Among the many highlights of the Real Comet Press Retrospective opening Saturday, March 10 at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is a rare public appearance by Michael Dougan. This influential cartoonist helped attract an influx of young artists thoughout the 1980s, as Seattle became a beacon of the alternative comix movement. Real Comet Press published his masterful East Texas anthology and the companion poster "The Bigger the Hair, The Closer to God," which, along with Lynda Barry's "Poodle With a Mohawk," became one of the enduring images of the era. Also appearing will be graphic artist Art Chantry. His early Real Comet Press…
Creeping up on Creeping Death from Neptune
Editor Greg Sadowski just provided us with this update on one of our most-anticipated books of the year: Basil Wolverton opus Creeping Death from Neptune is taking a few extra months due to the inclusion of material not originally planned — nearly a hundred pages, including unpublished 1936-38 sci-fi strips and Wolverton's complete non-humorous Marvel comics. Here's a panel from "Eye of Doom" (1952). Very excited to be putting this one together. I'll be amazed if it doesn't sell out quickly. Do yourself a favor and pre-order a copy today — if you love comics it doesn't get better than…
Lucky, Lucky Parisians!
This coming Thursday, March 8th, they get to go to the opening of a Joost Swarte art show, with Swarte himself in attendance signing copies of his new book Total Swarte (i.e. the French edition of what we just released as Is That All There Is?). Then, they will all head off to various cafés, with baguettes under their arms and berets on their heads, to drink wine, eat cheese, smoke, and argue until the wee hours of the morning. For they are French, and that is what the French do. The Joost Swarte art show runs through May 5,…
This Week in Fantagraphics Events: 3/5-3/12
Monday, March 5th • New York City, NY: Groundbreaking artist Diane Noomin will be making a rare appearance to celebrate the release of her first-ever collection Glitz-2-Go at the Yeshiva University Museum! This event is part of the Graphic Details: Confessional Comics by Jewish Women exhibit currently running through April. Diane will be introduced by Dan Friedman, the Arts & Culture Editor of the Jewish Daily Forward. (more info) Wednesday, March 7th • Seattle, WA: It's your last chance to check out our group exhibition "Funny Valentines: A Tribute to Jack Davis," a celebration of legendary artist Jack Davis featuring…
Prison Pit Book 4 preview at Monster Brains
(final cover may vary) That's right, the awesome Monster Brains blog got their hands on an exclusive 5-page sneak peek of Prison Pit Book 4, the next volume of Johnny Ryan's senses-shredding ass-demolishing opus of ultraviolence and insanity, coming this Fall! Are you excited? Are you as excited as THIS GUY??? (Update via Johnny’s blog: tattoo inked by tattoo artist Kelly Kish onto Michael Buckner at The Rusty Needle Tattoo Parlor.) Oh, and the new logo banner for Monster Brains? Yep, that's by Johnny too:
Things to See: 21: Spring Training Remix by Wilfred Santiago
On the Facebook fan page for 21: The Story of Roberto Clemente, Wilfred Santiago is posting four weekly installments of the "21 Spring Training Remix" in anticipation of the upcoming baseball season. Part 1 is up now! [Follow our Tumblr blog for lots more Things to See every day.]
Amazing Heroes hijinx
Can you spot the questionable coloring choice on this Kirby-illustrated cover of a 1984 issue of Amazing Heroes? A couple of years ago, Andrew Wahl of Comics Bronze Age sure did. (This was being passed around Facebook a couple days ago and our own Jason T. Miles brought it to our attention.)
Weekend Webcomics for (post-) 3/2/12
All we have for you this time around is the new page of Nicolas Mahler's Angelman and it's late to boot. We'll do better next time. — Angelman by Nicolas Mahler (view at original size):
Daily OCD: 3/2/12
Today's Online Commentary & Diversions: • Review (Video): It's a pretty safe bet you've never seen a review quite like Héctor G. Olarte's take on the Spanish edition of Jason's Athos in America for el Mundo's el Cultural — from the text intro (in translation): "If you have not read any of Jason, I can not think of a better way to start than with Athos. Most likely not be the last work of this author that passes through your hands." • Plug: "Fantagraphics has released the cover for Popeye Vol. 6, the final volume of their handsome reprint series…
Things to See: Tim Kreider… Nichelle Nichols… NASA… *faint*
This is a poster illustrated by Tim Kreider: This is Nichelle Nichols receiving a copy of said poster on her Feb. 29, 2012 visit to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for the MLK/African American History Month Keynote Event (official photo; credit: NASA/GSFC/Bill Hrybyk): This is another cartoon by Tim for the occasion: That is all. [Follow our Tumblr blog for lots more Things to See every day.]
