“An intriguing mix of adventure and wonder and the mundane, both quietly epic and very personal. Wonderful art. Highly recommended.”―Jeff VanderMeer, Annihilation
“TOPSIDE is an engrossing adventure buoyed by lush sci-fi landscapes and unlikely friendships. Monk and Bogosian have crafted an imaginative odyssey that calls to mind the works of Hayao Miyazaki.”―Kristen Gudsnuk, Making Friends
“Thoughtful, woke, and enjoyably propulsive. The world Monk and Bogosian describe is terrible, but such an enjoyable place to spend an afternoon.”―Zander Cannon, Kaijumax
“Vibrant and fun, TOPSIDE blasts off on a colorful journey across an alien world.”
―Katie Shanahan, Silly Kingdom
(September 26. 2019) On October 1, 2019, Graphic Universe will publish TOPSIDE, a wild outer-space fantasy graphic novel about fixing your mistakes and the friends you meet along the way, by writer J.N. Monk and artist Harry Bogosian, the creators of the acclaimed web comic StarHammer.
Meet Jo Wilson, repair technician. She’s talented. Headstrong. And… in a lot of trouble. Jo keeps things running inside the Core, an underground society on the verge of collapse. All she asks in return is that people stay out of her way. When a routine assignment goes haywire, Jo has no one but herself to blame. To fix the slipup, she’ll have to head topside, onto her planet’s lawless, unruly surface. Jo’s journey sends her wandering through deserts, riding on the backs of giant beasts and cutting deals with con artists and bounty hunters. And all the while, the agents of the Core are in hot pursuit.
“Jo makes a mistake that damages a vital component to one of her planet's core systems. Her mistake is just the straw that broke the camel's back, but she blames herself and makes it her own responsibility to fix it no matter what,” said writer J.N. Monk. “The idea that the responsibility of the world lies with any one person isn't true; it'll take all of us to see things through. And that's something Jo has to discover for herself."
“I want to be able to create worlds that people find themselves believing in, and wanting to visit,” said artist Harry Bogosian. “Even if the fictional world is a dark place I want it to be one that is so intriguing that the reader feels a compulsion to visit it. The best fictional worlds have always been ones that your mind visits even when you are not currently reading or watching it.”
TOPSIDE’s epic world building and unforgettable and diverse cast of characters has drawn praise from the likes of Jeff VanderMeer (Annihilation), Kristen Gudsnuk (Making Friends), Zander Cannon (Kaijumax), Katie Shanahan (Silly Kingdom) and more.
“TOPSIDE is an engrossing adventure buoyed by lush sci-fi landscapes and unlikely friendships. Monk and Bogosian have crafted an imaginative odyssey that calls to mind the works of Hayao Miyazaki.”―Kristen Gudsnuk, Making Friends
“Thoughtful, woke, and enjoyably propulsive. The world Monk and Bogosian describe is terrible, but such an enjoyable place to spend an afternoon.”―Zander Cannon, Kaijumax
“Vibrant and fun, TOPSIDE blasts off on a colorful journey across an alien world.”
―Katie Shanahan, Silly Kingdom
(September 26. 2019) On October 1, 2019, Graphic Universe will publish TOPSIDE, a wild outer-space fantasy graphic novel about fixing your mistakes and the friends you meet along the way, by writer J.N. Monk and artist Harry Bogosian, the creators of the acclaimed web comic StarHammer.
Meet Jo Wilson, repair technician. She’s talented. Headstrong. And… in a lot of trouble. Jo keeps things running inside the Core, an underground society on the verge of collapse. All she asks in return is that people stay out of her way. When a routine assignment goes haywire, Jo has no one but herself to blame. To fix the slipup, she’ll have to head topside, onto her planet’s lawless, unruly surface. Jo’s journey sends her wandering through deserts, riding on the backs of giant beasts and cutting deals with con artists and bounty hunters. And all the while, the agents of the Core are in hot pursuit.
“Jo makes a mistake that damages a vital component to one of her planet's core systems. Her mistake is just the straw that broke the camel's back, but she blames herself and makes it her own responsibility to fix it no matter what,” said writer J.N. Monk. “The idea that the responsibility of the world lies with any one person isn't true; it'll take all of us to see things through. And that's something Jo has to discover for herself."
“I want to be able to create worlds that people find themselves believing in, and wanting to visit,” said artist Harry Bogosian. “Even if the fictional world is a dark place I want it to be one that is so intriguing that the reader feels a compulsion to visit it. The best fictional worlds have always been ones that your mind visits even when you are not currently reading or watching it.”
TOPSIDE’s epic world building and unforgettable and diverse cast of characters has drawn praise from the likes of Jeff VanderMeer (Annihilation), Kristen Gudsnuk (Making Friends), Zander Cannon (Kaijumax), Katie Shanahan (Silly Kingdom) and more.
“As quest stories go, the world building in this one is impressive. Both Topside and the Core feel fully realized, with wordless panels full of imaginative creatures, a diverse cast of expressive characters, and strong, evocative colors doing much of the storytelling. A dystopian sf graphic novel perfect for readers new to the genre."―Booklist
"When a small mistake quickly snowballs, a young girl of color braves the strange surface of her planet to prove she can set things right…. Immersive, mysterious, and just the right amount of trippy."
―Kirkus Reviews
About the Creative Team
J. N. Monk is a Midwesterner with a song in their heart. They've lived in a lighthouse, an active volcano, and Florida but always return to the heartland. They love travel, superheroes, food, and cats and wish that everyone knew the lyrics and steps to the musical number in their soul. They live in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Harry Bogosian is a freelance Illustrator and comic artist from New York City. Since graduating Pratt Institute in 2009 he has drawn monsters for video game companies, done freelance work for books, and nowadays primarily makes comics and graphic novels. There is nothing he enjoys more than making new fantastical worlds, and filling them with his creations.
"When a small mistake quickly snowballs, a young girl of color braves the strange surface of her planet to prove she can set things right…. Immersive, mysterious, and just the right amount of trippy."
―Kirkus Reviews
About the Creative Team
J. N. Monk is a Midwesterner with a song in their heart. They've lived in a lighthouse, an active volcano, and Florida but always return to the heartland. They love travel, superheroes, food, and cats and wish that everyone knew the lyrics and steps to the musical number in their soul. They live in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Harry Bogosian is a freelance Illustrator and comic artist from New York City. Since graduating Pratt Institute in 2009 he has drawn monsters for video game companies, done freelance work for books, and nowadays primarily makes comics and graphic novels. There is nothing he enjoys more than making new fantastical worlds, and filling them with his creations.
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