The Best of Fantagor HC (Limit 1 Per Cover) (rel:12/08)

For the first time ever, the legendary underground comics of Richard Corben are being collected and fully restored in a single volume. The Best of Fantagor brings together some of Corben’s most iconic early stories, originally published in his own self-produced comic series Fantagor, in a definitive edition that reveals the raw power of his early imagination.

This is the first collection to feature Corben’s complete Razar the Unhero trilogy. Razar is Corben’s first recurring character, a sly and subversive twist on sword-and-sorcery conventions. The collection also includes an eclectic mix of science fiction, horror, surreal comedy, and full-on psychedelic storytelling. Readers will find post-apocalyptic fables, bizarre creature features, twisted fairy tales, and two rarely seen photo comics. Every story has been carefully restored by longtime collaborator José Villarrubia to honor Corben’s original linework and color experimentation.

With seven high fantasy tales, three comedic stories, two sci-fi works, and several unclassifiable ones, this volume of over 160 pages captures the range and intensity of Corben’s early career. Longtime fans will finally get the restored edition these works deserve, while new readers will discover why Corben remains one of the most influential figures in adult comics.

Contents include:

• “Twilight of the Dogs“
• “Razar the Unhero” (Parts 1–3)
• “The Temple” 
• “Kittens for Christian”
• “For the Love of Daemon”
• “Ogre and Ogre II”
• “Inna Pit” 
• “We Sure Like Worms”
• “Cidppey”
• “Doomscult”
• “Damsel in Dragon Dress”

Reprints: Stories from Fantagor #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Up from the Deep #1, Metal Hurlant #28, Heavy Metal #75 and Grim Wit #1 and #2.

The Best of Fantagor is a long-overdue celebration of Corben’s earliest and wildest work. Fully restored and presented in one place for the first time, it offers a rare glimpse into the origins of a master.