Fantagraphics Blog

Coming in late February/early March, Messages in a Bottle collects the best work by Bernard Krigstein, a singular draftsman and one of the most graphically sophisticated comics illustrators of all time, whose too-brief career in the 1940s and '50s included work for EC and Atlas Comics. For those who have been awaiting a new edition of our long-out-of-print B. Krigstein: Comics, this book contains every story from that volume plus several more. It is our great privilege to have had a number of these stories specially recolored by the great Marie Severin; the remainder have been painstakingly restored from the original comic books by…

This month's issue of Booklist reviewed three recent releases by Fantagraphics creators, excerpted below:  Heads or Tails by Lilli Carré (Starred Review) "As a graphic artist, Carré carries forward the design tradition that stems from the gossamer surrealism of Cocteau; as a verbal artist, she may be the most successful prose poet going. . . Her Wanda Gág–meets–Gene Deitch drawing style and new-weirdness literary bent make her work acutely interesting to both read and scrutinize." —Ray Olson Blacklung by Chris Wright (Starred Review) "Wright shows he’s got a deep arsenal of storytelling weapons at his command. Unsettling, upsetting, and strangely…

As the final embers of the Yule log die down, that wad of Christmas cash is starting to feel mighty warm in your pocket, isn't it? We're here to help you avoid unsightly burn holes in your pants and get what you really wanted for Christmas by offering 20% OFF everything on our website (including our already-discounted clearance items and gift sets) Wednesday, December 26 through Saturday, December 29, 2012! Just use the coupon code FANTACLAUS when you check out and you'll receive 20% off everything in your order. (If you prefer to shop by phone, just mention this offer…

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery curator Larry Reid joined Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn last Friday at the ribbon cutting ceremony marking the re-opening of the Airport Way Bridge at the north entrance to the Georgetown business district. While Reid had imagined wielding scissors on a Claes Oldenburg scale, the more modest pair did the job. So patrons again have an unobstructed route to the store. Following the snipping exercise, the Mayor dropped by the bookstore for some Christmas shopping. (To avoid tipping off the gift recipients, we won’t disclose his purchases – but he displayed excellent taste in comix.) Store is…

Huzzah! The Complete Syndicated Pogo Vol. 2: "Bonafide Balderdash" by Walt Kelly has hit the NY Times "Graphic Novels Best Sellers list" (hardcover). George Gene Gustines highlighted Pogo and its many qualities and quirks about this funny strip set in Okefenokee Swamp. The rest of the list is here but you'll notice no other funny animals!

As with every year we've been diligently compiling our books' appearances on end-of-year lists and for your browsing and shopping reference we have created a handy page of 2012 Critics' Picks, listing books that are being chosen by critics, fellow artists, readers and other comics professionals as the Best of 2012. (See also the 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 lists — these lists can also be found under "Award Winners" in our "Browse Shop" navigation tab.) This page will continue expanding as the year winds down and into the new year and more lists are announced. If you're a critic,…

Ever since her performance at our Love and Rockets Anniversary Party, we've just been entranced by artist and musician Geneviève Castrée! And for a limited time only, we have some of her comics and music for sale at the store, including this particularly exquisite album, recorded under the alias Woelv for K Records in 2007. Not only does this record feature Geneviève's beautifully haunting music, but it also comes with a 60-page book of her lovely illustrations that exists to better understand the stories that are melodically expressed in her songs. This entire record is sung in the French language,…

Cate McGehee attended the 30th Anniversary party for Love and Rockets held at the Fantagraphics Bookstore and wrote about it in The Stranger. Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez were in attendance in addition to hundreds of people ready to see the brothers during their auspicious celebration. Flanked by a gorgeous wall of original art, punk show posters (draw by the brothers) and alt-weekly covers, curated by Larry Reid and editor Kristy Valenti, the room held more wonder than of those in The Mask of the Red Death! Nearly thirty years of work is laid out on prismatic display (more not pictured)….

Meet Ellen Forney and pick up a signed copy of her sensational New York Times bestseller Marbles, this Saturday, December 22 from 1:00 to 2:00 PM at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery. The perfect occasion to complete your last minute holiday shopping. Add new meaning to "stocking stuffer" with a signed copy of Ellen's lovely Lust collection (though we're unsure ourselves what that new meaning might be.) We have exquisite gifts for everyone in every price range — many under $20! While you're at the store, you can view our colorful exhibition celebrating 30 Years of Love & Rockets and check…

The last peanut of a day of Online Commentaries & Diversions aka the news you missed while present shopping, latke eating and flying: • Review: The Comics Journal and Rucker crack the two books focusing on Malcom McNeill and William S. Burrough's artistic collaboration, Observed While Falling (the memoir) and The Lost Art of Ah Pook is Here. (the art book) "The art is awesome, the memoir is engaging. . .Ah Pook is in a characteristic style of Burroughs’s middle period.  He mixes a true-adventure story with bitter anti-establishment scenarios, gay sexual fantasies, science-fictional visualizations of chimerical mutants, and apocalyptic…