I don't know if I'll get in trouble for plugging another publisher here on our official organ, but good gravy: our esteemed colleagues at Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern have put nearly all of their available back issues (including the Chris Ware-edited all-comics #13) on sale for just $5 each through tomorrow.
Society of Illustrators on Politics
The Society of Illustrators is launching a new exhibition, "Politics '08", next week on Sept. 12 in NYC. The show includes Steve Brodner, Drew Friedman, and many more. UPDATE: This show was originally to open on Sept. 4 but has been pushed back to Sept. 12th!
Burns Exhibition in NYC
Adam Baumgold Gallery presents an exhibition of drawings by Charles Burns from September 5 through October 12, 2008. This will be Charles Burns' first New York solo exhibition and will include fifty seminal drawings executed in the last 25 years that showcases Burns' masterful pen and ink drawings for his award winning comic books and other publications. Featured in the exhibition will be covers and drawings for the serialized version of Charles Burns' epic graphic novel "Black Hole," as well as the drawings for the covers and pages of "Skin Deep," "Big Baby," and "El Borbah," and a rare RAW era "Dog Boy"…
From the Files.
The new masthead slogan for every Eros comic: "It isn't very good but lots of our other artists are even worse." Here's a tip to cartoonists looking to be published: It doesn't matter if you've lived through three murder attempts, don't slander the work of the publisher you're courting. (Kim Thompson has verified that this technique, though surprisingly often utilized, is not effective.) And maybe don't send in your self-professed "not very good" work. (See below.) (Thank you to Customer Service voice-of-Fantagraphics Stephanie Olczyk for placing this in the *ahem* "permanent" file. We'll miss you when you're gone.)
In Praise of Dennis: A Rant.
It never ceases to amaze me how much an artist can learn about cartooning from a single volume of our Dennis series . I can smell that shop. Ketcham didn't have to make readers smell the shop but he did it so naturally, so easily, it was like he drew with scented inks. He definitely didn't draw that shop from life–it's not believable in that way– he just knew the smell, knew the way it FELT to be there. And the way he manages these subtle perspectives. You're not exactly viewing it from any standard angle, but it's like…
Now in stock: Krazy and Ignatz 1943-1944 (plus 1935-1936 New Printing)
Krazy and Ignatz 1943-1944 By George Herriman Krazy and Ignatz 1943-1944: "He Nods in Quiescent Siesta" covers the last two years of Herriman’s masterpiece. With this volume, Fantagraphics and its precursor Eclipse have reprinted the entire 29-year run of the Krazy Kat Sundays! Like Charles Schulz, George Herriman was a cartoonist to the very end. Aside from collecting the last masterful year and a half of Krazy Kat, this new volume offers a retrospective look at Herriman’s life at the drawing table, offering many never before seen samples of his original art (which the cartoonist often lovingly hand-colored for friends)….
New Comics Day 8/27/08
After the wallet-busting deluge last week, you might be relieved to know that we have exactly nothing arriving in comics shops today. (We just didn't want to have to go up against Barb Wire Omnibus Vol. 1.) We do have a couple of new books in stock today for direct orders, though… sit tight…
Leah Hayes at Desert Island FRIDAY
Join Desert Island this friday for a live performance and book signing by the inimitable Leah Hayes, author of Funeral of the Heart and the musician behind Scary Mansion. Some fun! All of Ms. Hayes' work wil be available for your perusal, as well as some special treats created just for this event. Hear some Scary Mansion tunes here. Stop by at 6 for a beer and an autographed book. Performance starts at 8. Who: Leah Hayes / Scary MansionWhat: Musical performance and book signingWhen: Friday August 29th 6-9 p.m. (music at 8)Where: Desert Island, 540 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn NY 11211Why: If you need to ask this question…
Arthur on UG Comix
The new issue of the always-worth-checking-out issue of Arthur Magazinefeatures a pretty great three-page review of the new expanded and redesigned softcover edition of Patrick Rosenkranz's Rebel Visions, executed in comics form by Joseph Remnant, a very talented young cartoonist I expect we'll be hearing more of. The mag is available for free all over the place, but you can also read a 2-part, downloadable PDF version available on their homepage. The strip starts on page 21 of the first PDF and page one of the second.
Persoff Pisses Off the Squares
Cartoonist Ethan Persoff has created a Tijuana Bible, presented as a replica of a prophetic 1934 comic from Lieberman's Lil' Squeezer Books, starring Bush & Cheney for the Democratic National Convention. All we can say is, right on.
