Fantagraphics Blog

Just arrived in our warehouse and ready to ship: Popeye Vol. 4: "Plunder Island" By E.C. Segar With this fourth volume of our beloved series, Segar’s Popeye reaches one of its highest peaks in “Plunder Island,” the glorious, epic-length Sunday-continuity adventure that ran for eight months and pitted the intrepid sailorman against the malevolent Sea Hag and her terrifying, grotesque sidekick the Goon — helped, and sometimes hindered by, the easily corruptible J. Wellington Wimpy. “Plunder Island” is presented here for the first time in its complete, full-color, uncut glory! Meanwhile, in the “dailies” section of Popeye Volume 4, Popeye…

Huffington Post contributor Michael Giltz writes: "The best way to celebrate Schulz and his work is the ongoing series being published by Fantagraphics. The latest volume — The Complete Peanuts, 1973-1974 ($28.99; Fantagraphics) — is a lovingly produced volume that includes every strip from those two years in a handsome hardcover book designed by Seth. Like earlier editions, it's a thrill to read the strip chronologically and in one fell swoop. You get a far better sense of Schulz's creative zig-zagging as he suddenly and unexpectedly finds himself at the tip of a pop culture juggernaut." Read the rest here.

Black Friday Online Commentary & Diversions: • List: At NPR.org, Glen Weldon recommends "Tomes With Which to Tough Out Your Turkey Coma," including Linda Medley's Castle Waiting ("a wryly funny fairy tale narrative that's both women-centered and women-powered") and Gilbert Hernandez 's Palomar ("Dense, vividly realized and both literally and figuratively magical") • Interview: Robot 6's Chris Mautner talks to Dash Shaw about The Unclothed Man in the 34th Century A.D., BodyWorld and other topics: "There’s a meshing going on between film/animation and comics. The meshing is happening in my own interests, the subject matter of my stories, the way…

ActuaBD interviews Lorenzo Mattotti (translated) about his new art book collaboration with Lou Reed, Le Corbeau (The Raven), among other topics. Above, Mattotti & Reed sign the book at Galerie Martel in Paris, where the original art is on display until January. Holy smokes! (Via The Comics Reporter)

An early update for our weekly strips today? Sure why not: I think I can guess why this week's The House of No by Derek Van Gieson was rejected by The New Yorker… …hobo murder makes a happy Blecksgiving in this week's Blecky Yuckerella strip by Johnny Ryan…. …and Steven Weissman is taking the day off from the Obama strips but would like you to know that he's having a 20% off sale on his artwork and prints at Comic Art Collective. Take it from me, Weissman artwork really spruces up a home!

Online Commentary & Diversions observes the U.S. holiday tomorrow and returns on Friday: • Review: "Children of the early Cold War who grew up with a pre-Spider-Man Ditko will find plenty to love in these restorations… Contemporary fans will no doubt find a lot to like in this volume, as well, both as a piece of mid-century pop-art, and as a first-hand look at the singularly warped sensibilities of one of the artists that would go on to shape the modern superhero book as we know it. Ditko clearly revels in his pre-Code world, constructing giant man-eating worms, and serial…

Paul gives a reading at Chicago's venerable Quimby's on 11/11/09 on his book tour with Jay Ryan (YouTube link; Paul's blog commentary):

Official announcement follows:   FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKSTORE & GALLERY CELEBRATES THIRD ANNIVERSARY ON DECEMBER 12 WITH ART, MUSIC, COMIX & MORE! November 25, 2009 – SEATTLE, WA. The third anniversary celebration for Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery on Saturday, December 12, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM, promises to be an unforgettable affair. The event features appearances by an international cadre of compelling cartoonists and artists as well as the world premiere of PORTABLE GRINDHOUSE with editor Jacques Boyreau. An entertaining panel discussion will be held the following Sunday afternoon, December 13. PORTABLE GRINDHOUSE: The Lost Art of the VHS Box collects colorful…