Bone Sharps, Cowboys, and Thunder Lizards

    (G.T. Labs, 2005)
Story © 2004 Jim Ottaviani, Art © 2005 Zander Cannon, Kevin Cannon, and Shad Petosky

Renowned for publishing highbrow graphic novels about the lives of famous physicists (Suspended in Language, Two-Fisted Science), General Techtronics Labs branched out stylistically with this book detailing the early years of American paleontology—or as it was called in the 19th century, dinosauria.

Bone Sharps details the so-called “Bone Wars,” a professional rivalry that turned bitterly personal between two of America’s preeminent paleontologists—Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh. Both angled to be the first to find the most impressive and remarkable dinosaur skeletons. Accusations of bribery, larceny, spying, and fossil-smashing proliferated as the feud raged on. The Bone Wars brought Cope and Marsh into contact with such notable Americans as Alexander Graham Bell, Buffalo Bill Cody, and Ulysses S. Grant. Writer Jim Ottaviani modified some facts to accommodate the story in this mélange of true science, American history, and pulp fiction.

GT Labs released a preview version of Bone Sharps for Free Comic Book Day the spring before the full release of the graphic novel version scheduled for Fall 2005. The black and white preview included 20 pages of story, and a four-page step-by-step look at the illustration process used by the Ottaviani’s collaborators at the Minneapolis-based Big Time Attic art studio.

— Leland Burrill
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  NotesWriterArtist
#1

October, 2005
Cover Price: $22.95
1 copy available for $5.44 		Jim OttavianiKevin Cannon, Zander Cannon, Shadi Petosky
Free Comic Book Day #2005

May, 2005
Cover Price: $0.00
2 copies available from $2.00 		Jim OttavianiKevin Cannon, Zander Cannon, Shadi Petosky