Missed the Small Press Expo? That's okay, Top Shelf and Drawn and Quarterly are giving you a chance to make up for it by holding some big sales this month. Despite being a regular at SPX these days, I love these sales as a chance to pick up either older books that I've missed or to take a second look at a comic I was considering in the past.
You can reach Drawn and Quarterly's sale here. It's running through September 27th.
Here's a few things I'd grab, if I were you...
Aya of Yop City and Aya the Secrets Come Out are both absolute steals at $10 each. Here's my review of the first book in this series.
I've only read shorter works by Gabrielle Bell, but I've liked everything I've read by her. D&Q has two of her book-length comic collections on sale, and if you like autobiographical comics, hers are very good.
Didn't grab Dan Clowes' Wilson yet? You can do so for $15.37 and get in on one of the top books for the year.
I had a few issues with Hicksville, but it was still a great book. Fans of old capes comics will find the winks and nods irresistible. You can find my review here.
Several Moomin books are on sale, and if I can fit it in my budget, I'm going to give the series a shot. I've heard lots of good things, but never read one myself. You can fix my mistake now, at a pretty healthy discount.
My wife is always reminding me to read John Porcellino's works, and her ability to judge the quality of zines is second to none, given her lengthy experience in the zine world. Both of Mr. Porcellino's books are on sale right now, and you should trust her judgment and pick one up for yourself.
I read Wimbledon Green a looooong time ago, so long I'm pretty sure it was before I was even doing reviews. It's Seth's book about collecting comics, and like Hicksville, there's a lot of references for long-time comics geeks. Definitely worth grabbing, I need to re-read it some day.
Masterpiece Comics on sale? Man, these comics companies really love their fans! This parody of both classic literature and classic comics is one of the best things I've read in ages. If you haven't picked this up yet, go for it right now!
Rounding up my recommendations is A Drifting Life, the massive manga autobiography that has gotten rave reviews from those brave enough to read the entire thing. Someday, that will be me as well. If you're into comics history, this is a great pickup.
There are a lot of other great comics in this sale, but these are the ones that catch my eye. Happy buying, and even happier reading!
