Fantagraphics Books
Golden Boy Beethovens Youth HC (MR)
inspires us to this day; his very name sparks a melody
in the ear. But are you born a genius? This graphic
biography asks: "Who was Beethoven before he
became 'Beethoven'?"
Master cartoonist Mikael Ross (The Thud) tells the story of Beethoven
from 1778 to his first major public appearance in Vienna in 1795.
It begins when the family is living a difficult life in Bonn. Father
Johann battles with alcoholism and is deep in debt. Only young
Ludwig and his talent at the piano offer any hope for the future - if
only he would stop composing his own pieces and just play what's
expected of him.
Author Ross was asked to do a small comic for the Beethoven
Society. Through this opportunity, he discovered the diaries of the
baker's son that lived downstairs from Beethoven's family, the content
of which inspired Golden Boy. As in his previous book, The Thud, Ross skillfully
mixes humor with empathy and pure social drama, crafting a coming-of-age story
that transcends its biographical subject matter. His colorful, expressive style and
mastery of the language of comics are perfectly suited to the tall task of capturing
Beethoven's timeless music visually.
mikael ross is a Berlin-based cartoonist and tailor. Ross was the recipient of the
very first graphic novel scholarship from Berlin's Senate Department for Culture and
Europe.
UPC/ISBN: 9781683965510
SKU: MAR221614
FOC Date: 04/10/2022
Release Date: 06/08/2022
Product Information
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OUR STANDARD
Books without a stated grade will be offered as Near Mint 9.4 or better. We do not guarantee 9.8 condition on any book unless specifically noted.
We use industry-standard grading guidelines from:
- Â CBCS Comic Grading Scale
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- CGC grading standards
If you're new to comic grading, the resources above are a great place to start.
WHY WE DON'T GUARANTEE 9.8
Modern comic printing is an imperfect process. Books are printed in massive
runs, bound at high speed, and shipped in bulk to retailers. Even brand
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and that's normal, and consistent with industry standards across every
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A 9.8 grade represents near-perfection, and the reality is that not every printed book qualifies for that grade no matter where you buy it from.
We can absolutely commit to NM 9.4 or better. We cannot commit to 9.8 on every book, because that's not how comics are made.
WHAT QUALIFIES AS NM 9.4
Per industry standards, a book may exhibit the following minor characteristics and still grade as Near Mint 9.4, as long as there's no accumulation of defects:
Bindery characteristics:
- Minor to moderate corner tears
- White edges along the spine (common on most modern printings)
- Covers slightly offset from interior pages (common on cardstock covers)
Printing characteristics:
- Slight color rub on back covers
- Small paper wrinkles present from the paper roll prior to printing
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Spine characteristics:
- 2-3 small color-breaking spine ticks
- Minor non-color-breaking spine dings
These are normal modern production characteristics, not damage from handling or shipping. They are present on books across the industry, regardless
of retailer.
OUR RETURN & EXCHANGE POLICY
We do not accept returns or exchanges on books that meet our NM 9.4 or better standard.
We will replace or refund:
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For premium variants (1:25, 1:50, 1:100, 1:250, 1:500 incentive covers, signed editions, exclusive variants), we apply enhanced QC during pull and packing. If a premium variant arrives outside our standard, contact us within 7 days of delivery and we will work with you on a replacement.
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