GEARY HOMEPAGE

RICK GEARY

"All of them are meticulously researched, beautifully drawn,
and quite entertaining. My highest recommendation!"
-Heidi MacDonald, Comics Buyer's Guide

Read his interview

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A Treasury of XXth Century Murder:
THE LINDBERGH CHILD
America’s Hero and the Crime of the Century
Rick GEARY
Geary’s Treasury of Victorian Murder moves onto the XXth century with one of the most sensationalistic cases ever!
All was well for Charles Lindbergh, after his daring solo crossing of the Atlantic. Fame and fortune came quickly as well as marriage into wealthy family. But soon after they build themselves their dream home far from the madding crowd, tragedy strikes: their baby is abducted! Geary retraces all the different highly publicized events, blackmail notes, false and otherwise, as well as the string of colorful characters wanting to ‘help,’ some of which actually successfully snookered the beleaguered hero. A fascinating story, of course without a fully satisfactory conclusion, replete with savory details and unsavory people as only Geary can masterfully relate with his understated dark humor. An ICv2 Pick Hit to Click
"As for the differences between XXth Century Murder and Victorian Murder, they mainly have to do with the rise of the mass media, and the way impossible mysteries become all the more frustrating when so many people are following the story. Geary's Victorian series was all about the creepy America that was; this new series looks like it'll be about the creepy America that is… A-" -The Onion
"I devour each of Geary's volumes the instant they come out, and I'm running out of superlatives. Just go buy one, already, and you'll be as hooked as I am."
-Andrew 'Cap'n Comics' Smith, Scripps News Service
"As with his series on Victorian murders, Geary doesn't point fingers or lay blame, but simply lays the case before the reader in a clear and concise manner. For a quick interesting coverage of major cases to get one up to speed on what happened along with a bibliography of further reading -- this is a great place to start."
-GumshoeReview.com
"Showing his customary droll mastery of the short, telling stroke and laconically precise sentence, Geary portends that he'll render the rest of the twentieth century's most celebrated enormities as handsomely as he did the nineteenth's." -Booklist
"Rick Geary's version is gripping and grisly precisely because it does away with extracurricular characterization and overt violence, bringing the historical tragedy's full effect into finer focus. The same can be said of his earlier works, especially The Bloody Benders and The Murder of Abraham Lincoln." -Scott Thill, WIRED.com
"Rick Geary is one of cartooning’s unsung treasures. Highly recommended, topnotch stuff." -Heidi McDonald, THE BEAT
"The Lindbergh Child" is the sort of book that once you pick up, you can't put back down until you're finished. Forget modern murder cases like O.J. Simpson or Robert Blake; once you read "The Lindbergh Child" you'll really understand what it takes to have a sequence of events be named "the crime of the century." Unforgettable, from start to finish."-Comic Book Resources.com
"This thoughtful retelling of one of the century's most notorious crimes deserves several readings."
Publishers Weekly starred review
6x9, 80pp., B&W jacketed hardcover, $15.95
ISBN 978-1-56163-529-0

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A Treasury of Victorian Murder:
THE BLOODY BENDERS
Rick Geary
In his next volume, Geary takes us out to the wild west and the just opened up prairies of Kansas. Out on a deserted stretch of road linking newly forming towns, a mysterious family stakes a claim and builds an inn for weary visitors. Soon, reports multiply of disappearances around that area. Generally, those who disappear have plenty of cash on them. A delicious tale of a gruesome family fronted by a beguiling lass who led their victims on…
A YALSA (Youth Librarians) 2008 GREAT GRAPHIC NOVEL.
"ONE OF THE BEST COMICS OF 2007. Geary is working on a higher plane than just about every other comics creator in the business." -The Onion
A 'Comics Worth Reading' Best Book of 2007
"Just plain old good comic storytelling with juicy subjects".
-comicsworthreading.com
"The grisly details and the uncertainty create an intriguing murder mystery that will appeal to graphic novel readers."
-VOYA
"There's a panel of the murderous Kate Bender, that will haunt my dreams for some time to come. An engrossing, meticulously researched and drawn graphic novel and one of the best in Geary's series so far."
-Comics Journal
"His research and story-telling are flawless. He never stretches the facts, or speculates beyond the known. Of course, with juicy sagas such as this, there's no need for hyperbole, "Benders" is just as mesmerizing as previous entries." -Andrew Smith, Scripps Howard News
"Hits the spot. Geary's black-and-white drawings are terrific at conveying this deadly slice of Plains history."
-San Diego Union-Tribune
"A little gem of a book." -Comics Reporter
"All is presented with a sense of dread and an offbeat tone that makes Geary totally unique in the pantheon of great cartoonists. Highly recommended, as are all the other volumes of this wildly entertaining series." -Alan David Doane, Comic Book Galaxy
"Another triumphant entry in Geary's Treasury of Victorian Murder series." -Booklist
"Exquisite art. Riveting writing." -Publishers Weekly
6x9, 80pp., B&W, jacketed hardcover: $15.95
ISBN 978-1-56163-498-9

Trade paperback: 6x9, 80pp., B&W, $9.95, ISBN 978-1-56163-499-6

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A TREASURY OF VICTORIAN MURDER, Volume 1
Rick Geary
Long out of print, this very first volume of Rick Geary’s increasingly successful series (Jack the Ripper, Borden Tragedy, Mystery of Mary Rogers) is now reissued in the same format as all other titles. 3 delectable murders, culled from the pages of Victorian papers of the era, are presented in Geary’s inimitable style, tongue firmly in cheek!
"Geary is spot on in his characterization of the period. Meticulously researched and recounted with delicious black humor."
-Andrew Smith, Scripps-Howard Papers
6x9, 64pp., B&W, color cover, trade pb.: $8.95
ISBN 1-56163-309-7

Out of stock

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Back to press! Long out of print!
A TREASURY OF VICTORIAN MURDER
Vol. 2: JACK THE RIPPER
This second volume of Rick Geary's Treasury of Victorian Murder explores the ghastliest and most famous murders of Victorian England. Rick has researched this book extensively and presents, with his own inimitable tongue-in-cheek style, the Jack The Ripper mystery as told through a journal of a fascinated Englishman of the day. Both factual and darkly funny, Geary's personal take on this story shines an ironic light on the repressive society that spawned such a monster.
TOP TEN QUICK PICKS '96
American Library Association (YALSA)
"Geary's haunting drawings unite seamlessly with his moody, well-researched text." - Publishers Weekly
"Expertly designed and drawn." - Ellery Queen
6x9, 64pp., trade pb.: $9.95, ISBN 1-56163-308-9

Revised 2nd edition!
With a whole new section of newspaper clippings of the day!
By Rick Geary
A TREASURY OF VICTORIAN MURDER
Vol. 3: THE BORDEN TRAGEDY
"Lizzie Borden took an axe, gave her mother forty whacks, when she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one!" In this third volume of Geary's Treasury, the famous Lizzie Borden double murder is explored with as much attention to well -researched detail as in his Jack the Ripper. This is another celebrated murder of last century, the one that lead to the infamous school rhyme.
The parrallel between this old case and OJ Simpson's is striking: both defendants had unblemished reputations; the double murders were gruesome; there were no witnesses and no weapons found; the cases took the media by storm. Both wealthy defendants hired expensive lawyers who convinced the jury of reasonable doubt. Both remain under a cloud of suspicion...
“Geary returns with another typically superlative work...Artfully precise reconstruction...A delight!” Publishers Weekly starred review.
"This is the primer on a perpetually fascinating, unsolved mystery." Booklist
"This should be an instant hit in high interest/low reading collections."
School Library Journal
6x9, 80pp., B&W, trade pb.: $8.95
ISBN 1-56163-189-2

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A Treasury of Victorian Murder:
Vol. 4: THE FATAL BULLET
The Assassination of President Garfield
Rick Geary
Geary (Borden Tragedy, Jack The Ripper) explores the first assassination of one of our presidents in the hands of an obsessive-compulsive stalker, a deluded loser who thought his action would bring him national glory. In this typically carefully researched and constructed story, Geary parallels the lives of the President and the killer. They have striking similarities. The fascinating element is how one went so wrong while the other rose to so high a post even despite himself. Once again, beyond a mere presentation of facts, the author surreptitiously unpeels for us a bit of our national psyche.
"First rate. Superb as always" Publishers Weekly
"Subtly expressive low-key wit. First-rate historical graphic novel" Booklist
ON SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL'S
TOP RECOMMENDED LIST.
6x9, 80pp., B&W, trade pb.: $9.95, ISBN 1-56163-228-7

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A TREASURY OF VICTORIAN MURDER:
Vol. 5: THE MYSTERY OF MARY ROGERS
Rick Geary
Geary presents us yet another true crime of the last century, very carefully researched and factual but with his usual gleeful tongue-in-cheek look at the lurid details. Mary Rogers was a compellingly beautiful lass employed in a cigar store in New York City in the mid-nineteenth century. She had a few suitors. Then, she suddenly disappeared, her body recovered in the Hudson off the Jersey side. The press had a field day with all the possible shocking possibilities. Rape... her "fooling around" between lovers...even gang rape. Never was this case solved. The hypotheses remain many. Even Edgar Allen Poe thought to have solved the case and presented that in his tale "The Mystery of Mary Roget." Make up your own mind. Geary recreates a fascinating picture of the nascent still somewhat anarchical soon-to-be metropolis of New York.
"Executed with his customary attention to period detail, cinematic plenitude of points of view, and compositional brio." -Booklist
"Distinguished by a keen sense of period detail and sharp pacing: Geary serves his subject with dignity and grace." -Kirkus Reviews
"Geary's retelling is detailed and well researched, and his impressive black-and-white drawings depict Victorian New York with great care." -Publishers Weekly
"Unique, captivating...one terrific graphic novel!" -Andrew Simith, Scripps-Howard Papers
"Young adults susceptible to a good mystery or true-crime story should relish this book. With its commendable historical accuracy, it would also enliven studies of U.S. history."
-School Library Journal
"As with his earlier works on the Lizzie Borden murders and Jack the Ripper, Geary shows a true talent for capturing the images, mood and even language of Victorian society. His approach is so effective that this work looks and reads as if it could have been produced in the 1840s. It's a fun read that could also work well in an American history class."
-Bradford W. Wright (author "Comic Book Nation"), Washington Post Bookworld
6x9, 80pp., B&W, color cover, jacketed hardcover, $15.95; ISBN 1-56163-274-0
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A Treasury of Victorian Murder
Vol. 6: THE BEAST OF CHICAGO
Rick GEARY
He was the world’s first serial killer and he existed in the late 19th century, operating around the Chicago World’s Fair, building a literal house of horrors, replete with chutes for dead bodies, gas chambers, surgical rooms. He methodically murdered up to 200 people, mostly young women. The infamous H.H. Holmes is the next subject of Geary’s award-winning and increasingly popular series.
"Geary's stylized precision of line and discreet picturing remain impeccable. Geary remains a master."
-Maggie Thompson, Comics Buyers Guide
"Premier true-crime graphic novelist Geary relies not on gore but on the scrupulously drawn detail and the droll, telling expression to advance Holmes' story." -Booklist
"Geary's finest artistic effort in the series thus far."
-Augie De Bliek, Comic Book Resources
"In this graphic novel series, Geary covers some of history's most famous murders in meticulously researched, beautifully drawn volumes. Despite its charming outward appearance, Geary's art has a chilling subtext that makes the story even more creepy. Geary is an underrated master of comics, and this book will equally interest history buffs, true crime enthusiasts and fans of good comics."
-Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW
"This macabre tale is certainly not for the squeamish, but older readers who are fans of Gorey, murder mysteries, or true crime may enjoy it." -School Library Journal
"The pictures usually lend this spare recitation a sinister quality, often by contrasting to the prose a parade of images that hint at things otherwise unspoken. All is discrete, restrained. And the very restraint serves the narrative by imparting to it another layer of sinister menace." -R.C. Harvey, Comics Buyers Guide
"Geary's exquisite black-and-white linework is reminiscent of period woodcuts, and his designs and page layouts are excellent."
-Library Journal
"Another strong entry to his standout Treasury."
-William Dowlding, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
"Shows all the hallmarks of his previous volumes: in-depth research, attention to detail, dry humor, and detailed, distinctive art." -VOYA
6x9, 80p., B&W, jacketed hardcover: $15.95
ISBN 1-56163-362-3
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Trade paperback: 6x9, 80p., B&W, $8.95, ISBN 1-56163-365-8

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See a lot more about H.H. Holmes
More about the Strange Case of H.H. Holmes!

A TREASURY OF VICTORIAN MURDER:
Vol. 7: THE MURDER OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Rick GEARY
Geary turns his attention to the most famous assassination of the Victorian era, that of President Lincoln. The details he reveals are fascinating. Booth worked with a group of disgruntled Southern sympathizers out to decapitate much of the US Executive branch, not just the President! Geary also details the flight of the culprits and the hot pursuit of federal agents.
"Filled with rich detail and told with the tightness of a thriller. Makes for a remarkably entertaining and compact work of historical comix."
-TIME.comix
"The Murder of Abraham Lincoln is meticulously researched and beautifully drawn in a flowing pen-and-ink style that capturres time, place, and emotion with seeming effortlessness."
-Heidi MacDonald, Comics Buyer's Guide
"With his elegant pen-and-ink art and knack for sifting memorable and unusual details from history, Geary renders this familiar true story in riveting and thorough detail."
-Publishers Weekly
"Geary's meticulous research and detailed drawing illuminates facts that might not be known." -Voya
"This book will have even reluctant readers immersed in history."
-School Library Journal
"The pen-and-ink art is realistic and the narrative concise, with intriguing details scattered throughout."
-College & Research Libraries News
"Where Geary excels in Murder are in his searing portrayal of the fanatic Booth (clearly, the man knows his sociopaths) and the smaller details surrounding the soon-to-be-murdered Lincoln's personal life... Geary clearly reveals how this landmark killing was so much more than the work of one cracked actor."
-The Comics Journal
6x9, 80pp., B&W, jacketed hardcover: $15.95, ISBN 1-56163-425-5
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Trade paperback: 6x9, 80pp., B&W, trade paperback: $8.95,
ISBN 1-56163-426-3

A TREASURY OF VICTORIAN MURDER
Vol.8: The Case of Madeleine Smith
Rick GEARY
A scandalous secret affair in 19th century Scotland between an upperclass woman and a gentleman of lower standing ends in his murder by poison...
'***1/2. Continues to provide the fascination and attention to detail that made previous volumes compelling. There's no denying that he continues to mine history for incredible stories; he's done so again here." -Comics Buyers Guide
"Fascinating!" -Voya
"I hope that story's narrative style--meticulously detailed, with a quiet voice, description used to enhance the images--would win you over to the idea that graphic art is a great storytelling medium. He tells a richly layered story in a new way. Wonderfully presented."
-Reviewingtheevidence.com
"Grotesque Victorian imagery prospers under Geary's pen: His characters come out looking as jagged and peculiar as their actions." -East Bay Express
"A must read!"
-Andrew "Capt. Comics" Smith, Scripps Howard papers
"Popular novels, plays, and movies, notably David Lean's film Madeleine, have been based on the case, but it's hard to imagine any of them presenting it more amusingly, thoroughly, and succinctly than does Geary's trademark droll counterpointing of narration and image." -Booklist
"NBM puts out something worth reading this month with the latest edition of Rick Geary's THE TREASURY OF VICTORIAN MURDERS. Volume 8 features the story of Madeleine Smith, set in Scotland in the late 19th century. It involves cross-caste love and poison. Sounds like fun to me."
-Augie De Blieck, Comic Book Resources.com
"This book maintains the level of excellence set by the other volumes in this series, and would be an asset to any collection."
-School Library Journal
A YALSA 2007 Great Graphic Novel For Teens
6x9, 80pp., B&W, jacketed hardcover, $15.95, ISBN 1-56163-467-0

Trade paperback: 6x9, 80pp., B&W, $8.95, ISBN 1-56163-468-9

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SEE THE FEATURE AND INTERVIEW OF GEARY DONE BY PUBLISHERS WEEKLY COMICS WEEK

See Geary's site

COMICSLIT AUTHOR GALLERY

NBM publishing
40 Exchange Place, Ste. 1308
New York, NY 10005
Tel: (212)643-5407 FAX: (212)643-1545, 1-800-886-1223