Fantagraphics Blog

We have a programming change for the presentation Gary Groth is giving at the GRAPHIC festival in Sydney this weekend. The following is a mix of Gary's words and mine: Gary was asked to speak about the history of The Comics Journal and Fantagraphics (as it says in the event description on the GRAPHIC website) but decided that that was too aggrandizing even for us, so he decided to weave those two subjects into a broader history of alternative and independent comics from the '70s to present; don't worry, though, he promises that it'll still be megalomaniacal enough to posit…

My picture-taking fell off on the last day of Comic-Con as things got even more hectic with last-minute wheeling & dealing, including our Sunday-only 20%-off-everything sale. Here are a few things I managed to capture: Peter Bagge chats with Scott McCloud (while our own Eric Reynolds and D&Q 's Jessica Campbell watch from a distance)… …and with Jeffrey Brown, visiting from the neighboring Top Shelf booth (while our own Jason T. Miles confers with Sparkplug's Dylan Williams in the background). Pete keeps his Inkpot trophy handy while Stephen DeStefano diligently signs and sketches. Carol Tyler's rad handmade Nancy brooch. Above,…

Periodic clips & strips — click for improved/additional viewing at the sources: • Yoinked from Facebook, Miss Lasko-Gross's self-portrait for the Graphic Details art show at the Cartoon Art Museum • Another Facebook find: Charles Schneider posted this new album cover illustration by Gahan Wilson • Facebook strikes again: a rejected cover sketch for Gil Kane's Savage!, from the Gil Kane Unchained page (see the final cover and read a review of the book at Guns in the Gutters) • A Jim Woodring sketch on his own letterhead from 1993 along with a 1992 interview at TCJ.com's Guttergeek • Bob…

Online Commentary & Diversions: • Review: "By the 1980s, however, the anti-establishment sensibility of the underground comix had been replaced by a faith in just 'do-it-yourself' — making your own 'zines,' and that sense of independence is what [editor Michael] Dowers praises [in Newave! The Underground Mini Comix of the 1980s]." – George Elliott Clarke, The Chronicle Herald • Review: "…Jim Woodring's Weathercraft creates a fantastic alternative universe. …Woodring constructs a nightmarish tale in which Manhog falls victim to the villainous depredations of the all-too-aptly named Whim and the spells of the witchy pair Betty and Veronica. Those unfamiliar with…

In collaboration with Frank Oros, Tim Lane has produced another "Radio Drama" adaptation of one of his short stories, this time "Spike," which was printed in the 3rd volume of the Hotwire anthology. Download the MP3 from Tim's blog.

Drew Weing celebrated the release of his new graphic novel Set to Sea with a signing, raffle, skull cookies baked by Eleanor Davis, and pirate cut-out fun at Bizarro-Wuxtry in Athens, Georgia last Friday. More photos on Drew's Flickr page.

This sounds awesome. At her blog, Ellen Forney says: I have several posters, some original ink drawings, and a 6′ hand-painted black light banner in this show. Thunderbitch: Women Designers in Northwest Rock 1966-2010 Opening party August 5, 5-8pm Exhibit runs August 5 – 27Tether Design Gallery , 323 Occidental Ave S From DIY Xerox flyers to album covers to silkscreened posters, women designers have shaped the visual identity of music in the Northwest for decades. Artists include: Lynda Barry, Ellen Forney, Lisa Orth, Alice Wheeler, and dozens more! With live music by Barbara Ireland + Stone Gossard and Visqueen,…

Here is a picture of Daniel Clowes, who took his son to the Alameda County Fair a couple weekends back, only to discover an unlikely act on one of the stages. Dan reports, "Unfortunately, we missed their set." You can't make this shit up, folks.

The good news: you get two of each strip this week (they're doubled up on the page) since we missed last week's update due to Comic-Con! The bad news: see below… This week's is the FINAL Blecky Yuckerella strip by Johnny Ryan EVER! Not a joke! Not an imaginary story! (Actually it's literally both, but we're not kidding about it being the last one.) …and the first of this week's Barack Hussein Obama strips by Steven Weissman could've taken place at San Diego last week, while the second is a diplomatic disaster.

Buckle in for two weeks worth of clips & strips — click for improved/additional viewing at the sources: • Jaime Hernandez, 1977 (from friend/fan Bernie Ramirez on the Love and Rockets Facebook page) • Anders Nilsen's Dennis Hopper for Cinefamily is magnificent • How about a little Dennis the Menace/Lost mash-up at Big Shiny Robot? • Moscow-born San Francisco-residing cartoonist Roman Muradov sends us some pages done in homage/tribute to Jason — they're good, and got a thumbs-up from Jason • Again with the Comics presents a Scooby-Doo story drawn by… Ivan Brunetti?? (via Steven Thompson) • Jason's sketch of…