Fantagraphics Blog Mike Baehr

Periodic clips & strips — click for improved/additional viewing at the sources: • The New Yorker's current Caption Contest cartoon is by Gahan Wilson • Drew Friedman's Spitzer-take for The New York Observer • It's your all-new weekly installment of "Cartoon Boy" from John Kerschbaum • This week's clammy Maakies from Tony Millionaire • The Daily Cross Hatch presents a guest strip from Noah Van Sciver • This week's "I, Anonymous" and some fighter jets by Steven Weissman • A page from a comic-in-progress by John Hankiewicz • Richard Sala presents the original art for the endpapers of his first…

Online Commentary & Diversions: • Review: "Regarding the artwork, finally, it is once again amazing. Creatures and landscapes seem to spring from the most disordered imagination and land on white paper before diving in a bucket of surrealism. So [Weathercraft] is yet another excellent work by Woodring…" – Thomas Papadimitropolous, Comicdom (translated from Greek – thanks to Ted and Takis for the help)  • Review: "Just a few observations on the art [in It Was the War of the Trenches]… Tardi is bringing very specific and very effective weapons to bear in his chillingly successful effort to convey this particular…

If you missed Drew Friedman's appearance on Seven Second Delay on WFMU (broadcast live from the UCB Theatre in NYC on Wednesday), you can listen to the show on the archive page right here.

If you've wondered what Jim Woodring's new graphic novel Weathercraft would look like if it were in color, look no further than the cover of this week's issue of The Portland Mercury. Don't forget, Jim's at Portland's mighty Powell's Books tonight at 7:30!

Catalog No. 439: Burlesque Paraphernalia and Side Degree Specialties and Costumes Introduction by Charles Schneider; essay by William D. Moore; appreciation by David Copperfield 240-page black & white/color 6.5" x 9.75" softcover • $22.99ISBN: 978-1-60699-367-5 Ships in: June/July 2010 (subject to change) — Pre-Order Now Do you wish to separate the jolly good fellows from the dour sour pusses from those who seek to ASCEND TO THEIR SIDE DEGREES — but you suffer from lack of imagination when it comes to constructing elaborate hazing rituals and DEVICES? Does fake vomit, joy buzzers and a party pack of fake moustaches only…

Mome Vol. 19 – Summer 2010 by various artists; edited by Eric Reynolds 128-page color/b&w 7" x 9" softcover • $14.99ISBN: 978-1-60699-349-1 Ships in: June/July 2010 (subject to change) — Pre-Order Now The acclaimed anthology of contemporary comics steams toward its landmark 20th issue. This issue leads off with the cover story, the first part of the satiric psychedelic epic "The White Rhinoceros," drawn by Josh Simmons and written by The Partridge in the Pear Tree. It is our privilege to welcome the great Gilbert Hernandez to the pages of Mome with a brand-new story starring his beloved character Roy!…

Online Commentary & Diversions: • Plugs: The bloggers at Comics And… Other Imaginary Tales look at and comment on our upcoming August releases • Profile: Tom Mason of Comix 411 asks "Where in the World is Spain Rodriguez?"

Looky what made an appearance on last night's episode of the Bravo network's latest reality competition show Work of Art: it's Daniel Clowes's cover for the Penguin Classics edition of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, as part of a book-related challenge. I haven't watched the episode yet (shut up) so I don't know if there's more to it than this cameo appearance. Thanks to TCJ's Kristy Valenti for alerting me to this screencap from Project Rungay (episode spoilers at the link).

Online Commentary & Diversions: • Review: "The graphic novel King of the Flies: Hallorave… gives us a glimpse of internal mayhem inside a controlled environment, executed with elegance and a touch of mystery. … King of the Flies has been compared to the work of Charles Burns for its graceful depiction of adolescent suburban horror. This is a weird tale that’s easy to get drawn into…" – Irina Ivanova, The Indypendent • Plugs: At Largehearted Boy, Atomic Books owner Benn Ray lists his picks of the week, including Artichoke Tales by Megan Kelso ("Beautiful, expansive, lyrical") and The Book of…

Seattle-based zine distro Profanity Hill (run by our own Jason T. Miles) has updated with a huge number of new acquisitions from local artistes, including some oldies-but-goodies from Peter Bagge and Jim Blanchard — click the images below for ordering info on each item and for goodness sakes browse the site and pick up some other stuff too.