Fantagraphics Blog

Have a look, have a click: • Johnny Ryan's latest comic for Vice almost seems like it could be a Prison Pit prequel • Of Renee French's daily drawings, this was an easy one to choose to feature after it thoroughly heebied my jeebies • Steve Brodner illustrates some recent news items that would have Orwell spinning in his grave — and Orwell spinning in his grave for good measure • A bit of Ted May fan art by Kevin Huizenga • Dame Darcy is having another print sale/painting raffle (that's the painting above; the print is different), and also…

Win big in today's Online Commentary & Diversions: • List: Only the Cinema's Ed Howard begins counting down The Best Comics of the Decade: part 1 includes Michael Kupperman's Tales Designed to Thrizzle at #52 ("…absurd scenarios proliferate throughout each issue of Kupperman's series, as he follows each loony premise through to its (il)logical end result. He's a versatile stylist as well…"), Eleanor Davis's Mome stories at #51 ("The short stories of Eleanor Davis draw on myth and horror to craft succinct, mysteriously moving little parables, like Grimm fairy tales where the "monsters" are almost always infused with pathos and…

Just a note that we just finished shuffling things around on the front page of fantagraphics.com, so it might look a bit different than you've gotten used to — hopefully the new layout is a bit cleaner and more logical in its arrangement and emphasis. Let us know your thoughts.

The official announcement is as follows: Covered Art Show March 6, 8-10 pm Secret Headquarters Los Angeles, Ca Artists from North America and Europe re-imagine old comic covers in their own style. Based on the blog: www.coveredblog.blogspot.com  and curated by blog editor, Robert Goodin. Artists included are: Andrew Brandou, Jeffrey Brown, Albert Calleros, Coop, Ludovic Debeurme, Michael Deforge, Valerie Fletcher, Yoko Furusho, Robert Goodin, Lisa Hanawalt, Dustin Harbin, Sammy Harkham, Sam Henderson, Josh Holinaty, Patrick Kochakji, Joy Kolitsky, Joe Lambert, Bob London, Tom Neely, Ben Newman, Laura Park, Brian Ralph, Aaron Renier, M. Jason Robards, Johnny Ryan, Richard Sala, Genevieve…

A special bonus in your weekly batch of online strips: Awesome parenting in this week's The House of No, rejected New Yorker cartoons by Derek Van Gieson… …and this week Derek got one in! He's got it has an extra one (oops, I got misled by the caption font) on his blog… …iBlecky in this week's Blecky Yuckerella strip by Johnny Ryan…. …and the conversation gets awkward in Barack Hussein Obama by Steven Weissman.

Observe & report: • My Love for You Is a Stampede of Horses has images and a review of Esther Pearl Watson's gallery exhibit Space is the Place — check back Monday when they'll be giving away a copy of Unlovable! • Several sketchbook pages by Sophie Crumb, including the portrait of her mom Aline above

Online Commentary & Diversions, now with images… what am I, nuts?? At least it's a short one: • Review: "If sound effects like 'SNEEZEBLOOD!!' or prayer fights make you laugh, Chocolate Cheeks by Steven Weissman is definitely up your alley. More than that, Weissman’s fantastic art is worth giving this collection a look even if you haven’t read previous 'Yikes' books." (Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars) – Chad Nevett, Comic Book Resources • Plug: "If you are feeling nostalgic for the days of scanning shelves full of well worn VHS tapes at your local video store, I recommend Portable…

No, not Monkees… monkeys! Michael Kupperman tweeted: New Yorkers! This should be fun: http://tinyurl.com/ykmssp9 I'll be reading my brand new "Jungle Princess" story… What it is: a monkey-themed installment of the live comedy-variety show "Kevin Geeks Out" at 92YTribeca in NYC and it's tonight! More info here.

Lookit (& clickit): • Part 6 of Steven Weissman's "This Already Happened" at What Things Do • Mike Loveland takes an interesting approach to Jason's Pocket Full of Rain on the Covered blog • Buongiorno, Marco Corona • The Perils of Overexuberance, a mid-1990s painting by Jim Flora