Great bouncing icebergs! The Yuletide season is upon us! And here at With Further Ado Headquarters, atop the Pop Culture Squad skyscraper, we’re hip-deep in even more Gift Guide Suggestions!

Let’s start with two beautiful Fantagraphics books reprinting 1950s comics:

Al Williamson “The City That Time Forgot” And Other Stories
(The Fantagraphics Atlas Artist Edition) The Atlas Artist Edition No. 2:
Edited by Dr. Michael J. Vassallo

Al Williamson always delivered. His figure work, his staging, his backgrounds—it all worked together so well. I loved his Flash Gordon comics, his Star Wars newspaper strip art, and his Secret Agent Corrigan art.

Before all that, his EC work was stunning too. In fact, I feel like I’ve actually traveled in a spaceship just from reading so many of Williamson’s brilliantly detailed science fiction comic stories.

This impressive new book shines the spotlight on his work in between those classic periods. When EC was shuttering, “…Williamson did what everyone else in the industry did when seeking out freelance work, visit Goodman’s Atlas comics…” writes Dr. Vassallo in his introduction. Fantagraphics’ Atlas Artist Edition #2 is stuffed with over 400 pages of Williamson’s cowboy, sci fi, adventure and mystery stories from series like Strange Stories of Suspense, Gunsmoke Western, Mystic and Uncanny Tales.

Editor/Curator Dr. Michael J. Vassallo describes how, although he thought this vison of an oversized collection would be ideal, he was convinced that it could never be published in this gargantuan format. To his chagrin, Fantagraphics said “sure, let’s do it!”. This gigantic, weighty book actually exists and is a beauty to behold.

Along with Al Williamson, fans can enjoy the work of some of his collaborations with luminaries like Stan Lee, Reed Crandall, Jack Kirby, Gray Morrow (I think he was Al’s assistant at the time), and Roy Krenkel.

The tremendous size and hefty weight add to the magic of this impressive book. There’s a sense of awe that Williamson’s work invokes that is 100% warranted.

Al Williamson “The City That Time Forgot” And Other Stories
(The Fantagraphics Atlas Artist Edition)
Edited by Dr. Michael J. Vassallo
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Fantagraphics (January 21, 2025)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 448 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8875000065

The Atlas Comics Library No. 4: War Comics Vol. 1
(The Fantagraphics Atlas Comics Library)
Edited by Dr. Michael J. Vassallo

Continue reading “With Further Ado #326: The Annual With Further Ado Gift Giving Guide – Part 3” →