Fantagraphics Blog

  We paid tribute to the sudden death of our friend and Sub Pop executive Andy Kotowicz in October, and those of you who live in Seattle know how much Andy's story has reverberated throughout the community. This Saturday night, the Showbox at the Market is hosting an all-star benefit show that reflects how much Andy meant to the community. In addition to appearances by legendary SubPop mainstays Mudhoney (featuring Rock God and former longtime Fanta employee Mark Arm) and recent signees Shabazz Palaces, many acts that Kotowicz was instrumental in signing are stepping up, including Pissed Jeans, Wolf Eyes, Michael Yonkers, A-Frames/AFCGT, Fruit Bats,…

[The Comics Journal interns Andrew Davis and Chi-Wen Lee put together a series of discussion questions about Stephen DeStefano & George Chieffet's Lucky in Love Book 1: A Poor Man's History for use in book clubs. As these questions are intended for those who have read the book, please be warned that they may contain mild spoilers. – Ed.] Synopsis: At age 15, the only things on Lucky's mind are women, sex, movies, and, to some degree, the war. He fantasizes about being a hero, much like in the Tex Stengler films his friends and he watch. When he does…

Zack Carlson and Bryan Connolly will be signing copies of Destroy All Movies!!! The Complete Guide to Punks on Film, with musical performances by local bands The Creamers and Cruddy, at a release party at Austin, TX record store End of an Ear this Saturday, Dec. 4, 6-8 PM. More info/RSVP on Facebook here!

Today's Online Commentary & Diversions: • List: East Bay Express's Anneli Rufus names Jim Woodring's Weathercraft one of the Best Books of 2010: "It's a wordless masterpiece from a Harvey Award-winning autodidact who executes his rhapsodically weird yet somehow relatable surrealistic visions with a lush, lifelike, retro-tinged precision that recalls Edward Lear and Winsor McCay. In an age when too many cartoonists draw with a lazy, defiantly fuckoffish lack of skill, Woodring's museum-quality mastery puts most of his colleagues to shame." • Review: "Comic book historians Greg Sadowski and John Benson edited this fun time capsule [Four Color Fear], compiling…

Anders Nilsen is cleaning out his flat files and offering a bunch of prints and whatnot in a new online shop, just in time for the holidays.

There's a new Michael Jackson song called "Much Too Soon"? HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!! (Top image ganked from TMZ; link via Drew.)

(click image to enlarge) Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery curator Larry Reid takes a break from reading comix to be an interview subject in a documentary film about legendary Northwest rock photographer Jini Dellaccio. At the youthful age of 93, it's about time she got some recognition. Reid authored the introduction to Dellaccio's recent exhibition catalogue, and the documentary is being co-produced by Fantagraphics friend and neighbor Gabe Kean at Belle & Wissell. Note the cinematographer in the foreground is John Jeffcoat, director of the independent film "Outsourced," which was adapted into a new hit comedy show airing Thursdays on NBC…

• I'm going to go ahead and guess that the next panel says "NN" and going by the spot color that maybe this is a glimpse of the next issue of Ganges from Kevin Huizenga? Also new from Kevin: Fight or Run Post-its • Ray Fenwick Mascots originals for sale (including the abandoned original cover) • A short looped animation from Lilli Carré (video embedded above) And more Things to See from the past week: • Illustrations and other artwork at Matthias Lehmann's Bloc-Notes blog • Early strips, illustrations, outtakes and film reviews by Jason at his Cats Without Dogs…

Coming soon (and debuting this coming weekend at the Brooklyn Comics & Graphics Fest, where Johnny'll be) from our buds at the phoenix-like Pigeon Press: a softcover collection of Johnny Ryan's New Character Parade! Soon to join The Klassic Komix Klub and Comic Book Holocaust on your bookshelf. More info at Johnny's blog.