Fantagraphics has released information on the second installment of Ed Piskor’s Hip Hop Family Tree series, along with details for a Gift Box Set, both of which will release in 2014.
 
Piskor’s first volume, Hip Hop Family Tree Vol. 1: 1970s- 1981, was released last year and ended up on several 'Best Graphic Novels of 2013' lists.  The book was also recently nominated for Eisner Awards in both the Best Reality Based Work and Best Lettering categories (see "'The 2014 Eisner Award Nominees").  The graphic novel documents the true story of the formative years of the music genre that changed global culture.  The epic history was first serialized on the website Boing Boing, and is now being collected in a planned five volume book series.
 
Hip Hop Family Tree Vol. 2: 1981-1983 covers the early years of hip hop, as it made the transition from parks and rec rooms to clubs and vinyl pressings.  The volume covers Afrika Bambaataa’s Planet Rock, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s the Message, the movie Wildstyle and superstars like NWA, The Beastie Boys, Doug E Fresh, KRS One, ICE T, and Public Enemy.  Release for the 112-page, full color paperback is set for August.  MSRP $27.99.
 


Fantagraphics will also release the Hip Hop Family Tree Vol. 1-2: 1975-1983 Gift Box Set, which will feature new art on the covers of both books and a bonus comic book.  The slipcase art brings together Piskor’s homages to EC Comics and mid-1960s DC's Go-Go Checks.  The bonus 24-page comic book, which features a foil-stamped cover, was drawn specifically for this set: Hip Hop Family Tree #300 -Milestone, Variant, Limited, Ashcan Edition!.  The 248-page, full color box set will release in October and has an MSRP of $59.99.
 

To hype the release of the upcoming volume, Fantagraphics is also offering a Free Comic Book Day Hip Hop Family Tree Two-In-One introduction, which contains stories from Vol. 1 and 2, as well as new guest pin-ups and content just for FCBD.