The Octopus Rises by Ryan Boudinot Man, I had so many stab wounds, it was crazy. There I was at the conference center, and I hadn’t even adequately prepared my presentation. And so begins “Bleeding Man and Wounded Deer,” one of the stories in this collection of literary short fiction from the pen of acclaimed Seattle novelist Ryan Boudinot. Bouncing among experimental fiction, absurdist farce, paranoid futurism, and stinging satirical and stinging satire, Boudinot’s comic, inventive prose lays bare the hopes and anxieties of our age. From a heartbreaking and pitch-perfect account of the end of Bert and Ernie’s relationship,…
What’s in Store
Our Hot Off the Press fest on Saturday, August 8 will feature an amazing array of local artists in addition to special guest Noah Van Sciver, a prominent force in the minicomics movement. This event marks the debut of Desperate Times: The Summer of 1981, edited by Maire Masco. This essential Seattle zine was widely recognized for printing the first reference to “grunge” in a letter penned by future Fantagraphics staffer and Mudhoney front man Mark Arm to describe his then-imaginary band Mr. Epp and the Calculations. The six issues of this 25-cent tabloid serve as a time capsule of…
We Were Reading Fante Bukowski Digitally Before It Was Cool
One of today’s most prestigious and prolific cartoonists, Noah Van Sciver, is back. You can download and (unironically) love his new book on your own personal reading device starting today.
Comics Reporter interview Sammy Harkham on Crickets, Kramers and more
“I met the cartoonist and editor Sammy Harkham at a Comic-Con International either late in the period of my working at Fantagraphics or just after. I was younger then; Harkham was legitimately young. His Kramers Ergot series was on its first or second issue then. When the fourth volume of the anthology dropped in 2003, it was one of the stand up and notice moments that comics wasn’t going to let the previous decade’s industry-driven frustrations rob the art form of its momentum. Thoughtful and consistently of a high quality on the page, Kramers has gone on to become what many…
This Week’s Press Highlights
Praise for Leah Hayes’ Not Funny Ha-Ha on Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Cosmopolitan, Bitch Media, MTV, Ravishly, Bust, and Publisher’s Weekly- “Hayes’ illustrations are straightforward and witty. She defines technical terms and medical processes, while still managing to capture the deeply personal, human side of the reproductive decisions a woman makes.” Read more at Huffington post “Conveys a feeling of comfort and openness, while also conveying the weight of the topic.” Read more at BuzzFeed “The book explains medical jargon and breaks down the physical process of having a termination, while still offering a very human portrayal of the experience.” Read…
What’s in Store
If you missed Art Chantry’s book signing last Saturday at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, there’s plenty of time to see his colorful exhibition. The show remains on view through August 6 and we have a few signed copies of his new book available. (Well, three to be exact, but we’ll get more by the end of the week.) We’d like to thank Art and our colleagues at Feral House publishing for a fun and informative evening. Mark your calendars for Hot Off the Press, A Cool Summer Small Press Fest on August 8 featuring Noah Van Sciver, Ryan Boudinot, Gina…
Dystopian Debut in Digital
Dörfler — the bold and dizzying debut graphic novel from Jeremy Baum — is now available digitally through comiXology and Sequential.
Kramers Ergot, the Anthology that Revolutionized the Medium, Comes to Fantagraphics
For Immediate Release: JULY 17, 2015- SEATTLE, WA: Kramers Ergot is the twenty-first-century’s premier comics anthology. Since its inception in 2000, it has introduced new talents and solidified aesthetics; each volume is an of-the-moment, state-of-the-medium manifesto. This anthology has always been a reflection of creator/editor Sammy Harkham’s comics passions, both past and future. This volume plunges into the spot where contemporary visual art discovers narrative, expanding the boundaries of the comics page. Kramers Ergot 9 gathers many of the best and brightest together in one giant, oversized collection: it will feature Michael DeForge, Noel Freibert, Steven Weissman, Anya Davidson, Stefan Marx,…
Fantagraphics Spaces Out With Joshua Cotter’s Nod Away
For Immediate Release: July 9, 2015-Seattle, WA-Fantagraphics Books is proud to announce its acquisition of Joshua Cotter’s new sci-fi epic Nod Away, to be released Spring 2016. Nod Away moves back and forth between physical and psychological worlds, utilizing traditional and abstract storytelling styles to explore what consciousness could be, where it’s located, and what function or point it serves. Nod Away is set on a near-future version of Earth. Deep-space transport has been developed to take a small crew to a habitable planet in a nearby system in an attempt to begin colonization/repopulation. The Internet is now telepathic…
What’s in Store
We can’t wait to unveil Art Chantry Speaks: A Heretic’s History of 20th Century Graphic Design. Come meet the influential graphic arts guru at a book signing, art exhibition and reception this Saturday, July 11 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. This event coincides with the Georgetown Art Attack featuring visual and performing arts presentations throughout the lively industrial arts corridor. The exhibition continues through August 6, 2015. Be sure to check out our vast array of small press publications including a beautiful new portfolio of Black Hole drawings from Charles Burns. Both Burns and Chantry contributed to the aesthetics…
