Top Shelf Productions

Beloved online cartoonist Anna-Laura Sullivan makes her graphic novel debut with a captivating adventure about misfits exploring the dark edges of their world!After a nuclear war plunged the world into darkness, the last beacon of hope is the island utopia called Slumber City. In this rainy, happy town, one angst-filled urchin doesn’t see what there is to smile about. But after being taken in by the elderly Marvin and Pearl, Urchin is pulled into their quest to solve the dark, damp riddles lurking outside Slumber City—and uncover the plans of its mysterious mayor.

Be careful what you wish for! This graphic novel about a lonely Filipino American teen and her ghoulish companion puts a spooky twist on the imaginary friend.When they were little, Lyn and Meg promised to be friends forever…but now Meg is dead, and Lyn is 15 and miserable. Moving into a new condo with her family doesn’t help, especially given the gossipy neighbors. But just when Lyn needs a friend the most, a monstrous cartoon ghoul climbs out of the pages of a comic book and into her life! The bizarre duo will soon discover just how many secrets lie within the walls of Forest Court Apartments.

Return to the crackling, critically acclaimed series that combines vintage comic-book energy and unbeatable 21st-century vibes!Ghost Guitar has lost her guitar strings. Auntie Pam lost her bakery’s special flour. Rossferatu lost a fang. And Lisa Cheese is losing her self-respect…just in time for her high school reunion! Meanwhile, there''s a Battle of the Bands competition in Earth City, and all hell is about to break loose.In the second volume of Kevin Alvir’s raw, relatable, and rambunctious graphic novel series, Lisa Cheese and Ghost Guitar must team up like never before—to smash jerks, navigate frenemies, shop for magic crystals, and save the world!

Accidentally trapped in an underground bunker, a teen girl must navigate the bizarre secrets within. This astonishing indie-horror graphic novel will keep readers guessing—and turning pages!Mary had a bad feeling even before they arrived at dead Aunt Pearl’s house. Dragged to a remote mining town so her mom and stepdad can settle Pearl’s estate, Mary can''t wait to escape from her wreck of a family—but she’s stuck with them in the middle of nowhere. After a vicious fight, Mary runs off to hide in an abandoned gold mine. Her escape plan backfires when she realizes she’s trapped inside. Even more terrifying… she’s not alone.Filled with suspense, dark humor, and spectacular nightmares, Pig Wife is a shockingly ambitious debut from graphic novelist Abbey Luck, seizing readers by the heart and the throat with a story of isolation, abuse, trauma, and survival.In this truly twisted coming-of-age tale, Luck suggests that survival doesn’t depend on our strength and wits alone—but on our ability to love others, even in the most horrific circumstances.

When superpowers aren?t enough…some heroes look for a boost to give them the competitive edge. Award-winning graphic novelist Rich Koslowski continues his striking work of superhero satire!Rich Koslowski?s original graphic novel F.A.R.M. System pulled back the curtain on the superhero community to reveal a satirical blend of pro sports and show business, filled with heroes and hustlers alike. Now, the shocking sequel, F.A.R.M. System: Rage, explores the intersection of superpowers, performance-enhancing drugs, and American politics.The F.A.R.M. System?s founder, Alexander Ellison, is under heavy attack…from the hero Armor Man and his team of high-priced attorneys! They?re accusing him of illegally enhancing his clients with a controversial designer drug called the Boost?a ?super-steroid? that can amplify superhuman abilities to truly unimaginable levels. While Alex faces the fight of his life in the courtroom, the court of public opinion will decide whether one of Alex?s most promising recruits will become…the next president of the United States.

A heist gone wrong. In this gritty, intimate sci-fi graphic novel, four down-and-out thieves touch down on an abandoned colony planet for an easy heist…until the masks come off.Bridge Planet Nine, once a thriving outpost, is now deserted. Corporations have claimed what?s left of its natural resources for automated extraction, and even the freighter ships that refuel here are completely unmanned. Now one of those freighters…is about to be robbed.The hijackers are a small, reluctant crew, each with their own reasons for being there. With no one around for millions of miles, they don?t expect interference. But the planet?s grim history and dark secrets will turn a simple job into a bloody fight for survival.Featuring elegantly inky artwork, tense pacing, lived-in characters, and a touch of pandemic paranoia, Jared Throne?s Top Shelf debut is a captivating work of suspenseful sci-fi that will leave readers gasping for breath.

Calling all comics-loving campers! Return to the wilderness with nervous bear Frank and excitable raccoon Ricky as they dive deeper into the long-lost (and supernatural) secrets of Camp Jay Bird.Frank is in big trouble. Sure, meeting Ricky made Camp Jay Bird less lonely…but they broke camp rules and made enemies of all the other scouts. Oh, and they released something dark and scary in the forest that might be out to get them! But camp is far from over, and Frank''s journey is about to get even rockier when they all take a canoe trip down the river. Add in a friendly ghost, a secret stash, and a half-empty journal, and Frank is well on his way to meeting the Order of the Night Jay.

?Every word is an accusation…and every whisper kills.? This staggering graphic novel explores the infamous Salem witch trials and the long shadows they cast more than 300 years later.1692 is a year of terror. In Salem, Massachusetts, Giles and Martha Corey are forced to confront their troubled past when accusations of witchcraft plunge their community into a violent moral panic. Based upon true events, and set in three centuries, More Weight is a unique inquiry into the Salem witchcraft tragedy and the misunderstood city now synonymous with it.

If there?s something strange in your middle school…call these kids! High energy and huge emotions combine in this thrilling and fast-paced graphic novel about searching for ghosts and making connections.Gabriel Navarro can see ghosts. At least, that?s what he?s always believed, but after his beloved tía dies, he can?t seem to reach her. Feeling alone and lost, he stumbles into a mysterious encounter on a school field trip and suddenly finds himself the new best friend and business partner of his eccentric classmate Clementine.Together, they form Psychic Investigators, Evil Exterminators?Rustin Middle School?s first ghost-hunting organization! Their mission statement? To prove once and for all that Gabe is a psychic and ghosts are real. But first, they?ll need to actually find some ghosts…which, despite Clem?s flawless business plan, is not easy. For Clem, the search is the thrill of a lifetime, but for Gabe, it hits a little closer to home. Can they keep their partnership together long enough to make a real connection to the world beyond?Graphic novelist KT Healey makes a stunning debut with a rip-roaring ghost-hunting adventure packed with color, charm, zany antics, and tender feelings.

Following the award-winning bestseller They Called Us Enemy, George Takei?s new full-color graphic memoir reveals his most personal story of all?told in full for the first time anywhere!George Takei has shown the world many faces: actor, author, outspoken activist, helmsman of the starship Enterprise, living witness to the internment of Japanese Americans, and king of social media. But until October 27, 2005, there was always one piece missing?one face he did not show the world. There was one very intimate fact about George that he never shared…and it rhymes with Takei.Now, for the first time ever, George shares the full story of his life in the closet, his decision to come out as gay at the age of 68, and the way that moment transformed everything. Following the phenomenal success of his first graphic memoir, They Called Us Enemy, George Takei reunites with the team of Harmony Becker, Steven Scott, and Justin Eisinger, now joined by the award-winning colorist José Villarrubia, for a jaw-dropping new testament. From his earliest childhood crushes and youthful experiments in the rigidly conformist 1950s, to global fame as an actor and the terrible fear of exposure, to the watershed moment of speaking his truth and becoming one of the most high-profile gay men on the planet, It Rhymes with Takei offers a sweeping portrait of one iconic American navigating the tides of LGBTQ+ history.Combining historical context with intimate subjectivity, It Rhymes with Takei shows how the personal and the political have always been intertwined. Its richly emotional words and images depict the terror of entrapment even in gay community spaces, the anguish of speaking up for so many issues while remaining silent on his most personal issue, the grief of losing friends to AIDS, the joy of finding true love with Brad Altman, and the determination to declare that love openly?and legally?before the whole world. Looking back on his astonishing life on both sides of the closet door, George Takei presents a charismatic and candid account of how far America has come…and how precious that progress is.

An atmospheric and profound coming-of-age graphic novel about a Malaysian American teen carving out her own identity in the uneasy space between friends and family.Fifteen-year-old Azar feels stuck. Her mom?s job forced them to move to Vermont, where Azar doesn''t know anyone. Her only friends are the next-door neighbors: an aging sci-fi writer and his nonbinary teen, Tristan, fellow misfits in the small-town community. For a while, Azar can escape her troubles by disappearing into the pages of her kindly neighbor?s epic novel, The Exiles of Overworld. But when her queerness throws her life out of balance, Azar realizes some secrets can?t be escaped forever. Somewhere in the abandoned malls, lakes, and comic conventions that fill her new life, Azar fights to find herself. What else will she discover?

Can skateboarding save the world?! Level up from total noob to cosmic hero in this totally epic graphic novel that will kickflip your brain.Sam and her little sister, Gearhead, just wanted a crew to belong to. But when the Too Cool Crew takes over their skating territory, this motley bunch of misfits will have to seriously level up if they want to win it back. Along the way, they?ll encounter a whole circus of wacky weirdos, including an overzealous security guard, a shadowy group of spooky ghouls, a mysterious cult of woodland creatures, and?gulp?an all-powerful ancient god of skating!Packed with unforgettable characters, mind-blowing action, and more twists than an X Games street course, Shred or Dead is the story of four weird kids with a chance to become legends…if they don?t garf it up.

Jaw-dropping artwork illuminates a mind-bending work of psychological horror about creative souls struggling against oppression and depression.This class is a nightmare. Violent teachers, barbed wire fences, torture devices, and gruesome suspensions... How did these students get trapped here? Why can?t they remember? And once they realize the truth, are they strong enough together to escape?In his astonishing debut, Brazilian graphic novelist Sam Fonseca presents a mind-bending work of psychological horror about creativity, self-doubt, and the battles we all face to endure a world where shadows only grow stronger.

In this captivating debut YA graphic novel, two best friends becoming more than friends feels like a dream come true. But when one sleepover literally turns into a dream, will they ever want to wake up again?Amber''s a headstrong goofball with a temper. Nico''s a shy, self-conscious emo boy. But they''ve been best friends since third grade, and she can''t hide her feelings for him any longer. At the end of their eighth-grade beach trip, she confesses... and the feeling is mutual! Thus begins a glorious, blissful summer of first love. But once high school starts, life gets more complicated. Faced with early mornings, bullies, homework, and other stresses, Amber and Nico cling to each other, neglecting their friends. Soon, Amber starts to wish she and Nico could escape from it all.One night, as they fall asleep playing video games, Amber gets her wish...

Against the wondrous backdrop of massive planetary transformation, this stunning watercolor graphic novel explores one family's struggle to stay grounded. The world is changing. Gravity, a force everyone takes for granted, has begun to disappear. As a young journalist, Noah spends his days documenting the wondrous and terrifying shifts in the world around him. But Noah's life is changing, too. Falling in love and raising a rebellious daughter adds new meaning to life in this mysterious floating world. As he covers the invention of new sports, interviews experts, and even journeys into space, each experience shapes how Noah views the world and, in turn, his relationship with his family. And as his daughter grows older, Noah faces the challenge every parent dreads and dreams of: letting go. A Radical Shift of Gravity is a science-fiction fable: a graphic novel that explores the ties that bind a family together, the forces that threaten to pull them apart, and the quiet beauty of a world where everyone is floating away.

This "silent" graphic novel follows a nameless subject trapped in a nightmarish test facility, raising unsettling questions of exploitation and oppression. The Lab is a wordless visual journey into the grim machinery of exploitation. Its nameless protagonist is held in solitary captivity, alternately poked, prodded, starved, drugged, and worse. Brief glimpses of other test subjects, undergoing their own ordeals, are few and far between. But is all this abuse and isolation purely arbitrary? Or is there a purpose? Painstakingly and evocatively rendered, Allison Conway's debut graphic novel explores the spectrum between lifeless gray and vivid color. It asks uncomfortable questions about the treatment we tolerate and the injustices underlying our modern world.