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Castle Waiting Vol. 2 384-page black & white 5.75" x 8.25" hardcover • $29.99ISBN: 978-1-60699-405-4 Ships in: November 2010 (subject to change) — Pre-Order Now With its long-awaited second volume, this witty and sublimely drawn fantasy eases into a relaxed comedy of manners as Lady Jain settles into her new life in Castle Waiting. Unexpected visitors result in the discovery and exploration of a secret passageway, not to mention an epic bowling tournament. A quest for ladies’ underpants, the identity of Pindar’s father, the education of Simon, Rackham and Chess arguing about the “manly arts,” and an escape-prone goat are…

Jules Feiffer gives a talk at the Society of Illustrators in NYC on Wednesday, November 10 at 6:30 PM. More info and tickets here.

Today's Online Commentary & Diversions: [The following reviews of Lucky in Love Book 1: A Poor Man's History come via artist Stephen DeStefano, who posts the links along with some unpublished Lucky artwork as a nice bonus.] • Review: "Lucky in Love is an oddly charming book. It takes the tradition of immigrant fiction and wartime stories and channels them through archetypal cartooning styles, crafting a book that looks lighthearted but is actually darker in tone and theme than it might appear on the face of it. […] My rating: 4 of 5 stars." – Jamie S. Rich, Confessions of…

From Anders's blog. Hopefully your local polling place is still open.

Steven Weissman announces on his blog: Hey! Please check out "Hey, Ice-Cream!" The new iPhone app from cartoonist Steven Weissman* and Glimmer Apps is hilarious, noisy comic-strip fun for all ages. Plus, you can use characters and environments from the story in "create" mode to make your own comic scenes. You can even e-mail the scenes to your friends and family!Download this great new app today! * That's me, and I appreciate your patronage, feedback and championship! THANKS Awesome! It's only 99¢! Buy it!

With our ongoing warehouse move, we're in a spring cleaning mood, and have decided to raid the archives are start selling some uniquities from the office, warehouse and even the personal collection of Gary Groth. First up, a lovely war comics page from the 1950s/1960s by the late Jerry Grandenetti:   For the full eBay listing, go HERE. Can anyone identify the exact comic this page comes from? If so, email us at fbicomix at fantagraphics dot com and we'll be very grateful.  UPDATE: ONLY TWO DAYS LEFT TO BID! 

What I Did by Jason 272-page black & white/duotone 6.5" x 8.75" hardcover • $24.99ISBN: 978-1-60699-414-6 Ships in: November 2010 (subject to change) — Pre-Order Now A matching volume to 2009’s Almost Silent, What I Did collects three of Jason’s acclaimed 1990s graphic novels into a handsome, definitive omnibus format. "Hey, Wait…," which was the first of Jason's books to be translated to English, tells the story of two childhood friends. A dreadful event midway through the story changes their lives forever, and the story becomes the summary of lives lived, wasted, and lost. Jason's sparse dialogue, dark wit, and…

(Click to enlarge) This "Handy Fantagraphics Map/Staff Field Guide" was created by Chi-Wen Lee and Andrew Davis to help future interns: it dates roughly back to the third week of October, where it originated over a bubble tea-fueled discussion about Lucky in Love, how awesome the Fantagraphics people are, the awesomeness of Seattle, the mysterious stairway that leads to the upstairs apartment, how hard it is to remember everyone's names, and Pinocchio with a gun. Yes, in that order. 

Today's Online Commentary & Diversions: • Review: "I enjoyed Tardi’s art, which made me feel as though I was visiting 1911 Paris. […] The stories are dense and packed with outrageous events, providing a sense of adventure. The recaps, as characters explain what’s going on to each other, were both a help… and a satire, reinforcing just how much Tardi is playing with the conventions of the genre and layering event upon event, a kitchen-sink approach to plotting that keeps the reader interested in a world that seems so sedate but where anything can happen. [… The Extraordinary Adventures of…

Letters of Note reproduces a 1977 letter from Charles M. Schulz thoughtfully (natch) responding to a question from a young fan. (Via The Comics Reporter.)