Fantagraphics Blog Jen Vaughn

BY CONRAD GROTH – On Thursday, August 22, about thirty people gathered in the Strand's Rare Book Room to hear Samuel "Chip" Delany and Mia Wolff discuss their collaboration on the graphic novella Bread & Wine. For the uninitiated, the comic tells the story of how a novelist's chance encounter with a man who had been living on the streets of New York City for six years led to a loving relationship that continues to this day. As one might imagine about an author willing to divulge his love story, and an erotically charged one at that, Delany is an…

This digital drop Wednesday brings you two comics from two masters, Gilbert Hernandez and Jason. With a same day and date release as the print version, The Children of Palomar is Gilbert Hernandez's much-anticipated return to the small Central American town of Palomar. Originally released as a three-issue magazine series titled New Tales of Old Palomar in the acclaimed international "Ignatz" format, these stories are finally collected into one handsome book. All of these stories deal with the classic characters of Palomar (and stand alone from the series) such as sweet Pipo, her sharp-tongue sister Carmen, sheriff Chelo, and the…

This week's comic shop shipment is slated to include the following new titles. Read on to see what comics-blog commentators and web-savvy comic shops are saying about them (more to be added as they appear), check out our previews at the links, and contact your local shop to confirm availability.  The Children of Palomar by Gilbert Hernandez 108-page black & white 8.25" x 10.75" hardcover • $22.99ISBN: 978-1-60699-625-6 "It's an engaging collection of vignettes full of magical realism and compelling characters…evoke[s] comparisons to the short fiction of Jorge Luis Borges or, in the case of the science fiction-styled entries, Ray…

Hey all, Fantagraphics is heading over to Autoptic in Minneapolis this Sunday. A swell new one day show that's SURE to knock the socks off your feet (or sandals off your sockless feet). Sunday, August 18th from 11am-7pm at Aria, 105 N 1st Street. We have some books debuting and some authors signing in addition to giving you the sweet inside scoop to their lives, comic processes and more in some panels. Find us at table 33!   Friday, August 16th6:00-9:00pm Artist reception for "Jaime Hernandez: 30 Years of Locas" at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (2501 Stevens…

Today SPX, Small Press Expo, released the nominees for the Ignatz Awards given out the Saturday of the show, September 14th. We have quite a few cartoonists listed and are so excited for them. Their amazing work speaks for itself but a nice brick award (based the Krazay Kat and Ignatz) is always helpful makes you look tough as hell next to your drawing table. Attendees of SPX are given ballots so start walking NOW to Bethesda and you'll get there in time.      The formidable Peter Bagge's Other Stuff is up for the Outstanding Anthology or Collection Ignatz…

Critically-acclaimed author Junot Díaz has finally revealed the deluxe edition to his book This Is How You Lose Her and you're just gonna love who added some rockin' illustrations! From his site: "A must-have collector's edition of Junot Díaz's bestseller and National Book Award finalist, a stunningly designed and illustrated slipcase edition of This Is How You Lose Her, which was a New York Times bestseller and a finalist for the 2013 National Book Award. Jaime Hernandez-deemed 'one of the twentieth century's most significant comic creators' for the 'Love and Rockets' series he co-created and other work-has produced full-page, original…

  Noah Van Sciver is selling original art! What's this all about, you ask? We here at the Fantagraphics 24-hour news network know how much you love Noah and have been questioning us via various and dark channels fo without further ado, we're sending you over to NOAH himself to hear more:   "Thank, Jen, so 'what's this original art from' scream children and adults alike? Why it's from THE HYPO: The Melancholic Young Lincoln featuring a young pre-presidential Abraham Lincoln on a date, traveling through the wilds of Illinois on horseback and the wilds of a banquet hall. These pages…

Oh shit, guys. Simon Hanselmann is having a sale on original art, comic covers and his infamous Truth Zone comics. Simon states, "I am currently offering (scamming people with) the originals of truth zone episodes 1-69. they are $120 in Australian dollars…" Not to be the bearer of bad news but since his Tumblr posts went up, pages are starting to go so don't think you can just go out and have a pint first and expect that page you want to still be there (you know, the one of the Crittys, where Simon drew you and bagged on Nick…

  Fantagraphics cartoonist and Seattle man-about-town, Peter Bagge has a new graphic novel coming out from our Candian cousin, Drawn & Quarterly. The Woman Rebel: The Margaret Sanger Story documents the the story of Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger,a noted nineteenth century birth control activist, as well as an educator, a nurse, and mother. Sanger's life takes on a whole new vivacity as Bagge creates an adoring, fast-paced biography of this trailblazing woman whose legacy is still incredibly relevant and inspiring.     And Bagge is TAKING OVER TOWN HALL! Get your tickets now for Thursday, Sept 26th, 2013. Bagge's newest Fantagraphics book is coming…

  That's right, just BEST. Okay, okay, the alt-weekly newspaper actually sang our praises as the Best Local Publisher. Brian Miller mentions some of our heavy-hitter cartoonists and that "Among an important sector of literate Americans who favor comics and graphic novels, the name [Fantagraphics] is as recognizable as Boeing or Starbucks. Which is not to say it's ever gone corporate, or ever will." illustration by Joshua Boulet from Seattle Weekly