Hear Mita Mahato discuss her sublime new publication, In Between, from Pleiades Press this Saturday, November 11 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery. The book employs cut paper collage techniques and emotive narratives to create a cohesive collection of experimental comics – by turns ephemeral, funny, and transcendent. Critic Paul Constant of Seattle Review of Books observes, “Mahato has finally figured out how to break her comics into the third dimension.” Rich Smith of the Stranger adds, “Some people use pens to write poetry. Mita Mahato uses a scalpel.” Visitors can view the stunning “Short…
Re/Read: Ghosts and Ruins by Ben Catmull
Re/Read is an occasional column by Fantagraphics Bookstore curator Larry Reid examining backlist books you may have missed or are worth another read. As Halloween approaches, we’ll look at Ben Catmull’s haunting classic, Ghosts and Ruins. In Ghosts and Ruins, Catmull fashions fascinating tales of ominous architecture in the tradition of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. His exquisite renderings are accompanied by clever captions chronicling the sinister spirits that occupy these structures. Stories like “The Sculptor,” “Labyrinth of Junk,” and “The Order of the Shadowy Finger,” playfully illuminate the apparitions and occult phenomenon in his enchanting illustrations, providing a perfect gift for…
What’s in Store: Short Run Marathon!
Join us at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery on Friday, November 3 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM for the 5th annual Short Run Marathon art show and pre-festival party. The exhibition features original works by an amazing array of artists including Emil Ferris, Leela Corman, Julia Wertz, Anders Nilsen, Jordan Crane, Gemma Correll, Tom Hart, nishat akhtar, Rebecca Artemisa, with presentations by Anders Nilsen & 2dcloud. The Short Run Comix & Art Festival has grown to become one of the country’s premier showcases of emerging contemporary cartoonists. As the titles suggests, the Marathon exhibition references the daunting challenges these artists confront…
Re/Read: In the Pines by Erik Kriek
Re/Read is an occasional column by Fantagraphics Bookstore curator Larry Reid examining backlist books you may have missed or are worth another read. This time we’ll break with routine and discuss a more recent title, In the Pines: 5 Murder Ballads, by Erik Kriek. I’ve been thinking a lot about these songs since the passing earlier this month of Billy Roberts, who penned the classic murder ballad “Hey Joe” in 1962. He later played with my friend Steve Lalor in the West Coast folk trio The Driftwood Singers. I saw Roberts perform only once, in 1968 at the legendary Sky…
Re/Read: Like A Velvet Glove Cast in Iron
Re/Read in a recurring column by Fantagraphics Bookstore curator Larry Reid that examines backlist titles you may have missed or are worthy of another look. This time we’ll focus on the early Daniel Clowes masterpiece, Like A Velvet Glove Cast in Iron, recently re-issued with a colorful new cover. Like A Velvet Glove Cast in Iron was first serialized in Eightball. It represented the artist’s initial effort at a long-form cinematic narrative. It was sometimes compared to the atmospheric work of filmmaker David Lynch. While there may have been superficial similarities, Clowes was clearly developing the singular approach to storytelling…
What’s in Store: Noah Van Sciver, Joseph Remnant, and D. W. on October 14!
Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery welcomes a power trio of accomplished contemporary cartoonists on Saturday, October 14 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. Noah Van Sciver, Joseph, Remnant and D. W. will be on hand to sign books and discuss their work. Noah Van Sciver is one of the driving forces behind America’s new wave of independent comix. A prolific and influential artist, Van Sciver will sign copies of his recent graphic biography, Johnny Appleseed, as well as his sensational two volume series Fante Bukowski – a tragicomic account of an aspiring literary artist. He’ll be joined by Joseph Remnant of…
What’s in Store: Sunday Sale and More!
Starting this Sunday, September 17, Fantagraphics Bookstore will begin a weekly Sunday Sale promotion featuring 20% off on popular titles you might have missed. A great incentive to pick up some cool comix at a substantial savings. This Sunday we’ll offer the one-day discount on My Favorite Thing is Monsters, an instant classic by Emil Ferris. This is a chance to pick up the book on sale in advance of her bookstore appearance on Friday, November 3 for the Short Run Marathon exhibition, which will include her original work. She’ll be joined by a stellar group of contemporary cartoonists: Anders…
Re/Read: Charles Forsman’s Celebrated Summer
Re/Read is an occasional column by Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery curator Larry Reid examining backlist books you may have missed or merit another look. With Charles Forsman’s The End of the Fucking World soon to be released as a Netflix original series, it’s a good time to look back at his graphic novella Celebrated Summer. In Celebrated Summer, Forsman follows the drug-induced adventures of two friends at the conclusion of their high school years. The transitional period from adolescence to adulthood provides fertile ground for contemporary cartoonists. I couldn’t help but consider this work in terms of the Daniel Clowes…
What’s in Store: D J Bryant with special guest Tom Hansen
Join us on Saturday, September 9 at Fantagraphics Bookstore for an evening of contemporary comix and prose with D. J. Bryant and Tom Hansen. Bryant presents an exhibition of original drawings from his debut graphic novel, Unreal City. Hansen will read from his latest novel, This Is What We Do. J. Bryant’s sensuous Unreal City contains five highly charged stories about relationships. They address gender, narcissism, objectification, and the thin line that divides love from hate. Existential and elliptical, these narratives perfectly complement Bryant’s exquisite artwork, which will be on full display in the exhibition. His rendering style recalls…
What’s in Store: The Birth of Kustom Kulture
Hope you can join us at Fantagraphics Bookstore this Saturday evening as we celebrate the late Michael Dormer, one of the pioneers of Kustom Kulture in the 60s and 70s. His signature cartoon character, Hot Curl, became synonymous with Southern California’s surf scene, but he’s perhaps best known for his contributions to the 1964 cult classic, Muscle Beach Party. Dormer designed the animated opening sequence and his murals adorned the sets, providing a colorful backdrop for Little Stevie Wonder‘s dazzling appearance with Dick Dale and the Del Tones. Dormer worked with legendary surf, hot rod, and skateboard artists like…
