If there’s one thing you can always rely on with Soaring Penguin Press’s output it’s eclecticism. From Régis Loisel’s Peter Pan to Howard Hardiman’s The Lengths through to anthology series Meanwhile… (featuring Gary Spencer Millidge’s Strangehaven), the Soaring Penguin back catalogue embodies the medium’s diversity in terms not just of stylistic approach but also of format.
SPP are also one of a number of publishers here astute enough to realise just how important the recent explosion in quality output on the self-publishing is, and to act accordingly in bringing selected titles to a larger audience. Look out for the following seven projects from them over the course of the next eight months.
Meanwhile…
Throughout 2015
Featuring the awesome return of Strangehaven, our universally acclaimed bi-monthly comics anthology just keeps getting better! Rather than blow our own trumpet, we’ll just leave you with quotes from reviewers about our latest edition. “Two issues in and Meanwhile… continues to deliver the goods impressively” (Forbidden Planet International). “It’s pretty damn brilliant” (Bleeding Cool), “If you’ve yet to read it, get to it. A whole new world, my fellow geeks! A whole new world!” (Geek Pride).
The Bizarre Adventures of Gilbert & Sullivan
June
Everyone knows Gilbert and Sullivan were peerless as composers of light opera. But fewer people are aware of their dual identities as super-powered, dapper defenders of the realm! The very model of a modern mirthful comic book, this collection is easily readable while retaining the articulation, intelligence and playfulness that distinguished the work of Arthur Sullivan and W.S Gilbert. Based on historical facts and characters, including Oscar Wilde and Mad King Ludwig, Laura Howell conjures a delightful collection of madcap, topsy-turvy stories.
The Erotic Adventures of Space Babe 113
July
The collected edition of John Maybury’s tongue-in-cheek series following a ditsy sex-obsessed catering officer (she really wanted to be a fashion designer!) Space Babe 113. Follow her titillating adventures armed with artificially intelligent knickers – naughty, surreal and, above all, fun, this is one for fans of Barbarella and pop-culture kitsch!
To End All Wars
August
One of the most important comics releases of 2014 will be released in a paperback edition. This stunning WWI anthology received national media attention when it came out last summer, and features 26 stories based on historic events from the Great War, with more than 50 contributors from 13 different nations involved. As with the sold-out hardback edition, a portion of the proceeds from every book sold will go to Doctors Without Borders.
The Black Feather Falls
September
The complete volume of the Ignatz nominated series follows the tenacious Tina Swift as she tries to solve the murder that everyone else wants to sweep under the rug. Set in the alluring, dangerous London of the 1920s, and beyond, this charming mystery series from Ellen Lindner is unlike anything else out there today.
The Perfume of the Lilacs
November
Summer, 1996. Nicolas is staying with his Aunt Rose, who is in mourning. To pass the time, Nicholas helps her look after her garden and discovers a passion for botany. As with many teenagers, he is searching for his identity, and asks her many questions. But Nicolas has quite a way to go before he realises the extent that this summer will have changed him… with Samuel Leblanc’s Perfume of Lilacs, readers are submerged into the mind of a teenager in the full throes of puberty and his emerging sexuality. At times shocking, this thoughtful book questions the taboos of our society.
It’s Hard To Be A Girl
November
Estelle: a fashion addict and a shopaholic, particularly for shoes. Estelle shares her life with Charles, who works with her in the video gaming world. Despite this common interest, Charles often has trouble following Estelle in her various misadventures. Her taste for style that sometimes leads to behaviour that is somewhat… unique. Armed with a great sense of observation of her peers – men and women alike – and a good dose of self-deprecation, Bach’s first graphic novel is a memorable debut.
For more on Soaring Penguin Press visit their website here.
