Fantagraphics Blog Mike Baehr

Just arrived in our warehouse and ready to ship: Twilight of the Assholes: Cartoons & Essays 2005-2009 by Tim Kreider 288-page black & white 8" x 9.5" softcover • $28.99ISBN: 978-1-60699-398-9 Previews & Ordering Info Tim Kreider's first cartoon collection, The Pain — When Will It End? was one of the few bastions of sanity throughout the awful aberration in American history known as the Bush Administration. The end of his second volume of political cartoons, Why Do They Kill Me?, saw its author in despair over the 2004 election. In this new volume, Twilight of the Assholes, as reality…

Here's this week's Weissman, plus links to other strips from around the web: — Barack Hussein Obama by Steven Weissman (view at original size): — And elsewhere: The All-New Cartoon Boy Adventure Hour by John Kerschbaum (an encore presentation of John's Act-i-vate strip at MTV Geek) Amazing Facts… and Beyond! with Leon Beyond by Kevin Huizenga: Belligerent Piano by Tim Lane: Ectiopiary by Hans Rickheit: Lucky by Gabrielle Bell: The Pain — When Will It End? by Tim Kreider: Truth Serum by Jon Adams:

A few items of interest from the Repaneled blog recently: • Aviv Itzcovitz has several goes at Daniel Clowes's Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron — three here, three here • Noah Van Sciver does Alex Robinson • Rusty Shackles does Michael Kupperman

Today's Online Commentary & Diversions: • Review: "Watch your step as we spiral further down the rabbit hole in the second volume in the King of the Flies trilogy, entitled The Origin of the World. […] The unease that once crept through the residential basements now spreads vulture wings and takes flight. Volume 2 justifies the previous paranoia and displays it in full view… The Origin of the World's plots coil and ceaselessly shift; the characters tasting and testing one another with serpentine instincts. When the whole thing threatens to surrender under its bleakness, the last page morphs to resemble…

We recently got a fresh batch of signed bookplates back from Charles Burns for his classic albums Big Baby, El Borbah and Skin Deep — they're free with purchase of their respective books while supplies last! (And see here for our other books available with free signed bookplates!)

Today's Online Commentary & Diversions: • List: X-Ray Spex's Will Pfeifer names his Pop Culture Books of the Year for 2010: "This is the sort of book I love more than any other. It reveals a world I never knew existed — in this case, the bizarre world of elaborate, mean-spirited, downright dangerous lodge initiations — and does so with a real affection for and appreciation of the past. [Catalog No. 439:] Burlesque Paraphernalia is… the sort of book that makes you think life might've been tougher a long time ago, but it was probably a hell of a lot…

The Complete Peanuts 1979-1980 (Vol. 15) by Charles M. Schulz Introduction by Al Roker; designed by Seth 344-page black & white 8.5" x 7" hardcover • $28.99ISBN: 978-1-60699-438-2 Ships in: March 2011 (subject to change)This item will be available for order on its release date. Stay tuned for updates. Charles Schulz enters his fourth decade as the greatest cartoonist of his generation, and Peanuts remains as fresh and lively as it ever was. (How do we know it’s 1980? Well, for one thing Peppermint Patty gets herself those Bo-Derek-in-“10” cornrows — Peanuts’ timelessness occasionally shows a crack!) That said, The…

Just a reminder that registration is still open for the Seattle Graphic Artists Guild's panel discussion and portfolio review with Peter Bagge and other veteran local comics creators this  Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011. Other creators on the panel include Phil Foglio, Mike Grell, Jason Janicki, Leigh Kellogg and Michael Oeming — that's a diverse group and there is bound to be some lively and opinionated discussion! More details and advance ticket info here.

Given my job it is strange for me to suggest that you give another publisher your money. But as a comics fan I really want this awesome-sounding project to get the help it needs and I'd be crazy not to plug it: Ryan Standfest's startup Rotland Press + Comicworks is raising needed funds via Kickstarter for the printing of the new comics anthology BLACK EYE: Graphic Transmissions to Cause Ocular Hypertension and jeezum crow, look at that lineup — that's just mind-boggling: Stéphane Blanquet (France) Ivan Brunetti (USA- Chicago) Lilli Carré (USA- Chicago) Max Clotfelter (USA- Seattle) Al Columbia (USA)…

Bid on this original Ray Fenwick painting and proceeds from the winning sale will benefit the non-profit Struts Gallery in Sackville, New Brunswick.