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Drawn and Quarterly

Located in Canada and in their second decade of business, Drawn and Quarterly Publications is dedicated to offering high quality editions of the best in independently created comics. The standard Copacetic pricing on Drawn & Quarterly publications is 10 - 20% off (or more, if on sale -- see below) the retail/cover price of each item. Unless otherwise noted (usually on out of print -- o/p -- items that we only have a few remaining copies of in stock), all the prices that follow incorporate this discount.


Title Creator Publisher Series Price
Big Questions #14 Anders Nilsen Drawn and Quarterly Big Questions $7.00
($7.95 list)
Bq14
Read more and comment... 		Anders pulls out his pens and gets down and does some serious drawing in this 48 page issue which is, evidently, the penultimate issue of this epic tale.
Louis Riel - S/N hardcover Chester Brown Drawn and Quarterly $39.95
($39.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		This book is a downright hefty tome that's nicely put together.  It features a textured hard cover with 276 interior pages on a heavy cream colored stock.  Done in a style deliberately reminscent of Harold Grey's Little Orphan Annie, Louis Riel is sub-titled, "A Comic-Strip Biography." "Who is Louis Riel?," you may well ask.  Well, that's exactly what this book sets out to answer; and then some.  Not to leave you entirely in the dark, however, we will tell you that Louis Riel was a Metis (descended from both French immigrant and native American Indian stock) Canadian whose adventures took place primarily during the second half of the 19th century, and that he was an important, if little understood, figure in Canadian history.  Brown's life of Riel weaves an intricate mosaic of political intrigue, big money scheming and the rugged and sometimes brutal struggles between the native settlers and the power brokers that are out to add them to their conquests.  This fascinating fable of frontier life presents one man's metaphysical struggle for meaning, and in the process creates an allegory for the ages that has more in common with current events than you might think.    SPECIAL NOTE :  This listing is for the signed (by Chester Brown, of course) and numbered hardcover edition.  This edition was limited to 400 copies, and we still have a few left!  The tipped in signature plate includes an extra page NOT (at least, to the best of our knowledge) included in any other edition!
Melvin Monster, Volume 2 John Stanley Drawn and Quarterly The John Stanley Library $22.22
($24.95 list)
Melvinmonster2
Read more and comment... 		by John Stanley The fun continues in this, the latest volume of The John Stanley Library, the fabulous and fetish-worthy series of Seth-designed hardcover volumes that constitute Drawn and Quarterly's ongoing effort to bring the light of John Stanley to the dim and impoverished corners of the the comics reading world.  Melvin Monster is the first title to receive a second volume, and, intriguingly, this fact (that this is the second volume) is not indicated anywhere on the cover of the volume, but is only noted on the idicia located in the standard position at the bottom of the first page of the first story; perhaps this was done in homage to the original issues, which, likewise, displayed no numbers on their covers.  Whatever the case may be, this volume, like the first, contains three complete 32-page issues, for a total of 96 full color high resolution scans of the original comic book pages presented on high grade flat white paper.  A true treat for the already initiated, and another chance for the rest to see the light.
Walt and Skeezix, Volume Four: 1927 - 1928 Frank King Drawn and Quarterly $34.95
($39.95 list)
Walt-skeezix4
Read more and comment... 		Well, all we have to say is, "It's about time!"  After the timely release of the first three volumes in this excellent reprint project that was a long time dream of series designer, Chris Ware, we waited... and waited... and waited... and still no fourth volume.  Now, finally, we have it.  This time we have on hand two full years of continuity of Walt and Phyllis's growing domestic bliss that is both a joy and comfort to behold.  In addition, as though to make up for the lost time, we also have over 80 pages of bonus material including another essay but comics scholar and Gasoline Alley fan, Jeet Heer, a copious selection of King family photos, and, for us the best of all, 25 loose leaf sketchbook pages containing drawings of the American southwest that Ware surmises were drawn in 1931 that are deft, highly controlled pencil and conte crayon(?) drawings that look like they might have been done by Frank Santoro.  PLUS, at the very end, one Chris Ware related surprise that was interesting to say the least.  In other words:  the wait is over, and the book is worth it.
Black Blizzard Yoshihiro Tatsumi Drawn and Quarterly $14.95
($19.95 list)
Blackblizzard
Read more and comment... 		Here we have a classic bit of pulp comics – perhaps better thought of as proto-gekiga – from Japan.  Produced and originally released in 1956, this 128 page hardboiled manga was, according to Tatsumi, drawn in a mere 20 days of non-stop creative fury when he was only 21 years old.  Yet, despite his tender age he had already produced seventeen book-length manga prior to this one.  It seems almost superhuman to have completed so much work so young, but he had clearly cut his storytelling teeth by the time he did Black Blizzard, as it is expertly paced for that quick pulp fiction rush.  D & Q's in house Tatsumi point man, Adriane Tomine, made a smart design decision to package this work in the guise of 1950s paperback; it works.  Unfortunately for us readers, it's not priced like one.  Ah, well.  We here at Copacetic like this one enough to meet our customers half way, by offering a 25% discount – at least for now.  While you're mulling it over, download a PDF preview here, and learn more about Tatsumi's other works, here.
Hicksville Dylan Horrocks Drawn and Quarterly $17.77
($19.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		Here at Copacetic Comics, we've long been fond of calling Hicksville "The Watchmen of small press comics."  This is useful in that practically all comics readers are familiar with and have positive associations with The Watchmen, and we feel that Hicksville is a similarly ambitious, successful and important work, and so is one that we like to draw attention to, and comparing it to The Watchmen is a cheap and easy way to do so.  Whether or not this is a good, right or fair thing to say in regards to to the themes and content of the respective works, we're not going to try to defend.  The comparison's validity rests more on a historical point in that both are works whose central narratives, in addition to telling engaging stories, simultaneously serve to deconstruct the basis of the genres they are working in.  For Watchmen it is that of the superhero, for Hicksville it is the genre of autobio comics and its rise out of the world of comics fandom.  Now, back in print after a two-year hiatus, this new edition of Hicksville is, we feel, likely to be the definitive one, as everything about it feels just right.  Most especially the significant addition of an all new, all comics introduction by Horrocks that he himself states (in this quite-worthy-of-reading Publisher's Weekly interview) is "one of the most frank and personal things I've ever drawn."  This introduction is an important minor work in its own right and puts the proverbial icing on the cake of this seminal volume (preview it here).  So, for any and all Copacetic customers who have yet to experience this comics masterwork, we say:  now is the time.
Market Day James Sturm Drawn and Quarterly $18.88
($21.95 list)
Marketday
Read more and comment... 		The founder and director of The Center for Cartoon Studies puts on his other hat to present us with his first solo graphic novel in nearly a decade, since 2001's The Golem's Mighty Swing.  That's not to say Sturm hasn't been busy, as quite the opposite is in fact the case.  In the intervening hears, in addition to founding and running CCS, he has co-authored Fantastic Four: Unstable Molecules, Satchel Paige and Adventures in Cartooning.  With Market Day, however, we get a solid dose of pure unadulterated Sturm, and it's a heavy load he drops on the pages here.  There is a a weariness reflected in the tone and modulation in this work which may very well reflect his own personal exhaustion at having to shoulder so much responsibility; or not.  Regardless of the source of the mood that is evinced in the pages of this work, it is fairly clear that the inspiration for it is the world of independent comics production.  It is atavistically embodied here in the form of a nineteenth century European carpet weaver.  Implicitly woven into this atavism is a connection of the world of 19th century European Jewry to that of their descendants in 20th century America who went on to create the comic industry.  This creates a complex multi-levelled pattern right that will engage perceptive readers right at the get go.  The comics work itself is confident, poised, finely wrought and expertly paced.  We couldn't help but feel that Sturm's narrative strategies in Market Day evinced some sympathies towards Seth's latest work, especially George Sprott, but with closer attention to detail and a more nuanced sense of rhythm.  A dark, deep and challenging work that you can, and should, preview here.
Wilson Daniel Clowes Drawn and Quarterly $19.75
($21.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		OK, admit it – this is the one you've been waiting for.  Well, it's here, the first original graphic novel by Mr. Clowes; the first, in other words, that did not first see the light of day in his long running solo title, Eightball.  Wilson extends the vein he opened in Eightball #22 (the story that went on to be released as Ice Haven) and continued in Eightball #23 (the yet to be graphic-novelized 1970s "super-hero" story).  In these two works Clowes penned a sequence of stand-alone short strips of varying length each rendered in one of a variety of distinct cartoon voices (aka styles). Through the course of these works, the short pieces slowly coalesce into an organic whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.  In Wilson Clowes employs this technique with a singular focus.  Whereas in the aforementioned works, point of view shifted among and between the characters, in Wilson each and every one of the 71 single page strips, while employing the same wide variety of voices as the other works, features and focuses on the titular character.  In addition, almost all the single page strips contain six panels – with the few that don't all being either seven or eight panels – and the last panel of each strip serves as a sort of "punch line."  Taken together, this homogeneity creates a formal unity between all of the strips and gives a sense that the book is a collection of Sunday page strips that is doubling as a graphic novel.  The cumulative narrative effect of Wilson is to provide the reader with a massive refraction of a single personality and the realization that while context can and does alter the perception of people and events, an individual's character remains and retains an essential unity that undergirds and connects it all.
The Fixer (softcover) Joe Sacco Drawn and Quarterly $14.95
($19.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		For those of you who either missed this the first time around, were waiting for the lower priced softcover, or who just got turned onto Sacco by reading his just released masterwork, Footnotes in Gaza, here's your chance to get yer mitts on this close focus look at the disintegration of former Yugoslavia during the 1990s, from the point of view of post-war Bosnia.   To learn more about this work, we recommend that you read this excellent in-depth review by Michel Faber for The UK Guardian.
The Box Man Imiri Sakabashira Drawn and Quarterly $17.77
($24.95 list)
Boxman
Read more and comment... 		Imiri Sakabashira (evidently a pen name for Mochizuki Katsuhiro) is, to us gaijin, a figure shrouded in mystery.  Born in 1964, he is an important contributor to Garo, one of the major alternative manga anthologies (that, intriguingly, was also born in 1964).  While the long awaited publication of The Box Man will go a long way to exposing Sakabashira to western readers, it will do little to remedy the mystery enshrouding the artist, as it does not contain one shred of editorial or biographical information – neither the original publication date nor it's original Japanese title are included on the copyright page.  It is almost as if there is a conspiracy of silence in place to deliberately obscure this creator of this work.  Were this actually to be the case, it would make a perverse kind of sense as The Box Man is nothing if not a deliberately obscure work.  Clearly working in the surrealist tradition of channeling the unconscious and getting it all onto the paper without worrying too much about what it all means, The Box Man strikes us as possibly informing contemporary creators as diverse as Geoff Darrow and Chris "C.F." Forgues.  However, not knowing when this work was originally published hinders any speculations of this nature.  It does appear that he himself has been influenced somewhat by Suehiro Maruo.  So, anyone reading this who is hep to the details of this enigmatic figure, please clue us in!  Meanwhile, peer into a corner of The Boxman by downloading a PDF preview, here.  And, for further delectation, check out his online gallery and spend some time with his sumptuously weird illustration work, here. 
Thirteen Going On Eighteen John Stanley Drawn and Quarterly The John Stanley Library $33.95
($39.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		Fans of John Stanley, who is best known for his work on Little Lulu and Tubby – as well as any fan of traditional, straight-up comic books, for that matter – are sure to be pleasantly surprised by their encounter with this, possibly the least well known of his works. And Drawn and Quarterly is so confident that not only will you agree with this assertion, but that you will be so enamored of this Stanley & Co. creation that you will be grateful for their decision to provide you with a double dose right out of the gate.  That's right, this initial volume of Thirteen Going On Eighteen collects the first nine complete issues of the series and weighs in at a wollapin' 336 pages.  And, as purchasers of the first two volumes of D & Q's ongoing John Stanley Library series – Melvin the Monster, and Nancy – already know, this is another beautiful Seth-designed, embossed, hardcover volume.
The Book About Moomin, Mymble and Little My Tove Jansson Drawn and Quarterly Moomin $15.00
($16.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		This NOT a fifth book in the collection of Moomin comics.  That collection was – to the best of our knowledge – completed with the fourth volume.  What this IS, is something else altogether:  an amazing example of book arts that combines storytelling, gorgeous full color illustration and inventive die-cutting to create a unique reading experience that can be enjoyed by all ages.  Be sure to pick this one up and look through it!
Aya: The Secrets Come Out Marguerite Abouet, Clément Oubrerie Drawn and Quarterly $17.77
($19.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		The third volume in this intelligent and endearing look at bourgeois life in Côte d'Ivoire – The Ivory Coast to those of us in the English speaking world – during the 1970s that focuses on the trials and tribulations of a large cast of characters (that are helpfully outlined in a double page spread to assist those readers for whom this volume is their first to get up to speed) that centers on a  young woman named Aya.  Oubrerie's art is stunning as usual, as he continues to bring to life the unique color pallet of western Africa.  At once exotic and mundane, this series truly brings this time and place back to life.
Red Snow Susumu Katsumata Drawn and Quarterly $22.22
($24.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		Canadian publisher, Drawn and Quarterly extends their manga winning streak with this excellent hardcover collection of ten  short stories.  Susumu Katsumata is yet another of the manga maestros who are woefully under-recognized here in North America that D & Q has taken upon themselves to introduce to what they hope – and so far has been – an appreciative audience.  Katusmata's work is unique in that it falls into the category of gekiga – the grittier form of manga pioneered by Tatsumi and others – yet, unlike the vast majority of those practicing their craft within this form, Katsumata's tales are set in rural pre-modern Japan, giving his work some parallels with that master of Japanese cinema, Akira Kurosawa.  Includes an interview with and biography of the author.
Big Questions: A House That Floats #13 Anders Nilsen Drawn and Quarterly Big Questions $7.77
($9.95 list)
Bq13
Read more and comment... 		Already another issue!  This is the shortest interval between issues since D & Q began publishing it with the seventh issue; and not only that, but this time out we have a double-length 48-page issue!  It appears that Mr. Nilson has been eating his Wheaties™.  This issue comes equipped with French flaps which provide the added bonus of cameo-style portraits and mini-bios of the entire cast of characters.  We know that this issue, coming so fast on the heels of the last, and being a double issue to boot, will be a shock to the wallet of some, and so we are offering it, for now, at a special reduced price.
Hot Potatoe Marc Bell Drawn and Quarterly $29.95
($39.95 list)
Hotpot
Read more and comment... 		Voot O'Reenie!  Break out the Slim Gaillard and get comfortable!  This gigantic album of the one and only Marc Bell, Canada's answer to long lonely winters, is coming over and you'll want to be prepared.  Comics, illustration, mixed media and Bell's own idiosyncratic combinations of these that together embody one of the most singular ouevres in the art comics biz are all amply on display in the over 270, 9" x 12" pages.  Color and black and white works are reproduced accordingly and with care in this multiple-paper-stock-employing oversize hardcover volume that is an ideal tonic for chasing away those winter blues, and has been released just in time to do the job.
Map of My Heart John Porcellino Drawn and Quarterly $17.77
($24.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		To celebrate King-Cat Comics and Stories' twentieth birthday, Drawn and Quarterly has given us a present:  this swell 360 page volume that collects King-Cat Comics and Stories #51 - #61 – all classics – in their entirety, along with copious notes, bonus comics, journal and notebook entries, maps, and even an index (of titles)!  This one should be a no-brainer for everyone except those who already own the originals (and even they might be tempted by the bonuses).  Those who are unfamiliar with Porcellino's work can get a nice PDF  taste of it here.  And, we're adding to the celebration by offering a special discount.
Nancy Seth, John Stanley Drawn and Quarterly The John Stanley Library $22.22
($24.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		Drawn and Quarterly continues their long held dream to present the works of John Stanley in deluxe, Seth-designed volumes.  Pretty much everything we said about the premiere volume in this series, Melvin Monster, holds true for this one, and then some!
Big Questions #12 Anders Nilsen Drawn and Quarterly Big Questions $5.35
($5.95 list)
Bigq12
Read more and comment... 		Yes, it's here.  Apologies for not noting it earlier...  This issue features straight-up bird-on-bird action in a single, issue-length story.  Anders takes us on yet another metaphorical foray into our life and times, as his fine flock of feathered friends gets jumped by a gang of crows set on mayhem and murder.
Walt & Skeezix, Book Three: 1925 & 1926 Frank King Drawn and Quarterly Gasoline Alley $25.47
($29.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		by Frank King The third collection of classic Gasoline Alley dailies has arrived and is ready for reading.  Designed, once again, by Chris Ware, and housing over six-hundred daily strips, this volume continues to be an excellent package at a reasonable price.