Melvin Monster: Volume One (John Stanley Library) (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The classic children’s comic strip in a handsome new archival series, designed by Seth

 

John Stanley is celebrated as one of the great children’s comics writers for his work on the Little Lulu series. In fact, the Lulu work is a small part of his output; he drew and continued to write many other comics—notably his work on the 1960s teen comics from Dell (Thirteen, Dunc and Loo, and Kookie) and his monster comedy strip, Melvin Monster.

Drawn & Quarterly is planning to launch an extensive reprinting of much of Stanley’s work in discrete volumes. The first in this series is the two-volume Melvin Monster collection featuring all ten issues about the oddball monster boy who just wants to be good, go to school, and do as he’s told. Designed to fit nicely with Drawn & Quarterly’s reprinting of Tove Jansson’s Moomin series, these comics are great reading for all ages. Stanley’s reputation as a great storyteller and visual comedian is richly deserved—few golden- or silver-age comics stand the test of time the way these comics do.

About the Author

JOHN STANLEY (1914–93) was a journeyman comics scripter in the 1950s and 1960s. He is most famous for his scripts for the majority of the Little Lulu comics produced by Dell, and is considered by many comics historians to be the most consistently funny and idiosyncratic writer ever to work in the field. He left comics bitterly sometime in the late 1960s, never to return.

---

Product Details Hardcover: 184 pages Publisher: Drawn and Quarterly (May 26, 2009) Language: English ISBN-10: 189729963X ISBN-13: 978-1897299630 Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 7.9 x 0.7 inches Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #325,144 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) Popular in this category: (What's this?) #52 in  Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Publishers > Drawn and Quarterly

---

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

› Visit Amazon's John Stanley Page

---

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	56% buy the item featured on this page: Melvin Monster: Volume One (John Stanley Library) 3.8 out of 5 stars (8) $13.57
	13% buy Nancy: Volume One (John Stanley Library) 3.8 out of 5 stars (4) $16.47
	11% buy The TOON Treasury of Classic Children's Comics 4.5 out of 5 stars (4) $26.40
	10% buy Asterios Polyp 4.5 out of 5 stars (35) $19.77

Explore similar items

---

Tags Customers Associate with This Product  (What's this?) Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people. Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below.  drawn and quarterly(3) john stanley(3) comics(2) humor comics(2) monster comics(2) dell comics(1) fantasy(1) kids comics(1) satire(1) Agree with these tags? Your tags: Add your first tag

Search Products Tagged with   See most popular tags

---

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

---

 

Customer Reviews

8 Reviews 5 star:  (1) 4 star:  (5) 3 star:  (1) 2 star:  (1) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 3.8 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 4 of 5 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Monstrous Fun, June 20, 2009 By  Gord Wilson "alivingdog.com" (Bellingham, WA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)       The John Stanley Library from Montreal's Drawn and Quarterly has been the talk of 2009, as fans look forward with eager anticipation. The first volume, Melvin Monster, is out at last, after a 32 page teaser comic for Free Comic Book Day that was half Melvin/ half Nancy. That comic gave a pretty good preview of things to come. Like the Library, it was designed by Seth, who gave such a retro look to the Peanuts hardback sets The Complete Peanuts 1950-1954 Box Set. Unlike the Peanuts sets, however, the Melvin cover depicts a stylized design by Seth, rather than Stanley cover art. Melvin Monster was published by Dell from 1965-1969. There were only ten issues, and the tenth is a reprint of the first. This hardback, color volume includes the first three comics, so there could be two more volumes to cover the entire run. However, unlike the Another Rainbow Little Lulu Library, you don't get the original comic covers, only the stories. There are about a hundred pages of color comics, printed on quality paper, but which looks like the original newsprint, in a handsome, library quality 11 X 8 inch hardback binding. Certainly more archival than the original comics. Collectors will still likely want the original issues, as some of the covers, at least, have Stanley art. Everyone else may be wondering what's the big deal about John Stanley? In the realm of humorous kids' comics, he was simply without peer, and most of the exceptions one might name turn out to also be by him. The last page in this volume includes a brief bio, and he turns out to be the motive force behind not only Little Lulu and Melvin, but also Dell's Nancy, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Woody Woodpecker, and a half dozen other titles. Not to mention his own teen comics, Thirteen Going on Eighteen, Dunc and Loo, and Kookie, in which he hit his stride, with a deft hand and easy style. Melvin Monster is not to be confused with Atlas Comics' Melvin the Monster (Dexter the Demon), an offering in the mischievous kid genre, along with Marvel's Peter the Little Pest, neither of which were monster comics. Drawn and Quarterly lists Melvin Monster under "Comics and Graphic Novels/ Horror" but it could also be "humor", hailing as it does from the 'sixties, when the zany monster craze was at its height. Gold Key's The Little Monsters was another whimsical entry in the monster antics genre. That said, Stanley's writing in Melvin is freewheeling, as few writers before or since, and his art style might be described as primitive. In the Halcyon days when Dell and Gold Key ruled the comics racks, however, it was merely perfect. What Stanley lacked in intricate artistry, he made up in vigor and verve. If this volume included the covers, I'd give it a five. That curious omission aside, here's the series Stanley fans have long waited for, and he may at last take his rightful place in comics history. 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars aaah...Nostalgia, July 17, 2009 By  Steven Vaughn (Charlotte,NC ,USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    Several reviews have already informed us so much about Stanley and the place of Melvin in his work, I couldn't add more, but I wanted to add how much I enjoyed the quirky humor of these stories which will seem very "corny" to many readers today. I was even pleasantly pleased by the fact of the coloring being from the original pages, instead of updating it with modern techniques. Would it be cooler if they had the complete run in one volume (there were only nine original issues, and #10 was a reprint of #1), and the covers,Yeah, that would be nice. But would the market bear the price? At the Amazon price of $13 and change this is a great item, easy to handle while reading, unlike the "Absolute" editions, and has beautiful design by Seth. 3 of 4 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, wish it was complete..., May 28, 2009 By  G. Syn (Seattle WA) - See all my reviews Melvin is an underrated and underlauded creation of the monster crazy 60's by artist/writer John Stanley. The art and especially the humor of these stories really holds up however. Melvin's journeys, "through the looking glass" from Monstertown to "Humanbeanville", create a bizarre and hilarious little mythology that I enjoyed today as much as I did when they first came out. The presentation in this volume is beautiful, but I wish it contained more than three issues for volume one..		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 4.0 out of 5 stars great! but one problem Memories came flooding back. As a child I just loved Melvin Monster. But a huge part of that love and fun were all the funny little side jokes and I think, pseudo ads. Read more Published 1 month ago by J. Miller 5.0 out of 5 stars You must be a monster to fit into a monstrous world... This collection was a very pleasant surprise. I actually remember when these first issues of Melvin Monster were originally published. Read more Published 5 months ago by OAKSHAMAN 4.0 out of 5 stars Stanley's take on the 60s monster fad Thanks to the success of Dark Horse's LITTLE LULU volumes, Stanley "stock" is up, and now Montreal-based D&Q is joining the frenzy with the first of a promised series of volumes... Read more Published 5 months ago by Christopher Barat 2.0 out of 5 stars Two missteps in one John Stanley was among the greatest of storytellers and humorists of the 20th century. His work can stand with that of Paul Rhymer and Norman Corwin of radio, P.G. Read more Published 5 months ago by Brent R. Swanson 3.0 out of 5 stars "Handsome new archival series"? Not quite! The stories are quirky gems but Dark Horse chose to print them on a horrible yellowed paper leading to muted colours and muddy reproduction in general. Read more Published 5 months ago by Ajit Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

---

Customer Discussions

This product's forum Discussion Replies Latest Post No discussions yet Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight Start a new discussion Topic: First post: Receive e-mail when new posts are made Prompts for sign-in   Guidelines Active discussions in related forums Discussion Replies Latest Post fantasy KTT9 Afterparty!!! 2830 3 minutes ago fantasy KTT11 - Win a great epic fantasy!!! 6964 5 minutes ago humor what is the funniest book/books you have ever read? 360 19 minutes ago satire What is the funniest book you've read recently? 15 29 minutes ago humor My new book (which, by the way, is hilarious) 27 4 hours ago comics Who is the Rulk? 11 5 hours ago graphic novel Looking for Graphic Novels for 6th grade boy 57 1 day ago Search Customer Discussions Search all Amazon discussions

The Comics community Latest activity 38 minutes ago 9,334 customers have contributed 11,963 products, 246 discussions and more... › Explore the community The Fantasy community Latest activity 5 minutes ago 34,408 customers have contributed 34,609 products, 1,023 discussions and more... › Explore the community The Satire community Latest activity 1 hour ago 4,760 customers have contributed 3,222 products, 348 lists & guides and more... › Explore the community Related forums comics (246 discussions) drawn and... fantasy (1023 discussions) graphic novel (43 discussions) humor (132 discussions) humor comics john stanley monster comics satire (8 discussions) Explore more › See all Customer Communities › Your communities

---

Listmania!

When Comics Were Fun: A list by Gord Wilson "alivingdog.com"   Favorite comics 2009: A list by Thomas J. Campbell   More Books I Need To Read: A list by crazygirl Create a Listmania! list

Search Listmania!

---

So You'd Like to...

Get an overview of the history of comics and graphic novels: A guide by A reviewer Create a guide

Search Guides

---

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)

Be the first person to add an article about this item at Amapedia.com.

› See featured Amapedia.com articles

---

Look for Similar Items by Category

• Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Cartooning
• Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Graphic Novels > Fantasy
• Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Publishers > Drawn and Quarterly
• Books > Entertainment > Humor > Satire
• Books > Literature & Fiction

---

Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Books by subject:
Graphic Satire And Humor
Humor
Graphic Novels
Comics & Graphic Novels / Fantasy
Comics & Graphic Novels / General
Fantasy
Form - Comic Strips & Cartoons
Graphic Novels: General


i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Ad feedback

 

Feedback If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? Is there any other feedback you would like to provide? Your comments can help make our site better for everyone. Please note that we are unable to respond directly to all feedback submitted via this form, but we'll ask you to sign in so we can contact you if needed.

Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

› View and edit your browsing history

Get to Know Us Careers Investor Relations Press Releases Amazon and Our Planet Make Money with Us Sell on Amazon Join Associates Self-publish with Us › See all Let Us Help You Shipping Rates & Policies Amazon Prime Returns Help

Canada | China | France | Germany | Japan | United Kingdom  And don't forget: Amazon Windowshop | AmazonWireless | Askville | Audible | DPReview | Endless | IMDb | Shopbop | SoundUnwound | Warehouse Deals by Amazon | Zappos Conditions of Use | Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

Product Details

• Hardcover: 184 pages
• Publisher: Drawn and Quarterly (May 26, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 189729963X
• ISBN-13: 978-1897299630
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 7.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #325,144 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #52 in

  Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Publishers > Drawn and Quarterly

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Monstrous Fun, June 20, 2009

By	Gord Wilson "alivingdog.com" (Bellingham, WA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

The John Stanley Library from Montreal's Drawn and Quarterly has been the talk of 2009, as fans look forward with eager anticipation. The first volume, Melvin Monster, is out at last, after a 32 page teaser comic for Free Comic Book Day that was half Melvin/ half Nancy. That comic gave a pretty good preview of things to come. Like the Library, it was designed by Seth, who gave such a retro look to the Peanuts hardback sets The Complete Peanuts 1950-1954 Box Set. Unlike the Peanuts sets, however, the Melvin cover depicts a stylized design by Seth, rather than Stanley cover art.

Melvin Monster was published by Dell from 1965-1969. There were only ten issues, and the tenth is a reprint of the first. This hardback, color volume includes the first three comics, so there could be two more volumes to cover the entire run. However, unlike the Another Rainbow Little Lulu Library, you don't get the original comic covers, only the stories. There are about a hundred pages of color comics, printed on quality paper, but which looks like the original newsprint, in a handsome, library quality 11 X 8 inch hardback binding. Certainly more archival than the original comics.

Collectors will still likely want the original issues, as some of the covers, at least, have Stanley art. Everyone else may be wondering what's the big deal about John Stanley? In the realm of humorous kids' comics, he was simply without peer, and most of the exceptions one might name turn out to also be by him. The last page in this volume includes a brief bio, and he turns out to be the motive force behind not only Little Lulu and Melvin, but also Dell's Nancy, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Woody Woodpecker, and a half dozen other titles. Not to mention his own teen comics, Thirteen Going on Eighteen, Dunc and Loo, and Kookie, in which he hit his stride, with a deft hand and easy style.

Melvin Monster is not to be confused with Atlas Comics' Melvin the Monster (Dexter the Demon), an offering in the mischievous kid genre, along with Marvel's Peter the Little Pest, neither of which were monster comics. Drawn and Quarterly lists Melvin Monster under "Comics and Graphic Novels/ Horror" but it could also be "humor", hailing as it does from the 'sixties, when the zany monster craze was at its height. Gold Key's The Little Monsters was another whimsical entry in the monster antics genre.

That said, Stanley's writing in Melvin is freewheeling, as few writers before or since, and his art style might be described as primitive. In the Halcyon days when Dell and Gold Key ruled the comics racks, however, it was merely perfect. What Stanley lacked in intricate artistry, he made up in vigor and verve. If this volume included the covers, I'd give it a five. That curious omission aside, here's the series Stanley fans have long waited for, and he may at last take his rightful place in comics history.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars aaah...Nostalgia, July 17, 2009

By	Steven Vaughn (Charlotte,NC ,USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Several reviews have already informed us so much about Stanley and the place of Melvin in his work, I couldn't add more, but I wanted to add how much I enjoyed the quirky humor of these stories which will seem very "corny" to many readers today. I was even pleasantly pleased by the fact of the coloring being from the original pages, instead of updating it with modern techniques. Would it be cooler if they had the complete run in one volume (there were only nine original issues, and #10 was a reprint of #1), and the covers,Yeah, that would be nice. But would the market bear the price? At the Amazon price of $13 and change this is a great item, easy to handle while reading, unlike the "Absolute" editions, and has beautiful design by Seth.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, wish it was complete..., May 28, 2009

By	G. Syn (Seattle WA) - See all my reviews

Melvin is an underrated and underlauded creation of the monster crazy 60's by artist/writer John Stanley. The art and especially the humor of these stories really holds up however. Melvin's journeys, "through the looking glass" from Monstertown to "Humanbeanville", create a bizarre and hilarious little mythology that I enjoyed today as much as I did when they first came out. The presentation in this volume is beautiful, but I wish it contained more than three issues for volume one..