Fantagraphics Blog

Today's Online Commentary & Diversions: • List: To the surprise of few, The Hooded Utilitarian's International Best Comics Poll tops out with Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts in the #1 spot. HU editor Noah Berlatsky writes, "If you like charming, Peanuts is charming, and if you like dark, it’s dark, but it isn’t just charming, or just dark, or even just charming and dark. There are countless ways to like Peanuts, which is no doubt why it — deservedly, inevitably — tops this poll."  • Review: "The squeaky-voiced character from the animated shorts was especially bold in his daily newspaper comic…

Ian Burns has his fortune told by Dame Darcy, July 10, 2010 Ian Burns is the second-most recent staff acquisition here at Fantagraphics (designer Tony Ong holds current "new guy" status) — you may know him as one of the voices who answers our phone and takes your orders, or as the friendly bearded fellow at our Emerald City Comicon booth this year, or perhaps you've read his "Diaflogue" interviews with Leslie Stein and Kim Deitch. If the latter, you know that Ian is a pretty thoughtful guy about comics, and I'm happy to learn that he's been contributing essays…

Our weekly strips from Kupperman & Weissman, plus links to other strips from around the web: — Up All Night by Michael Kupperman (view at original size): Barack Hussein Obama by Steven Weissman (view at original size): And elsewhere: Amazing Facts… and Beyond! with Leon Beyond by Kevin Huizenga: Belligerent Piano by Tim Lane: Cochlea & Eustachia by Hans Rickheit: Humblug by Arnold Roth (3 new udpates!): Lucky by Gabrielle Bell (the conclusion of July's daily diary strips — they come down August 15 so catch them while you can): Maakies by Tony Millionaire (compare to last week's drunk version):…

Australian fan Phillip Marsden tweeted this picture to us, and… what the…??!! Yup, it's real. Somebody owes the Hernandez Bros. a cut of the profits, if you ask us.

(Artwork by David Chelsea) We learned of this so last minute I don't even have time to write anything clever, so I'm just copy & pasting this info from the Gage Academy website: Steele Gallery: Think Ink August 5 – September 5Opening Reception: Friday, Friday, August 5, 6:00pm-8:00pm Local artists, cartoonists and graphic illustrators exhibit pen and ink artworks that display exceptional technical skill and creative, narrative story lines. Working with the constraints and possibilities of the fluid nib and inkwell, artists David Chelsea, David Lasky, Bob Rini, Jim Woodring and more dazzle the viewer with complex compositions and unexpected…

  METALHAUS returns to Seattle's Northwest Film Forum  for another night of Punk Pricks, Metal Maniacs, and New Wave Hookers. Don't even try to categorize this designer mess-up of VHS flotsam, hipster kitsch, and remastered live shows from seminal provocateurs like David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Blondie, Roxy Music, P.I.L., The Clash, and, oh yeah, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Twisted Sister, AC/DC. Special Guest Appearance by Killbot. METALHAUS is sponsored by Fantagraphics Books and Ninkasi Brewing Company. Curated by Jacques Boyreau , Darren Aboulafia, and Tim Colley. To "quote" Benjamin Marra: +88_____________________________+880____________________________++88____________________________++88_____________________________+880_________________________++_+888________________________+88_++880______________________+88__++888_____+++88__________+++8__++8888__+++8880++88____+++88___+++8888+++8880++8888__++888_____++888++8888+++888888++888______++88++8888++8888888++888_______++++++888888888888888888________++++++88888888888888888________+++++++8888888888888888_________+++++++000088888888888__________+++++++00088888888888___________+++++++088888888888____________+++++++088888888888_____________+++++++8888888888______________+++++++0088888888______________++++++0088888888_____  

Leslie Stein has just published a new issue  of her wonderful comic book series, EYE OF THE MAJESTIC CREATURE. The first four issues were recently collected by Fantagraphics , and this is her first new issue since that book came out. Here's a description from the Etsy listing:  Eye of the Majestic Creature #5: "Sister Carrie" Larrybear has moved back to New York after having lived in the countryside. She finds herself employed at a dress shop run by an absentee boss in the East Village, and living with her old friend Seashell in an infested Brooklyn apartment. Of course, Marshmallow and…

Just arrived in our warehouse and ready to ship: The Complete Peanuts 1981-1982 (Vol. 16) by Charles M. Schulz 344-page black & white 8.5" x 7" hardcover • $28.99ISBN: 978-1-60699-471-9 See Previews / Order Now With this volume, The Complete Peanuts ventures into the lesser-known 1980s, and Peanuts fans are sure to find plenty of surprises. In Snoopy-family news, Spike is drafted into the Infantry (don’t worry, it’s only Snoopy’s imaginary World War I army), and a brand new brother, “Marbles” (with the spotty ears) takes his bow. We also see two major baseball-oriented stories, one in which Charlie Brown…

Gosh indeed! It's big enough news that landmark London shop Gosh! Comics is moving into a new location for the first time in 25 years… But the news gets even bigger because they'll be inaugurating the space with an exhibition and signing with noneother than Dave McKean! The exhibit will feature paintings, sculptures, and drawings — some of which have never been shown in public before, and some of which will even be for sale! McKean will be on hand to sign copies of his latest Fantagraphics book, Celluloid. The opening gala is this Saturday, August 6th, and McKean will…

Posting the Donald Duck cover reminded me, we've had this up on the site for a few days but we never gave it a proper fanfare: the final cover art for Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse Vol. 2: Trapped on Treasure Island by Floyd Gottfredson. Series design by Jacob Covey. Again, click the image for a better look. The slipcase for the Vol. 1 & 2 Box Set is looking pretty snazzy too — we should have an image of that to share soon!