FANTAGRAPHICS & FROG HOLLOW BOOKS PRESENT: Halifax's RAY FENWICK celebrates the release of HALL OF BEST KNOWLEDGE on MAY 14! WHO: RAY FENWICKWHAT: HALL OF BEST KNOWLEDGE release party & author signingWHERE: EYELEVEL GALLERY, 2063 Gottingen Street, HalifaxWHEN: Wednesday, MAY 14, 7PM In this exciting debut graphic novel, Ray Fenwick has pioneered his own medium of storytelling, one best described as "typographical comics." [See this excellent National Post feature on Fenwick from last month for more info.] HOBK is presented as a handsome, found journal written by an unnamed voice, referred to only as "The Author." Little is known about him. He clearly fashions…
Jordan Crane, Shag & Bagge at Fantagraphics in May
THREE BRILLIANT ART STARS SHINE ON CONSECUTIVE SATURDAYS IN MAY AT FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKSTORE & GALLERY! Jordan Crane on May 10, Peter Bagge on May 17, and SHAG on May 24 Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery springs into action in May with a succession of events featuring three of the country’s most celebrated cartoonists and remarkable illustrators. The public of all ages is invited to join us in an exciting series of exhibitions featuring Jordan Crane on May 10, Peter Bagge on May 17, and SHAG on May 24. Los Angles artist Jordan Crane’s evocative and bittersweet meditations on the human condition…
Strange and Stranger – Introduction by Blake Bell
{product_snapshot:id=1474,true,false,true,left}By the 1950s, the superhero genre had been reduced to a minor piece of the comic-book mosaic. Patriots like Captain America — designed to boost the country’s morale and soothe wartime angst — ran aground of purpose with the end of World War II. The majority of heroes had been retired by the late ’40s, including the entire Timely Comics line, featuring Captain America, Sub-Mariner, and the Human Torch. The industry’s postwar output splintered into several distinct themes — crime, teen, funny animals, Western, war, and romance. Yet in the popular imagination the defining 1950s comics genre was horror. It…
Steve Ditko at MoCCA Festival?!?
“STRANGE & STRANGER: THE WORLD OF STEVE DITKO” to debut at the MOCCA Art Festival (June 7/8th). {mosimage} Fantagraphics Books is proud to announce that Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko – the first critical retrospective of Steve Ditko, the co-creator and original artist of the Amazing Spider-Man – will make its much-anticipated debut on Saturday June 7th, 2008 at the MoCCA Comics Art Festival. The author, Blake Bell, will be on hand both days at MoCCA to sign copies of the book and will debut his slide show presentation on Ditko’s work as part of the festival’s…
Drew Friedman at Rocketship in Brooklyn on May 16
DREW FRIEDMAN ART SHOW AND BOOK SIGNING AT ROCKETSHIP IN BROOKLYN MAY 16! WHO: Drew Friedman WHAT: Opening reception and book signing WHERE: Rocketship 208 Smith St., Brooklyn, NY 11201 • 718.797.1348 WHEN: Friday, May 16, 8PM “Drew Friedman isn’t just a brilliant artist. He takes you to a place. He takes you back in time. He makes you smell the stale cigarettes and cold brisket and you say thank you for the pleasure.” — Sarah Silverman Join cartoonist DREW FRIEDMAN for a special exhibition of original art and objects, along with a book signing in conjunction with the release…
Bob Levin Debuts Most Outrageous at Bay Area Events
You are invited to two exciting Bay Area events featuring acclaimed Berkeley author Bob Levin, whose new book, Most Outrageous, details the unsettling story of the life of Hustler cartoonist Dwaine Tinsley, creator of “Chester the Molester.” When Larry Flynt’s Superstar was accused of sexually abusing his teenaged daughter for five years, the prosecution brought in hundreds of Tinsley’s cartoons as evidence. Levin details this unprecedented case, and Tinsley’s family life, with unquestionable sophistication, exhaustive journalistic research, and humanity. WHO: Bob Levin WHAT: Most Outrageous Book Release Party, with author reading & signing as well as hors d’ouevres and no…
Jules Feiffer Debuts Explainers at the Strand on May 15
You are invited to the world premiere of Jules Feiffer‘s long-awaited collection, Explainers, featuring the complete first decade of his legendary and groundbreaking comic strip, Sick, Sick, Sick (and later redubbed Feiffer), from the Village Voice. Feiffer will read from the book and answer questions before signing copies of the deluxe hardcover collection. “Samuel Johnson said he hoped God would think he had made good of his God-given talents. Jules Feiffer need have no dread of such an audit… What has made his services so welcome for so many years now is his possession, in addition to high intelligence, of…
The Production Evolution of a Humbug Page
{product_snapshot:id=1501,true,false,true,left} Fantagraphics’ Humbug collection is due in early 2009. This two-volume slipcased hardcover set assembles the never-before-collected, complete, original 11-issue run (1957-58) of the satirical magazine conceived and edited by Harvey Kurtzman and created by Kurtzman, Jack Davis, Will Elder, Al Jaffee (Kurtzman’s MAD magazine cohorts one and all) and Arnold Roth. This feature, conceived by Fantagraphics publisher Gary Groth and written by our production ace Paul Baresh, will give you a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the restoration of a Humbug page. – Ed. This is the original artwork. You can see all the items are pasted on and there are…
Fantagraphics attends New York Comic Con!
FANTAGRAPHICS ATTENDS NEW YORK COMIC CON APRIL 18-20 NEW BOOKS, AUTHORS HIGHLIGHT FIRST-EVER NY COMIC CON APPEARANCE New York Comic Con, taking place April 18-20 at the Javits Center in New York City, is the East Coast’s biggest popular culture convention, and in 2008 Fantagraphics Books — the west coast’s biggest alternative comics publisher — will join the ranks of exhibitors for the first time. Publishers Gary Groth and Kim Thompson will be on hand all weekend, hosting round-the-clock signings for several authors and debuting several new titles at the show. Authors signing at the Fantagraphics tables at NY Comic…
Rebel Visions – Introduction by Patrick Rosenkranz
{product_snapshot:id=1456,true,false,true,left} Foreword I was a student at Columbia University when I started reading the East Village Other in 1966. It was full of outrageous and libelous stories, bawdy language, wild accusations, and doctored photographs. Best of all, it had totally crazy comics, the likes of which I’d never seen before. Every week I’d pick up a new issue at a Village newsstand, along with a slightly larger New York Post, and, unsure of how my fellow Gothamites might react to its lurid covers, I would read EVO camouflaged on the subway ride uptown to Morningside Heights. {mosimage} Like many of…