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Jul

3

Awesome Find

Filed Under Books, Comics Artists | 16 Comments

Every start of the month I make it a point to make a trek to town to visit our local Booksale when new stocks arrive. I want to get ahead of the others who think of doing the same thing, just so I can get first dibs on the cool stuff. Sometimes I don’t come away with anything except the odd magazine I use for reference. Sometimes I come away with something awesome. Yesterday I found one book that blew my mind.

houdini01

“Houdini: The Handcuff King” by Jason Lutes and Nick Bertozzi is something I read about in reviews online, and I saw a copy of it at Powerbooks the last time I was there. I wanted to buy it, but I just couldn’t afford it.

I flipped when I saw the hardcover at Booksale, and priced at only P65. That’s slightly less than US$1.50. I couldn’t believe my luck.

houdini02

The question is, is it any good? I thought it was terrific. It focused only on a specific event in the life of Houdini. I thought that was a cool idea because focusing on the minutiae of a single event allows one to see in detail the the inner workings of this man, without being cluttered by all the detail, dates, and other events that populate his life. It becomes a more intimate portrait, and what a wonderful portrait it is.

It is moving, funny, and even suspenseful and exciting. Even Ilyn likes it.

Comments

16 Responses to “Awesome Find”

  1. jzhunagev on July 3rd, 2009 3:55 pm

    Ahhh… BookSale…. The mecca of thrify book lovers… I have had my share of great finds in Booksale… I got some extra rare books just rummaging through their piles… and always there emerges a gem!!!

    Funny though that I hadn’t bought any graphic novel yet from that store… I only got books and books… well it’s not just my luck and somebody might have bought first the books I want to buy…
    Fate is a fickle thing…

    Right now some of the branches I usually frequent are in Cubao (at Farmer’s Plaza and in Shopwise), SM Centerpoint, SM Manila, SM San Lazaro, the one in Pedro Gil, and in Robinson’s Place Ermita…
    too many and so much for a book enthusiast… ^_^
    I think that’s one helluva (comic) book Sir Gerry… I wish I have your luck…

  2. dodo dayao on July 3rd, 2009 5:36 pm

    Swerte mo, Gerry, congrats. Haven’t read this yet – - -although I have read glowing reviews – - – but I’m a fan of Jason Lutes. I like his Berlin and his Jar of Fools is one of the few comics that actually made me weep a little. . .sige na nga, medyo napa-hagulgol ako. Hehe. Hit a little close to home, that one.:)

  3. Gerry Alanguilan on July 3rd, 2009 6:49 pm

    jzhunagev, look for it in the children’s books section. That’s where they usually stick the graphic novels in. :)

  4. auggie on July 3rd, 2009 8:27 pm

    Gerry,

    Mi nabili din ako recently, sa BOOKSALE,Robinson, Iloilo City. MOEBIUS ARZACH,by Randy & Jean-Marc Lofficier, based on the character created by Jean Giraud, a.k.a. Moebius, with spot illustrations by Moebius himself. Published by ibooks New York. 160 bucks. Laking gulat ko, walang pumapansin.

  5. Gerry Alanguilan on July 3rd, 2009 8:59 pm

    That’s great Auggie! I have a story about that Azrach story. When I was in San Diego for the convention in 1999, I saw Moebius doing signings at his booth. I freaked. I didn’t have any of his books at hand, but I immediately went to a retailer and found a copy of the Dark Horse edition of Azrach, which is in my opinion, one of the most spectacularly drawn comics ever. When I went back to his table, I was stopped by an assistant and was told Moebius wasn’t signing anymore. Waaaah!

  6. Markus on July 4th, 2009 12:33 am

    Thats also where I found Eisner-awardee “Mom’s Cancer” by Brian Fies. I’m currently enjoying the graphic novel and yes, I also got it much, much cheaper than the original price (it was originally $12.95 and I just got it for P135). Booksale rocks! :)

  7. Pinoy Comics USA on July 4th, 2009 1:26 am

    Gerry, Auggie,
    Nice finds. Sige payabangan ng “Finds.” hehehe. One distinct advantage I have is that here in America there are what you call Garage Sales or Yard Sales. People sell their junk (or what they think is junk) for oh, starting from a quarter, to some ridiculous price that nobody would even touch at a garage sale. Here’s what I found for 50cents, the copy here is in Ebay, my copy is a little more beat up outside, but the pages are excellent:http://cgi.ebay.com.my/HAL-FOSTER-PRINCE-VALIANT-THE-YOUNG-KNIGHT-RARE-BOOK_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQitemZ360138840412#ebayphotohosting
    Starting bid is $174 for THE YOUNG KNIGHT, A TALE OF MEDIEVAL TIMES, illustrated by the great Harold Foster of Prince Valiant fame. The book is one of the hardest to find of Hal Fosters comics. I am a great fan of Hal Foster so it’s in my collection forever.
    Gerry, linshak na-miss mo si Moebius?
    Rod

  8. chummy on July 4th, 2009 7:25 am

    I saw a copy of the book at NBS and it was still very pricey and I really wanted to buy it,nice find sir, lucky you :) . I do my weekly Booksale rounds whenever I can and will eye on one and try my luck, I’ve had awesome finds in booksale recently with Doctor Midnite TBP and Deadenders:Stealing the Sun TPB, Booksale is a godsend as always :)

  9. jzhunagev on July 4th, 2009 8:39 am

    Hey thanks for the advice Sir Gerry…
    Guess I’ll have some digging to do…
    I never thought they would place graphic novels in the children’s section… which makes me wonder… hhmmm… do people always regard comics as a kiddy thing? Just wondering…

  10. auggie on July 4th, 2009 9:59 am

    Rod,

    Sa mga bargain sales na iyan ko rin nabili yung series of Masterworks ng PACIFIC COMICS yata ( nakalimutan ko na, yung Bernie Wrightson at Frank Frazetta. Gumagawa , pa noon ng comics si Frazetta, SILENT KNIGHT, amazingly parang Hal Foster ang rendering. Yung ki Wrightson naman, compilation ng mga selected works niya sa Warren, gaya ng THE LAUGHING MAN. Yung ki Corben, mga compilation ng Edgar Allan Poe Stories.
    Other rare finds sa BOOKSALE: Rolling Stones, coffee table book, 2,000 plus ang orig price, went down to 250 bucks, natcherly, sinunggaban ko.Dr.Marten’s book and other Punk bands sa England, Hellblazer na hard bound, 95 bucks only. Mga fairly recent issues of COMMUNICATION ARTS, HOW, PRINT, and other art related trade journals. I got fairly recently, mga B&W works ni MATISSE !

    Ive’ heard taga UST daw ang mi ari ng Booksale, graduate daw ng PHILETS.

  11. Gerry Alanguilan on July 4th, 2009 10:21 am

    Many people still do jzhunagev. I remember a time when they placed these R rated Moebius comics, complete with sex scenes with both male and female genitals so beautifully drawn and interacting with each other, in the children’s section at National Book Store. It blew my 10 year old mind and it blew… something else.

  12. Eusebio Yu on July 4th, 2009 11:42 am

    What I used to do is search their online website and look for steals. Those copies are in much better condition since they don’t display them. After ordering, I can pick them up at a branch of my choosing. Usually, takes less than 5 days. I also found out that if you wanna order 5k or more, you can go to their warehouse in Bicutan.

  13. auggie on July 4th, 2009 12:29 pm

    Gerry,

    You must be referring to Moebius’s LONG TOMORROW, mi mga explicit sex scenes doon.

  14. Gerry Alanguilan on July 4th, 2009 1:09 pm

    Hello Auggie! Yes, “The Long Tomorrow” is definitely it. Curiously enough, roughly 20 years later, I was still able to buy a copy of Long Tomorrow, as well as other Moebius books at National Book Store… in the children’s section. :)

  15. raipo on July 4th, 2009 1:50 pm

    steal gerry! pasalamat sa booksale may kogaratsu at grendel devil by the deed ako! tsambahan nga lang.

  16. knovs on July 6th, 2009 8:45 am

    gerry: “It blew my 10 year old mind and it blew… something else.”

    he he he! naalala ko tuloy nung bata pa ako… ganyan din ang nangyari sa akin nung mabasa ko ang “The Long Tomorrow”.