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Leading Graphic Novel Publisher Top Shelf Partners with the SEQUENTIAL Digital Graphic Novel App

By John Freeman on April 8, 2014

SEQUENTIAL, the graphic novel storefront and reader app focused on literary graphic novels produced by Panel Nine, has announced that it has started releasing titles by pioneering art comics and graphic novel publisher Top Shelf Productions.

Top Shelf Productions, which regularly partners with British publisher Knockabout with joint releases and are a regular visitor to British conventions, is the literary graphic novel publisher best known for its ability to discover and showcase the vanguard of the comics scene. Founded by publishers Brett Warnock and Chris Staros in 1997, Top Shelf has produced over 300 award-winning and critically-acclaimed graphic novels and comic books that have helped to revitalize interest in comics as a literary art form.

Titles now available on SEQUENTIAL from Top Shelf include Alec by Eddie Campbell, Wizzywig by Ed Piskor, The Underwater Welder by Jeff Lemire and March: Book One by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell.

These Top Shelf titles have been released as part of SEQUENTIAL’s expanded catalogue which now includes US publishers such as Fantagraphics, NBM and Secret Acres.

“SEQUENTIAL’s aim to curate a quality selection of literary graphic novels and try to reach a general audience is one we share,” commented Top Shelf director of digital Chris Ross. “We’re delighted to have our titles available on their app.”

Released in August 2013, SEQUENTIAL is focused on book format art comics and literary graphic novels. It aims to help promote comics as an art form and has been offering titles from Fantagraphics, NBM, Secret Acres, Jonathan Cape, Knockabout, Myriad Editions, SelfMadeHero and Blank Slate Books amongst others.

“We are thrilled to be able to add these Top Shelf titles to the app and will be adding even more shortly,” added SEQUENTIAL founder Russell Willis, a longtime supporter of all manner of independent comics since his time as editor of INFINITY back in the 1980s (a comic magazine now revived for the digital age). “Top Shelf is one of the most important players in the world and has played a significant part in expanding the horizons of the form. It publishes the best writers and artists the form has to offer.”

The SEQUENTIAL app now features the work of Alan Moore, Brian Bolland, David Lloyd, Eddie Campbell, Ellen Lindner, Hunt Emerson, Isabel Greenberg, Jaime Hernandez, Nick Abadzis, Rutu Modan, Winshluss and many, many more.

• For more information on SEQUENTIAL and to download it for free from the App Store visit: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/id629759394?ls=1&mt=8

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.