Fantagraphics Blog Mike Baehr

With a National Cartoonists Society award, Eisner and Ignatz nominations, and best-of-the-year recognition from Entertainment Weekly, NPR, and The A.V. Club, Joyce Farmer's graphic memoir Special Exits was one of our most acclaimed books of 2010. Now we're going back to press for a new softcover edition, coming this Summer, featuring this new cover design. Stand by for more previews in weeks ahead; meanwhile, read all the praise and pre-order a copy right here.

Jim, the long-awaited new collection of Jim Woodring's non-Frank work (which includes the material from the out-of-print The Book of Jim plus much more, old and new), has gone off to the printer and here is the cover art for you to puzzle over and be made slightly uncomfortable by. Be glad we're not subjecting you to the back cover, which has what is presumably a childhood drawing by Jim that is genuinely frightening. Look for more previews and information as the July release date approaches, but don't wait to pre-order!

Look what showed up on Tumblr yesterday (and in our inboxes): Simon Hanselmann's final cover art for Megahex, his eagerly-awaited collection of Megg, Mogg, & Owl comics! We're not sure yet exactly where this will land in our schedule, but its convention debut will definitely be at SPX in September, and it is available for pre-order. For now we'll just let the artwork speak for itself… gee, it looks like Simon has publisher pride, huh? We love you too, Simon!

Barnaby Vol. 2by Crockett Johnson 376-page black & white/color 11" x 6.75" hardcover • $35.00ISBN: 978-1-60699-709-3 Ships in: May 2014 (subject to change) — Pre-Order Now The long-lost comic strip masterpiece by Crockett Johnson, legendary children's book author (Harold and the Purple Crayon, The Carrot Seed), collected in full and designed by graphic novelist and Barnaby superfan Daniel Clowes (Ghost World, Wilson). Vol. 2 collects the years 1944-1945 of five-year-old Barnaby Baxter and his Fairy Godfather J.J. O'Malley's misadventures. The cigar-chomping, bumbling con-artist and fast-talker O'Malley takes Barnaby on a trip to D.C. to serve his term in Congress, and…

A smash hit series deserves an ultra-luxe repackaging for collectors and gift-giving, so this Fall we're bringing you the Hip Hop Family Tree Vols. 1-2: 1975-1983 Box Set! It contains the first two volumes of Ed Piskor's New York Times best-selling series (obvs) with some extra details and bonuses to make it extra-collectible and extra-covetable, not least of which is Ed's smashing new artwork for the slipcase. As if that weren't enough, hard-working Ed has whipped up exclusive cover art for both volumes, available only in the box set: Not only that, the set will also include this exclusive bonus…

Shortly after completing the serialization of Sergio Ponchione's surreal masterpiece Grotesque, we came across portions of his project DKW: Ditko Kirby Wood on his blog, and we immediately knew we had to bring this phenomenal work to American readers. A loving tribute to Steve, Jack, and Wally, DKW tells their stories with astounding, eye-popping, trippy visuals that transport you inside the imaginations of these three master comics-makers. We're pleased to present DKW as a one-shot comic book coming to comic shops this July! Look for it in the May issue of Previews, out in two weeks, and demand it from…

As great as the new cover for the forthcoming paperback edition of Strange Suspense: The Steve Ditko Archives Vol. 1 looks on screen, it looks even better in person as we ogle the advance copies fresh out of the box today. And, of course, the guts are still phenomenal, collecting Ditko's earliest pre-Code horror and suspense work, expertly restored in full lurid color, and compiled by acclaimed Ditko biographer Blake Bell. If you missed out on the hardcover edition of this volume, be sure to snap up this version right away — you can reserve your copy, and read an…

The potent combination of Ed Piskor's deft cartooning skills and deep obsession for endlessly rich true-life subject matter has rocketed Hip Hop Family Tree off the shelves and onto the New York Times best-seller and 2014 Eisner Award nomination lists. (The fresh packaging and all-around general coolness don't hurt either.) Get ready for another dose of knowledge this summer, when Vol. 2: 1981-1983 drops. Episodes in our downloadable preview: beatboxing pioneer Doug E. Fresh is introduced; the story of Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde's hit "Genius Rap"; a famous pro baseball star threatens Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five backstage;…

Like a monolith, the formidable witzend box set rises from the corner of my desk. With two hardcover volumes in a slipcase collecting the complete run of Wallace Wood & company's landmark anthology series, featuring incredible artwork and scintillating stories from a murderers' row of creators, it's a monumental package, a must-have for the comics cognoscenti, and a guaranteed toe-crusher if you drop it on your foot. This bastion of freedom of expression and independence from commercial and editorial restraint should be on shelves before Independence Day and available through our mail-order a bit sooner. If you haven't already, browse…

Eleanor Davis won the Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer award at the 2009 Eisners, and her illustration work won her a Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators last year, further cementing her status as a major young creator. Now, we present How to Be Happy, the eagerly awaited collection of Davis's comics going back to 2007, coming this Summer. Our downloadable preview includes portions of the stunning painted stories "In Our Eden" and Best American Comics selection "Nita Goes Home," plus a couple of Davis's looser but no less impactful sketchbook strips. Everyone will be talking about How to…