FIRST LOOK: NEW ART FROM THE UNDERWATER WELDER

 "The most spectacular episode of The Twilight Zone that was never produced. I really, really care about the people in this story... And I can pretty much guarantee you will too." -- From the introduction by Damon Lindelof (LOST, Star Trek, Prometheus)

 "With The Underwater Welder, Jeff Lemire has created a moving, brilliant, and fiercely original work about loss, longing, and love. Full of piercing moments that will stay with you for long after you've finished reading, The Underwater Welder is a testament to the basic truth that down in the depths or up on land, there's nothing more haunting and wondrous than the human heart. A masterpiece of visual storytelling." -- Scott Snyder (Batman, Swamp Thing,American Vampire)

Above are a few never before released pages from my upcoming graphic novel, THE UNDERWATER WELDER. The book will be in next months PREVIEWS catalogue so be sure to ask you r local comic book shop to pre-order you a copy!  Full info below...

The Underwater Welder

by Jeff Lemire

$19.95 (US)

ISBN 978-1-60309-074-2

Pre-Order

WARNING: CONTENTS UNDER PRESSURE.

As an underwater welder on an oilrig off the coast of Nova Scotia, Jack Joseph is used to the immense pressures of deep-sea work. Nothing, however, could prepare him for the pressures of impending fatherhood. As Jack dives deeper and deeper, he seems to pull further and further away from his young wife and their unborn son. Then one night, deep in the icy solitude of the ocean floor, something unexplainable happens. Jack has a mysterious and supernatural encounter that will change the course of his life forever.

Equal parts blue-collar character study and mind-bending mystery, The Underwater Welder is a graphic novel about fathers and sons, birth and death, memory and reality, and the treasures we all bury deep below the surface.

SHIPPING IN AUGUST 2012!

ON CANADA READS...

Well, I was the first book voted off of the Canada Reads competition today, and I'll admit that it stings a bit more than I thought it would. But, in the end I am really proud of the accomplishment of making it to the final 5. It's a great sign for the future of graphic novels in this country, and their continued acceptance mainstream literary circles on a whole.

The truth is Essex County would never have been nominated if not for all the brilliant Canadian cartoonists who laid the ground work for such recognition over the last couple of decades. Dave Sim, Seth, Chester Brown, Julie Doucet and so many others not only inspired me, but a whole generation of cartoonist that will continue to push our beloved medium into the spotlight.

I'm proud to be part of such a great tradition of Canadian cartoonists, and continue to be inspired by the likes of Darwyn Cooke, Mariko and Jillian Tamaki, Kate Beaton and so many other great talents.

And, a big thanks to Sara Quin for her impassioned defense and promotion of not only EC but graphic novels in general. I know a lot of people have read EC, and other graphic novels, over the last couple of months who otherwise never would have.

And thanks to Chris, Brett and Leigh at Top Shelf for helping me run with the ball once I got it, you guys are the best!

j

Upcoming Appearances

Essex County, the Graphic Novel, and Montreal

Time	Thursday, January 27 · 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location	Drawn & Quarterly bookstore 211 Bernard Street West Montreal, QC
Created By	Homerun Show, CBC Radio One
More Info	Come and meet graphic novelist/cartoonist Jeff Lemire, who’s Essex County is in the running for this year’s Canada Reads. Meet the artist, ask him questions, and see how he works. You could also win one of several complete Canada Reads book packages! Homerun host Sue Smith and arts reporter Jeanette Kelly will also be hand, and joining us on stage will be Drawn & Quarterly’s head publisher and chief, Chris Oliveros, as well as Montreal’s own graphic novelist Sherwin Sullivan Tjia, author of The Hipless Boy, nominated for a Doug Wright Award and four Ignatz Awards. Essex County is the first graphic novel ever to be included in the running for the prestigious Canada Reads book prize. It is composed of three interconnected graphic novels: Tales from the Farm, Ghost Stories and The Country Nurse. Winner of several major awards in the world of comics, including a Joe Shuster Award, it was hailed by reviewers as "the comics medium at its best" (Booklist) and "a quiet, somber, haunting masterpiece" (The Oregonian). The discussion will be recorded and segments will air on Homerun.

Toronto Celebrates Canada Reads 2011

• Fri Feb 04, 2011
• 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
• 120 mins:

• Toronto Reference Library
• Atrium

Celebrate the 10th anniversary edition of the Canada Reads battle of the books. Featuring some of this year's nominated writers and defenders. Hosted by Mary Ito. Presented with CBC Radio 99.1.

Featuring:
Terry Fallis (author of The Best laid Plans)
Angie Abdou (author of The Bone Cage)
Jeff Lemire (author of Essex County)

Check back for more names to be added to our line-up.

ESSEX COUNTY AND CANADA READS 2011!

Some pics from the Canada Reads reception at CBC yesterday! Also a link to an interview in The Windsor Star, my hometown paper.

ESSEX COUNTY NAMED ONE OF THE TOP FIVE ESSENTIAL CANADIAN BOOKS OF THE DECADE!

Meet the Canada Reads 2011 contenders

November 24, 2010 11:00 AM

Canada Reads unveils 2011 panel, books

Last Updated: Wednesday, November 24, 2010 | 2:59 PM ET Comments12Recommend46

CBC News

Singer Sara Quin will defend graphic novel Essex County by Jeff Lemire. (CBC)

CBC's 2011 Canada Reads book panel will for the first time consider a graphic novel, after panellist Sara Quin chose Essex County by Jeff Lemire.

Quin, who is part of the music duo Tegan and Sara, is defending the graphic novel about the trials of a Canadian rural community.

Quin said she knows the graphic novel genre well and believes Essex County can be considered literature because of its "incredible characters and wonderful stories."

"The illustrations are so beautiful and so profound and tell a story all on their own," she said, speaking via video link at a press conference Wednesday.

Canada Reads announced its panellists and their choice of books for 2011 at the press conference.

The other panellists are:

• Actor Lorne Cardinal, who will defend Unless by Carol Shields.
• Former hockey pro Georges Laraque, who will defend The Bone Cage by Angie Abdou.
• TV personality Debbie Travis, who will champion The Birth House by Ami McKay.
• CNN journalist Ali Velshi, who will argue in favour of The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis.

Each of the 2011 panellists chose books from a list of 10 created after Canadians weighed in on the most significant Canadian books of the last 10 years.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2010/11/24/canada-reads-panel.html#ixzz16EjhktrK

ESSEX COUNTY NAMED ONE OF THE TOP TEN ESSENTIAL CANADIAN BOOKS OF THE DECADE!

Meet your Canada Reads Top 10 November 9, 2010 10:30 AM Our Top 40 is now a Top 10. We asked you to vote for the books you most wanted to see on Canada Reads — the Essential Top 10 Canadian Novels of the Decade, if you will. What you gave us, from the original 40 (which was a fabulous list, by the way, and should keep book clubs across the country rich in options for years to come), is 10 titles that represent the richness and diversity this entire campaign has offered. There are former Canada Reads contenders, a formerly self-published novel, a graphic novel, some titles from big publishers and others from smaller presses. There's a humorous book and a heartbreaking one, and everything in between. We think this list represents what Canada is reading and what Canada wants to read. So without further ado, Canada, meet your Top 10! The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis The Birth House by Ami McKay The Bone Cage by Angie Abdou The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill Bottle Rocket Hearts by Zoe Whittall Essex County by Jeff Lemire Life of Pi by Yann Martel Pattern Recognition by William Gibson Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden Unless by Carol Shields It's out of your hands now, Canada. Five of these titles will be selected by our five celebrity panelists to defend during the Canada Reads debates in February. The books and panelists will be revealed on Wednesday, November 24! In the meantime, we've got the biggest and best contest yet for you! Correctly guess the final five titles and you could win a chance to see the final round of debates and meet Jian Ghomeshi and the panelists! To enter, all you have to do is send in your prediction for the final five using this form. As with every contest, there are rules and regulations, so be sure to read those here! The deadline for the contest is Sunday, November 21, at midnight ET. Jian will randomly draw a name from all the correct entries on November 24. Good luck! So, what do you think of your Top 10? Any surprises? Who do you think will move on to the final five? Share your thoughts onFacebook, Twitter or in the comments below! Erin Balser is an associate producer with Canada Reads.

ESSEX COUNTY AND CANADA READS

Essex County has a chance to be nominated as one of the ten ESSENTIAL BOOKS OF THE DECADE by the CBC, so go VOTE!!!

http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads/2010/10/book-bloggers-offer-their-picks-for-the-essential-novel-of-the-decade.html