Tag Archives: top shelf productions

Jake Tapper Makes his Graphic Novel Debut with The Butcher: The Decades-Long Hunt for Klaus Barbie, One of the World’s Most Notorious Killers

Posted on by Leave a comment

Stepping away from the newsroom to the creator’s chair, award-winning journalist and New York Times best-selling author, Jake Tapper, tackles the hunt for one of the most terrifying war criminals of the 20th century with his debut graphic novel, The Butcher: The Decades-Long Hunt for Klaus Barbie, One of the World’s Most Notorious Killers, publishing June 1, 2027 via Top Shelf Productions.

The Butcher is the compelling true story of Klaus Barbie, the mass murderer who escaped justice and thrived for decades, the Nazi hunters and journalists who tracked him down, and the shocking investigation that revealed who helped him escape to begin with.

Using his investigative skills and researching from source material in four different languages — German, English, Spanish, and French — Tapper has chronicled the shocking pursuit of one of the world’s most sought after war criminals in excruciating detail, as writer AND illustrator! 

Book cover of 'The Butcher' by Jake Tapper, featuring a crowd raising glasses in celebration, with a central figure dressed in a green outfit and red gloves, set against a backdrop of mountains and a city.

Gigs is a graphic novel that captures the moment and maybe predicts our sad future

Posted on by Leave a comment

A.I. took the work. Gigs replaced jobs. Ordinary people are left to scrape together lives in a world that’s no longer built for them. These are their stories.

In a frighteningly near future where Basic Income is supplemented by gig work assigned by “the app”…an octogenarian punk and a lonely young worker seek escape through music. A street artist makes art by night and paints over it by day. A has-been detective chases a case into a forgotten world. A drug runner makes a long, strange delivery. A writer marks her days on a decaying space station she can’t leave. And a refugee asks for help in the last free place.

With a hard-won blend of biting satire and humanistic passion, two creators from the North of England weave together six divergent chapters into an extraordinary graphic novel. Gigs is both a powerful warning about the oppressive world to come and a defiant celebration of the humanity that will sprout up in the cracks.

Story: Mark Mosedale
Art: Si Smith

Get your copy now!

Bookshop
Amazon

Top Shelf Productions provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Preview: The Book Tour: A Lack of Alibi

Posted on by Leave a comment

The Book Tour: A Lack of Alibi

Andi Watson
October 6, 2026

Have you ever been mistaken for someone else…every day for a week? Keep your wits about you in this head-spinning, Kafkaesque mystery in a brilliant retro style.

“There’s no evidence you didn’t do it.”
Door-to-door encyclopedia salesman Mortimer arrives in the city in a hurry. He wants to get home in time for his daughter’s sports day, but first he needs to make a sale. All that’s stopping him is a murderer on the loose, the police declaring him their prime suspect…and a lack of alibi.

Cover of the book 'The Book Tour: A Lack of Alibi' by Andi Watson, featuring an illustration of a library filled with stacked books and a person standing at a desk.
A black and white comic panel showing a perspective under a structure, revealing a cityscape in the background. The subsequent panels depict a character in a vehicle, looking contemplative while asking a question about their destination.
A black and white comic strip featuring characters in different panels. The first panel shows a man and a woman asleep at a desk. The second portrays two characters looking confused in a vehicle. The third panel shows a cat on a cobblestone street. The fourth panel has dialogue, asking 'Are we there?' The fifth features a character urging another to 'Get out!' The sixth panel shows a person looking at a device. The final two panels depict a man with a briefcase exiting a car and asking 'How much do I owe you?'
A black and white comic strip featuring a young man in a suit and tie, holding a briefcase. The first panel shows him standing in a street near a car, appearing confused. The second panel has him looking puzzled. In the third panel, a speech bubble states, 'This isn't the Artemis.' The fourth panel shows him walking on cobblestones, while the final panels depict him navigating a wall and looking uncertain.
A black and white comic-style illustration depicting a series of nine panels. The first few panels show a character stepping onto a ledge, contemplating, and then looking down into a well. The subsequent panels illustrate hands interacting with water, creating ripples and reflections. The final panels display the character with a thoughtful expression, hinting at a moment of realization.
A comic strip depicting a character running through a series of obstacles, including a brick wall and chains, followed by a scene of navigating cobblestones with a suitcase, and ending with a shadowy figure in an alleyway.
A street scene with cobblestone pavement, featuring buildings, trees, and a person looking into a shop window.

Jared Cullum’s Kodi: A Place to Call Home is another amazing entry in the graphic novel series

Posted on by

Stunning watercolor artwork, a headstrong young girl, and a huge bear with a gentle heart — all return for an emotional new adventure in this stunning sequel!

After being reunited, Katya and Kodi are settling into their fast-paced new life together in the city. But as Katya starts to fall behind in school and Kodi struggles to find his place in this noisy new world, everything is put at risk by a greedy zookeeper who aims to break them up for good. Now, Katya and her unusual family must venture back into the wild, face their fears, and learn to trust new friends, as they fight to find a place to belong.

In Kodi 2, painter/cartoonist Jared Cullum returns to his award-winning graphic novel series for an incredible new adventure, full of gorgeous outdoor vistas, amazing animals, lovable and hateable new characters, roaring rivers, thrilling dangers, and tender moments.

Story: Jared Cullum
Art: Jared Cullum

Get your copy now!

Bookshop
Amazon

Top Shelf provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Jared Cullum’s Kodi is absolutely amazing, a magical graphic novel with beautiful art

Posted on by

The gorgeous story of two friends separated by everything in the world — except love. Readers and animal-lovers of every age will want to relive this journey over and over again.

Katya and her Meema are spending another summer at their cottage in Alaska, when a chance accident leaves Katya face-to-face with the biggest creature she’s ever seen… an enormous kodiak bear with a gentle heart and a knack for fishing. But when Katya must suddenly return home to Seattle, the two are torn apart, leaving Kodi to do whatever it takes to reunite with his fragile human friend. It’s a wild journey packed with breathtaking views, brave new companions, and adventure around every turn.

Story: Jared Cullum
Art: Jared Cullum

Get your copy now!

Bookshop
Amazon

Top Shelf provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Skull Cat and the Vampire’s Amulet is a solid graphic novel for younger readers

Posted on by

Scully is starting to like his job at the spooky castle… but when he tries to show his dad there’s nothing to fear, everything goes wrong!

Scully Catterson doesn’t understand why his father is so worried about Scully working at Le Dark Château, an eerily blood-red castle that’s rumored to be the home of a pair of vampires. Giving him a tour of the castle’s beautiful gardens might have started to change his mind…if he hadn’t been abducted by a flying pirate ship! Now it’s up to Scully to save the day again, joined by a grumpy goblin and a disgruntled vine dragon. But will this clumsy team catch up with the villains before the secrets of the Vampire’s Amulet are revealed and the Ultimate Power is unleashed? And will Mr. Catterson learn to trust his son, so Scully can become the hero he’s destined to be?

Story: Norman Shurtliff
Art: Norman Shurtliff

Get your copy now!

Bookshop
Amazon

Top Shelf provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Preview: Skull Cat and the Vampires Amulet

Posted on by

Skull Cat and the Vampires Amulet

by Norman Shurtliff

Scully is starting to like his job at the spooky castle… but when he tries to show his dad there’s nothing to fear, everything goes wrong!

Scully Catterson doesn’t understand why his father is so worried about Scully working at Le Dark Château, an eerily blood-red castle that’s rumored to be the home of a pair of vampires. Giving him a tour of the castle’s beautiful gardens might have started to change his mind…if he hadn’t been abducted by a flying pirate ship! Now it’s up to Scully to save the day again, joined by a grumpy goblin and a disgruntled vine dragon. But will this clumsy team catch up with the villains before the secrets of the Vampire’s Amulet are revealed and the Ultimate Power is unleashed? And will Mr. Catterson learn to trust his son, so Scully can become the hero he’s destined to be?

Cover of the comic book 'Skull Cat and the Vampire's Amulet' featuring a cartoon cat character falling while reaching for an amulet, surrounded by swirling vines.
A cartoon scene featuring a young cat character holding scissors, talking confidently to a concerned bear character. In the background, vines are moving, hinting at a playful atmosphere. The cat reassures the bear by interpreting the movement as just the wind.
A comic strip featuring a whimsical cat character reacting with surprise and annoyance. The character is holding a pair of scissors while surrounded by tangled vines, with dynamic action words like 'WAP!' and 'YEE-OUCH!' capturing the playful chaos.
A whimsical comic panel featuring a green, plant-like creature exclaiming, 'Who dares destroy the last Vwyrm?' A startled character with a bandaged arm is shown tripping towards a trash can, while a small animal observes. The comic style is colorful and playful.
A colorful comic panel featuring a surprised cat character and various whimsical creatures, including a turtle. The turtle is launched into the air, while the cat looks on curiously. The background is filled with vibrant plant life.
A comic panel featuring an anthropomorphic cat with a surprised expression as a green, angry creature looms above. The creature has a humorous face, while the surrounding setting is colorful and whimsical. The cat's friend, an animal in a different outfit, is warning the cat to get out of the way.
A comic strip featuring a cartoon cat character reassuring a turtle about a green creature. The green creature appears intimidating but is being challenged by the characters. The scene includes dialogue about confronting bullies and ends with a humorous chomp sound and laughter from a blue ghost-like character.
A colorful comic strip featuring a giant green plant creature confronting two characters: a small white cat and a brown anthropomorphic figure. The plant, with an expressive face, appears to be angry while the characters react with surprise and determination. The scene includes humorous elements like a trash can and various magical objects, creating a whimsical atmosphere.

Forevr is a brilliant satirical look at AI and the cult of technology

Posted on by

Why say goodbye? Death is only a temporary glitch in this eerily plausible future from award-winning graphic novelist Brian “Box” Brown.

Brenda’s mom is dying—but not for long. Like millions of others, she’s uploaded her consciousness to the groundbreaking new app Forevr, which allows the surviving family members to chat with her on their screens for a very reasonable monthly fee. Now Brenda’s dad doesn’t have to be alone…while Brenda and her girlfriend focus on building their careers as wilderness survival influencers. But when this very modern family sets out on a camping trip, their tensions and tech addictions build to an explosive climax whose consequences may last…forever.

Story: Brian Box Brown
Art: Brian Box Brown

Get your copy now!

Bookshop
Amazon

Top Shelf provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Preview: Kodi: A Place To Call Home

Posted on by

Kodi: A Place To Call Home

Jared Cullum
September 1, 2026

Stunning watercolor artwork, a headstrong young girl, and a huge bear with a gentle heart — all return for an emotional new adventure in this stunning sequel!

After being reunited, Katya and Kodi are settling into their fast-paced new life together in the city. But as Katya starts to fall behind in school and Kodi struggles to find his place in this noisy new world, everything is put at risk by a greedy zookeeper who aims to break them up for good. Now, Katya and her unusual family must venture back into the wild, face their fears, and learn to trust new friends, as they fight to find a place to belong.

Kodi: A Place To Call Home

Preview: Johnny Boo: On The Go – Friends and Enemies

Posted on by

Johnny Boo: On The Go – Friends and Enemies

James Kochalka
July 28, 2026

Perfect for beginning readers, this quirky and fun graphic novel follows the adventures of a ghost and his pet Squiggle!

Johnny Boo is the best little ghost in the whole world, because he has Boo Power. This means that he can go “BOO” really loudly! His pet ghost named Squiggle has Squiggle Power, which means that he can fly and do really fast loop-the-loops. Together they have the world’s greatest ghost adventures! And now, for the first time, read the first seven volumes in one book!

Johnny Boo: On The Go - Friends and Enemies
« Older Entries