A legendary comic strip finally given the Fantagraphics treatment.

Before authoring one of the most beloved children’s book series of all time — Harold and the Purple Crayon —cartoonist Crockett Johnson created the comic strip Barnaby for over ten years (1942 to 1952). Its subtle ironies and playful allusions never won a broad following, but the adventures of 5-year-old Barnaby Baxter and his fairy godfather Jackeen J. O’Malley was and is a critical favorite.

Fantagraphics introduces Barnaby, with it’s playful mix of fantasy, wit and elegantly spare images, to a new generation of children and parents. Created by Crockett Johnson (Harold and the Purple Crayon) in the 1940’s, this five-volume series, with art direction by graphic novelist Daniel Clowes (Ghost World), will collect the entirety of the original newspaper strips.

Fantagraphics, hardback, 336 pages, published November 2012