Fantagraphics Blog Larry Reid

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is pleased to present The Cartoon Utopia, an exhibition and book signing with visionary cartoonist Ron Regé, Jr. opening Saturday, January 11 with a festive reception for the artist. The show continues through February 5, 2014. In The Cartoon Utopia, Regé examines religious, mystical, and spiritual philosophies employing an imaginative narrative construct. The subject ideally suits the artist’s intriguing rendering technique. In the words of cartoonist Chris Ware, Regé is "One of a handful of cartoonists in the history of the medium to not only reinvent comics to suit his own idiosyncratic impulses and inspirations as an artist,…

Guantanamo Courtroom Sketch Artist Janet Hamlin at Fantagraphics Bookstore on December 28 Please join us at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery on Saturday, December 28 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM as we host a reception and book signing with Janet Hamlin. Her fascinating book, Sketching Guantanamo, captures the conditions faced by detainees in the makeshift island internment compound. Hamlin served as the media pool sketch artist, and was among a handful of journalists to bear witness to the military tribunals of accused terrorists and “enemy combatants.” Neither sentimental nor didactic, Hamlin’s evocative drawings provide a revealing look at this enigmatic episode of…

Don't miss the fabulous 7th anniversary gala at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery this Saturday evening from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. The focus of the festivities is "cARToons: The Art of Alternative Comix."   One of many highlights of the show is the cover painting for Jesse Reklaw's sublime graphic memoir Couch Tag. The artist will be present to sign copies of his amazing new book. Also on display is a suite of four drawings by Ellen Forney from her bestselling book Marbles as she contemplates the torment of Vincent Van Gogh. The show also features the debut of a significant new painting by Jim Woodring….

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery opened seven years ago in Seattles Georgetown industrial district. In the intervening years, both the bookstore and the neighborhood have woven themselves into the cultural fabric of the region. Celebrate the impact of this unique urban enterprise on Saturday, December 14 with a festive holiday gala and opening reception for "cARToons: The Art of Alternative Comix" featuring Jeremy Eaton, Ellen Forney, Damon Gentry, John Ohannesian, Jesse Reklaw, and Jim Woodring. Exhibiting artists will be present to sign recent publications at the opening on Saturday, December 14 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. The bookstore's anniversary coincides with…

Don't miss a minute of the action at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery this holiday season. We kick off the fun on Saturday, December 7 with an extraordinary event featuring Sub Pop founder Bruce Pavitt. His new book, Experiencing Nirvana: Grunge in Europe, 1989 documents a pivotal period in late 20th century pop culture. In an improbable effort to attract international attention to the fledgling label, Sub Pop sent Nirvana, Mudhoney, and TAD to Europe. Pavitt chronicled the triumphant tour with candid observations and captivating images. Members of all three bands will attend this monumental party. Georgetown Records will have recently reissued vinyl…

Celebrate 7 Years of Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery with “cARToons: The Art of Alternative Comix” on December 14. Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery opened seven years ago in a deserted south Seattle industrial district. In the intervening years, both the bookstore and the neighborhood have woven themselves into the cultural fabric of the region. Celebrate the impact of this unique urban enterprise on Saturday, December 14 with a festive holiday gala and opening reception for “cARToons: The Art of Alternative Comix.” From its inception, the showroom for Seattle-based publisher Fantagraphics Books has endeavored to demonstrate the contributions of comix to contemporary…

November 19, 2013 – Seattle, WA. The Seattle music scene in 1989 was on the precipice of altering the course of global pop culture. Ironically, the punk music of the Pacific Northwest was having difficulty gaining traction beyond a small but enthusiastic regional following. While critically acclaimed, the embryonic movement was in imminent danger of a premature demise. In an effort to draw international attention to their fledgling label, Sub Pop sent their three marquee acts to Europe. The rest, as they say, is history. Experiencing Nirvana: Grunge in Europe, 1989 is Bruce Pavitt’s account of this pivotal period of…