Fantagraphics Blog

Today's Online Commentary & Diversions: • Review: "Wilfred Santiago’s reverent comic biography 21: The Story of Roberto Clemente respectfully portrays both the player and the humanitarian without ever devolving into hagiography. […] Santiago’s pleasantly cartoonish art defuses the sort of stifling sincerity that often turns well-intentioned works like this into ponderous bores. His dynamic layouts during the excellently rendered game scenes are tremendous, amazingly capturing the tension and euphoric release of a successful at-bat. […] Santiago makes the sport exciting for even the most die-hard anti-baseball lout, but more importantly reminds us of the man behind one of the most…

Pat Thomas, author of our Fall 2011 book Listen, Whitey! The Sounds of Black Power 1965-1975, will be on Hollow Earth Radio's Central Sounds program tonight at 10 PM Pacific to play and discuss various songs featured in the book. If that sounds interesting to you at all, you will not want to miss it. See how to tune in to the online stream here.

The Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack encourages adventurous Northwest art mavens to encounter the colorful creativity of one of our region's most seductive urban environments. On the second Saturday of each month, Georgetown's resident artists and surrounding businesses welcome the public to explore this enchanting industrial arts corridor. Among the highlights of the April 9 installment: An improvisational music performance by accomplished experimental sound artist Rob Angus at Georgetown Records; "Assemblages: Form and Fragments" by collage artist Ken Torres at All City Coffee; the Nautilus presents "Wasteland," a collaborative show by Corey Urlacher and Kat Houseman includinglive music and belly…

Ever since Book 1 of Prison Pit came out in 2009 I've had a question for Johnny Ryan and I finally asked him over email yesterday: Q: Is there any chance we'll ever see a Prison Pit prequel where we see what CF did to get thrown into the pit and how he was captured? A: No, I don't think so. You can probably already tell it was something pretty heinous. That's all you really need to know. Well there you have it.

The infamous Strand Bookstore in New York City is known for its "18 miles of books," and on Friday, April 8th, they're devoting at least one of those miles to Strandicon, a celebration of comics! The Strand will be hosting an afternoon of special appearances (including a 6:00 pm appearance by Dash Shaw), and the evening concludes with a celebration of The Comics Journal, featuring a panel with editors Tim Hodler and Dan Nadel, along with founding editor Gary Groth and longtime cartoonist and TCJ interviewee Kim Deitch. So, if you live in New York, or if you'll be town…

Peter Does New York! Comics legend Peter Bagge returns to his east coast roots with a release party at Desert Island on Friday, April 8th, signings at MoCCA that weekend, AND the opening of a new exhibit at the esteemed Scott Eder Gallery! This exciting exhibition will feature published drawings and works on paper from all phases of Peter's long career in alternative comix and non-commercial illustration, including his album and CD art. Join us on Saturday, April 9th from 6:00 to 9:00 pm.  (If you can't make the opening reception, you have until May 5th to view the show!)…

Celebrate Hate with the legendary Peter Bagge on Friday, April 8th at Desert Island in Brooklyn, NY!  We'll be debuting the latest adventures of Buddy, Lisa, and Harold in Hate Annual #9, AND we'll have hot-off-the-presses copies of the teengirl-sensation Yeah! for Peter to sign for you. Plus, Desert Island will have a stunning seven-color screenprint designed by Peter that you won't want to miss! And as a special bonus, Peter will be joined by one of our newest artists, Leslie Stein! Pete sez: “Leslie Stein’s comics inhabit a charming and semi-autobiographical (in the most ‘semi’ sense of the word)…

Take a Joke: Vol. 3 of the Collected Angry Youth Comix by Johnny Ryan 128-page black & white/color 7" x 10" softcover • $18.99ISBN: 978-1-60699-464-1 Ships in: May 2011 (subject to change) — Pre-Order Now Johnny Ryan’s transgressive masterpiece Prison Pit has been the talk of altcomics circles since its debut in the summer of 2009. But before Prison Pit, Ryan garnered a considerable following via his one-man humor anthology (which doubled as a one-man War Against Political Correctness), Angry Youth Comix. Take a Joke collects many of the best stories from this inimitable series as well as many strips…

The Mighty Marvel Marketing Machine has provided Comics Alliance with a whole slew of Strange Tales II artwork in various states of process from the likes of Jaime Hernandez, Paul Hornschemeier, Frank Santoro and Ivan Brunetti. It is truly a bounty to behold.

After previous mentions in this space — see previous posts for additional blogger-blurbs — and possible early appearances at some comic shops, the following titles are on the official Diamond Comics Distributors shipping list for this week. Please check with your local shop to confirm availability. (Ordering in advance is always a good idea, too.) Previews and more info about each book, as always, at the links below: 21: The Story of Roberto Clemente by Wilfred Santiago 200-page two-color 6.25" x 8" hardcover • $22.99ISBN: 978-1-56097-892-3 "Wilfred Santiago's beautiful, intricately-told biography of the Pittsburgh Pirates icon manages to come out…