Fantagraphics Blog

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!

You saw it in our BLAD, now here it is solo: the final cover image for Walt Disney's Donald Duck: Lost in the Andes by Carl Barks. Another triumph from our design maestro Jacob Covey! Click for an embiggened version.

Today's Online Commentary & Diversions: • List: The Hooded Utilitarian, nearing the top of their results in their International Best Comics Poll, reveals George Herriman's Krazy Kat at #2, with a brief essay by Jeet Heer  • Review: "…The Comics Journal #301… is crammed with fantastic content. The volume's texture, heft, and text make it the readers' equivalent of a dense slab of chocolate cake…. In short, Gary Groth and his editorial team have produced a stellar contribution to comics history and scholarship. It is a feast for comics aficionados and neophytes alike. " – Casey Burchby, SF Weekly • Plug: The Forbidden…

A couple of blogs reminded us of the occasion. This strip can be found in this book.

As Mike already mentioned, the Wizard World Comic-Con is around the corner, and our own Ivan Brunetti will be in Artists Alley table #3704. We've since learned that more Fantagraphics artists will be in attendance, including Laura Park & Lilli Carré (table #3552) and Mome newcomer Nick Drnaso (sharing Ivan's table #3704). This show sounds amazing… Ivan Brunetti and LeVar Burton on the same bill? Mome artists alongside Peter Tork of The Monkees? Wait, Billy Corgan's gonna be there? And five of the Willy Wonka kids? And the chick who gave Brandon Walsh "euphoria" at a rave on a very-special-episode…

We produced this "BLAD" promotional brochure to help hype Walt Disney's Donald Duck: Lost in the Andes by Carl Barks, and we are pleased to present it here for the first time. You'll notice a different cover design for the book than we've shown you before, and you'll see a good sample of the recoloring job done by Rich Tommaso — not to mention, of course, some glimpses of Barks's genius. Click each page for larger images, or download the whole thing as a PDF.

Today's Online Commentary & Diversions: • Review: "The harmony of words and illustration strengthen Kelso’s voice as a narrator of stories that appeal to women of all ages…. This collection of short stories is a fantastic starting point for those of you who still view comics as Marvel/DC, or as ‘kiddie’ entertainment. (Shame!!) While playing with fantasy elements we all loved reading as little kids, Kelso incorporates today’s real life issues — STDs, pregnancy, being broke, infidelity — into her comics. Raw, yet refined, Queen of the Black Black is an enjoyable, meaty read that left me pumped to experiment…

One of Jim Flora's most iconic album cover designs, Inside Sauter-Finegan, is now available as a limited-edition fine art print from Jim Flora Art. Sez Flora doyen Irwin Chusid, "Eddie Sauter and Bill Finegan were famous for their orchestral mayhem. While Flora's mischievous cover figures didn't physically resemble Eddie or Bill, his caricatures reflected their inventive approach to redefining big band jazz in the 1950s." Dig it!