Fantagraphics Blog Mike Baehr

On the new episode of The Sound of Young America podcast, host Jesse Thorn talks to the great Gahan Wilson. Listen with the embedded player below or at the link above.

Paul Hornschemeier has posted a handful of panels from Forlorn Funnies Vol. 1, coming in November, over at his blog. Urine pants ahoy.

This Great Show includes some of the best and boldest talents working in comix today. Here's a chance to see original art work by Glenn Head, Danny Hellman, Mark Dean Veca, David Sandlin, Tim Lane, Jayr Pulga, Chadwick Whitehead, Sam Henderson, Mary Fleener, Rick Altergott, R. Sikoryak, and Mats!?…. Many of these exciting artists will be on hand to meet you, discuss their work, and their insights into the comics scene. HOTWIRE's contributors have graced the pages of the very best comix anthologies — such as RAW, R. Crumb's WEIRDO, SNAKE EYES, DRAWN AND QUARTERLY, as well as mainstream publications…

You read that right! Following the Chocolate Cheeks book release/exhibit opening at Floating World in Portland on Feb. 4, Steven Weissman will be trundling up to Seattle for a signing wingding at our flagship Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery on Saturday, Feb. 6, and it looks like he'll be bringing some artwork & prints & such with him for selling. We'll probably be making a more formal announcement as the date draws nearer, but mark your calendars now!

We hear the event was gangbusters! Here's Gahan signing a copy of the Fifty Years of Playboy Cartoons collection. Strand TV footage will be up on the Strand's YouTube page in the next week, so we'll be sure to bring you that when it's available. Photo by Christina Foxley, courtesy the Strand — click for a larger version.

Photo courtesy one of our local media contacts. Eyeballs courtesy Drinky Crow.

Today's Online Commentary & Diversions: • List: At his blog Supervillain, Sean Witzke posts a massive Comics of the Decade roundup which includes Ganges by Kevin Huizenga ("The third one fucking rules"), I Killed Adolf Hitler ("I read this sitting in the train station in Philadelphia that they shot part of 12 Monkeys in, laughing very loudly") and The Last Musketeer ("Pompous blowhard saves the universe from Ming the Merciless by stabbing and chivalry. Stabbing and chivalry solve everything.") by Jason, and Prison Pit: Book 1 by Johnny Ryan ("Book of ‘09… If the point of comics is fucked up…

Yes, it's a parody/homage of The Believer, courtesy of editor Ben Schwartz, artist Drew Friedman, and designer Alexa Koenings. Drew provides more background and a larger image at his blog. The book is just off to press and should be out in April.

Floating World Comics & Fantagraphics present: "CHOCOLATE CHEEKS" book release & art exhibit with Steven Weissman This February's 1st Thursday in Portland OR, Floating World Comics is proud to present a book signing and art exhibit with one of their and our favorite comic creators, Steven Weissman, creator of Yikes!, celebrating the release of his brand new book Chocolate Cheeks. LISTING INFORMATION: WHO: Steven Weissman WHAT: CHOCOLATE CHEEKS book release & art exhibit WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 4th, 6-10pm WHERE: Floating World Comics, 20 NW 5th Ave #101, Portland OR More info here. Steven will also be appearing at Fantagraphics Bookstore…

It's your holiday Online Commentary & Diversions: • List: Paul Gravett names "The Best of 2009: Graphic Novels": No. 9 is Giraffes in My Hair: A Rock 'n' Roll Life by Bruce Paley & Carol Swain ("Paley combines so perfectly with his partner Carol Swain to capture Paley’s walks on the wild side as he journeys through sex, drugs and rock’n'roll, from hippy to punk. … Hers has always been an utterly singular approach."); No. 13 is (appropriately) Pim & Francie: The Golden Bear Days by Al Columbia ("These distressed, distressing comics and illustrations repeat and escalate like a stuck…