COMIC DETAILS
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Comic Description:
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Bone Holiday Special nn Signature
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Grade:
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9.8
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Page Quality:
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WHITE
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Certification #:
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0956188011
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Owner:
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DocGo
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SET DETAILS
Owner's Description
Label Notes
Jeff Smith story, cover, and art; 6 page interview with Jeff Smith; 3 pages of early Bone material; Hero exclusive.
Synopsis
An interesting comic that was bundled with Hero Magazine in 1993 (between Bone #10 & #11). The first four pages, titled Happy Winter Solstice, is now a part of the Crown of Horns chapter in the larger Bone saga with the title Solstice. With the updated timeline, it takes place after Lucius is buried and the Bones get stuck at Gran’ma’s place when winter hits.
The Slab
One of the highest graded Signature Series copies! My raw book witnessed by Joel Elad at the Flying Colors Comics signing (Concord, CA) on December 6, 2008. Officially graded by CGC on January 20, 2009.
Inside The Comic
Five pages of story, one page for a pin-up, six pages for an interview with Jeff, three pages of Thorn comic strips, and two pages of cover previews for #11, 12, and 13. The inside front cover has the Bone title in red just above the lone credit: By Jeff Smith. Below this is the typical prologue followed by a table of contents with the story titled as Happy Winter Solstice! The description accurately says that it’s a “peek ahead to the Bone cousins’ second winter in the valley. This seasonal story was done especially for this HERO preview and will not be seen again until it is reprinted in continuity, in a future volume of The Complete Bone Adventures.”
This was almost true. It was actually next reprinted in Bone #55 (2004), in continuity. The indices at the bottom of the inside cover say the following: “Bone is ™ and © 1993 Jeff Smith. The entire contents of this book is © Jeff Smith because when you get right down to it, the whole thing was his idea. Please do not infringe on this copyright and force us to send the rat creatures after you. It is, after all, the season for Peace on Earth and Good Will toward all. Now shut up and eat your quiche.” The back cover has a panel from the Solstice story with Fone Bone carrying the quiches towards the rat creatures.
Pin-Up
Following the story is a pinup with Fone Bone & Thorn singing a Christmas carol, Smiley playing a flute, and Gran’ma Ben looking up at Phoney on top of a Christmas tree (with his star perfectly placed). This illustration became the image for the 1993 Holiday Card.
Animation, Art, and Bone
Next is an interview with Jeff about all things Bone from Frank Kurtz. One of the more interesting things we learn is that a friend of Jeff’s named Mike Brooks actually created Phoney Bone. This was back when Jeff first drew Fone Bone in elementary school and his friend came up with an “Anti-Bone” to be the foil. Jeff says “He really didn’t have a personality, he was just kinda like Scrooge McDuck, just rich”.
Mixed in with the interview are some old sketches he’s done over the years with Thorn and the Bones. One has Fone Bone accidentally dumping breakfast in bed all over Thorn and another with Fone Bone tied onto Moby Dick with the Pequod in the background.
Early Bone
The next three pages have various comic strips from Thorn (specifically 2/24/1983, 10/5/1983, 10/7/1983, 10/17/1984, and 7/29/1983). There’s also a two panel look at Jeff’s earliest comic book featuring Fone Bone and Phoney called The Gem (page 2). You can read the full story of The Gem in one of the mini-comics packaged with Thorn: The Complete Proto-Bone College Strips Kickstarter book.
Upcoming Covers and an Ad
The final two pages have previews of the covers to #11, 12, and 13 (preliminary sketch for #13 as well). The inside back cover has an ad for the current printings of #1-10 along with The Complete Bone Adventures Volume 1 (address for Cartoon Books was a P.O. Box in Los Gatos, CA at the time).
Back Cover Collectible
1993 Holiday Card from Cartoon Books
This was the first Holiday Card sent out by Cartoon Books for subscribers and comic shops across the country. It’s the only example I have with a Fone Bone head sketch. I’ll guess that the total number of cards in subsequent years made this a bit unmanageable. This was also the only time Jeff signed his name in cursive. The rest have his all-caps artist sig.
I believe that Garrett Chin was their first employee and helped out with various jobs while they were headquartered in California. This was the only card he signed.
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