Fantagraphics Blog

Presenting some photos of Megan Kelso's Artichoke Tales book launch/signing/art exhibit opening at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery last Saturday, June 12. Thanks to everybody who came out to meet Megan, get books signed and marvel at her amazingly clean originals. Browse the whole photo set, including more shots of the artwork, on our Flickr page; there's also a slideshow embedded below. The show is up through July 7.

Jason brought our attention to this fan-made short film adapting a story from his book Sshhhh! It's quite well done.

Drew Friedman will be a guest on a live broadcast of WFMU's Seven Second Delay comedy/variety radio show from the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in NYC next Wednesday, June 23. If you miss it the show will be archived here.

If you can't make it to Scott Eder Gallery to see the exhibit of Jim Woodring's original Weathercraft art (one of a trio of NYC appearances for Jim this week), you can preview the exhibit on the gallery website (spoiler alert if you haven't read the book).

Jim Woodring heads to New York this weekend for three events in three nights, beginning at Forbidden Planet in Union Square on Thursday, followed by an artist's reception at Brooklyn's Scott Eder Gallery on Friday and featuring an exhibition of all the original art from Weathercraft,  and concluding with a signing at Desert Island on Saturday (the above image is of the limited-edition silkscreen print Desert Island will be selling!). Don't miss out.  06/17/10 | 6PMNew York NYFORBIDDEN PLANET 06/18/10 | 6PMBrooklyn NYSCOTT EDER GALLERY  06/19/10 | 7PMBrooklyn NYDESERT ISLAND

I had some questions for Tales Designed to Thrizzle creator Michael Kupperman, which he graciously answered over email. All links below were added by me. MB: In the new issue of Thrizzle, apart from the move to full color, there also seem to be fewer short strips and gags and more multi-page stories — what led to this? Is this indicative of an evolutionary shift in the comic? MK: Well, yes — the comic has to keep evolving to keep going. For this issue I had been developing these three story ideas for a while, and it just worked out…

Hokey smokes, hope you've been saving your nickels because we've got 5, count 'em 5, brand new books slated to hit comic shops this week! Read on for more info and to see what the other new-comics-day bloggers are saying [now edited to add Tom Spurgeon]. Artichoke Tales by Megan Kelso 232-page monochrome 6.75" x 8.25" hardcover • $22.99ISBN: 978-1-60699-344-6 "I absolutely loved this Megan Kelso graphic novel — a kind of anthropological/fictional-historical fantasy/love story thing involving a fractured culture of people with artichoke leaves for hair — and I'm not afraid to say so." – Douglas Wolk, Comics Alliance…

Better-Late-Than-Never Dept: I finally got a chance to upload my photos from Michael Kupperman's appearance at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery back on May 8 for his art exhibit opening and launch of Tales Designed to Thrizzle #6. Browse the whole photo set, including shots of every piece of art, on our Flickr page, or if you like slideshows, there's one embedded below. And stay tuned tomorrow for our exclusive “Diaflogue” interview with Kupperman!

Online Commentary & Diversions: • Review: "This all-ages-friendly tale opens with a comical but sincere note of existential angst, but Billy ultimately discovers his orientation in the world through his relationships with others. … The tale itself frequently veers toward the lunatic, but if it skirts the surreal it does so precisely by taking the kinds of unfettered narrative turns that characterize the best children's literature. And like those books, Millionaire's [Billy Hazelnuts and the Crazy Bird] creates a safe space for exploration that remains grounded throughout in a humane sensibility that quietly makes itself known by showing, not telling."…

Don’t miss this: The Artopia cultural extravaganza and Georgetown Music Festival take place on Saturday, June 26 from 3:00 to 10:00 PM. It’s all FREE! Dozens of bands will perform on several stages, including one right outside Fantagraphics Bookstore featuring the Tom Price Desert Classic with our own Martin Bland on traps. Old school carnival games and confections, aerial circus acts, and thrilling Power Tool Races are among the many attractions. You’ll love the demonic chainsaw-powered Daniel Clowes skateboard created by our curator Larry Reid and daughter Bella. Just don’t get too close.  This year’s Artopia features a special appearance…