Guard story’s panel layout going to look like because the books not in the dimensions Peterson uses for the normal book.
The cover might be a clue, actually. I’ll bet the Mouse Guard story is all told through puppet theater and framed by curtains.
I actually asked him on facebook and his reply was that his story will be in his usual square style.
http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10150601928814778&id=562894777¬if_t=feed_comment_reply
You can’t accuse Archaia of shying away from bold promotions. What a great primer for their titles and what a fantastic addition to the Free Comic Book Day. My guess is that the lines will be long and the shipments will short. Is it to soon to start ‘Occuoy LCS’?
If there is a more beautiful looking comic book than mouse Guard, I certainly don’t know what it is.
The Winter 1152 trade is one of the very few comics I actually go back and read multiple times. Mouse Guard is fantastic.
Its a gorgeous book.. ya.