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Events

Event: Lemony Snicket & Seth at Toronto Public Library!

AWQ1 cover final.rLemony Snicket and Seth
Signing “Who Could That Be at This Hour?”
Thursday, February 14th, 2013
@ Toronto Reference Library Bram & Bluma Appel Salon
7:00pm to 8:30pm
Tickets are free, advance registration required

Bestselling author Lemony Snicket invites the general public to a top secret meeting, which includes the reading of a private note, the presentation of a coded song, and the unveiling of various alarming evidence that there’s more going on than you think.

Snicket will be joined by renowned cartoonist Seth, illustrator of Snicket’s latest book, “Who Could That Be at This Hour?”, for a signing following the event.

Interested participants can book two free tickets at the TPL website beginning 10 a.m. on Thursday, January 17, 2013.

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Doors open at 6 p.m.

Tickets are required for admission to all Appel Salon events. Tickets are free and are available starting four weeks before the event. As most Appel Salon events are free of charge, it is our policy to overbook. In the case of a full program, your free reservation may not guarantee admission. Unclaimed reservations will be released to standby customers ten minutes prior to the start of the program. We recommend that you arrive early.

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Reviews

Review: Chance in Hell, The Troublemakers, Speak of the Devil, by Gilbert Hernandez

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Review: Chance in Hell, The Troublemakers, Speak of the Devil, by Gilbert Hernandez
By Gilbert Hernandez
Published by Fantagraphics Books, Dark Horse Comics

Review by Jason Azzopardi

“Pure Imagination: The Fritz B-Movies by Gilbert Hernandez”

chance_in_hellOne of the most exquisite things in the world, at least for me, is listening to a young person tell a story.  They have so little sense of the world that they have to mash in the few fantastical elements they are familiar with just so something recognizable is in the narrative stew.  Princesses. Unicorns.  Pirates.  Aliens.  Sharks.  It’s all done with unbridled enthusiasm and a pinch of doubt, as if they’re daring you to call them on their fabrications.  Anyone who would clearly has no soul because a child’s imagination is something to be embraced and savored before it gets trampled out them by the educational system, by parents, by religion, by biology, by marketing demographics, by the media.  But those first few years of being a kid are just magic because that’s when your imagination exists in its purest form.

Over the last thirty years, Jamie and Gilbert Hernandez have created one of the medium’s true masterworks with their expansive (and ever-expanding) series, Love and Rockets. The astonishing thing about the Hernandez Bros. isn’t that they have a defining book or two to point to as an example of good comics, but that their good comic is, simply, Love and Rockets itself; one massive tapestry made up of all the shorter works.  And, much like its creators, it gloriously keeps growing and growing and growing.

Continue reading Review: Chance in Hell, The Troublemakers, Speak of the Devil, by Gilbert Hernandez →

Reviews

Review: The Alliance of the Curious

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The Alliance of the Curious
Story and art: Philippe Riche
Publisher: Humanoids
Price: $29.95

Review by John Anderson

The Alliance of the Curious is the story of three Parisian antique dealers who band together to solve an unusual mystery. They have found a reliquary containing a 25 000 year old Neanderthal skull, and a strand of hair that is also Neanderthal but dates from the present day. Meanwhile, a homeless man is having visions of the past, each successive vision being from an earlier point in history. Could a real Neanderthal be living in modern day Paris?

Continue reading Review: The Alliance of the Curious →

General, Important

BOXING DAY PHASE 02 @ THE BEGUILING

THE BEGUILING BACK ISSUE SALE!
Boxing Day Sale Phase 02: Thursday January 3rd to Tuesday January 8th

It is the sale that you may have been waiting ALL YEAR FOR, the great big back-issue sale! If you like old comics, we’ve got deals for you! We’ve also changed stuff up this year, so please read the below carefully!

GROUND RULES

  • Bring your own bags! Save the environment! We’re happy to sell you 5c bags, but we’ve only got small ones left.
  • We reserve the right to refuse sale of any item to any customer for any reason.  We probably won’t do this, but this is a straightforward disclaimer in case there’s any dispute about what is or isn’t on sale.
  • Anything put on hold prior to Boxing Day is entirely exempt to sale pricing.
  • Sales cannot be combined with other specials or sales.
  • “Regular Price” is determined as ‘Whatever the book would sell for not onBoxing Day,’ whether that’s U.S. Cover Price, Converted Canadian Cover price, Canadian Cover Price, or Sticker Price.
  • Items released in December 2012 or later are not eligible for sale. Determination for eligibility will be made at the cash register, at our sole discretion.

SALE PRICING EXPLANATION

If you’ve been by the store this year, you’ll know that this has been a banner year for us in picking up great collections, including a ton of strong silver age books. Sales on our older comics are bizarrely stronger than ever before. Also, following last year’s BoxingDay Sale, we did an overhaul of all of our behind-the-counter books and marked down everything that remained by 20 to 50%, so prices are already lower than last year’sBoxing Day. With that in mind, here’s how the sale is breaking down:

BEHIND-THE-COUNTER BOOKS (WALL BOOKS)

This year we’ll be breaking down the discount based on the original printed cover price. We’re doing it this way because there is so much fresh material in the bins—some has been there for less than a month.

Cover Price: Discount
10 cent comics: 10% off sticker price
12 & 15 cent comics: 20% off sticker price
20 cent comics and up: 30% off sticker price

In addition, all Dell/Gold Key behind the counter will be 30% off regardless of cover price, and all Will Eisner’s The Spirit newspaper sections will be 30% off as well.

BACK ISSUE BINS & MAGAZINE BINS

50% off Comics & Magazines $15 and under.
30% off Comics & Magazines $15.01 and over.

Most back issues in the back issue bins ($15 and under) will be 50% off their stickered price, but there are a few bin-books that will be only 30% off. This discount also applies to magazine overstock bins, and recent and older Twomorrows Magazines.

SMUT:

50% off printed English-language smut in the back issue bins.
That’s right, all of our comics smut from the fine folks at Comic AG, Eros, Radio Comix, Class Comics, Etc.? All of it is 50% off the sticker price! Must be 18 or older to purchase.

UNDERGROUNDS:

25% off sticker price.
The only real exemption in the back-issue bins are Undergrounds, and they’ll be going for 25% off, which is still a great deal…!

“VARIANT COVERS:”

– All Variants stickered at $39.99 or lower are now $5.00
– All Variants stickered at $40 or more are now 30% off

No variants released in December 2011 or later will be eligible.

TREASURY BOOKS

– 25% off of the already intensely marked-down sticker price!

50 CENT BIN SALE:

“50 Cent Bin Comics” are now 25 cents each, with the purchase of 50 comics or more. That’s 50 comics for $12.50, a great deal! In addition, we’ll be cycling the 50 cent been stock several times throughout the sale.

SETS SALE:

Comic Sets are now 20% off the sticker price.

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See you Thursday!

– Chris @ The Beguiling

Important

BEGUILING BOXING DAY SALE

Wednesday December 26, 9am-6pm
until Monday January 31st, 11am-5pm
Again this year we’re expanding our Boxing Day Sale to both The Beguiling and Little Island Comics, and starting the festivities at 9am!  We’re open crazy-early!

As is traditional, we’re doing different sales on different weeks, so please read the below carefully. Oh, and we encourage you to take notes on what the sale items will be from this mailing, so you can remember exactly what you wanted from the shop!

NEW COMIC DAY: Wednesday December 26th
Lots of new comics! Includes: Amazing Spider-Man #700, Aquaman #15, Avenging Spider-Man #15.1, Before Watchmen: Nite Owl #4, Crossed: Badlands #20, Deathmatch #1, Eerie Presents: El Cid HC, Hip Flask: Ourborous, Justice League #15, Mara #1, Star Wars Omnibus: Clone Wars V3 TP: The Republic Falls, The Shadow Special #1.

Phase 01: Weds December 26, 9am-6pm until Monday December 31st, 11am-5pm
General sale, 20% off mostly everything. Tons of deep-discount door crasher specials. No discount on back issues, “Wall Books,” or variant covers.

January 1st: Closed

January 2nd: New Comics Day (no sales on this day).

Phase 02: Thursday January 3nd until Tuesday January 8th.
Back issues on sale! Wall books on sale! Variants on sale! More blanket sales! A more detailed e-mail covering these sales will come next week!

New Comics Day January 9th, no sales on this day.

PHASE 03: January 10th to January 28th
Single issue over stock blow-outs! New comics every week! Different publishers every week! Plus other stuff! More detailed e-mails covering these sales will arrive in your inbox in the coming weeks.

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BOXING DAY SALE PHASE 01

Wednesday December 26, 9am-6pm until Monday December 31st, 11am-5pm
(Back issue bins, wall books, variants completely unavailable during this time.)

GROUND RULES

  • Bring your own bags! Save the environment! We’re happy to sell you 5c bags, but we’ve only got small ones left.
  • We reserve the right to refuse sale of any item to any customer for any reason.  We probably won’t do this, but this is a straightforward disclaimer in case there’s any dispute about what is or isn’t on sale.
  • Out-of-print items (books/comics/etc.) are exempt from sale pricing. Determination of ‘out of print’ is at The Beguiling’s sole discretion. Ask at the counter if you’re unsure.
  • Anything put on hold prior to Boxing Day is entirely exempt to sale pricing.
  • Sales cannot be combined with other specials or sales.
  • “Regular Price” is determined as ‘Whatever the book would sell for not on Boxing Day,’ whether that’s U.S. Cover Price, Converted Canadian Cover price, Canadian Cover Price, or Sticker Price.
  • Items released in December 2012 or later are not eligible for sale. Determination for eligibility will be made at the cash register, at our sole discretion.

BACK ISSUE BINS and WALL BOOKS and VARIANTS will not be accessible until Thursday, January 3rd. They are not on sale, they aren’t even really FOR sale. We are sorry, but we’re focusing on other product during this part of the sale, and we need the space and attention for other things. Thanks!

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THE BIG SALE:

The Beguiling & Little Island Comics: 20% Off Almost Everything
The Beguiling & Little Island Comics will be offering a straight 20% off of almost everything* in both stores. This includes comics, graphic novels, manga, art books, doujinshi, toys, shirts, DVDs, comics sets, 50 cent bin, postcards and greeting cards, etc.

*Exceptions: Back Issue Bins, Wall Books, Variants (as mentioned, these will be on sale later), Original Art, and all items released in December 2012 or later are exempt from sale pricing.

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Door Crashers @ Little Island Comics, 742 Bathurst Street
ONE COPY PER BOOK, PER CUSTOMER

Hope Larson’s A Wrinkle in Time: was $21.95, now $15
David Nytra’s The Secret of the Stone Frog: was $17.00, now $10
Dave Roman’s Astronaut Academy: was $10.95, now $5
All Babymouse and Squish books: 40% off

PLUS: There will be bins of specially marked $1, $2, and $5 books for sale! The deepest discounts in the store will be there!

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Door Crashers @ The Beguiling, 601 Markham Street
ONE COPY PER BOOK, PER CUSTOMER

MARVEL NOW! ISSUE #1 STARTER SET – $10 (reg $42)
Get the first 12 new MARVEL NOW #1s for less than a buck each! Jump on board Marvel’s relaunch! Includes A Plus X #1, All New X-men #1, Avengers #1, Captain America #1, Deadpool #1, Fantastic Four #1, Ff #1, Indestructible Hulk #1, Iron Man #1, Thor God Of Thunder #1, Uncanny Avengers #1, X-men Legacy #1.

OMNIBUS EDITIONS!
New X-Men Omnibus: was $125, now $75
The Hole of Tank Girl: was $114, now $75
X-Statix Omnibus Vol 1: was $125, now $75

ART COMIX!
Adrian Tomine’s Shortcomings: was $18.95, now $10
Chester Brown’s Ed The Happy Clown, was $24.95, now $15
Eddie Campbell’s The Lovely Horrible Stuff: was $14.95, now $10
Harvey Pekar’s Cleveland: was $21.99, now $10

WEBCOMICS!
Adventures of Dr. McNinja Night Powers Volume 1: NOW $10
Anime Club (Gunshow): NOW $10
Achewood: Worst Song Played on Ugliest Guitar: NOW $10
Penny Arcade v3 (Warsun Prophecies): NOW $2
Questionable Content Vol 1: NOW $10

CLASSIC REPRINTS!
Marvel Masterworks Golden Age Captain America vol 1: was $29.99, now $5
Simon & Kirby Superheroes: was $62, now $30.

MANGA!
Nausicaa Volume 1: was $12.99, now $5
Slam Dunk Volume 1: Was $8, now $1
Until Death Do Us Part Manga 1, was $18.99, now $10

VERTIGO GRAPHIC NOVELS!
Aaron and Ahmed: was $24.99, now $5
Fables 1001 Nights of Snowfall HC: was $19.99, now $5
Grant Morrison’s Kill Your Boyfriend: NOW $3
David Lloyd’s Kickback: was $12.99, now $5
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Vol 1 HC, was $19.99 now $5

GENRE COMICS!
Amazing Screw On Head (Mignola): was $17.99, now $5
Criminal Macabre: The Iron Spirit: was $19.99, now $5
Holy Terror: was $30, now $10 – Watch a popular comic creator’s descent into madness for a price you can’t beat!
Modern Warfare: Ghost: was $17.99, now $5
RASL VOL 1-4: was $63, now $40! – Save nearly 40% on the complete, awesome, oversized edition of RASL. Why wait for the pocket edition when you can get the oversized edition for the same price?
Stephen King’s “N” was $19.99, now $5
True Blood HC Volumes 1-3: was $24.99 each, now $10 each!

MARVEL SUPERHEROES!
Astonishing X-Men: Ghost Box: was $29.99, now $5 – A very expensive Astonishing X-Men collection from Warren Ellis, now at a crazy-great price.
Chaos War X-Men: was $16.99, now $2
Chaos War: was $19.99, now $8
DESTROYER (Robert Kirkman): was $19.99: now $5
Girl Comics: was $19.99, now $5
Marvel 5 Ronin: was $16.99, now now $3
Marvel Zombies 5: was $19.99, now $5

DC SUPERHEROES!
Batman: Imposters: was $14.99, now $3
Green Lantern: In Brightest Day: was $19.99, now $3
Superman vs. Aliens: NOW $1
Superman/Batman: Selected volumes NOW $5 each

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All this, plus even more can’t-miss specials in store!!

See you at 9am on the 26th!

– Chris @ The Beguiling

New Product

EYE OF ATROCITY – Superviolent Ukiyo-E art book now in stock

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWould you believe that these insanely gruesome illustrations of Samurai were originally created in 1870? If you want a whole book that is this intense… or moreso… then by all means come pick up THE EYE OF ATROCITY: SUPERVIOLENT ART BY YOSHITOSHI, the Ukiyo-E Master Series Volume Two. It’s pretty incredible stuff, must be seen to be believed. Located on the second floor.

We also got a restock on the first in the series, SAMURAI GHOST AND MONSTER WARS.

The interiors are even more gruesome than the cover, so if you want a preview keep reading past the cut…!

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Continue reading EYE OF ATROCITY – Superviolent Ukiyo-E art book now in stock →

New Product

New From Shintaro Kago – Gruesomelarious Mini-Comics

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOne of our favourite Japanese creators is Shintaro Kago. He’s almost completely unpublished in North America (except for, oddly, VICE Magazine) and he’s an amazing formalist, experimental author AND a purveyor of hiariously satiric filth. We’ve carried some of his self-published books in the past, and on our last trip to Japan we picked up the two newest! “Zombie Play” (written ‘Return of the Living Dead’ on the cover) is a collection of hilarious, billingual Japanese/English zombie gags that are only for the most hardcore fans. We’ve also got his newest, ‘Patent Play’, which is a Japanese-language collection of ‘weird’ inventions turned inside out, often literally. Even in Japanese the illustrations are very… evocative.

Both of these fine books are available on the main floor for the bargain price of $7.

If you want to click “continue reading” down there you can see a couple of samples of some interior pages…!

Continue reading New From Shintaro Kago – Gruesomelarious Mini-Comics →