This month’s release of the first volume of Fantagraphics’ Carl Barks reprints is call for rejoicing. There have been many reprint projects centered on Barks’ work, but they must have been designed by the three bears: one was too expensive, one was too cheap, one had garish color, and so on. This new effort — reprinted in handsome hardcovers with simple coloring by Rich Tommaso that recalls the original limited coloring without a lot of fanfare.

I think a lot is going to be said as more of Barks’ work becomes available in a world where the bodies of work of the great cartoonists are becoming increasingly available — it is the golden age of the comics reprint, after all. For now, this conversation between James Romberger and Gary Groth will serve as a good introduction.

Fantagraphics has a 17-page pdf preview available on their site. In the meantime, here’s a seven-page preview of that preview. And these may be the seven of the greatest comics pages ever. Enjoy.