Fantagraphics Blog Mike Baehr

Kim Thompson has posted an annotated list of the 20 artists featured in his "Vingt sur 20" slide lecture (given at the Alliance Française on July 16, 2008) on The Comics Journal message board for your reference and discussion. We hinted that we might be bringing you audio of Kim's talk, but Kim will be presenting an improved version at SPX this Fall, so we're going to wait for that!

Wondering what's so Special about Ghost World: Special Edition by Dan Clowes? Watch this video/photo slideshow teaser and find out! (Hint: snazzy hardcover format, complete graphic novel and film screenplay, extensive extras including new annotations and rare/never-seen artwork…) Click here if the slideshow doesn't appear above. (And don't miss our pre-order poster giveaway contest!)

Announcing our Ghost World: Special Edition poster giveaway contest! Pre-order Ghost World: Special Edition by Daniel Clowes directly from Fantagraphics.com and your name will be placed in a random drawing to receive a signed copy of the ultra-limited-edition silkscreen show print (shown below) for the Ghost World: Special Edition exhibit opening this Friday, August 29, at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery. (The poster will be available for purchase ONLY in person at the FB&G and is sure to sell out.) Some rules: limit one entry per person (multiple orders, or ordering multiple copies, while appreciated, will not increase your chances); to…

Today we’re pleased to bring you this multimedia teaser of Sublife Vol. 1, the first installment in a serialized one-man anthology by John Pham. Be sure to check out the photos for the super-spiffy printing details, like the silver metallic spine. Click here if the slideshow doesn't appear above.

Town of Mirrors: The Reassembled Imagery of Robert Pollard By Robert Pollard Robert Pollard is the Dayton, Ohio singer-songwriter, who was the leader and creative force behind the legendary indie rock group Guided by Voices, one of the most influential bands of its generation (SPIN magazine recently named Pollard one of “The Top 50 Rock & Roll Front Men of All-Time”). After the dissolution of Guided by Voices in 2004, Robert Pollard launched his official solo career with the release of From a Compound Eye in 2006. In addition to being a prolific songwriter/recording artist, Pollard is a gifted and…

A couple of Friday night videos for your enjoyment, consisting of footage filmed in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood (where our Bookstore & Gallery resides) in the early 1990s, and featuring sound design (and a cameo) by our own Nico Vassilakis. These are very cool. (If they don’t display below, click for Part 1 and Part 2.)

Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Has it really been 3 weeks since we brought you the last 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? Indeed it has. For the record: Steven skipped 8/8, and then I missed putting up last week's installment due to various meshugaas. To make up for it, this week we're giving you a double dose! WARNING: Possibly upsetting for the very sensitive (you know who you are)! (Remember, you must be registered and logged in to read.)

Reviews that popped up on our radar this week:  • Matthew Brady takes a good look at Pocket Full of Rain and Other Stories by Jason • Tim Lane's Abandoned Cars is a Pick of the Week at the fictional comic shop in the webcomic The Rack • Sequart on Grotesque #2 by Sergio Ponchione • Abhay Kholsa at The Savage Critics looks at the first two issues of Sammy the Mouse by Zak Sally • Jog and Sequart both delve into Mome Vol. 12 • Jarett Duncan says the works of Dave Cooper are "Worth Your Time and Dollar"…

Here's another multimedia preview of a recent release: the new printing of The Complete Crumb Comics Vol. 14: The Early '80s & Weirdo Magazine. (Actually, shhh, the video and photos are of a copy of the previous edition… see if you can catch me covering up the old cover price with my thumb!) Click here if it doesn't appear above. We've got some teasers of upcoming releases that we'll be unleashing next week, so watch this space…

Enjoy this look at the new issue of The Comics Journal, featuring the definitive mega-interview with the Deitch clan. Tip: For a closer look with legible text (in other words, to actually read the preview), click through here to the photoset, select an image, click "All Sizes" at the top of the photo, and then click "Original." Click here for the slideshow if it doesn't appear above.