SelfMadeHero Spring 2019 Our mission at SelfMadeHero is simple: to publish ground-breaking and beautiful work by authors and artists from across the globe, from the quirky and humorous to the political and profound. We are proud to bring readers graphic novels and visual narratives that provoke, entertain, inspire and inform. This February, we publish Frantz Duchazeau’s Lomax: Collectors of Folk Songs, which tells the remarkable story of John and Alan Lomax, whose expedition through the American South in 1933 resulted in an archive of field recordings that would change the course of popular music. March sees the release of a landmark work of graphic non-fiction: Guantánamo Kid by Jérôme Tubiana and Alexandre Franc. This urgent, absorbing and intense graphic novel tells the story of Mohammed El-Gharani, one of the Bay’s youngest detainees. Also published in March, two works of original fiction: Blossoms in Autumn by Zidrou and Aimée de Jong is a masterful exploration of growing old and falling in love, while Memoirs of a Book Thief by Alessandro Tota and Pierre Van Hove is an energetic and unforgettable drama set in 1950s Paris. The latest book from New York Times-bestselling author Box Brown, published in April, charts the fascinating history of marijuana. Cannabis: An American History is a timely and persuasive study of the drug’s complex relationship to culture, politics and the United States legal system. Another April release, Lewis Trondheim and Stéphane Oiry’s atmospheric and intense crime drama Maggy Garrisson, introduces readers to an unconventional and instantly likeable heroine. Finally, in May, our ART MASTERS series continues with a graphic biography of the archetypal New York artist: Jean-Michel Basquiat. In Basquiat, Julian Voloj and Søren Glosimodt Mosdal paint a scintillating portrait of a troubled man and a dazzling, provocative artist. www.selfmadehero.com ART MASTERS Basquiat ■ WORDS BY JULIAN VOLOJ ■ ART BY SØREN GLOSIMODT MOSDAL SELLING POINTS ■ The subject of numerous exhibitions, books and articles, the ground-breaking, provocative work of Jean-Michel Basquiat is of perennial interest ■ A thoroughly researched account of Basquiat’s life, from his childhood in Brooklyn, through An insightful and his time as a young artist and his compulsively readable subsequent rise to fame, to his graphic biography of death at the age of 27 Jean-Michel Basquiat ■ Today, Basquiat’s influence stretches far beyond the world of fine art into music, fashion, design and many other areas SPECIFICATIONS Colour illustrations throughout 136 pages, 170mm x 240mm Paperback RIGHTS: WORLD PUB MONTH: MAY 2019 GRAPHIC NOVEL • he dazzling, provocative work of Jean-Michel BIOGRAPHY TBasquiat would come to define the vibrant New York art scene of the late ’70s and early ’80s. Punk, jazz, graffiti, hip-hop: his work drew heavily on the cultural trappings of ISBN 978-1-910593-65-3 Lower Manhattan, to which he fled – from Brooklyn – at £14.99 the age of 15. This stunning graphic novel captures the dramatic life and exhilarating times of the archetypal New York artist, covering everything from the SAMO graffiti project to his first solo show, from his early meetings with Andy Warhol to the development of the addiction that would cost him his life. Today, Basquiat’s influence can be seen not only in fine art but in fashion, design and music. Now, for the first time, his remarkable story is told in graphic novel form – and his work is shown to be more important, his themes more urgent, than ever before. Søren Glosimodt Mosdal is a Danish comics artist and newspaper illustrator. Born in Nairobi, he now lives in Copenhagen. Julian Voloj is the author of a number of graphic novels, including Ghetto Brother and The Joe Schuster Story. Born in Germany, he now lives with his wife and two sons in New York City. 2 ■ SPRING 2019 Maggy Garrisson ■ WORDS BY LEWIS TRONDHEIM ■ ART BY STÉPHANE OIRY ■ TRANSLATED BY EMMA WILSON SELLING POINTS ■ A lean, stylish and compelling crime story set in London ■ Introduces the charismatic Maggy Garrisson, a smart, subversive and admirably unconventional heroine ■ Lewis Trondheim is one of An atmospheric, the best-known names in unforgettable crime French comics drama set in London SPECIFICATIONS Colour illustrations throughout 152 pages, 170mm x 240mm Paperback RIGHTS: WORLD ENGLISH PUB MONTH: APRIL 2019 fter two years of unemployment, Maggy Garrisson GRAPHIC NOVEL • ORIGINAL Alands a secretarial job. Too bad her new boss is the FICTION shady, shambolic Anthony Wight: private detective and alcoholic. But a job is a job, and Maggy could use the cash. ISBN 978-1-910593-64-6 Five days into her new role, Wight is beaten to a pulp £14.99 and Maggy is tasked with returning his wallet. With this seemingly innocuous request, Maggy enters a sinister underworld of bent cops, crooked businessmen and career criminals. There’s a lot to investigate, from the disappearance of a family album to dodgy dealings in gold teeth. But for someone with the energy, ingenuity and enterprising spirit of Maggy Garrisson, puzzles are there to be solved – especially if there’s money to be made in the process. Lewis Trondheim is an award-winning French comics creator and publisher. His books include Poppies of Iraq and Slaloms. Trondheim was made a Knight of the Order of Arts and Literature in 2005. He lives in Paris. Stéphane Oiry is a comic book artist, animator and children’s book author. The creator of a number of graphic novels, he teaches illustration at the Condé School of Art and Design. He lives in Paris. SPRING 2019 ■ 3 Memoirs of a Book Thief ■ WORDS BY ALESSANDRO TOTA ■ ART BY PIERRE VAN HOVE ■ TRANSLATED BY EDWARD GAUVIN SELLING POINTS ■ An intelligent and compelling drama set in the smoky bistros of 1950s Paris ■ Will appeal to Francophiles and anyone with an interest in the culture of post-war Europe ■ A timely and playful graphic novel that explores themes of protest, art and authenticity A witty, energetic and original drama set in 1950s Paris SPECIFICATIONS Black-and-white throughout 176 pages, 170mm x 240mm Hardback RIGHTS: WORLD ENGLISH PUB MONTH: APRIL 2019 GRAPHIC NOVEL • ORIGINAL FICTION aris in the 1950s: the reign of Sartre and Pexistentialism. Daniel Brodin – bibliophile, book thief, self-proclaimed poet – enters the heated atmosphere of ISBN 978-1-910593-63-9 the Café Serbier, home of the Parisian literati. A poetry £14.99 night is taking place and, when one luminary suggests giving the floor to an unknown, Daniel impulsively puts himself forward. Under pressure, he recites not one of his own surrealist poems but an obscure piece of Italian verse he’s certain no one will know. It’s plagiarism – but it’s a triumph. At last, success. Daniel’s recital marks his entrance into the Parisian avant garde: a band of cultured rogues and pseudo-revolutionaries for whom life is a playground for art and planning a robbery has as much value as writing a book. In this milieu, the wine is good and the girls are beautiful – but can success last if it is founded on theft? Alessandro Tota is an award-wining comics writer. He is the author of numerous children’s books and graphic novels. Born in Italy, he lives in Paris. Pierre Van Hove is an illustrator and graphic artist, and the co-founder of production company Enfin. 4 ■ SPRING 2019 Cannabis AN AMERICAN HISTORY ■ BY BOX BROWN A rich, entertaining and surprising history of cannabis SELLING POINTS ■ A timely, fascinating and eye-opening history of cannabis in America ■ Published at a time of wide- spread legalisation in the United States and fierce debate over the drug’s use for medicinal purposes in the UK ■ From the New York Times- bestselling author of Andre The Giant and Tetris SPECIFICATIONS Black-and-white throughout 256 pages, 152mm x 216mm Paperback with flaps RIGHTS: UK & COMMONWEALTH PUB MONTH: APRIL 2019 n the 16th century, during his violent colonial campaign, GRAPHIC NOVEL • ICortés introduced hemp farming to Mexico. In secret, NON-FICTION locals began cultivating the plant for consumption. Cannabis made its way to the United States by means ISBN 978-1-910593-67-7 of the immigrant labour force. Once the plant had been £14.99 shared with black labourers, it didn’t take long for American lawmakers to decry cannabis as the vice of “inferior races”. Enter an era of propaganda designed to whip up fear among the public. Dishonest and discriminatory ALSO AVAILABLE campaigns, spearheaded by legislators and the press, spread vicious lies about a plant that had been used by humanity for thousands of years. The result: cannabis was given a schedule 1 classification, alongside heroin. In this entertaining and expertly crafted graphic novel, Box Brown offers a rich, persuasive and eye-opening guide to the complex and troubled history of cannabis in America. Box Brown is an award-winning cartoonist. His book Tetris: The Games People Play Andre the Giant: Life and Legend spent three weeks on ISBN 978-1-910593-22-6 the New York Times bestsellers list. He is also the author £12.99 of Tetris: The Games We Play and Is This Guy For Real?, a biography of Andy Kaufman. He lives in Philadelphia. SPRING 2019 ■ 5 Blossoms in Autumn ■ WORDS BY ZIDROU ■ ART BY AIMÉE DE JONGH ■ TRANSLATED BY MATT MADDEN SELLING POINTS ■ A unique collaboration between veteran comics writer Zidrou and rising star Aimée de Jongh ■ Tackles the subject of loneliness with sensitivity and intelligence ■ An unconventional, life-affirming A moving, story about finding love in masterfully crafted later life. story about growing old and falling in love SPECIFICATIONS Colour illustrations throughout 144 pages, 170mm x 240mm Hardback RIGHTS: WORLD ENGLISH PUB MONTH: MARCH 2019 GRAPHIC NOVEL • ORIGINAL FICTION lysses is a 59-year-old widower who, since Uretiring, has been in the grip of loneliness.