Fantagraphics Blog Sonia Lei

We blame the arrival of this book at our office for the sudden urge to don sunglasses, pull out our trench coats, and light a cigar. Mark Fertig‘s lushly oversized coffee table art book, Film Noir 101: The 101 Best Film Noir Posters from the 1940s-1950s, is here! Listen, we know you're no square. Get your kicks with our downloadable preview, then call dibs on the book when it comes out in August. You dig?

  For anyone who is still waiting to pull the trigger on Gilbert Hernandez's standalone masterpiece, Julio's Day: delay no longer! This book is now sold out, except for the fewer than 30 copies in our warehouse. Almost half of that number are signed by the man himself, so treat yourself and buy this book now, while supplies last!   Julio's Day by Gilbert Hernandez The life of a man, the span of a century. There is hope and joy, there is bullying and grief, there is war, there is love, there is heartbreak. A standalone masterpiece of elliptical, emotional storytelling from the…

Get ready to kick back, relax, and light up a joint with us as we…Um, we—what were we doing? Oh yes! Office copies of Simon Hanselmann's eagerly awaited debut collection, Megahex, have hit our desks, and we are ecstatic to finally see this beloved webcomic in printed form, beautifully bound in hardcover. Whether you're a first time reader or longtime fan of Hanselmann's Megg, Mogg, and Owl comics, make sure to check out our downloadable preview to cool your cravings. The book is available for presale and is expected to hit stores in a month or so!

This week's pink cotton candy goodness of Online Commentaries and Diversions: Review: How to Be Happy by Eleanor Davis "A mix of evocative, geometric watercolors and fluid pen-and-ink cartoons, How to Be Happy tells stories of sad people, lonely people, strong people, confident people, all trying to find a tiny bit of happiness in life…Davis’ clever and sometimes jaw-droppingly beautiful artwork makes those stories feel real." – Dan Kois, Slate Book Review "The use of Adam and Eve’s human bodies to communicate to one another, to seek the bliss that’s coming, to lift that weight, is the image Davis wants…

Joe Sacco has long been known and praised for his work in comics journalism, with such titles as Palestine, Safe Area Gorazde, and The Fixer garnering widespread acclaim in The New York Times, TIME magazine, NPR, and The Los Angeles Times Book Review. Now, Sacco is returning to his satirist and underground cartoonist roots with the upcoming title BUMF Vol. 1: I Buggered the Kaiser. This in-your-face, no-holds-barred book is expected out later this fall. Feast your eyes on our downloadable 17-page excerpt (4.9 MB) here. And get ahead of the game — pre-order your copy now!

Oh happy day! Just arrived and shipping now from our mail-order department: How to Be Happyby Eleanor Davis 152-page color/b&w 7.75" x 10.125" hardcover • $24.99ISBN: 978-1-60699-740-6 See Previews / Order Now Write a story. A story about yourself. A story about your life. Now, believe it. This is Eleanor Davis's first collection of observational, graphic short stories. Tinged with science fiction and fantasy, these stories are grounded in contemporary life: middle management goes searching for Eden; two sisters, inside environmental suits, say goodbye to their father; people try to fill inner voids with babies and yoga and gluten-free bread….

Here in all its unfettered glory: the final slipcase cover art for Daniel Clowes' highly anticipated The Complete Eightball 1-18! This mouthwatering, two-volume hardcover slipcase will include over 450 pages of vintage Clowes artwork, some never before reprinted, AND brand new artwork that Clowes created specifically for this set! The Complete Eightball will be out later this fall. Keep your eyeballs peeled for more news and previews in the following weeks. But really, you want to make sure you have your copy safely pre-ordered, right?

Here's your first look at Carl Barks' The Ghost of the Grotto, due out later this fall. Sunken ships, a giant octopus, an ominously named reef, and a centuries-old mystery in the West Indies—plus many other short stories besides—await you between these covers! This panel of a very surprised giant octopus is one of my favorites in the book. You can see more of Barks' excellent storytelling in our downloadable preview, and then you might mosey on over to the book page to pre-order a copy!

How to Be Happyby Eleanor Davis 152-page color/b&w 7.75" x 10.125" hardcover • $24.99ISBN: 978-1-60699-740-6 Ships in: July 2014 (subject to change) — Pre-Order Now Eleanor Davis's How to Be Happy is the artist's first collection of graphic/literary short stories, and it’s about time. Davis is one of the finest cartoonists of her generation, and has been producing comics since the mid-2000s. Happy represents the best stories she's drawn for such connoisseurial venues as Mome, Nobrow, and Lucky Peach, as well as her own self-publishing and web efforts. Davis achieves a rare, subtle poignancy in her narratives that are at…

Just arrived and now shipping from our mail-order department: Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse Vol. 5: Outwits the Phantom Blotby Floyd Gottfredson 288-page black & white/color 10.5" x 8.75" hardcover • $34.99ISBN: 978-1-60699-736-9 See Previews / Order Now Disney's greatest villain steals the spotlight! The deadly Phantom Blot — a master thief clad in a ghostly black cloak — is turning Mouseton upside down in search of seemingly ordinary box cameras. But why? Mickey's determined to find out if it kills him… and it just might! Floyd Gottfredson, artist of Mickey Mouse from 1930-1975 and creator of the Phantom Blot, produced…