Fantagraphics Blog

"One of the greatest comic strips of all time and a peak in visual splendor and breathtaking adventure, the story of Prince Valiant's 30-plus year odyssey is getting a marvelous presentation in Fantagraphics' series of books…" – The Huffington Post “Medieval swordplay and adventure have never been as glorious as in Foster’s Sunday-only comic strip. This edition has been reproduced from pristine printer’s proofs to give the gorgeous artwork its crispest version ever…. Prince Valiant is one of the best-drawn comics ever, and this new edition does ample justice to its achievement.” – Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) "If you've never…

Well, frankly, these stories must be told every-damn-where! But, starting January 16th, 2014, the Rutgers-Camden’s Stedman Gallery will become a haven for artists displaying comix versions of their life stories through a marriage of drawings to text. In an exhibit aptly titled Compulsive Narratives: Stories that MUST be Told, curator Cheryl Harper brings together original drawings from graphic novels and complementary works in other media by artists who reveal their innermost demons. Such as Carol Tyler, who shares on her blog that some pages of original art, including a few from You'll Never Know, will be on display! (She also…

BRRRT! CRACK! SPANG! RATAT! BRADAP! POW! SPLAT! WHUMP! BOOM! BADABALAM! VIP VIP VIP! KRUMF! BA-ROOM! These are the sounds of our downloadable 27-page excerpt of Wallace Wood's Cannon, and PLOP will be the sound of your jaw hitting the floor. Bullets fly, explosions blow stuff up, and a chiseled, square-jawed, killing-machine hero puts the hurt on the baddies in the name of the U.S. of A. Plus over half the pages also feature at least one panel of naked or partly-naked women. Just sayin'. It's Grade A unapologetic exploitation fare by one of comics' all-time greats, finally in a complete…

Thursday, December 19th • Portland, OR:  Don't miss a reading and signing with Jesse Reklaw at Floating World comics tonight! From 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Reklaw will be signing copies of his graphic novel, Couch Tag. Let him know which of his 13 cats was your favorite. (more info) Friday, December 20th • Chicago, IL:  Lilli Carré debuts a solo show at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, part of the MCA's Chicago Works series, focusing on new work being made by emerging and established Chicago artists. She's created all new work for the show, including projected animation, works…

These pages may look familiar to loyal readers of Peter Bagge's Hate Annual comic book, or maybe you haven't been keeping up with the latest tales of Buddy & Lisa's domestic "bliss." Either way, you'll be glad to know that those stories (most from out-of-print issues) are finally being compiled, along with a new 20-page concluding chapter, in the evocatively titled Buddy Buys a Dump. It'll be the first new Buddy Bradley collection to hit shelves in seven years when it's released in April, and you can pre-order it now! Buddy Buys a Dump by Peter Bagge 144-page full-color 6" x 9" softcover •…

  Hold on to your horses, the howling wolves of great comics and design are baying. We don't want to unseat you but find you some seats! On February 19th, Chip Kidd & Chris Ware will appear before your very eyes at Town Hall in Seattle. Part of the Litarary\Arts Series, the two will engage in a coloful conversation (maybe even a fight to the death?) starting at 7:30pm.   There is a signing afterwards and their books will be on sale for those of you not clutching a well-loved copy already. Buy your tickets now and make it a great holiday gift; be…

Prince Valiant Vol. 8: 1951-1952 by Hal Foster 120-page full-color 10.25" x 14" hardcover • $35.00ISBN: 978-1-60699-699-0 Ships in: January 2014 (subject to change) — Pre-Order Now SPECIAL OFFER: Add Prince Valiant Vol. 9 (coming Spring 2014) or Vols. 9 & 10 (coming Fall 2014) to your pre-order for just $27.99 each, a savings of 20% off the cover price! Use the option menu on the product details page to subscribe. Our continuing reprinting of Hal Foster's sumptuous epic — still scanned directly from Foster's personal collection of syndicate proofs, providing the most spectacular iteration of this material since its original publication in…

This week's comic shop shipment is slated to include the following new titles. Read on to see what comics-blog commentators and web-savvy comic shops are saying about them (more to be added as they appear), check out our previews at the links, and contact your local shop  to confirm availability.    Celebrated Summer  by Charles Forsman 68-page 7.75" x 10.25" black & white flexibound softcover • $16.99ISBN: 978-1-60699-685-0 "With an art style that combines the animated simplicity of Charles M. Schulz and the detailed linework of Chester Brown, Forsman establishes himself as one of the most promising alternative-comic creators." –Oliver Sava, The A….

¡Ay, caramba! Esther Pearl Watson and Mark Todd have a stunning new exhibit launching Friday, December 20th in Mexico City! The show, Challengers of the Unknown, features Esther's glittered saucer paintings and collaged foil/pencil drawings. Mark will be exhibiting a group of new comic-inspired works, and debuting a limited edition zine with original drawings. Guru Gallery Shop is located at Colima 143, La Roma, Mexico City. Check out the opening reception if you're lucky enough to be in town, or contact the gallery directly if you are interested in seeing additional images and/or making a purchase!

Here's 10 days of Peanuts strips from 1991-1992, which are to be included in our next volume of The Complete Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz, due out in April. Not content to rest on his laurels, Schulz kept evolving and experimenting, keeping the strip fresh and funny after four full decades. What the heck, here's 3 more from our catalog, to make a lucky 13: The Complete Peanuts 1991-1992 (Vol. 21)  by Charles M. Schulzforeword by Tom Tomorrow 344-page black & white 8.5" x 7" hardcover • $29.99ISBN: 978-1-60699-726-0