It’s book catalog time again! Once more the kind folks at Farrar, Straus and Giroux (who publish the Hill and Wang series of nonfiction comics and distribute Drawn & Quarterly’s graphic novels) have sent me their catalog for the first third of the coming year. Want to know what delightful graphic novels await you in 2009? Hit the jump to find out.

Hill and Wang

The Stuff of Life: A Graphic Guide to Genetics and DNA. Written by Mark Schultz, art by Zander Cannon and Kevin Cannon. Mister Cadillacs and Dinosaurs digs into the science and history of the building blocks of life, with Mssrs. Cannon and Cannon handling the art chores. Designed to be the equivalent of a Genetics 101 course, the book features a space alien named Bloort 183 who must explain the fundamentals of evolution for his none-too-bright leader. $30 for 160 pages. January.

The Beats: A Graphic History. Edited by Paul Buhle, text by Harvey Pekar et. al., art by Ed Piskor et. al. Buhle, Pekar and Piskor headline an wide array of artists and writers for this anthology on the Beat movement and its central figures. Contributors include Trina Robbins, Joyce Brabner, Jay Kinney, Peter Kuper, Mary Fleener, Gary Dumm and Lance Tooks. $22 for 208 pages. March.

Drawn and Quarterly

Melvin Monster, Volume One by John Stanley. The opening salvo in D&Q’s big John Stanley reprint project. This is the first of two volumes about a little monster boy who only wants to do good, much to the consternation of his folks. My daughter is a bit Little Lulu fan and is looking forward to this book. $19.95 for 184 pages. February.

Baloney: A Tale in Three Symphonic Acts by Pascal Blanchet. Having garnered praise with his debut, White Rapids, Blanchet brings us the tale of a village butcher, his disabled daughter, her tutor and their uprising against the evil Duke who runs the town. Sounds like a blend between Lynd Ward and Milt Gross. 80 pages for $16.95. February.

Kaspar by Diane Obomsawin. An adaptation of the Kaspar Hauser legend, a 19th century true story about a mysterious foundling who appeared from seemingly out of nowhere only to be stabbed to death five years later. Obomsawin chooses a deliberately minimal, almost childish style for the book. File under intriguing. 96 pages and $12.95. February.

The Bun Field by Amanda Vahamaki. Vahamaki’s debut work involves the surreal, absurd adventures of a young girl. That’s about all I can tell you for now, really. 80 pages for $12.95. March.

Nearsighted Monkey by Lynda Barry. Done for D&Q’s Petit Livre line of small chapbooks, Barry’s semi-follow-up to the acclaimed What It Is features a series of portraits of a happy, nonplussed primate who hogs your remote, drinks your wine and makes grilled cheese sandwiches. $12.95 for 96 pages. March.

Father and Son by E.O. Plauen. Highlighted in David Berona’s recent Wordless Books, Plauen’s wordless, charming strips about the relationship between a small boy and his scamp of a father are collected in their entirety, with a foreword by Paul Karasik. $24.95 for 224 pages. April.

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