my absolute collection: Mike Mignola's The Amazing Screw-On Head and Other Curious Objects SDCC Variant Edition

Scripts by Mike Mignola (with Katie and Todd Mignola) and Steve Purcell, art by Mike Mignola. All illustrations are ©Mike Mignola. For a complete list of all books reviewed in this blog, please visit the index page.

This limited edition was proposed by IDW in July 2016 during the San Diego Comic Con (ISBN: 978-1-63140-787-I, Artist's Edition #43, 12.5 x 17.3 inches or 31,5 x 44 cm, $125 for 153 pages), and was printed on thick mat paper. Notice that this variant cover edition limited to 200 copies (not numbered) was listed in the IDW store in Februray 2017 without any mention to the SDCC, and for $100.

Here is the regular cover from Randhal Dahlk website (same spine and back cover, ISBN: 978-1-63140-619-5):

To regular cover originates from the collected Dark Horse hardcover, The Amazing Screw-On Head and Other Curious Objects published in 2010. The variant cover is also featured in the 2010 collected edition as one of the opening pages. Notice that each cover is exclusive to their respective version as these two illustrations are not included inside the books.

detail of the sticker on the IDW cardboard box

One of the picture below is for size comparison with the original The Amazing Screw-On Head one shot comic book from 2002, and the 2010 Dark Horse collected edition. There are also pictures of the sewn binding (the book has been printed in China).

Second and third of cover feature different illustrations. This edition, referenced as Artist Edition #43, has been designed by Randall Dahlk and edited by Scott Dunbier.

second of cover

third of cover, right hand side was not included in the 2010 Dark Horse collected edition

these illustrations were not included in the 2010 Dark Horse collected edition

The book doesn't feature any introduction or afterword by the author. Below is displayed the table of contents related to the main section of the book. All material include in this book are his-res colored scans of original material. The majority of these stories are not lettered, as only The Amazing Screw-On Head, The Magician and The Snake, Rusty Razorclam and the original version of Abu Gung and The Beanstalk feature the intended text.

The Exorcist of Vorsk had been previously published in Dark Horse Present Vol 3 #16 (2015).

For comparison with this Artist's Edition extended contents, below is the table of contents of the 2010 hardcover Dark Horse collected edition (source wiki):

The Amazing Screw-On Head (one shot comic book, 2002)
The Magician and the Snake (with Katie Mignola, published in Maverick: Happy Endings anthology, 2002)
Abu Gung and the Beanstalk (originally drawn 1998, redrawn and expanded for this collection)
The Witch and Her Soul (drawn for this collection)
The Prisoner of Mars (drawn for this collection)
In the Chapel of Curious Objects (drawn for this collection)

cover and opening page from The Amazing Screw-On Head

From Abu Gung and The Beanstalk re-done version

right hand side, from The Witch and Her Soul

Below, a zoom on a panel that shows how the black rendering.

from The Prisoner of Mars

In The Chapel of Curious Objects

The Exorcist of Vorsk (left) and DHP #16 cover (right)

From The Goon

Abu Gung revisited

Here is the table of contents of the 43 pages extra section featuring mostly covers, and variant covers.

Cursed Pirate Girl (left) and Trickster Print (right)

Sir Edward Grey

The book finishes with Mike Mignola's bio.

In addition to this article, and for more detailed insights about the reproduction quality, don't hesitate to read this Comic Book Daily review by Scott VanderPloeg.

Notice only for the sake of completeness (not complaining here, really, this book is truly beautiful as it is) that some material from the original Amazing Screw-On Head comics and Dark Horse collected edition are not featured in this Artist's Edition.

For instance, this is the case for the illustrations on the second of cover of the original 2002 comic.

To discuss this point regarding the 2010 collected edition, here is a detailed description of the latter.

illustration from interior page of The Amazing Screw-On Head

Second and third of covers displays the same illustration from The Magician and the Snake.

left hand side, AE variant cover

The picture below shows the color rendering differences between the original comic, and the collected edition printed on plain white paper.

The 2010 edition features many additional "portrait" type chapter breaks. I will point out the ones included (or not included) in the Artist's Edition.

left hand side, chapter break not included in the AE

both chapter breaks are not included in the AE

both chapter breaks are included in the AE

chapter break not included in the AE

left hand side, chapter break included in the AE

chapter break and story notes not included in the AE

The collected edition finishes with an eleven pages commented sketchbook section obviously not included in the AE as it is not the purpose of this type of books.