Top Shelf is proud to announce the arrival of Rob Harrell, creator of the syndicated comic strip Big Top, and his first graphic novel series, Monster on the Hill. In a fantastical 1860s England, every quiet little township is terrorized by a ferocious monster - much to the townsfolk's delight! Each town's unique monster is a source of local pride, not to mention tourism. Each town, that is... except for one. Unfortunately, for the people of Stoker-on-Avon, their monster isn't quite as impressive. In fact, he's a little down in the dumps. Can the morose Rayburn get a monstrous makeover and become a proper horror? It's up to the eccentric Dr. Charles Wilkie and plucky street urchin Timothy to get him up to snuff, before a greater threat turns the whole town to kindling! Monsters of all ages are sure to enjoy this tale about life's challenges, the power of friendship, and creative redemption, packed with epic battles and plenty of wild beasts!
Really fun, goofy, extremely silly fantasy for readers of all ages, crying out for reviewers and critics to make appalling puns of the 'monstrously good' variety.
Neil Gaiman
Rob Harrell has jumped the fence from comic strips to graphic novels with ease, and brought with him wit, strong characters, and last minute twists. Funny, original, unexpected. And best of all: excellent monsters!
Jeff Smith, creator of Bone
A funny, exciting tale of melancholy monsters and eminent Victorians... like How to Train Your Dragon with a twist of Bloom County and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Harrell makes the jump from the newspaper page to the graphic novel with his sense of humor intact.
The AV Club
Author and illustrator Rob Harrell created the syndicated comic strip Big Top, and currently writes and draws the strip Adam@Home. Monster on the Hill is his first graphic novel. These days, Harrell is hard at work on a series of middle-grade books. He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife Amber and their two dogs.
