Fantagraphics Blog Eric Reynolds

This weekend is the Wordstock Book Fair in Portland, OR, and Fantagraphics will be there, exhibiting for the first time. Come say 'hi' to us and some of the other comic-folk in attendance, including Top Shelf and Adrian Tomine.

Joe Sacco writes about his influences, motivations as an artist, and more.

Go here and click "Cartoonist Interruptus" in the upper left corner to watch a five-minute clip of Daniel Clowes helping the "Mythbusters" crew design a Steam Machine Gun.

From his forthcoming WebComic, "Bodyworld," beginning in January 2008. I am rapidly becoming a very big Dash Shaw fan.

The new strip by Daniel Clowes. Read it here. Meanwhile, it looks like the episode of the Simpsons that features appearances by Daniel Clowes, Art Spiegelman, and Alan Moore has been rescheduled yet again from Nov. 11 to Nov. 18, but check your local listings.

I just received this email from Carol Tyler: . "Please spread the word: Justin had a sketchbook stolen – it was about half full, containing rough sketches and writings. He was giving a demonstration at the college where I teach [in Cincinnati] and someone walked off with it. It went missing on October 17. I've notified the authorities. I want those who buy and collect comic art to know about it being stolen property. Keep our eyes on ebay." If anyone has any information regarding this, please contact fbicomix@fantagraphics.com. UPDATE: Carol Tyler tells me that the sketchbook was returned anonymously!…

It's Steve Ditko's 80th birthday today, and we'd like to take the opportunity to make the following announcement:

COMING IN JUNE 2008… STRANGE & STRANGER: THE WORLD OF STEVE DITKO

Fantagraphics Books is proud to announce the June 2008 release of the first critical retrospective of Steve Ditko, the co-creator and original artist of the Amazing Spider-Man.

In the wake of the astonishing success of Sam Raimi's three Spider-Man movies, Steve Ditko's status as a driving force behind the pop culture icon has been revealed to an audience the world over. But, in the context of Steve Ditko's 50-year career in comics, his creative involvement with Spider-Man is merely the tip of the iceberg.

JIM WOODRING'S IVORY TOWER ART OUTLET is offering a slew of new paintings and drawings for sale at great prices. So great, in fact, that my wife and I just decided to buy this one for each other for Christmas: Jim Woodring is cooler than Santa Claus.