Motherless Brooklyn; The Fortress of Solitude

In honor of the 25th anniversary of Motherless Brooklyn—a hardcover omnibus edition of two of the most acclaimed novels by one of America’s most inventive novelists

Motherless Brooklyn, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, is a compulsively readable riff on the classic noir detective novel. Lionel Essrog is an orphan whose Tourette’s symptoms drive him to rip apart language in startling and evocative ways. Charismatic Brooklyn mobster Frank Minna serves as a father figure to Lionel and three of his fellow veterans of the St. Vincent’s Home for Boys, employing them in his limo service and detective agency. But when Frank is fatally stabbed, Lionel’s world is turned topsy-turvy, and he sets out to untangle the case while trying to keep the words straight in his head. 

The Fortress of Solitude is the story of two motherless boys, Dylan Ebdus and Mingus Rude, growing up as neighbors in 1970s Brooklyn. Because Dylan is white and Mingus is Black, their friendship is not simple. Neither is their neighborhood, where the entertainments range from muggings to joyous games of stoopball, and where the smallest decisions—what music you listen to, whether to speak to the kid seated next to you, whether to give up your lunch money—are laden with potential disaster. Through the knitting and unraveling of the boys’ friendship, Jonathan Lethem weaves a rich and emotionally gripping story that encompasses race and class, superheroes, gentrification, funk, hip-hop, graffiti, incarceration, loyalty, and memory. 

Everyman's Library pursues the highest production standards, printing on acid-free cream-colored paper, with full-cloth cases with two-color foil stamping, decorative endpapers, silk ribbon markers, European-style half-round spines, and a full-color illustrated jacket. Contemporary Classics include an introduction, a select bibliography, and a chronology of the author's life and times.

Standard and Primary covers are widely available through general retailers. They often have higher print runs and can be cheaper, especially during sales.

In contrast, Direct Market (DM) and variant covers are primarily sold in comic shops. DM editions tend to have more limited availability and may be more valuable to collectors.

The main differences lie in artwork style, availability, price, and collector appeal. Ultimately, the choice between standard and variant covers depends on personal preference, budget, and individual collecting goals.

Comic book enthusiasts have various formats to choose from when collecting their favorite stories.
Here's a brief overview of the main types:

Omnibus

• Large, hardcover collections
• Usually contain complete runs or extensive story arcs
• Typically 800-1000+ pages
• Higher price point, often €100-€150

Oversized Hardcover (OHC)

• Similar dimensions to omnibus, but thinner
• Collect shorter runs or story arcs
• Usually 300-600 pages
• Priced between €30-€50

Hardcover (HC)

• Standard-sized hardcover books
• Collect 6-12 issues typically
• Similar dimensions to single issues, but with a hard cover
• Priced around €25-€35

Trade Paperback (TP)

• Softcover collections
• Standard comic book size
• Usually collect 4-6 issues
• Most affordable option, typically €15-€25

Other Formats

• Absolute Editions: Oversized, deluxe hardcovers (mainly DC Comics)
• Compendiums: Massive paperback collections
• Graphic Novels (OGN/GN): Original stories not previously released as single issues

The choice between these formats often depends on personal preference, budget, and collecting goals. Omnibus and OHC editions offer larger artwork and more content but at a higher price, while TPs provide a more affordable way to collect complete story arcs