Fantagraphics won't have a table at WonderCon 2011 this weekend, but attendees can get a behind-the-scenes look at a wonderful upcoming title of ours: Oil and Water, written by Steve Duin, a columnist for The Oregonian, and illustrated by New Yorker cartoonist Shannon Wheeler. Saturday, April 2nd, from 4:00-5:00 pm, in Room 220 Comics for Social Justice: The Making of Oil and Water: Oil and Water is a book-length comic (Fantagraphics, Fall 2010) that is a partly fictionalized account of a 10-day trip 22 Oregonians (activists, teachers, business owners, scientists and artists) took last summer to "bear witness" to the…
The Comics Journal panel at the Strand Bookstore pre-MoCCA
The infamous Strand Bookstore in New York City is known for its "18 miles of books," and on Friday, April 8th, they're devoting at least one of those miles to Strandicon, a celebration of comics! The Strand will be hosting an afternoon of special appearances (including a 6:00 pm appearance by Dash Shaw), and the evening concludes with a celebration of The Comics Journal, featuring a panel with editors Tim Hodler and Dan Nadel, along with founding editor Gary Groth and longtime cartoonist and TCJ interviewee Kim Deitch. So, if you live in New York, or if you'll be town…
Peter Bagge at the Scott Eder Gallery
Peter Does New York! Comics legend Peter Bagge returns to his east coast roots with a release party at Desert Island on Friday, April 8th, signings at MoCCA that weekend, AND the opening of a new exhibit at the esteemed Scott Eder Gallery! This exciting exhibition will feature published drawings and works on paper from all phases of Peter's long career in alternative comix and non-commercial illustration, including his album and CD art. Join us on Saturday, April 9th from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. (If you can't make the opening reception, you have until May 5th to view the show!)…
Peter Bagge and Leslie Stein at Desert Island
Celebrate Hate with the legendary Peter Bagge on Friday, April 8th at Desert Island in Brooklyn, NY! We'll be debuting the latest adventures of Buddy, Lisa, and Harold in Hate Annual #9, AND we'll have hot-off-the-presses copies of the teengirl-sensation Yeah! for Peter to sign for you. Plus, Desert Island will have a stunning seven-color screenprint designed by Peter that you won't want to miss! And as a special bonus, Peter will be joined by one of our newest artists, Leslie Stein! Pete sez: “Leslie Stein’s comics inhabit a charming and semi-autobiographical (in the most ‘semi’ sense of the word)…
Down with OPP*: Thunder in the Building #2
* Other People's Publications** Yeah, You Know Me. One of the things I like about this writing this column is getting the chance to spotlight some great titles that Fantagraphics didn't publish ourselves. But, I'm especially thrilled when I get to present books that are self-published, like this week's spotlighted comic, Thunder in the Building #2! Admittedly, I wasn't familiar with local artist Margaret Ashford-Trotter until we started carrying her latest comic, that she published herself with funds from the Xeric Foundation. Her drawing style reminds me a little of Adrian Tomine, and the storyline was certainly gripping, revolving…
Another TKO From Giant Robot
We're especially knocked out by Giant Robot's upcoming group exhibition, Power Punch, curated by Fantagraphics' artist Esther Pearl Watson, along with Mark Todd! Esther and Mark gave all the artists identical 8" X 8" panels to work on, and starting Saturday, April 2nd, you can see what fellow Fantagraphics artists Johnny Ryan, Jeremy Tinder and Jon Vermilyea did with theirs. Actually, we've got a sneak peek from Johnny right here: "Hey, Lep! Fuck you, lucky charms!" Power Punch opens Saturday, April 2nd at GRSF [618 Shrader Street, San Francisco] with a reception from 6:30 – 10:00 pm. The show runs…
Enter the Dork Forest
It feels kinda wrong that I'm writing about this, and not our resident Star Wars expert, but anyway… Comedian Jackie Kashian is the overlord of The Dork Forest, a podcast about comic books, movies, music, and more, that she's been doing for five years now. And this Sunday, March 27th, she'll be recording an episode at The Vera Project with special guest Peter Bagge, featuring music from his delightful pop-combo Can You Imagine?. Also on the bill is Eisner Award-winning writer Ed Brubaker, Star Wars collector extraordinaire Gus Lopez, and comedians Paul Merrill and Kermet Apio. Tickets are $8, and you…
Not Tardy to Tardi!
Larry Reid greets the crowd at Better Tardi Than Never Merci beaucoup! Thank you to everyone who attended the opening of our latest exhibit on Jacques Tardi, "Better Tardi Than Never: How France's Greatest Living Cartoonist Took a Mere 32 Years to Break Through to American Audiences." It was especially wonderful to see our friends from the Alliance Française de Seattle. Not only did we present the world debut of Tardi's fifth book, the epic "icepunk" tale The Arctic Marauder, but we were fortunate to have Fantagraphics co-publisher, editor, and Tardi translator Kim Thompson on hand for the always-informative…
Turn on the Water Works with Giant Robot
This weekend, our friends at Giant Robot kick off a very important exhibit to raise money for the devastation in Japan. Funds will be donated to UNICEF, to help children impacted by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. There are so many wonderful, generous artists involved in this show, including Fantagraphics' own Andrice Arp, Renee French, and Esther Pearl Watson. And not only will Giant Robot donate proceeds from the sale of artwork, they'll also be donating: 1. Proceeds from the sale of water bottles featuring labels created by artists and signed by celebrities. 2. Fifty percent of proceeds from…
Better Than Spinach
Mike and I spotted these Popeye Candy Treats at the Bartell Drugstore in Ballard. Definitely my preferred method of power.
