Fantagraphics Blog

Dang, the new ish of Maximum Rocknroll looks like an epic must-get, featuring interviews with Jaime Hernandez & Gary Panter and a whole mess more. (Thanks to Isotope Comics for the Twitter tip-off… "twip-off"? Ugh, no, scratch that.)

"Meaningless" is a one-panel comic written by Tony Groutsis and drawn by Gabrielle Bell, who describes it as "a brief fictional exchange between Anders Nilsen and Kim Deitch." Click through to see what they're saying.

Seems like the Crumbs aren't the only family of talented alternative cartoonists. Jim and Mary Woodring, together with their son Max, all have pieces in the Friends of the Nib "Medieval Thinkers" exhibition at Fantagraphics Bookstore this Saturday, December 11 — part of the store's festive fourth anniversary celebration. Of course the Deitch family – father Gene and siblings Simon and Kim — qualify as well. We're thrilled to include an original drawing by Kim Deitch in the exhibition. In addition, the event will mark the debut of the Kim Deitch File, a portfolio published on Zak Sally's La Mano…

(Click image to enlarge) We're not entirely sure if this recently-sold painting by Ashland, OR artist Teresa Sloven is an homage or appropriation of Charles Burns's artwork for Sub Pop 7. We do know that you can see the real deal at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery. In addition to Burns original drawings and prints, we have a rare copy of the Sub Pop 9 cassette and zine on display. This amazing show ends tomorrow, December 8, followed by the Friends of the Nib "Medieval Thinkers" exhibition reception and fabulous fourth anniversary celebration on Saturday, December 11. Don't miss either.

Today's Online Commentary & Diversions: • List: At Attentiondeficitdisorderly, Sean T. Collins names Megan Kelso's Artichoke Tales ("a thoughtful fantasy about the fallout of war") one of his Comics of the Year of the Day • List: Look how many of our publications were listed when The Comics Reporter asked comics pros to "Name Five And Only Five Comics Publications From 2010 You Liked" • Lists: Readers of Comic Book Resources have voted Jaime Hernandez #49 on their Top 50 Comic Book Artists, and Gilbert Hernandez and Daniel Clowes #49 and #48 respectively on their Top 50 Comic Book Writers…

Two big features on Unexplored Worlds: The Steve Ditko Archives Vol. 2 today: Techland has a preview sampling of 12 "gorgeous, freaky pages," while Wired offers a slideshow of images with commentary from the book by editor Blake Bell and giveaway for a free copy of the book!  

Buy 'em from Waterloo. Hot toddy not included.

The Printed Matter 9 art show is on now at GRSF! Steven Weissman's in it (he's got the announcement on his blog) along with some of our other favorite folks! We/you missed the opening but it's on through Jan. 12.

Impatient and/or francophone Jason fans can read the first 10 pages of his next album L'Île aux 100000 Morts (Isle of 100,000 Graves) at the website of his French publisher Glénat. We'll have the English edition out in Spring 2011.

Michael Kupperman provided this cover illustration & design for Gojira: King of the Monsters, a new novella by National Book Award-nominated author Jim Shepard from NYC small press Solid Objects.