A New Collection Craze Begins, The Inaugural Lynd Ward Graphic Novel Prize, Duncan the Wonder Dog, Searching for a First Printing

I wrote about the graphic novels of Lynd Ward in reference to the Library Of America release of his complete novels in two volumes previously and am preparing a collecting guide to Lynd Ward for a future posting.  This week, the inaugural Lynd Ward Prize for Graphic Novel of The Year was announced and the winner is Duncan the Wonder Dog: Show One and an award of honor was given to Set To Sea.  May the Lynd Ward Prize collecting frenzy begin!

Duncan the Wonder Dog:  Show One, by Adam Hines, 400 pages, ISBN 0977030490, AdHouse Books, Novemeber 9, 2010 is sold out everywhere, available as a digital book, open for viewing online until the second printing is available and is now an in demand, and pricey, collectible printed book.  While you certainly may order a new copy of the print edition, expect to wait a few more weeks for the 2nd printing to be available. A few copies of the first printing are for sale with prices ranging from $188 to $225 plus shipping.  The first printing will always be more rare and expensive than the planned second printing but since this book is 400 pages and technically expensive to produce the 2nd printing, over time, should hold value and even may increase in value years from now. 

If you are close to brick and mortar stores that have good stock of comics and graphic novels you may be lucky and find a copy of the now rare first printing still in stock. If you want to start a graphic novel collection with this title or get in on the ground floor of collecting the Lynd Ward Prize books, start searching because there must be at least a few copies still around, maybe!  Duncan The Wonder Dog:  Show One, is the first release in a planned 9 book series.  It will certainly be easy to plan ahead and pre-order books 2-9 as they are announced and that may be a good idea as the creator, Adam Hines, seems to be the real deal.  In November 2010 PW published a nice interview with the author that offers insight into his creative process and his technique.


Copies of the first printing of Set To Sea, be Drew Weing, 144 pages, ISBN 1606993682, Fantagraphics Books, August 2010 are still available and seem worthy of an order since this is the first honored book in the Lynd Ward Prize.  I noticed that Amazon only had 19 copies left when I placed my order this morning and I expect that this too, will become scarce and more expensive within the next few weeks!

I do encourage everyone to, at least, visit the free online edition of Duncan The Wonder Dog:  Show One as the images display mastery of the graphic novel format and the content is simply amazing.