Monday, December 29, 2008

TOP SHELF ANNOUNCES THE COMPLETE ESSEX COUNTY




"A quiet, somber, haunting masterpiece... Lemire is writing about loneliness and regret, and I'm at a loss to explain how he manages to illustrate the devastating toll they take on his characters even as he inspires his readers." -- Steve Duin, The Oregonian "This is the comics medium at its best." --
Booklist (from one of three starred reviews)

Where does a young boy turn when his whole world suddenly disappears? What turns two brothers from an unstoppable team into a pair of bitterly estranged loners? How does the simple-hearted care of one middle-aged nurse reveal the scars of an entire community, and can anything heal the wounds caused by a century of deception? Award-winning cartoonist Jeff Lemire pays tribute to his roots with ESSEX COUNTY, an award-winning trilogy of graphic novels set in an imaginary version of his hometown, the eccentric farming community of Essex County, Ontario, Canada. In ESSEX COUNTY, Lemire crafts an intimate study of one community through the years, and a tender meditation on family, memory, grief, secrets, and reconciliation. With the lush, expressive inking of a young artist at the height of his powers, Lemire draws us in and sets us free.

This new edition collects the complete critically-acclaimed trilogy (TALES FROM THE FARM, GHOST STORIES, and THE COUNTRY NURSE) in one deluxe softcover volume! Also included are over 40 pages of previously unpublished material, including two new stories.


Pre-order The Complete Essex CountySOFTCOVER French Flaps, 512 pages, 6 1/2" x 9"
$29.95 (US)
ISBN 978-1-60309-038-4


Also available, a limited edition HARDCOVER.
$49.95 (US)
ISBN 978-1-60309-046-9

Pre-order The Complete Essex County -- HARDCOVER