Fantagraphics Blog Mike Baehr

Our shutterbug pal Steve Sampson has a great set of photos from our Daniel Clowes signing last Friday; browse through thumbnails here or watch the slideshow below (slideshow link). Stay tuned in the near future for a link to Steve's great shots from last month's David B./Alliance Française events as well.

One of Johnny Ryan's many beloved characters, come to life through the magic of YouTube!

Behold a host of images, moving and still, from Daniel Clowes' visit to Seattle this past weekend. First up, the opening of the Ghost World exhibit at the Fantagraphics Bookstore (click here if the slideshow doesn't appear below): Here's a snippet of the Q&A with Gary Groth and Dan at the exhibit opening (video link): And here's the "Comix Sub-Heroes" panel discussion with Dan and Adrian Tomine, moderated by Ivan Brunetti, at the Bumbershoot festival (slideshow link): I'll let the images speak for themselves except to say that everybody and everything was delightful and wonderful. I've said this before, but it bears…

As envisioned by Kurt Wolfgang. (Normally Eric would post this, but he's out chauffeuring Mr. Clowes right now.) 

Here's what people on the web are writing about our books this week: • Futurismic, German site Nerdcore and Canada's SEE Magazine (which wins for best article title and best writer name) take note of Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko by Blake Bell; the latter article sparks debate between Steven Grant and Jarett Kobek • The Onion A.V. Club's latest "Comics Panel" roundup includes a B+ review for Tim Lane's Abandoned Cars; Sequart takes a good look at the book too • Chris Mautner at Blog@Newsarama gets the first word in on The Portable Frank by Jim…

TONIGHT! SEE Daniel Clowes in a rare in-store appearance! GAZE upon an exhibit of original art from Ghost World! HEAR Dan answer questions from our fearless leader Gary Groth! MEET other special unannounced guests! PURCHASE the very first copies of Ghost World: Special Edition and our special signed limited-edition silkscreen exhibit poster (VERY limited quantities of both – get there EARLY to secure your copies)! GET your Clowes books and paraphenalia signed! CLICK here for more details! It all happens from 6 to 9 PM TONIGHT at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, 1201 S. Vale St., Seattle WA USA. Phone 206-658-0110.

Time for a new installment of Steven Weissman's in-progress pages from "Blue Jay," an epic 32-page story from Chocolate Cheeks, the next collection of the Yikes! gang's adventures. In this week's episode: Elzie Crisler (the world's cutest monster dog) is in deep, deep trouble. (Remember, you must be registered and logged in to read.)

I don't know if I'll get in trouble for plugging another publisher here on our official organ, but good gravy: our esteemed colleagues at Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern have put nearly all of their available back issues (including the Chris Ware-edited all-comics #13) on sale for just $5 each through tomorrow.

Krazy and Ignatz 1943-1944 By George Herriman Krazy and Ignatz 1943-1944: "He Nods in Quiescent Siesta" covers the last two years of Herriman’s masterpiece. With this volume, Fantagraphics and its precursor Eclipse have reprinted the entire 29-year run of the Krazy Kat Sundays! Like Charles Schulz, George Herriman was a cartoonist to the very end. Aside from collecting the last masterful year and a half of Krazy Kat, this new volume offers a retrospective look at Herriman’s life at the drawing table, offering many never before seen samples of his original art (which the cartoonist often lovingly hand-colored for friends)….

After the wallet-busting deluge last week, you might be relieved to know that we have exactly nothing arriving in comics shops today. (We just didn't want to have to go up against Barb Wire Omnibus Vol. 1.) We do have a couple of new books in stock today for direct orders, though… sit tight…