Hidden Gems Sale spotlight: Mary Fleener

Every day in July we're spotlighting books from our month-long Hidden Gems Sale, wherein we're featuring some of our under-the-radar backlist titles and encouraging you to try them by offering them at a nice discount of 25% off! Today's installment features Mary Fleener, a true grande dame of the underground/alternative comix movement! Life of the Party The ultimate collection of Mary Fleener's groundbreaking Drawn & Quarterly series Slutburger in book form! Mary recounts tales of rock n' roll, southern California life, strange phantasms, and more in the pages of Life of the Party. Fleener's trademark neo-cubist cartooning ("cubismo") and her…

Ott exhibit at Swiss comics fest

Via the Forbidden Planet International blog comes word that Swiss artist Thomas Ott will be honored in his home country with an exhibit dedicated to his most recent book, The Number 73304-23-4153-6-96-8, as part of the BD-FIL festival, taking place September 12-14 in Lausanne. Here's more info in French, and Google-translated into English.

Johnny Ryan Interview

There are gems to be found in this I Can Has Comics interview with Johnny Ryan.  "I've been doing comics for all of these other countries, for all the other Vice magazines. I think it started when there was a Vice France and they asked me to do a comic that totally insulted the French people, so I did a page of gags that were insulting to the French. All of a sudden it started this avalanche of all these other countries being like, 'Oh, do us!' So I had to do one for Italy. I had to do one…

Hidden Gems Sale spotlight: Bob Fingerman

Every day in July we're spotlighting books from our month-long Hidden Gems Sale, wherein we're featuring some of our under-the-radar backlist titles and encouraging you to try them by offering them at a nice discount of 25% off! Today's installment features a title by Bob Fingerman which, again, didn't exactly escape notice when it was released, having been heaped with praise by the likes of Augusten Burroughs, Margaret Cho, Penn Jillette, Entertainment Weekly and many others… but it's been a while, so we're thrusting it back into the spotlight: Beg the Question Bob Fingerman's Beg the Question tells the story…

A Night with Deitch

Hey, here's more info on the Inkstuds-sponsored Kim Deitch event taking place on Saturday August 23rd at 7pm at the Vancouver Art Gallery in Vancouver, BC. Kim will be screening classic and rarely seen animation from his personal collection. Whatta treat!

Your inner lemur poet

Visit Paul Hornschemeier's blog to learn the story behind this lemur poet illustration and find out which famous author resembles which beloved Fantagraphics staff member.

Bottomless Belly Button Animated Trailer

We are pleased to present this animated video trailer created by artist Dash Shaw for his graphic novel Bottomless Belly Button. He sent it to us last week and our jaws have been on the floor ever since. Watch the streaming video above; you can also download the original, higher-res Quicktime file (68.5 MB). Note that the video is silent, so there is no need to adjust your audio settings. If you wish to link to this video, please direct your link to this permanent archive page.

Chocolate Cheeks for 7/7/08

We let Steven Weissman have a day off from the "Chocolate Cheeks" grind last Friday but he put his nose back to the grindstone and turned it in yesterday. In this week's strip: a quest to the frozen aisle! (Remember, you must be registered and logged in to read.)

Hidden Gems Sale spotlight: Alex Fellows

Every day in July we're spotlighting books from our month-long Hidden Gems Sale, wherein we're featuring some of our under-the-radar backlist titles and encouraging you to try them by offering them at a nice discount of 25% off! Today's installment features another debut from a Xeric Grant winner, Alex Fellows: Canvas During a camping trip one weekend, Canvas, a fourteen-year old girl born to a pig and a frog, suffers the attraction of two young guys, goes on a shocking double date, and gets drunk for the first time. Her parents, despite their odd appearance, have a very typical fear…

Sketchbook #62

Let me tell you something: babies and blogging don't mix. Guess which takes a backseat? But I'll be getting back on track here soon. In the meantime, here's a special July 4th weekend treat for you, an original, unpublished comic strip by Chris Ware. I am not worthy.