Fantagraphics Blog Mike Baehr

Online Commentary & Diversions: • Review: "[Dan Nadel:] Reading Pim & Francie is an apocalyptic experience — as if Columbia is demolishing both his own work and the idea of 'cartooning' in general. I found it exhilarating and terrifying. … [Tim Hodler:] …The fact that so many of these grotesque stories and vignettes don't really resolve contributes to the reader's growing sense of unease. … Al Columbia's comics… really bring out the surreal terror already buried within cartoon imagery. … [Frank Santoro:] Pim and Francie's adventure struck a chord in me that's been dormant for a long time. A haunting…

I think there's still time to get this Michael Kupperman design on a t-shirt by pledging $75 to WFMU in their 24-hour pledge marathon — hurry! (Image ganked from Sean T. Collins.) (Now that I've calmed down a little: you have until Wednesday November 18th at 7pm Eastern time.)

The eagle-eyed among you may have noticed that we've had Robert Williams's new art book/exhibit catalog Conceptual Realism: In the Service of the Hypothetical (both softcover and signed hardcover editions) available for pre-order for a couple of weeks; we've postponed our announcement until we had all of our previews in place. So here you go! Download an exclusive 8-page PDF excerpt right here, and view a photo & video slideshow preview of the hardcover edition embedded below. Click here if it is not visible, and/or to view it larger in a new window (recommended — and we also have a…

We don't have any new books or comics in comic shops this week, but I noticed that Gilbert Hernandez's The Naked Cosmos DVD/minicomic from Bright Red Rocket is back in print and available from comic shops starting tomorrow! Also, as of yesterday The Drinky Crow Show, the animated series based on Tony Millionaire's Maakies, is available as part of Adult Swim's made-to-order Custom DVD system. The "builder" Flash interface doesn't seem to want to work on my computer, so I can't verify whether all the episodes are available, but they're promising to roll out the entire Adult Swim library "in…

CBR has a 10-page sneak preview of The Troublemakers — it picks up where our PDF excerpt leaves off. Stay tuned tomorrow for their interview with Gilbert (we'll post that too). The book should be out in about 4 weeks.

Is this really it for Online Commentary & Diversions today? I feel like someone's pulling a gotcha on me: • Plug: "I really loved Zak Sally’s Sammy The Mouse, so it sounds like I have a good reason to buy [Like a Dog]. And so do you." – Corey Blake • Things to see: More Frank-in-the-jungle art from Jim Woodring … 'nuff said

Look, it's a teeny weeny Jaime Hernandez drawing of Santa Claus at the beginning of the new Bob Dylan video "Must Be Santa"! (Embedding is disabled, so click to watch.) Jaime sez: "Not a bad song either."

A Johnny Ryan superfan named Andrea stitched up the cuddliest little slorge you ever did see, with removable fecid and everything: More info and photos at Johnny's blog. If we can get Ardent Vein to re-don the C.F. outfit for a Book 2 performance next year, we might have to commission one of these.

Now available for preview and pre-order following its buzzed-about blockbuster debut at APE: The Unclothed Man in the 35th Century A.D. by Dash Shaw. This nifty hardcover volume compiles Shaw's storyboards, backgrounds, production art etc. for his IFC.com animated short of the same name alongside his acclaimed Mome short stories and more, all wrapped in a clever animation cel-inspired clear acetate overlay dustjacket. Download an exclusive PDF excerpt with the first 5 pages of 2 stories (10 pages total) right here. This book is scheduled to be in stock and ready to ship sometime in the next few weeks and…

A few quick hits of Online Commentary & Diversions: • Review: "Hornschemeier obviously draws a lot of inspiration from Chris Ware, especially in terms of color scheme and alternating between naturalistic and iconic styles. There's a different level of emotional impact in his comics, however, a certain distance that reminds me more of what Daniel Clowes or Art Spiegelman do in their work. … All and Sundry is less about the work itself and more about the artist as worker." – Rob Clough • Review: "…Zak Sally's collection of his Recidivist material and other works [Like a Dog] was positively…