Black River Tour - Fantagraphics Blog

Josh Simmons' latest, greatest and most terrifying graphic novel yet is about to hit the United States and he is taking Black River to the road. Black River stars a group of women, one man, and two dogs are making their way through a post-apocalyptic world in search of a city that supposedly still has electricity and some sort of civilization. Along the way, they go to a comedy club, take a drug called Gumdrop, and encounter gangs of men who are fools, lunatics, or murderous sadists. In other words, all manner of terrors. You think the Hunger Games is scary? What if it was your every damn day? This full-length graphic novel is his best work yet, echoing director John Carpenter's perfect tick-tock pacing, as well as Shirley Jackson's ability to transcend genre and turn it into literature.

Check out Simmons 'round the United States tour (plus two Canadian stops) and mark your calendars. Some events feature some guest cartoonists, some music by Sunshine Ear's Gregory Spencer and some special venues will be screening Simmons' chilling short films.

4.18 Portland, OR Linework NW All weekend Tabling
Norse Hall 111 NE 11th Ave, Portland OR

4.24 Vancouver, BC Lucky's 7PM Book signing + screening
3972 Main St, Vancouver, BC V5V 3P2, Canada

4.25 Seattle Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
1201 S. Vale Street, Seattle WA (Georgetown)

4.26. Tacoma Destiny City Comics 4PM Book signing
218 Saint Helens Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98402

5.2 Missoula, MT Shakespeare and Co. 7PM Book signing + screening
103 S 3rd Street West, Missoula, MT 59801

5.5 Minneapolis, MN Boneshaker Books 7PM
Book signing + screening with 2D Cloud guest Nic Breutzman
2002 23rd Ave. S.

5.6 Iowa City, IA TBA

5.7 Chicago Quimby's 7pm Book signing
1854 W. North Ave.

5.9-5.10 Toronto, BC TCAF (Toronto Comic Arts Festival) Tabling All Weekend, Toronto Reference Library – 789 Yonge Street

5.11 Dearborn, MI Green Brain Comics TBA signing
13936 Michigan Ave

5.12. Columbus, OH Kafe Kerouac 8pm
with guest JT Dockery, and music by Gregory Spencer

2250 North High St.

5.13 Pittsburgh, PA Copacetic Comics 6-8pm
with guest Ed Piskor, and music by Gregory Spencer
3138 Dobson St #3, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

5.14 Baltimore TBA

5.15 Brooklyn, NY Bergen Street Comics 7PM Book signing
470 Bergen St.

5.17 Portland, ME Maine Comic Arts (MECAF)
with guest Hans Rickheit
Portland Company Complex, 58 Fore Street

5.20 Manchester, CT TBA

5.25 Athens, GA Bizarro-Wuxtry 5-7pm book signing
225 College Ave, Athens, GA 30601

5.26. Atlanta, GA A Cappella Books 7pm book signing
208 Haralson Ave. NE Atlanta, GA 30307

5.27 Birmingham, AL TBA

5.29 New Orleans, LA Location TBA – Art show/movie screening with Caesar Meadows

5.30 New Orleans, LA Crescent City Comics 5pm
signing Caesar Meadows, Kate Lecour, Ben Passmore 5pm signing time with the FEAST 2015 release party kickin' off at 7pm*
4916 Freret St.

6.5 Austin, TX Austin Books and Comics Time TBA Book signing
5002 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78751

6.6 Austin, TX New South Festival of Literary Arts & Cartooning
French Legation Museum 802 San Marcos St, Austin, TX 78702

6.12 Los Angeles, CA Secret Headquarters 7pm
Book signing with guest Sammy Harkham
3817 W Sunset Blvd.

6.13 San Francisco, CA Mission Comics 6PM

Book signing + screening 3520 20th St.

* subject to change cause this is N'awlins here.

In addition to new copies of Black River on sale at each venue, Simmons has inked up gorgeous primo prints including this black light poster. Imagine the things you'll see looking at it…alone….at night.