Reasons to be Cheerful...1,2,3

Yes, this book is in stock AND it's Father's Day soon!

As we enter a potentially damp Father's Day weekend I thought I'd offer three happy thoughts that may bring a smile to your eyes:

Firstly, the delightful Hannah Berry will be signing copies of her new graphic novel Adamtine - and/or her first book Britten & Brulightly if you so wish - (both Jonathan Cape) this Saturday between 1pm - 3pm.  I'll be keen to know how someone so cheerful can produce such dark and brooding work?  See here for my post about the book earlier in the week.

Secondly, we have a price promotion on Watchmen paperback and hardcover graphic novels. If there is anyone out there who hasn't read this masterpiece, or if you need to update your well-read battered copy, or if you fancy a hardcover edition, the paperback is £10 and the hardcover is only £15.

Thirdly, we have quite a selection of new books from SelfMadeHero.

Artistically channelling Posy Simmonds, But I Really Wanted To Be An Anthropologist by Margaux Motin featuring the real-life musings from a illustrator, mother, blogger and shoe-fanatic.  And Judith Vanistendael's When David Lost His Voice is a 250+ page story about dealing with cancer which Rachel Cooke of The Observer called 'amazing' and 'the best published by SelfMadeHero so far'.

The Conference of Birds is an adaptation of a 12th century poem about a flock of birds who fly through seven valleys to discover which one of them should be crowned king is here retold by Peter Sis with beautifully evocative artwork.

The HP Lovecraft adaptations continue with The Case of Charles Dexter Ward illustrated once again by INJ Culbard who is proving to be a dab-hand with this sort of thing having covered At The Mountains Of Madness and the Sherlock Holmes books.  We also have both volumes of The Lovecraft Anthology featuring various artists.  All three books come with a free limited edition print while stocks last.

And finally, in Best of Enemies: A History of US and Middle East Relations Part One: 1783-1953 David B. and Middle East expert Jean-Pierre Filiu undertake an ambitious project to bring a complex area of history and politics to life in comics.  For more on this book there's an in-depth review at TheComicsJournal (see here) and again, while stocks last, Best of Enemies... comes with a free print signed by David B.

Have a good weekend folks...

Swooned & Signing! Hannah Berry's Adamtine

The first graphic novel from University of Brighton illustration course graduate Hannah Berry was Britten & Brulightly, a confidently told period detective yarn steeped in the noir tradition which made it onto the official selection list at Angouleme in 2010 (see here for my review way back).  Adamtine (Jonathan Cape), the highly anticipated new release is an even darker affair featuring four strangers on a broken down night train, interspersed with flashbacks of a key moment in each characters recent past.  Soon the malevolent presence of something supernaturally sinister seeps into the story. 

What's unsettling with the book comes as much from the writing as well as the art interweaving a back story that keeps the reader on the back foot - you're aware there's a bigger story of menace and you're not sure how far the plot will take you or whether the characters will reveal a hidden motivation. It's one of those ambiguous puzzle-box tales that can either frustrate or intrigue - for me it was most certainly the latter.

Ultimately though it's the artwork which is the main point of recommendation. There's noticeable progression from Berry's debut: the figure work is consistent and expressive (bringing to mind Bryan Talbot) and the use of colours is excellent particularly in the train sequences which had me peering into the darkness looking for clues...

The ForbiddenPlanet blog featured a commentary from Ms. Berry (see here) but if you want to get even closer to the source Hannah Berry will be in the shop signing copies this Saturday between 1:00pm & 4:00pm.