Fantagraphics Blog

Only 2 months until Groundhog Day. Online Commentary & Diversions: • Link: Thanks to Mark Frauenfelder & Cory Doctorow for including The Wolverton Bible and Tales Designed to Thrizzle Vol. 1 on the "Boing Boing Gift Guide 2009: comics/art books" • Review: "Although the five stories in Low Moon appear to have very little in common, the glue that holds them together is Jason’s sublime artwork, a clear line approach inspired by Hergé (and dozens of other influences), and the artist’s consistent application of certain stylistic techniques and visual tropes. … He is an artist who understands the mechanics and…

The Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack joins forces with Georgetown's Annual Holiday Art Walk on Saturday, December 12. More than 100 independent artists and creative enterprises will participate in what promises to be the most festive Art Attack ever. (The Georgetown Holiday Art Walk continues on Sunday, December 13 from noon to 5:00 PM.) Among the fun: A grand opening gala at Georgetown Music on the site of the old Georgetown Pharmacy with live music, new and used instruments and more; "Future", the second installment of The Story of Belle and Wissell and their adventures through time, featuring an animated…

  The Casual Optimist has a fine, fine interview up with our own dearly beloved Jacob Covey.   

As Wednesday warriors are likely aware, New Comics Day is on Thursday this week due to the U.S. holiday last week. Two highly anticipated Fantagraphics publications are scheduled to hit comic shops: Popeye Vol. 4: "Plunder Island" by E.C. Segar — we already quoted the critics calling this one "awesome" and "fantastic" and "practically seaworthy" and "the crown jewel in the Popeye crown" and "E.C. Segar's finest hour" and saying "If you only buy one volume in the series, blah blah blah"… check out our previews at the link above to sample the greatness. The Comics Journal #300 — the…

Rabbit rabbit Online Commentary & Diversions: • List: Paste Magazine names Daniel Clowes's Ghost World #6 on The 20 Best Graphic Novels of the Decade • List: At The SF Site: Nexus Graphica, Mark London Williams names Locas II: Maggie, Hopey & Ray by Jaime Hernandez as his #10 comic of 2009 (with the top 5 still TBA) • List: Comic Book Resources is counting down the Top 100 Comic Book Storylines as chosen by reader poll. On the list so far in the 90s: "Jimmy Corrigan" and "Blood of Palomar" • Gift Guide: At RevolutionSF, Rick Klaw includes Gahan…

Pour les design nerds francophones: French design magazine Étapes presents a video of designer Sylvain Lamy discussing the development of the typography for the French edition of Ivan Brunetti's Misery Loves Comedy from Editions Cambourakis. (Google can translate the page but not the video… yet.)

We've been remiss in reminding you that Jay Ryan, one of the many special guests at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery's 3rd Anniversary celebration on Saturday Dec. 12, appears as part of his current book tour for the new collection of his poster art, Animals and Objects In and Out of Water, published by our colleagues at Akashic Books. (You may recall from our previous announcement that this joint tour with Paul Hornschemeier and his new collection from Fantagraphics, All and Sundry, begins its West Coast leg in L.A. on Monday, Dec. 7.) Jay's posters have been a mainstay of the…

Get a custom "JUMBLE" from Jeremy Eaton for a mere $50, thru Dec. 27. That's right, choose any two cartoon characters and the artist will create an 8" x 10" Custom Jumble on heavyweight manila drawing paper, featuring both of your favorites in an exclusively-styled combination. I own one of these and you should, too. Contact him through his website.  

This is the last Prison Pit Book Two preview you're gonna get for awhile. Savor it, and look for the book next summer. 

The list of luminaries featured at the Third Anniversary gala at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery on Saturday, December 12 continues to lengthen as celebrity cartoonist Ellen Forney confirms her presence. Ellen does more than light up a room. Her collaboration with Sherman Alexie on The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian won the National Book Award in 2007. She'll be available to sign copies of I LOVE LED ZEPPELIN, LUST, and her sexy contributions to BEST EROTIC COMICS 2008 and 2009. Forney will join a stunning group of artists hosting the party including Peter Bagge, Jim Blanchard, Jacques Boyreau,…