Stray Bullets
Encyclopedia
Stray Bullets is an independent American comic book
series
published in black and white (with color covers) by El Capitan Books
. It is written and drawn by David Lapham
.
The story deals with the often criminal and sometimes tragic misadventures of a large cast of characters and takes place from the mid-1970s through the mid-1990s.
website, Lapham revealed that the series, including the final issue of the current story arc, is on hold indefinitely:
In 2009, a new ten-page story titled, Stray Bullets: Open the Goddamn Box appeared in Noir: A Collection of Crime Comics
, an anthology book published by Dark Horse Comics
.
reprinting the original comic books.
The first three storyarcs in the series were originally collected in large-size hardcovers which were published in a format similar to European comic book collections. Beginning in 2005, the first two of these same storyarcs were published in traditional American comic book size softcover edition:
A fourth arc:
The first 32 issues of the comic book have also been collected in eight softcovers, each of which reprint the contents of four individual issues:
for Best Writer/Artist, Drama, and the trade paperback collection Stray Bullets: Innocence of Nihilism won the 1997 Eisner Award
for "Best Graphic Album-Reprint" the Comic Book Awards Almanac and was a top votegetter for the Comics Buyer's Guide
Fan Award for Favorite Reprint Graphic Novel/Album for the same year.
American comic book
An American comic book is a small magazine originating in the United States and containing a narrative in the form of comics. Since 1975 the dimensions have standardized at 6 5/8" x 10 ¼" , down from 6 ¾" x 10 ¼" in the Silver Age, although larger formats appeared in the past...
series
Ongoing series
The term "ongoing series" is used in contrast to limited series , a one shot , a graphic novel, or a trade paperback...
published in black and white (with color covers) by El Capitan Books
El Capitan Books
El Capitan Books is an American comic book and graphic novel publisher, which exclusively publishes the work of its founder, David Lapham.El Capitan's first release was Stray Bullets #1 in 1995, and the company is still best known for publishing this comic book series which continues today.Other...
. It is written and drawn by David Lapham
David Lapham
David Lapham is an Eisner Award winning American comic book writer, artist, and cartoonist, best known for his work on his groundbreaking independent comic book Stray Bullets.-Biography:...
.
The story deals with the often criminal and sometimes tragic misadventures of a large cast of characters and takes place from the mid-1970s through the mid-1990s.
Publication history
The first issue was published in 1995 and followed an irregular publishing schedule through its fortieth issue, which was published in 2005. No new issues have been published since. In a 2007 interview with Michael Lorah for the NewsaramaNewsarama
Newsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews and essays about the American comic book industry.-History:Newsarama began in Summer 1995 as a series of Internet forum postings on the Prodigy comic-book message boards by fan Mike Doran. In these short messages. Doran shared...
website, Lapham revealed that the series, including the final issue of the current story arc, is on hold indefinitely:
In 2009, a new ten-page story titled, Stray Bullets: Open the Goddamn Box appeared in Noir: A Collection of Crime Comics
Noir: A Collection of Crime Comics
Noir: A Collection of Crime Comics is a black-and-white crime comics anthology published by Dark Horse Comics. The collection contains original stories as well as short stories of already established crime comics series....
, an anthology book published by Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
.
Collected editions
There has been an assortment of volumesTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
reprinting the original comic books.
The first three storyarcs in the series were originally collected in large-size hardcovers which were published in a format similar to European comic book collections. Beginning in 2005, the first two of these same storyarcs were published in traditional American comic book size softcover edition:
- Innocence of Nihilism, collecting Stray Bullets #1-7 (Hardcover: ISBN 0-9653280-2-3; Softcover: ISBN 0-9727145-6-1).
- Somewhere Out West, collecting #8-14 (Hardcover: ISBN 0-9653280-5-8; Softcover: ISBN 0-9727145-7-X).
- Other People, collecting #15-21 (Hardcover: ISBN 0-9653280-9-0; Softcover: ISBN 0-9727145-8-8).
A fourth arc:
- Dark Days, collecting #21-28; (Hardcover: ISBN 0-9727145-5-3; Softcover: ISBN 0-9727145-9-6).
The first 32 issues of the comic book have also been collected in eight softcovers, each of which reprint the contents of four individual issues:
- Stray Bullets Volume 1, reprinting #1-4 (ISBN 0-9653280-3-1).
- Stray Bullets Volume 2, reprinting #5-8 (ISBN 0-9653280-4-X).
- Stray Bullets Volume 3, reprinting #9-12 (ISBN 0-9653280-6-6).
- Stray Bullets Volume 4, reprinting #13-16 (ISBN 0-9653280-7-4).
- Stray Bullets Volume 5, reprinting #17-20 (ISBN 0-9653280-8-2).
- Stray Bullets Volume 6, reprinting #21-24 (ISBN 0-9727145-0-2).
- Stray Bullets Volume 7, reprinting #25-28 (ISBN 0-9727145-2-9).
- Stray Bullets Volume 8, reprinting #29-32 (ISBN 0-9727145-4-5).
- Amy Racecar Volume 1 (ISBN 0-9727145-1-0) (collects the Stray Bullets issues featuring Amy Racecar as well as both issues of Amy Racecar Color Special.
Awards
The series has been nominated for numerous awards. Stray Bullets won the 1996 Eisner AwardEisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
for Best Writer/Artist, Drama, and the trade paperback collection Stray Bullets: Innocence of Nihilism won the 1997 Eisner Award
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
for "Best Graphic Album-Reprint" the Comic Book Awards Almanac and was a top votegetter for the Comics Buyer's Guide
Comics Buyer's Guide
Comics Buyer's Guide , established in 1971, is the longest-running English-language periodical reporting on the American comic book industry...
Fan Award for Favorite Reprint Graphic Novel/Album for the same year.
See also
- Young LiarsYoung Liars (comics)Young Liars is a comic book series created by David Lapham. It was published by DC Comics as a part of that company's Vertigo imprint. The first issue was released in March 2008....
- Sparta USA
- Spider-Man: With Great PowerSpider-Man: With Great PowerSpider-Man: With Great Power is a five-issue comic book limited series from Marvel Comics written by David Lapham and illustrated by Tony Harris, which premiered on January 9, 2008. Starring Marvel's flagship character, the series examines Spider-Man's formative days, focusing on the period between...