Oni Press announced WARS IN TOYLAND at New York Comic Con this weekend, my new graphic novel with Adam Pollina illustrating. It’s a dark, children’s fantasy and will be released in Summer, 2013.
Adam and I have been looking to tell this story for a long time now and Oni Press is sure to deliver a slick, beautiful book. Oversized in format, the OGN is going to open landscape-wise with wickedly beautiful double-wide spreads like this one…
Kicking the panel off, long-time collaborators Joe Harris and Adam Pollina announced their new deluxe graphic novel WARS IN TOYLAND. Darkly inspired by the classic story of BABES IN TOYLAND, this new book looks at the once wondrous and beautiful Toyland after the rise of the teddy dictator, Roxbury. After Matthew’s brother and playmate, Alex, disappears, young Matthew finds himself carried into Toyland by his own loyal toy soldiers. Only Matthew soon learns that Alex has been here, too – and is now being held captive by Roxbury. Leading an attack on the teddy bear’s fortress, Matthew never considers that his brother might be beyond saving.
“Ever since I was a kid watching LAUREL & HARDY on Thanksgiving Day, my demented thoughts have turned to wooden soldiers making war on one another,” commented Harris. “WARS IN TOYLAND is a story we’ve been looking to tell for a long, long time. It’s a dark fantasy about the things we throw away, the things we can’t let go of and growing up, in a broad sense, even though it really sucks sometimes.”
“WARS IN TOYLAND is as close to my heart as any story I have ever drawn,” added Pollina. “As a young child I would spend hours dividing my toys into armies and leading them in some glorious battle. This graphic novel is heavily inspired by those childhood memories. I know I feel I’m still finding the courage to face the challenges in my life and win the battles ahead of me. And this book is an expression of that struggle.”
Joining Harris & Pollina for the project are finisher Brent McCarthy and colorist Nolan Woodard.
“Joe and Adam really delivered an outstanding book and the work from Brent and Nolan just helps it shine that much more,” concluded Jones. “The oversized, landscape format really makes their work a thing to behold.
