Posted Thursday, February 2, 2012
Title: Before the Incal
Writer: Alexandro Jodorowsky
Artist: Zoran Janjetov
Publisher: Humanoids
Reviewed by John Anderson
I wrote my first review of this book after reading the recoloured version that Humanoids published a few years ago. Reading this new version, in its original colours and size, is like reading a whole new story, and it made me want to write another review.
The recoloured version used much darker computer colouring, because, Humanoids claimed, a darker colour scheme would appeal to new readers who weren't already familiar with the dark world of the Incal. Comparing the two versions (you can see some images from both versions here), I notice that some shading and even character details were removed or sometimes added in the recoloured version, which make the art look extremely different from how it was originally intended. In general, the recoloured version, with its glossy computer gradations, seems to me like an amateurish attempt to be dark and adult, while the original, with its bright colours, adds a layer of irony to this bleak world. On the surface it looks like a happy and carefree world, but in reality it's incredibly sad, and it's even more sad because it looks so cheerful.
Towards the end of the book, the art gets much more detailed and the colouring correspondingly more complicated. It's nothing like the slickness of Technopriests, the other book Janjetov has done for Jodorowsky, but you can see the beginnings of that style here. This edition includes a short black and white sketchbook section, where Janjetov talks a bit about his artistic process.
The scene where a man, dressed like a colourful clown, burns himself alive while telling jokes live on TV is one of my favourite scenes in the whole book. The horror of the event is undercut by Janjetov’s ludicrous characters and bright colours. In the recoloured version this scene is dark, but in the original, it's heartbreaking. Then to top it off, Deepo (John’s concrete seagull pet) drops an exploding fish on the cops, and onlookers are relieved that a terrorist attack has broken up the monotony of the day. Can it get any darker than this?
Actually it can. John tries his hardest and goes to extremes in his pursuit of the truth, but nothing he can do can have any effect. Maybe Jodorowsky wrote himself into a corner by deciding to have this story lead into The Incal. I assume that he didn't want to upset the continuity of the The Incal, so he had to give this book a less than satisfying ending. Really, it ends in the only way it could end.
This is the only chance you'll have to read Before the Incal in its original size and colouring. If you're curious about John’s life before the events of The Incal, or if you're a fan of Jodorowsky’s mad storytelling style, Before the Incal is for you.
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The Beguiling has several copies of the gorgeous, oversized "Before The Incal" in stock now.
Boxing Day Phase 03c: DC Comics Starts Today
Posted Thursday, February 2, 2012
BOXING DAY PHASE 03: OVERSTOCK CLEARANCE!
3. Boxing Day Phase 03c: DC Overstock $1
Sale Runs Thursday February 2nd to Tuesday February 7th!
- Single comics are still U.S. Cover Price, so buy lots!
- Only comics in marked bins are available for sale price.
- Back issues in selected boxes are $1 each when you buy 10 or more!*
- Buy 50 or more, and we'll lower the price to 80 cents each!*
* Exempted books include December2011 and January 2012 releases, and all comics with a cover price of $5 or more.
- Chris
The Beguiling Artstore welcomes Swamp Thing artist MARCO RUDY!
Posted Tuesday, January 31, 2012
The Beguiling Artstore is proud to welcome artist Marco Rudy as its newest represented artist for original comic book artwork. Marco Rudy's original art is now available at http://www.beguiling.com/artproductlist.asp?ID=85.
Rudy has recently arrived in Toronto and his career has been on a dramatic upswing, with mainstream comics gigs on DC's The Shield, Superboy, and Action Comics to his credit. Recently Marco Rudy became the alternate artist on Scott Snyder's well-received reboot of SWAMP THING for the New DC 52. We're quite happy to announce that all of the pages from Marco's first issue, Swamp Thing #4, are currently available for sale in the art store (except one, which has sold).
Marco's second issue, Swamp Thing #6, is released in stores today, February 1st.
- Chris @ The Beguiling
Announcing: A Comic Book Club for Kids!
Posted Monday, January 30, 2012
Little Island is looking for kids who love comics to come and talk about books and share ideas. During each meeting of the book club we’ll have activities or events that go with what we read. Plus, kids who join the book club will get 20% off of the purchase of all of our book club titles. Our book club picks will be ideal for readers between the ages of 10 and 13, and if you want you can even bring your parents along for the fun! We’ll meet on the 1st & 3rd Saturday of every month, at 3pm. Kids can sign up in person at the store, by emailing mail@littleislandcomics.com, or by calling us at 416 901 7489.
We’ll see you there!
Announcing: Bill Everett Archives v1 Book Launch
Posted Monday, January 30, 2012
Bill Everett and Steve Ditko: Before the Sub-Mariner and Spider-Man
Launch Event for Bill Everett Archives v1 with author Blake Bell
Wednesday, February 29th, 7pm-8:30pm
@ The Central, 603 Markham Street (next to The Beguiling)
Free to attend
https://www.facebook.com/events/231806946904479/
On Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at 6:30pm, Toronto author Blake Bell launches his latest book - Amazing Mysteries: The Bill Everett Archives v1 - and previews the next volume of his Steve Ditko Archives series with a slide show and book signing presented by The Beguiling.
Join us at The Central bar and restaurant, 603 Markham St., right next door to store. All those who attend will receive an signed Everett Archives tipped-in bookplate by the author Bell, and books will be available for sale at the event.
Bill Everett created the Sub-Mariner (the first anti-hero and mutant of the Marvel Universe), and co-created Daredevil. The Bill Everett Archives v1 reprints for the first time Everett's earliest work in comics from 1938-42 featuring his creations Amazing Man, Hydroman, Skyrocket Steele and many more! Steve Ditko is the co-creator and original artist of the Amazing Spider-Man, but produced an entire library worth of work in the decade prior. Mysterious Traveler: The Steve Ditko Archives v3 debuts in April and focuses on Ditko's stellar work from 1957 for Charlton Comics. Both books are published by Fantagraphics Books, Inc.
More information on Amazing Mysteries: The Bill Everett Archives v1
View the Bill Everett Archives v1 promo press sheet for more information on the book, published by Fantagraphics Books, Inc.
Watch a video preview below and read a 23-page excerpt featuring three Hydroman stories!
Announcing: The Adventure Time Party!
Posted Monday, January 30, 2012
Adventure Time #1 Comic Book Signing and Party!
With Ryan North and Steve Wolfhard!
@ Little Island Comics, 742 Bathurst Street
Saturday February 11th, 3pm-4:30pm
Free to attend!
On Wednesday February 8th BOOM Studios will release the first issue of the Adventure Time comic book series! It's going to be written by Toronto's own Ryan North (Dinosaur Comics)! And did you know that awesome Toronto comic book maker Steve Wolfhard works on the Adventure Time with Finn + Jake cartoon series? There's a whole lot of Adventure Time going on in Toronto, and we're going to throw a party to celebrate!
Kids and Adults alike are welcomed to Little Island Comics on Saturday, February 11th from 3pm to 4:30pm for our Adventure Time party! You can meet Ryan North and Steve Wolfhard, get your Adventure Time comic books signed, get original drawings, do fun Adventure Time activities and crafts, and so much more! MATHEMATICAL!
Adventure Time #1 will have 5 (five!) covers. Cover A is the one on the top of this post, cover B is just the half of the image above with Jake but with a logo on top, cover C is just the half of the image above with Finn but with a logo on top, cover D is the super-rare variant cover by Jeffrey Brown (Incredible Change-Bots, Clumsy) shown to the right, and cover E is the complete wrap-around cover shown above with no logos or anything.
Covers A, B, and C will sell for the regular cover price of $3.99, even though some of them are 'rare'. The Jeffrey Brown cover will sell for $15.00. The wrap-around cover will sell for $25.00. All covers are first-come, first-served.
(And for those of you that don't know about variant covers: These are just special cover illustrations, but the story inside is totally the same, so you're not really missing anything!)
- Chris @ The Beguiling
Shipping This Week: February 1st, 2012
Posted Monday, January 30, 2012
Shipping This Week: January 24th, 2012
Posted Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The following comics and graphic novels are scheduled to ship The Beguiling Books and Art on Wednesday January 24th, 2012. All Prices listed in U.S. Funds. Variant prices are generally accurate, but in any dispute between web price and in-store price we will defer to in-store price.
Announcing TCAF 2012
Posted Monday, January 23, 2012
TORONTO— The Toronto Comic Arts Festival is back for another triumphant year on the first weekend in May, returning to the Toronto Reference Library & The Appel Salon for its fourth consecutive year. Last year TCAF (as it is affectionately known) welcomed more than 15,000 patrons at its various venues and events around Toronto during the festival weekend, and 2012 is expected to be TCAF’s biggest and best edition yet. Over 300 international cartoonists are on the schedule, representing more than a dozen countries, confirming TCAF as the preeminent celebration of comics and graphic novels in Canada, and one of the most celebrated literary comics events in the world.
TCAF 2012 will include a who’s-who of comics and graphic novels, including headline guests Jeff Smith (Bone), Alison Bechdel (Fun Home), Guy Delisle (Pyongyang), and Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon (Daytripper). In addition TCAF 2012 will see the debut of many new milestone graphic novels from our guests, including Bechdel’s Are You My Mother?, Delisle’s Jerusalem, and Derf’s My Friend Dahmer amongst countless others!
Jeff Smith returns to TCAF to celebrate a major milestone: the 20th Anniversary of his landmark creation Bone, the beloved Young Adult fantasy epic with more than 10 million copies in print. Smith is also near the conclusion of his newest work, RASL, a sci-fi noir series currently in development as a feature film by “Sherlock Holmes” producer Lionel Wigram.
Alison Bechdel brings her eagerly-anticipated new Are You My Mother? to her TCAF debut; the new graphic novel is the follow-up to her 2006 New York Times bestseller Fun Home. Bechdel is one of the premiere graphic memoirists of our time, with Fun Home named the Best Book of 2006 by Time Magazine—a first for a graphic novel. Bechdel’s follow-up will debut the week of TCAF, and her Toronto appearance will be one of her first book tour stops in support of the new work.
Guy Delisle is the noted French-Canadian graphic novelist whose political work has been praised by NPR, The Guardian, and The Chicago Sun Times for his insightful reportage and travel writing. His graphic novels Shen Zhen, Pyong Yang, and The Burma Chronicles have seen the cartoonist travel to international hotspots, places rarely glimpsed by the Western world, to explore life and politics there. Delisle will make his first appearance at TCAF in support of his new book Jerusalem: Chronicles From The Holy City.
Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon are twin brothers who hail from Brazil, and whose writing and illustration talents have graced countless major comics properties as Hellboy/BPRD, The Umbrella Academy (with Gerard Way of ‘My Chemical Romance’), and Sugar Shock (withBuffy‘s Joss Whedon). Their most recent collaborative work is the Eisner-award winning original graphic novel, Daytripper. TCAF marks their first Canadian public appearance (the duo also illustrated TCAF’s striking new 2012 poster).
These five cartoonists join a strong and diverse array of national and international cartoonists who make up the 2012 Festival, across a number of spotlights, including the following highlights:
- Oh Canada!: Canada makes a strong representation at TCAF 2012 with over 100 Canadian comics creators, including the much-celebrated Kate Beaton (Hark A Vagrant), the return of Scott Pilgrim creator Bryan Lee O’Malley, and acclaimed Quebecois cartoonist Michel Rabagliati, who will debut his new English-language graphic novel The Song of Roland.
- Comics For Kids: TCAF 2012 will focus more strongly on comics for children than ever before, thanks to partnerships with venerable Canadian magazine publisher Owlkids, Toronto’s new children’s comic book store Little Island Comics as well as support from several publishers. Headlining the children’s programming will be the aforementioned Jeff Smith (Bone), alongside NYT Bestselling children’s comic authors Jennifer Holm and Matt Holm (Babymouse, Squish), Kazu Kibuishi (Amulet) and Andy Runton (Owly). In fact, TCAF 2012 will feature almost 50 creators who work specifically on comics for children and young adults.
- Cartoonists from 15 Countries: TCAF 2012 will see a stunning array of international cartoonists, including Arne Bellstorf (Germany, Baby’s In Black), Tom Gauld (U.K., Goliath), Gabriella Giandelli (Italy, Interiorae), Jason (Norway, Hey, Wait), Gary Panter (USA, JIMBO), Olivier Schrauwen (Belgium, The Man Who Grew His Beard), and Adam Warren (USA, Empowered). They will be joined by special envoys of cartoonists from Australia and England, as well as representative cartoonists from China, France, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Mozambique, New Zealand, and Spain! For Toronto’s literary community, TCAF 2012 is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet many of these creators!
And everything you love – and more! TCAF 2012 will reprise the most popular programming since its 2003 launch, including the popular “Webcomics Pavilion,” Dedicated OWLkids Kids Area, Wowee Zonk Small-Press Area, panel discussions and interviews, workshops, readings and art installations. Not only that, but all of these components will be expanded and increased, occupying four additional physical locations in the Yonge & Bloor neighbourhood around the Toronto Reference Library TCAF hub. We’re taking comics to the streets in 2012!
Over the next several months TCAF will announce additional featured guests from around the world, related events including film screenings, art installations, gallery showing and a full detailed schedule of the programming around our most popular guests. While we will be sending press updates for all key guest and event additions, be sure to visit the TCAF website regularly for up-to-the-moment updates: http://torontocomics.com.
SPONSORS
The Toronto Comic Arts Festival would not be possible without the assistance of our sponsors and partners, including presenting sponsor Toronto Public Library and retail sponsor The Beguiling Books & Art.
TCAF would like to recognize the efforts of the following organization in planning TCAF 2012: OWLkids, NOW Magazine, The Italian Cultural Institute, NORLA (Norwegian Literature Abroad), The Flemish Literature Fund, The Japan Foundation and The French Consulate in Toronto.
In addition, TCAF would like to thank publishers Drawn & Quarterly, VIZ Media LLC., Fantagraphics, Houghton Mifflin, Thomas Allen, Scholastic Canada, and First Second for their assistance.
Sponsorship opportunities for TCAF 2012 are still available, please contact us at: contact@torontocomics.com for more info.
PRESS
All general press inquiries, interview and press accreditation requests should be submitted to: media@torontocomics.com.
Review: Before The Incal, by Jodorowsky and Janjetov
Posted Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Now available in-store in a gorgeous, limited edition oversized slipcase hard cover with the original colouring, The Beguiling's John Anderson makes a case for why you should pick up this classic!
Writer: Alexandro Jodorowsky
Artist: Zoran Janjetov
Publisher: Humanoids
Reviewed by John Anderson
Originally published between 1988 and 1995, Before the Incal is the prequel to Jodorowsky and Moebius’s sci-fi masterpiece The Incal. Before the Incal, by Jodorowsky and the Serbian artist Zoran Janjetov, tells the story of a young John Difool and the adventures he had before he encountered the Incal. In his training to become a detective, John inadvertently stumbles on an incredible conspiracy that encompasses all levels of power. In uncovering the conspiracy, he loses his parents, travels from the lowest to the highest levels of society, becomes a terrorist and a television celebrity before he finally becomes a class “R” detective, and is betrayed by the people he trusts most.
I can’t lie to you: this is a very expensive book. But it's the first time this work has been published in English in the original colouring. And it is a limited edition deluxe hardcover with slipcase. And it gives us a whole new series of adventures in the world of The Incal, in Jodorowsky's mad storytelling style.
Jodorowsky fleshes out the corrupt, bleak city-shaft he created with The Incal, the city where John grew up. The entire story takes place here, but there is no lack of inventive locations and characters. Aside from John and his pet Deepo, most of the characters are new. There is John's prostitute mother and thieving father. There is Kolbo-5, the renegade cybo-cop who becomes John's spiritual mentor. And there is Luz, the aristocratic woman with whom John has an intense and forbidden relationship. There are some very emotional moments, such as when John loses his father, who has been brainwashed into a bloodthirsty soldier. As for villains, the city is ruled by the Supra-Divinoid, a huge cybernetic brain with a really bad temper. And Divaloo, the TV presenter who makes a brief appearance in The Incal, gets expanded into a chilling villain.
It's a very dark, bleak story. In this world, love is unknown, and suicide is entertainment. Mothers give drugs to babies to stop them crying, and live steaks eviscerate the cooks. There is a glut of entertainment, and the populace is so jaded that terrorist attacks are a welcome diversion. Jodorowsky’s trademark storytelling style, where he is constantly raising the stakes and constantly surprising the reader with new ideas and new plot twists, is on full display here. John’s attempts to get to the bottom of the vile conspiracy get more and more dangerous, and the attempts by those in control to cover it up get more and more extreme. John joins an terrorist cell and ends up as a holovid star in the next chapter. If you've read some of Jodorowsky’s other works, like The Technopriests or The Metabarons (both of which are set in the same universe as this book), then you know what to expect.
The dark humour is juxtaposed with Janjetov's bright reds, yellows and blues. Janjetov’s art is very reminiscent of Moebius’s, particularly with how he adds texture and detail to the decaying city. His grotesque character designs suit the story perfectly. In fact, Moebius chose him to colour volumes 5 and 6 of The Incal, and he is the perfect choice for illustrating the further chapters in the story that Moebius started.
The Incal itself does not appear until the very end, and this is the main disappointment with this book. The end is little more than a series of contrived events designed mesh everything that's happened in this book with the beginning of The Incal. This is unfortunate, but the epic scale of the adventure and emotion that have gone before make up for this. This isn't simply a prequel; Jodorowsky and Janjetov have created a whole new life for John Difool. It's a constantly evolving science fiction mystery with a good helping of social satire.
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"Graphic Details" Hopes To Go On The Road
Posted Tuesday, January 17, 2012
While there are any number of worthy Kickstarter projects going on at any time, we wanted to draw attention to this unique one that you can help out with right now.
Essentially, the "Graphic Details: Confessional Comics by Jewish Women" art show and symposium that we sponsored last Spring is looking to develop the show into a travelling museum exhibit. They need your help to do so, developing materials, labels, shipping, etc., to get the show on the road, and they're willing to hook you up with signed gallery catalogues, books, original artwork and more to do so!
Head over to http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/graphicdetails/graphic-details-confessional-comics-by-jewish-wome for all of the details, and to see if you'd like to contribute to help this excellent idea come to fruition.
- Chris @ The Beguiling
BOXING DAY PHASE 03: OVERSTOCK CLEARANCE!
Posted Monday, January 16, 2012
After a short delay, we're ready to start the third and final phase of our very extended "Boxing Day" sale. This time out we've got three weeks of amazing deals on single issue comics overstock, and the deal will change every week! Basically every day except Wednesdays (new comics day) we will have an incredible, deep-discount sale:
Back issues in selected boxes are $1 each when you buy 10 or more!
Buy 50 or more, and we'll lower the price to 80 cents each!
1. Boxing Day Phase 03a Sale: Marvel Overstock $1!
Sale Runs Thursday January 19th to Tuesday January 24th!
2. Boxing Day Phase 03b Sale: Indie Overstock $1
Sale Runs Thursday January 26th to Tuesday January 31st!
3. Boxing Day Phase 03c: DC Overstock $1
Sale Runs Thursday February 2nd to Tuesday February 7th!
Single comics are still U.S. Cover Price, so buy lots! Only comics in marked bins are available for sale price.
The first sale starts this Thursday, January 26th!
- Chris @ The Beguiling
Shipping January 18th, 2012
Posted Monday, January 16, 2012
The following comics and graphic novels are scheduled to ship The Beguiling Books and Art on Wednesday January 18th, 2012. All Prices listed in U.S. Funds. Variant prices are generally accurate, but in any dispute between web price and in-store price we will defer to in-store price.
Click here for the complete list: http://beguiling.com/120118shipping.txt
Shipping January 11th, 2012
Posted Monday, January 16, 2012
The following comics and graphic novels are scheduled to ship The Beguiling Books and Art on Wednesday January 11th, 2012. All Prices listed in U.S. Funds. Variant prices are generally accurate, but in any dispute between web price and in-store price we will defer to in-store price.
Click here for the complete list: http://beguiling.com/120111shipping.txt
Classic Archie Comics
Posted Monday, January 16, 2012
Calling all Archie fans!
Now in stock are plenty of old (but new to us!) Archie comics from 1959-1971. Purchased in a collection, prices vary wildly depending on condition and year, but are all well below guide and are all lots of fun! Come on by to check them out!
Shade #4 Shortage
Posted Tuesday, January 10, 2012
We're sorry to say that Diamond shorted all of our copies of The Shade #4 which should've been out today, by James Robinson, Darwyn Cooke, J. Bone, and Tony Harris. It's one of our most anticipated single issues this winter and we're bummed, and we're sorry we don't have it.
The shortage has been reported and replacements are on their way, but it may be up to 2 weeks. We will be getting copies though.
Thanks,
- Chris @ The Beguiling
Boxing Day Sale 02(a)
Posted Monday, January 9, 2012
Boxing Day Sale 02(a) @ The Beguiling
January 9th to January 11th
Phase 03 of our Boxing Day sale won't be ready to go until Thursday because of all of the new comics stuff this Tues/Weds, so please enjoy this short 3-day sale, perfect for jumping on board a bunch of excellent new comic book series!
GET A BUNCH OF NEW SERIES FOR THE NEW YEAR! JUST A BUCK EACH!
Hey there folks, we think that you might not read enough comics, so we're going to make you a deal. We're going to offer a BUNCH of different new comics from DC & Marvel for just $1 each, for three days only, to give you a cheap and easy way to jump on board these new series. Sale runs from Monday at 11am until Wednesday at 9pm. All books listed are REGULAR COVERS only, no variants are discounted in any way. Limit of 3 copies of each book per person.
JUST $1 EACH:
Action Comics #1
Action Comics #2
Action Comics #3
Avenging Spider-Man #1
Birds of Prey #1
Black Hawks #1
Blue Beetle #1
Captain America #1
Captain Atom #1
DC Comics Presents: Deadman #1
Defenders #1
Fantastic Four #600
Fear Itself #1
Fear Itself: The Fearless #1
Fury of Firestorm #1
Green Lantern #1
Hawk and Dove #1
Incredible Hulk #1
Legion Lost #1
Legion of Super-Heroes #1
Legion: Secret Origin #1
Marvel Point One
Men of War #1
O.M.A.C. #1
Shade #1
Shame Itself #1
Static Shock #1
Stormwatch #1
Uncanny X-Men #1
Voodoo #1
Wolverine and the X-Men #1
RULES:
1. We reserve the right to refuse sale of any item, for any reason.
2. Sale runs From Monday January 9th at 11am to Wednesday January 11th at 9pm.
3. All books listed are REGULAR COVERS only, no variants are discounted in any way.
4. Some books may be second printings.
5. All comics described above refer to issues released in calendar year 2011.
6. Limit of 3 copies of each book per person.
7. While supplies last.
Did You Know We Offer A Comics Subscription Service?
Posted Friday, January 6, 2012
You just come to the counter, say your name, and we produce your comics. It's like being in a magical secret club! If you’re addicted to the thrill of weekly comic purchases, the best way to get your fix is with a pull file at The Beguiling.
Many of our new pullfile customers have set up pullfiles because it's getting harder and harder to find the comics that they want on the racks. While we're committed to ordering wide and stocking deep on all of the different types of comics in the industry, a pullfile is a great way to guarantee you're getting the comics that you want.
Sound like something you're interested in? Keep reading:
The Beguiling prides itself on carrying a lot of material that you simply cannot find in other stores! Just this week we put out Sam Humphries and Dalton Rose's SACRIFICE #1 for sale, for example! DC, Image, IDW, Dark Horse, Marvel, as well as all of the "indy" publishers. We also work with different distributors and even direct with publishers! Basically, if it's coming out in North America, we can probably get it in for you.
As a store, knowing what you want in advance is valuable information. So valuable to us, in fact, that we offer 20% discount off cover price for comics that you purchase through your pull list. For material published in the United States, that’s 20% off the American cover. For material published in Canada, it’s 20% off Canadian cover. That’s a fantastic deal! The only rub is that since we order your comics in advance, so we need two-month's notice if you'd like to cancel a title on your list or your pull file.
Also: We can set up a pull list for you right away. While we do require 2 months notice, we realize you might not always have that luxury! We can start a pull file for you right away, with discounts, but we can't guarantee you'll get everything you want on the week it comes out unless you're pre-ordering 2 months in advance. We can generally reorder all comics though, so please set up your file with us with confidence: We can get you the comics you want! It might just take a little bit longer until your pre-orders catch up.
How To Get Started
If you're interested in starting a pull file with The Beguiling, we need a few things from you:
If you want to get started, contact mail@beguiling.com or come into the store, and we'll set-up your pullfile right away!
- Chris @ The Beguiling
Sacrifice #1 now in stock
Posted Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Visit http://samhumphries.com/sacrifice-comic-book/ for more ordering possibilities if these don't suit your requirements. :)
- Chris @ The Beguiling
EDIT: We jumped the gun and announced that we were selling issue #2, but those will actually go on sale next Wednesday January 11th.
The Beguiling 2011 Year In Review
Posted Tuesday, January 3, 2012
The Beguiling was founded in 1987, and 2012 will mark its 25th anniversary of providing comics, comix, and high-art funnybooks to Torontonians and comics fans around the world. Before we get into all of the great things we’re going to be doing to celebrate our big anniversary this year, I thought it might be nice to recap our busiest year ever, the just-ended 2011.
January
2011 started with a bang, as Kids in the Hall alumnus Scott Thompson stopped by to sign his brand new graphic novel The Hollow Planet! Scott was a gracious and wonderful guest, and SPACE was on hand with Natasha and Mark Askwith to film the proceedings! January also featured a month long “Boxing Day” sale (our only sale of the year)!
January 5: Scott Thompson signs THE HOLLOW PLANET @ The Beguiling
February
February 17 to April 17: Graphic Details: Confessional Comics by Jewish Women @ The Gladstone
February 23: Censoring Manga for Fun and Profit – Lecture by Chris Butcher @ The Lillian H. Smith Library
March
This was the month that things really started heating up at the store, as the cold weather started to fade and book launch events abounded! First up was Jim Zubkavich, stopping by for the launch of the first volume of his SKULLKICKERS graphic novel series. The next week the master of comics reportage Joe Sacco dropped into The University of Toronto to lecture on his work and career.
March 11th saw the tragedy of the great Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami, a tragedy that Japan is still recovering from and will be for generations. March ended with Toronto Hearts Japan, an auction and art show organized by our friends at Magic Pony.
March 9: Skullkickers Volume 1 Book Launch w/ Jim Zub @ The Beguiling
March 17: Joe Sacco @ UofT
March 27: Ariel Schrag Workshop / Graphic Details @ The Gladstone
March 31-April 5: Toronto Hearts Japan @ Magic Pony
April
Artists Help Japan: Toronto from Bobby Chiu on Vimeo.
Three of our favourite contemporary cartoonists all had brand new releases from Drawn and Quarterly in early April, and so we held a great big joint book launch for the group! Historical fiction, fictionalized autobiography, and fiction-inspired-by-real-life marked Zach Worton’s The Klondike, Pascal Girard’s Reunion, and Joe Ollmann’s Mid-Life, and while the event got off to a bit of a slow start by the end it was a full-to-overflowing bar!
Two days later, Comics and Graphic Novels once again entered the spotlight at Toronto Public Library’s Keep Toronto Reading. Zach Worton, Scott Chantler (Two Generals), and Steven Murray (The National Post) all took the stage to discuss adapting historical events into comics and graphic novels, in a really funny, educational presentation.
Then the very next day (we were really busy that week) was ARTISTS HELP JAPAN. The Beguiling, in association with UDON and Imaginism, got together with dozens of artists and illustrators from Toronto’s cartooning community to hold a day-long fundraiser in support of Japan, and those affected by the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami. Running for 12 hours, from noon to midnight, we raised a ton of money for Tsunami and Quake relief. It is easily the thing that I am proudest of this year, and I thank everyone who took part.
April 14: D+Q Triple Book Launch, with Zach Worton, Pascal Girard, and Joe Ollmann @ Clinton's Tavern
April 16: Keep Toronto Reading: Historical Comics, with Scott Chantler, Zach Worton, and Chip Zdarsky @ North York Public Library
April 16: Keep Toronto Reading For Kids: Manga Manga! With Eric Kim and Tory Woollcott @ North York Public Library
April 17: Artists Help Japan: Toronto @ Revival
May
Things kicked off May 1st with Chester Brown launching an easy contender for ‘Book of the Year’, Paying for it., in a fabulous and jam-packed event hosted by the lovely Sasha Van Bon Bon. That week featured the The Next Day book launch with John Porcellino and Pop Sandbox, and the opening of the Comics, Manga and Co art show in conjunction with The Goethe Institut and featuring cartoonist Mawil.
TCAF weekend kicked off Friday night with Chester Brown, Seth, Chris Ware, and Adrian Tomine on stage. Saturday featured our TCAFabulous: Queer Comix Mixer with Jose Villarrubia, Maurice Vellekoop, Zan Christiensen, and Erika Moen, TCAFete with live drawing by Kagan McLeod, Ray Fawkes, Michael DeForge, and James Stokoe. Saturday night also featured The 2011 Doug Wright Awards, of which The Beguiling is a proud supporter and sponsor.
Then Monday night, we had three events, with Lorenzo Mattotti and the Italian Cultural Institute, Usamaru Furuya introducing ZOO, a film he contributed to at Toronto Underground Cinema, and Arnaud Boutle at The Alliance Francais.
Then! The Beguiling sponsored (and Chris was a curatorial assistant) on JAPAN: TRADITION, INNOVATION, a massive museum exhibit at The Canandian Museum of Civilization in Ottawa (Hull). Chris and Peter had been consulting on the exhibit for 2 or 3 years, and the pop culture section of the exhibit featured a ton of input from Chris on manga, anime, video games and more. The Beguiling donated an entirely library of manga in English and French, and it was read by over 100,000 visitors over the 5+ months that the exhibit ran. It was a wonderful experience, and we were so happy to have been a part of it.
At the end of May we exhibited once again at Anime North, and we were lucky to have a special treat! Signing at our booth was Helen McCarthy, author of the book Osamu Tezuka: God Of Manga, a wonderful look at the life and career of Osamu Tezuka.
May 1: Chester Brown launches Paying For It @ Goodhandy's
May 3: The Next Day launch, with John Porcellino and Pop Sandbox @ The NFB
May 3: Comics, Manga and Co art show opening, with Mawil and Blank Slate Books @ TRL
May 4: TCAF Kick-Off Event Featuring Chester Brown, with Seth, Chris Ware, and Adrian Tomine @ TRL
May 7-8: TCAF 2011 @ TRL
May 7: TCAFete Party! With Kagan McLeod, Ray Fawkes, Michael DeForge, and James Stokoe @ Pauper's Pub
May 7: TCAFabulous Queer Mixer, with Jose Villarrubia, Maurice Vellekoop, Zan Christiensen, and Erika
Moen @ Crews/Tango
May 7: The 2011 Doug Wright Awards @ Jackman Hall
May 9: Lorenzo Mattotti at the IIC
May 9: ZOO Film Screening, featuring Usamaru Furuya @ Toronto Underground Cinema
May 9: Arnaud Boutle at The Alliance Francais
May 20-October 10: Japan: Tradition, Innovation, at the Canadian Museum of Civilization
May 27-28: Helen McCarthy signs Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga at The Beguiling Booth (Anime North)
June
Nothing happened in June! Frankly, we were exhausted. We don’t even remember June.
July
From July 21-24 Peter, Krystle and myself took off to San Diego to sell some Original Art, meet up with cartoonists, and enjoy the pool. July 21-24th was also the 3rd Shinsedai Film Festival, a wonderful Festival of Japanese cinema that we were happy to support… we’re just sorry we missed it!
Oh, and Actor Michael Sheen gave us a nice shout-out on the TV when he was in town for the Toronto Harry Potter film premiere. We were only too happy to help him and his family when he was by the store. :)
July 9: Bryan Lee O’Malley signs at The Beguiling
July 21-24: Shinsedai Film Festival featuring Midori-Ko Screening
August
In August we also announced that we’d be opening a second location, and select Beguilers got an early preview of the new space as it played home to Anders Nilsen’s BIG QUESTIONS launch tour! I dug Anders’ talk a lot, and his massive 600+ page tome, nearly a decade in the making, is excellent.
The month ended with our midnight launch for DC Comics’ New 52 Promotion, where all 52 of their series started with new #1 issues. We had a shocking number of people come out at midnight to pick up Geoff Johns and Jim Lee’s JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 and decide to pick up the entire DC Universe! It was a huge success for us, and introduced hundreds of new readers to the store.
August 3: ONE SOUL Book Launch, with Ray Fawkes @ The Merril Collection/Lillian H. Smith Library
August 13: BIG QUESTIONS Book Launch Tour, with Anders Nilsen @ Little Island
August 31: DC 52 Midnight Launch @ The Beguiling
September
We then started a few solid weeks of in-store signings! Jeff Lemire came by on the 7th to sign his brand new ANIMAL MAN #1, and then the next week on September 14th to sign FRANKENSTEIN #1. After a week’s break, Francis Manapul set up and signed THE FLASH #1 for a ravenous crowd of Flash and DC 52 fans.
September was a crazy-busy month by the by, with Craig Thompson coming to Toronto in support of his new graphic novel HABIBI in a really entertaining presentation at Toronto Underground Cinema. Marc Bell launched his new book PURE PAJAMAS and was joined by Anders Nilsen and Mark Connery in a launch on the 24th. The month closed out with a good-old-fashioned alternative comic book launch, as Ethan Yip’s POPE HATS #2 had a standing-room-only welcome to the world at The Central, featuring guest appearances by Britt Wilson and Chester Brown!
Oh, and we held ‘Sailor Moon’ Day, a surprisingly fun little celebration of the lunar manga superheroine making a triumphant return to North American manga.
September 7: Jeff Lemire Signs Animal Man #1 @ The Beguiling
September 13: Sailor Moon Day @ The Beguiling
September 14: Jeff Lemire Signs Frankenstein #1 @ The Beguiling
September 22: HABIBI Book Launch with Craig Thompson @ Toronto Underground Cinema
September 24: Marc Bell, Anders Nilsen, and Mark Connery Book Launch + Party @ The Central
September 26: POPE HATS Comic book launch, with Ethan Rilly, featuring Chester Brown and Britt Wilson @ The Central
September 28: Francis Manapul signs The Flash #1 @ The Beguiling
October
While we’d cracked the doors… unofficially… in September, our official grand-opening event for our brand new store, LITTLE ISLAND COMICS, marked the October 1st and 2nd weekend! North America’s first and only comic book store just for kids, Little Island’s grand opening featured the official launch of Claudia Davila’s LUZ SEES THE LIGHT, and featured presentations by Clayton Hanmer (C-TON), Jeremy Tankard (Boo-Hoo Bird), Fiona Smyth (THE NEVERWERES), Kean Soon (JELLABY), and Tory Woollcott (MIRROR MIND). At the end of the month Little Island held their next in-store event, a weekend-long celebration of Halloween called Trick Or Treat Comics with costumes, give-aways, activities and more.
October featured our first partnership with a few different organizations: The Toronto SpecFic Colloquium welcomed Mike Carey to town and we had him in for a signing and sponsored his appearance, and we also sponsored the comics-friendly Toronto Zombie Walk for the first time, a much-beloved event in the city of Toronto. We also got behind Jeff Lemire’s ESSEX COUNTY in a big way as it was up for consideration in the Canada Reads event, which was supremely weird and exciting.
October saw the closing of the JAPAN/JAPON show at the Museum of Civilization, and according to the Museum it was hugely successful.
October 1 + 2: Little Island Comics Grand Opening! With Claudia Davila, Clayton Hanmer, Fiona Smyth, Kean Soo, and Tory Woollcott
October 14 + 15: Mike Carey at The Beguiling / Toronto SpecFic Colloquium @ The Beguiling / Toronto Underground Cinema
October 22: The Beguiling sponsors The 2011 Toronto Zombie Walk
October 29-31: Trick Or Treat at Little Island @ Little Island
November
November was full of events though, with a fantastic book discussion and lecture with Michel Choquette, author of THE SOMEDAY FUNNIES, a fabulous ‘lost’ collection of comics from creators around the world. The day after I got back from vacation, we held a book launch for the second fabulous volume of Jim Zub's SKULLKICKERS too!
The month closed with the a second very-rare launch for a good-old-fashioned-independent-comic book, as Maurice Vellekoop returned to the world of comics with THE WORLD OF GLORIA BADCOCK from Koyama Press, in a fabulous event hosted by Sasha Van Bon Bon!
Over at Little Island, they had events with a bunch of non-fiction graphic novelists including the book launch for J.Torres’ POWER LUNCH at Little Island, Willow Dawson and John Lang launching their books HYENA IN PETTICOATS and LONE HAWK respectively, and Scott Chantler was on hand to launch the second book in his THREE THIEVES series!
November 2: Toronto Draws… Opening Event @ Steamwhistle Brewery
November 5: POWER LUNCH Book Launch with J. Torres @ Little Island
November 6: Scott Chantler in-store signing @ Little Island
November 9: Book Launch for Hyena In Petticoats by Willow Dawson, and Lone Hawk by John Lang @ Little Island
November 16: Skullkickers Volume 2 Launch with Jim Zubkavich @ The Beguiling
November 19: THE SOMEDAY FUNNIES launch with Michel Choquette @ The Central
November 27: THE ADVENTURES OF HERGE Launch, with Stanislas.@ Steamwhistle Brewery
November 29: THE WORLD OF GLORIA BADCOCK Comic Book Launch, with Maurice Vellekoop and Sasha Van Bon Bon @ Buddies In Bad Times
December
The year stayed busy right up until the end though, as RUNAWAYS artist Adrian Alphona signed his new full-colour hardcover artbook SWEETNESS in store! The following week we welcomed Scott Hepurn to sign ORCHID, the series he is drawing (and the series that’s written by Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello!) Then our very last event of the year was our second (annual?) Dinosaur Comics Book Launch and Holiday Party. It drew a great crowd, was great fun, and we hope that Ryan North keeps releasing books so we can keep doing this every year!
December 7: SWEETNESS sketchbook launch with Adrian Alphona @ The Beguiling
December 14: Scott Hepburn signs ORCHID #3 @ The Beguiling
December 19: DINOSAUR COMICS Book Launch and Holiday Party, with Ryan North @ Paupers
In Closing…
So that’s over 50 events at over a dozen venues that we ran, sponsored, and/or had people at, not counting all of the trade shows and 'private' events we set up at as well. What a year!
We hope you got out to at least one of them; there was some amazing stuff and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for comics, manga, and graphic novel fans in the city of Toronto. We were only too happy to help put it together though, and while 2011 may have been our busiest year ever, 2012 is certainly going to be no slouch... In fact, we've already got a whole bunch of plans underway! Thanks to all of the venues we worked with, thanks to all of the cartoonists we worked with, and thanks to everyone who came out and supported comics in Toronto!
- Christopher Butcher, on behalf of the staff of The Beguiling and of Little Island Comics
Beguiling & Little Island - Boxing Day Phase 02 Begins!
Posted Thursday, December 29, 2011
BOXING DAY PHASE 02 @ THE BEGUILING + LITTLE ISLAND
Phase 02: Thursday December 29th until Sunday January 08 (Closed January 1st)
It's the sale that some of our customers wait all year for, the big back-issue sale! If you like old comics, cheap comics, or variant covers, have we got deals for you! And just as a special bonus, we've decided to extend it to two full weekends, just to make sure everyone who wanted to pick something up gets a shot.
We've also moved many of our Boxing Day spot-sales and $5 books to Little Island, to continue the amazing deals! Scroll to the bottom of this post to see what's still available!
GROUND RULES
MAIN FLOOR BEGUILING:
MAIN TABLE 50% OFF SALE CONTINUES: It’s a massive table of 50% off items! We’ve cleared off the main tables at the store, and put out a huge (and rotating) selection of product that we are offering for 50% off the regular price! Individual items on this table will not be mentioned in this email, so make sure to come by and check it out! We have restocked with multiple new items since Boxing Day!
We want to stress: Most of these books are quite good, some are great! We just ordered a few too many--maybe this year, maybe last--and so we're thinning them out a bit because (you may have noticed) we REALLY need the room.
SECOND FLOOR BEGUILING:
BACK ISSUES + MAGAZINES:
50% off Comics + Magazines $15 and under.
30% off Comics + Magazines $15.01 and over.
What this means is that most back issues in the back issue bins ($15 and under) will be 50% off their stickered price, and most back issues kept behind the counter ($15.01 and over) will be 30% off their stickered price. This also includes the magazine bins and back issues of Twomorrows Magazines.
SMUT:
50% off printed English-language smut in the back issue bins.
That's right, all of our comics smut from the fine folks at Comic AG, Eros, Radio Comix, Class Comics, Etc.? All of it is 50% off the sticker price! Must be 18 or older to purchase.
UNDERGROUNDS:
25% off sticker price.
The only real exemption in the back-issue bins are Undergrounds, and they'll be going for 25% off, which is still a great deal...!
JAPANESE DOUJINSHI:
10% off sticker price.
All Japanese-language doujinshi are 10% off their sticker price. They are located at the end of the bins, and include many new books!
"VARIANT COVERS:"
30%-80% off the sticker price or $5:
- All special edition/variant covers of comics stickered at $74 or less will be 80% off the sticker price, or $5, whichever price is higher.
- All special edition/variant covers of comics tickered at $75 or higher will be 30% off the sticker price.
These boxes will be clearly labelled in store to avoid confusion. No variants released in December 2011 or later will be eligible.
TREASURY BOOKS:
- 25% off of the already intensely marked-down sticker price!
50 CENT BIN SALE:
"50 Cent Bin Comics" are now 25 cents each, with the purchase of 50 comics or more. That's 50 comics for $12.50, a great deal! In addition, we'll be cycling the 50 cent been stock several times throughout the sale.
SETS SALE:
Comic Sets are now 20% off the sticker price.
--
AT LITTLE ISLAND COMICS:
- Little Island Sale Continues: 20% off all regularly priced books and merchandise at Little Island Comics. Sale will end for good on Saturday, December 31st. Don't delay!
- Select Marvel Essential and DC Showcase Volumes: $5 each! *
- 5-10 bins of “50% off” Marvel/DC/Dark Horse/Image graphic novels *
- T-Shirt Blow-out: $10 each. Webcomics, Various Styles and Sizes *
$5 BOOK BLOWOUT - DOOR CRASHER SPECIALS*
All of the remaining copies of the books below have been moved to Little Island Comics, and they will be $5 EACH until they sell out, or until January 9th!
- Castle: Richard Castle’s Deadly Storm HC - Regularly 19.99
- Dark Tower: Gunslinger Born HC - Regularly 24.99
- Fate of the Artist SC - Regularly 17.95
- Green Lantern Corps: Emerald Eclipse HC - Regularly 24.99
- Green Lantern: Agent Orange SC - Regularly $17.99
- Green Woman HC - Regularly 24.99
- Hellblazer: India - Regularly 14.99
- Hellboy Vol 1: Seed of Destruction - Regularly 17.95
- Savage Sword of Conan Vol 6 - Regularly 19.95
- Warren Ells' RED - Regularly 14.99
- Watching the Watchmen HC - Regularly 39.95
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SINGLE BOOK DEEP DISCOUNTS*
We've got some amazing deals on some really great books that we happen to have a little too much inventory on!
Adventures of Doctor McNinja: Night Moves - Regularly $19.99, NOW: $10
Fables: Covers HC, by James Jean HC - Regularly $50, NOW: $20
Frank Miller’s Holy Terror - Regularly $30 NOW: $15
Grant Morrison's 18 Days HC - Regularly $24.99, NOW: $10
Invincible Compendium - Regularly $64.99, NOW: $35
Lychee Light Club, by Usamaru Furuya - Regularly $21, NOW: $10
Mega Man Megamix Volume 1 & 2 - $5 EACH
* This is regular Beguiling stock that we are making it easier to browse at Little Island! It will not all be all ages appropriate.
--
That's it! See you in-store!
- Chris @ The Beguiling
Fresh From Japan: Tig*r & Bunny Doujinshi!
Posted Wednesday, December 28, 2011
We've just received a huge shipment of new material from Japan, and boy, is it awesome! Included amongst all of the art books, doujinshi, manga, and other awesome stuff? Tiger & Bunny Doujinshi! Seriously, we cannot stress how popular the doujinshi, anime, and manga for this series was on our last trip to Japan! We stocked up on a ton of great looking (and totally sexy) Tiger & Bunny yaoi doujinshi, and we are happy to make it available to you as long as you're 18 years of age or older. Also available? Licensed Tiger & Bunny manga and anime art books!
- Chris @ The Beguiling
Good News, Everyone! New Comics Now Available
Posted Wednesday, December 28, 2011
The well-oiled machine has got the comics sorted and unpacked and on the shelves ready for your New Comics Day purchasing. Pullfiles are being worked on now and will be ready around 5pm (but of course feel free to come in and pull your comics yourself--we can adjust your file in-store).
Thanks for your patience & understanding!
- Chris @ The Beguiling
Fresh From Japan: Sailor Moon Artbooks!
Posted Wednesday, December 28, 2011
We've just received a huge shipment of new material from Japan, and boy, is it awesome! Included amongst all of the art books, doujinshi, manga, and other awesome stuff? Sailor Moon art books! We sold through almost everything we had from our previous trips to Japan, and we've been lucky enough to restock with some great books! We've got the original Sailor Moon illustration collections by Naoko Takeuchi and special anime-series guides to the various Sailor Moon television seasons and feature movies! Check them out on the second floor!
- Chris @ The Beguiling
Fresh From Japan: Gay Doujinshi!
Posted Tuesday, December 27, 2011
We've just received a huge shipment of new material from Japan, and boy, is it awesome! Included amongst all of the art books, doujinshi, manga, and other awesome stuff? Gay Doujinshi! In addition to all of the hot yaoi/BL doujinshi from Japan written by women and intended for a female audience, there's gay doujin too! Original stories, parody stories, and much more. Check it out! In the Misc. Gay Comics bin on the second floor.
- Christopher
