Top 10 Flesk Books in 2025! Happy New Year!

Hi, everyone,

Welcome to our top 10 list of Flesk books sold in 2025. This ranking was calculated by the actual number of copies sold rather than by the total funds collected. The number of people holding a copy in their hands is our favorite way to measure the success of a title.

Last night, I flipped through some of the pictures that we took throughout 2025 and it made me realize how amazing the year was.

Vicky and I had the chance to see many of our friends throughout the year. We had a wonderful time meeting people at the handful of events where we exhibited. We released eight new books that we are very proud of. We even managed to take a pair of trips where we could fully get lost in nature and recharge. I’m grateful to everyone who makes it possible for Vicky and myself to make books on these amazing artists. I consider ourselves to be very lucky. We have all of you to thank for allowing us to continue to do what we love.

We have some big plans that we will be kicking into motion this month. We’ve also mapped out our book schedule for this year. I’ll share all of these details soon.

For now, I will offer some insight into our top 10 books in 2025. This helps to remind myself about the many positive things that happened over the past few years while also looking forward to what 2026 will bring.

I hope you all had a wonderful New Year day with many more great days to come!

—John

#1 — The Art of Daniel Warren Johnson

When I first met DWJ I didn’t quite realize how big of a superstar he was becoming. As I read his comics for the first time, I had that same feeling wash over me that I had when first reading Frank Miller’s run on Daredevil, and also Darwyn Cooke’s The New Frontier. It’s rare to have such an impactful writer/artist/storyteller all in one person. Daniel has cemented himself as one of the most defining creators of his generation. It was a blast to work with him to make this book. We are incredibly proud of how it turned out. The Art of DWJ easily took the number one spot this year. I expect it will continue to be popular throughout 2026. For those who want the signed hardcover, it will eventually sell out. Fair warning.

#2 — Portfolio: The Complete Various Drawings by Mark Schultz

This one surprised me since this book has been out since 2024. Portfolio was number 3 last year and moved up a spot for 2025! Our stock on the paperback, hardcover and signed hardcover are getting low. The success of this book has encouraged us to work on The Carbon Collection (coming in 2026). Our goal with Portfolio was to make a book packed with Schultz art at an easy to hold size. It has proven very popular and I’m thrilled to see it in the #2 spot! We’ve published more books on Schultz than on any other artist. He is a wonderful guy and amazing to work with.

#3 — Fiendish Monsters: The Horror Art of Bruce Timm

We released this book on December 2 and within less than a month it almost made the #2 spot. Bruce was very active in the design and tone of this book. The “Monsters” title and chapter titles were all hand lettering by him. He provided a bunch of commentary, and had his hand in each page of the design as well as the color adjustments for his art. It was an amazing experience to work with Bruce on this. It’s obvious to see how much passion he has for this genre. We’re currently working on the next book in the series that will collect his noir/crime/hard-boiled art. After that, we have a fantasy themed book coming. After these, even more collections are planned!

#4 — Xenozoic by Mark Schultz

Can we all take a moment to give Mark a standing ovation? Two books in the top 4 and this one has been in print from us since 2010! Xenozoic proves time and again that people love this series. The story is just as relevant today as it was when it was initially released. It is constantly being discovered by new people. We’re just about sold out of this latest printing and have some copies on our website. We’ll print more copies and restock our distributor later this year.

#5 — Franklin Booth: Silent Symphony

It feels so good to see this book continue to sell at a brisk pace. An absolute master of pen-and-ink, Franklin Booth’s drawings continue to make people happy. As many of you know, Booth was the subject of the first book that I published back in 2002. It was titled Painter with a Pen. Silent Symphony was meant as a 20th year celebration of our publishing books. I loved every minute of working on this book. It brings me great joy to see Booth capture the #5 spot.

#6 — Spectres by Tran Nguyen

I still remember seeing Tran’s paintings for the first time and being completely mesmerized. She has a grace to her works that constanlty moves me. It’s such an honor to work with her. This is her second book that we published. It’s filled with her captivating experimental paintings that I can’t get enough of.

#7 — The Last Battle at the End of the World by Jeffrey Alan Love

Jeff is one of the most unique and powerful storytellers out there. This is the fourth JAL book that we have published. Like the previous titles, The Last Battle at the End of the World has limited text, yet each page carries so much depth and wonder that adding more text would only be a distraction. I have yet to see anyone else who can tell a story the way Jeff can. A true individual and a wonderful person.

#8 — The Art of Arthur Adams

This book was a huge hit when it was released in 2023. It remains the biggest Kickstarter campaign that we’ve ever ran. We ran out of copies for our distributor, but still have some copies on our website. I’ve been following Arthur since the original Longshot series was released. Making this book was a dream. And like the others, Arthur is such a pleasure to work with.

#9 — Naughty and Nice: The Good Girl Art of Bruce Timm

Yay! A second B.T. book on the list! Like Mark Schultz’s Xenozoic, Bruce’s Naughty and Nice collection has been selling nonstop since its initial printing 15 years ago. I actually need to reprint this, along with The Big Tease. We will, but I need to wait until later this year when I can focus on them. I still love looking through this book and am happy to see it on this list.

#10 — Ambedo by Tran Nguyen

Along with Mark Schultz and Bruce Timm, Tran Nguyen has the honor of having two books on our top ten list! As an intersting aside, back when Tran was at SCAD, she took a class that Mark was teaching. Small world! Ambedo is a new edition with a new cover. The previous edition had a small print run and sold out quickly. I’ve always been eager to bring this back to print and am so happy we did. It’s another lovely book that I am honored to have published.

I’d like to also mention Hellboy: Into the Silent Sea Revealed by Gianni and Mignola. The initial pre-orders did really well for this title too. I’m sure this will be on the top 10 list next year once the distributor sales reports are made available to us.

I’m sure you are eager to hear all about what we will be releasing in 2026. I’m just as eager to share! I’ll save the details for a future newsletter. At the moment we are putting the final touches on the William Stout Comics Volume One book. I’m looking at the calendar and will lock in a Kickstarter launch date in late-January or early-February. I’ll get that date finalized soon to share with you all.

Enjoy,

John

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Text copyright © 2026 John Fleskes. Photos by Vicky Lien and John Fleskes and © 2026 . Videos © 2026 Flesk Publications. Artwork © 2026 its respective artists. All rights reserved.

Top 10 Flesk Books Sold in 2023!

Top 10 Flesk Books Sold in 2023!

2023 was one of the best years ever for us. As you will see when looking at this top ten list there are a variety of titles that span multiple genres. The common denominator is that these are all exceptional people who make lovely works of art.  

Ever since I started this publishing company in 2002 my goal has been to focus on the artist and the relationship. To serve others is what drives me, and I have maintained my passion for making books for all these years. Thanks to you, these artists and I can continue to live this dream.

For this top 10 list I have calculated the total sales by combining our direct Flesk website orders, event sales, Kickstarter pledges, and the sales made through our distributor.

1. The Art of Arthur Adams

The success of this book proved how eager people were for a proper overview of Arthur’s career. Arthur and I were surprised by the massive support during our Kickstarter campaign for this book. We’re still humbled by its popularity. I’ve been a fan of Arthur’s work ever since Longshot #1 came out. This has been a dream project, and Arthur is a joy to work with.  

2. Carbon 5 by Mark Schultz

Considering this is the tenth collection we have published on Mark, it’s exciting to see the enthusiasm for his latest book. The prior collections were Various Drawings Volumes 1-5, followed by Carbon 1-4. We have published more books on Schultz than on any other artist. Mark uses these collections to showcase his latest drawings. Much of the art he produces these days is done for himself. He feels lucky to be able to draw what he likes, while having a forum to share these pieces with others.

3. Gilt by J.A.W. Cooper

Gilt and Carbon 5 are very close in sales. Carbon 5 had the benefit of coming out six months prior to Gilt. This is the latest collection that pulls together the most recent works by J.A.W. Cooper. We worked closely together to make an art object with this book. I feel this is one of the most unique and beautiful books we have published to date. It’s a thrill to work with Cooper and I marvel at their creativity and spirit. They are one of the most unique voices I have ever seen.  

4. Barren Lands by Brynn Metheney

I’ve been wanting to work with Brynn for years. I’m thrilled that we had this opportunity to publish Barren Lands. Brynn wrote and illustrated this collection of stories that borders between reality and the bizarre. The whole process of working with Brynn was fun and enjoyable. The chance to work with an artist early in her career is very satisfying.

5. Franklin Booth: Silent Symphony

Released in 2022, this large collection that highlights Booth’s life and art is still going strong. This is the artist who originally inspired me to start publishing. What a thrill to be able to pull out the initial 2002 book, Franklin Booth: Painter with a Pen, and then completely remake it from scratch with the help of Alice Carter. This served as our 20th anniversary book where we could celebrate Booth further.

6. Naughty and Nice: The Good Girl Art of Bruce Timm

The first edition of this collection on Bruce Timm came out in 2012. It was a best seller then and continues to be on our top 10 list over a decade later. People can’t seem to get enough of B.T. and I don’t blame them! Bruce is an absolute legend and wonderful to work with.  

7. Al Williamson: Strange World Adventures

Thanks to the Cartoonist Kayfabe YouTube channel highlight, this book got a big boost. The initial sales when the book first came out were strong, then when this book review dropped it was seen by a new audience. This makes me happy, especially since this is one of the books that I am most proud of. Al remains one of my all-time favorite artists and I hope this collection does his career justice.

8. The Art of Brom

We released this book back in 2013 and it is still going strong! I feel like I am repeating myself, but when it gets down to it, all the artists who I work with are great people who are extraordinary. Brom’s accomplishments are remarkable. The sales for this book received a boost thanks to some deluxe edition copies that I found in our warehouse. We are officially sold out of all editions at this point.

9. Xenozoic by Mark Schultz

This book, collecting all of the Xenozoic stories written and illustrated by Mark Schultz, has had a variety of editions in print since 2010. This may be our most consistent and steady seller over our entire publishing history. Mark is also the only artist who has two books on our top ten list for this year. I recently re-read this collection and enjoyed it just as much as the first time I read the comics in the early nineties. The most common question we receive is when new Xenozoic stories will be coming? Whenever this happens, I’ll be the most excited fanboy out there.

10. Alkeme: The Art of Brad Kunkle

I’m pleased to see Brad’s book on the top 10 list again this year. This was published in 2023 and we love how it turned out. I first met Brad back in 2006 and can’t express how exciting it has been to see his career blossom and to cheer along as his success has grown.

This wraps up our top ten list. Thanks for reading and for our support over the years. As we step into 2024, we are entering our 22nd year of publishing! I’m eager to make a series of announcements all throughout the year to reveal what’s coming next.

I wish you all a fruitful, happy, and healthy 2024.

Enjoy,

John

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Text copyright © 2024 John Fleskes. Photos by Vicky Lien and John Fleskes and © 2024 . Videos © 2024 Flesk Publications. Artwork © 2024 its respective artists. All rights reserved.

Franklin Booth: Silent Symphony–Flesk Kickstarter Campaign is Live!

Hi, everyone,

We are live! Click here to visit our Franklin Booth Kickstarter campaign.

Franklin Booth: Silent Symphony is a massive, 304-page book featuring over 400 pieces that span the artist’s entire career. This collection is available as a paperback and hardcover edition.

Franklin Booth: Silent Symphony is the culmination of twenty years of publishing. It was in the spring of 2002 that I published the first Flesk book—Franklin Booth: Painter with a Pen. With this spring being our twentieth anniversary, I invited Alice A. Carter to write an extensive biography of Booth. The entire Flesk team poured months of research and work into making this all-new, freshly designed, 304-page volume that celebrates the life and work Franklin Booth. Thanks for looking!

Best,

Enjoy,

–John

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Franklin Booth Book Coming in Spring 2022 From Flesk!

Hi, everyone,

It appears that people are getting excited about our updated and revised Franklin Booth book that is coming out in 2022.

What originally started out as being a reprint of my Franklin Booth: Painter with a Pen book from 2002 has turned into a much bigger project. The original collection was 8.5 x 11″ inches with 112 pages. This new version will be 9 x 12″ with over 300 pages. Alice Carter is writing a full career overview of Booth. A generous collector, Duke Fuller, has offered access to his massive collection to help make this book something far greater than we originally planned.

If we are going to celebrate our 20th Anniversary of Flesk next spring, then this is the way to do it!

Our goal is to have this book ready for the printer by the first of the new year. There will be a paperback edition, then I am looking into something really special for the hardcover edition. We’ll start to take pre-orders once it has been sent to the printer in early 2022.

Thanks for your encouragement!

Enjoy,

–John

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New Franklin Booth Book Coming Spring 2022!

Our Franklin Booth expanded and revised edition in the works. Coming from Flesk in the spring of 2022.This release date will coincide with our 20th Anniversary.

Our original Franklin Booth: Painter with a Pen collection came out in the spring of 2002. This new book will feature all of the art found in the first edition, plus over 100 additional pieces. We are expanding it from 112 pages to nearly 300 pages. Plus, Bunny Carter is writing an extensive essay that will serve as the definitive look at the career and life of Booth.

The cover price, the formats, and other details will be announced next year. We’ll start to take pre-orders by March 2022. This is the book that we all have been waiting for. https://www.fleskpublications.com/

Enjoy,

–John

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Flesk 2021 Book Updates!

This is a brief overview of our year and what you can expect to see from us.

I’ll start with the photo. It was taken during a visit to the Al Williamson studio a few years back. Being able to see the “Savage World!” original art was a special moment. Especially while the pages were resting on Al’s drawing table.

Here’s a shipping update on the Williamson and Mark Schultz books.

If all goes well, we will have Al Williamson: Strange World Adventures, Carbon 4 by Mark Schultz, Xenozoic by Mark Schultz and the Al Williamson and Mark Schultz Astounding Sketchbook next week. The books are still at the port waiting to be offloaded from the shipping vessel. We will begin shipping our Kickstarter pledges and Flesk online pre-orders just as soon as they arrive.

As for our next wave of Flesk books, we have five other books at the printer. These include The Drawings of Edwin Austin Abbey, Covenant: The Art of Allen Williams, new books with Frank Cho and Gary Gianni, and a new printing of the Bruce Timm Naughty and Nice collection. Once the books have been printed and are being shipped to us I’ll reveal more and open them all up for pre-orders. We would like to see how the shipping transit times are looking before we announce the release dates.

In the meantime, we are working on the new Franklin Booth book, two new Arthur Adams books, three new William Stout books, plus we are wrapping up two books by a pair of new artists. Then we have the J.A.W. Cooper book to start in June, plus two other new artists who we will start working with in the summer. Then we will have more books featuring Mark Schultz and Al Williamson to work on for 2022. There’s more, but this is what we can share to date.

For the rest of 2021 we do not have any plans to exhibit at any shows. This includes the San Diego November show that we will skip. We will start fresh with events in 2022. Until that time we will continue to make the best books that we can.

You have our thanks for supporting us.

All my best!

–John

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Franklin Booth: Painter With a Pen Revised Edition in the Works!

Hi, everyone,

This is one of my favorite drawings by Franklin Booth. We’ll be reprinting the Franklin Booth: Painter with a Pen book that I published back in 2002. I’ll release it in early 2022 to coincide with our Flesk 20th anniversary. I pulled out my disk drive from 2003 to refresh myself with the book. I discovered that I have a full folder of images that I had sorted and organized for a second booth book. I even found a correspondence that I had with one of his students (who was 93 at the time) and his niece (his brothers daughter) who both provided me with personal stories to share in a future book.

From the looks of things this will be a completely revised edition that will add an extra 100 pages with new essays and details about Booth. I handed over the book to Kathy to work on yesterday who is prepping the new images and organizing the book. I’ll completely redesign the book as well since I get bored with the idea of simply doing a reprint. I’ll keep you all updated!

Enjoy,

John

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Revised Franklin Booth Book In-Development!

Back in the spring of 2002 I published my first book, Franklin Booth: Painter with a Pen. Early next year I will begin working on a revised edition to have available in the spring of 2022. What better way to celebrate our 20th anniversary than to revisit the book that started it all!

I came across a box recently that is filled with additional Booth material that I have gathered over the years. For instance, I have a fascinating unpublished article that was written by one of Booth’s students. I spoke on the phone with him about 15 years ago when he was well into his nineties. Soon after our call he mailed me his essay with his permission to publish it one day.

By taking my time throughout 2021, I feel this will make for a special new edition that will be enjoyable to work on at a leisurely pace.

If you have any neat obscure Booth material that you would like to share with me to use in the revised book,please let me know. I may already have it, but maybe not?

At the moment, we’re wrapping up 5 new books on other artists. I’ll be making many new announcements as the months go by.

Enjoy,

John

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