New Construction - by Sam Alden (Paperback)

About the Book

A collection of two new stories from cartoonist and Adventure Time contributor Sam Alden. In "Household," a brother and sister deal with divergent memories of their father and grow closer than ever. In "Backyard," vegans and anarchists share a house, small dramas and bizarre transformations (featuring a new, never before published ending).

Book Synopsis

L.A. Times Book Prizes Finalist (Graphic Novel/Comics) 2016

A collection of two new stories from cartoonist and Adventure Time contributor Sam Alden. In Household, a brother and sister deal with divergent memories of their father and grow closer than ever. In Backyard, vegans and anarchists share a house, small dramas and bizarre transformations (featuring a new, never before published ending). Designed as a companion volume for the critically acclaimed It Never Happened Again, New Construction cements Sam Alden's reputation as one of the best cartoonists of his generation.

Sam Alden Sam Alden is the author of It Never Happened Again, Wicked Chicken Queen, and Lydian, among others. He is a two-time Ignatz winner and four-time nominee, and works full-time as a writer and storyboarder on Cartoon Network's Adventure Time.

Praise for Sam Alden's It Never Happened Again:

Alden's natural sense of framing and pace, his willingness to use silent panels to tell stories, and his beautiful (yes, beautiful) pencil images combined to open my eyes to a new idea of what a great comic can be. It helps that he's also an excellent writer--both stories sketch out lonely, lost characters efficiently, and put them each through very different quests for meaning.--Dan Kois, Slate

Two thematically divergent, but devastatingly human portraits from an emerging cartoonist displaying the sort of storytelling and artistic restraint that often only comes after years of toiling away at the drawing board. Alden is a talent to watch.--Publishers Weekly

Review Quotes

L.A. Times Book Prizes Finalist (Graphic Novel/Comics) 2016

Alden has an explicit gift, no doubt well-practiced, for drawings that are effortless in their breezy sloppiness - a quick hand, never belabored - that simultaneously exhibits a brilliant technical ability for composition, lighting, detail, and abstraction. His natural ability seems to reach all the way back to Rembrandt.--LA Times Review of Books

With his delicate pencil work and skill for atmospheric, emotionally rich storytelling, Sam Alden has emerged as one of the most exciting talents in alt-comics. His new graphic novel New Construction is an exceptional showcase of his cartooning prowess.--Onion AV Club

Alden's art is often described as evocative and rich in atmosphere, which it is - but it's also rich in information. I think as comic readers, we have been trained to be lazy, to skim over the pretty pictures and let text guide our understanding. If we linger over images, it's for our own visual pleasure. That's fine, but with New Construction, a careless reading is not going to cut it. These stories are not like your typical Hollywood blockbuster where you can mentally check out because all the important plot points, not to mention emotional cues, will be shoved down your throat. New Construction requires your full attention.--Cute Juice Comics

L.A. Times Book Prizes Finalist (Graphic Novel/Comics) 2016

Alden has an explicit gift, no doubt well-practiced, for drawings that are effortless in their breezy sloppiness - a quick hand, never belabored - that simultaneously exhibits a brilliant technical ability for composition, lighting, detail, and abstraction. His natural ability seems to reach all the way back to Rembrandt.--LA Times Review of Books

With his delicate pencil work and skill for atmospheric, emotionally rich storytelling, Sam Alden has emerged as one of the most exciting talents in alt-comics. His new graphic novel New Construction is an exceptional showcase of his cartooning prowess.--Onion AV Club

Alden's art is often described as evocative and rich in atmosphere, which it is - but it's also rich in information. I think as comic readers, we have been trained to be lazy, to skim over the pretty pictures and let text guide our understanding. If we linger over images, it's for our own visual pleasure. That's fine, but with New Construction, a careless reading is not going to cut it. These stories are not like your typical Hollywood blockbuster where you can mentally check out because all the important plot points, not to mention emotional cues, will be shoved down your throat. New Construction requires your full attention.--Cute Juice Comics

About the Author

Sam Alden Sam Alden is the author of It Never Happened Again, Wicked Chicken Queen, and Lydian, among others. He is a two-time Ignatz winner and four-time nominee, and works full-time as a writer and storyboarder on Cartoon Network's Adventure Time.