Fantagraphics Blog

Willard Mullin’s Casey at the Bat and Other Diamond Taleswith Ernest Thayer; introduction by Yogi Berra 52-page two-color 6.25” x 6.25” hardcover$9.99 | 978-1-60699-814-4 Due to arrive in 2-4 weeks. Click on thumbnails for larger versions; get more info, see more previews, and pre-order your copy here: http://www.fantagraphics.com/caseyatthebat

Pour yourself another cup of coffee ('cause you'll be reading all night) and start clicking "ADD TO CART" at comiXology because we are having a Love and Rockets sale TODAY ONLY! The flagship title of Fantagraphics, now it it's 32 year, has enough poundage to break a bookcase or two thanks to the trusty and hard-working pens of Gilbert Hernandez and Jaime Hernandez. Luckily, you can get all the books digitally at comiXology. The Library volumes that start with Jaime and Gilbert's universes from 1983 through 2008 are only $6.99! The Love and Rockets: New Stories collections featuring the newest comics are only $3.99! And…

Cartoonist Wilfred Santiago's newest graphic novel, Michael Jordan: Bull on Parade is currently sweeping the nation off it's feet and slamming them back down mid-court sweating through their pump-able Air Jordans. On Santiago's own site, Good Wilfred, he's collected some of the better lyrics from songs, from 2 Pac to Jurassic 5, that include Michael Jordan and references to his full-court domination. Here's what some of the premiere critics have had to say about the man, the myth and the legend as documented by Santiago's pen and brushes. "…this book breaths with potent comic book electricity, phrasing court pivots and jump-shots with the same…

Speaking of large, handsome, coffeetable art books, our advance copies of Invitation to Openness: The Jazz & Soul Photography of Les McCann 1960-1980 have arrived! Oh, you weren't discussing beautifully bound, large format photography books that class up your living room? Well, this first look at Invitation to Openness just might turn your conversation around. This collection of McCann's personal photography highlighting the world of jazz is elegantly packaged and designed by our own Jacob Covey. Due out in March, the book is ready for your pre-order now!

In Solidarity — Steven Weissman

In Solidarity — James Romberger

FEBRUARY 18th – To celebrate the release of her second travelogue,Displacement from Fantagraphics, cartoonist and Chicago local Lucy Knisley will be signing comics and making small talk at Challengers Comics + Conversation on Wednesday, February 18th! The party starts at 7pm.  In the pretty-yet-gritty Displacement, Lucy takes her two 90 year-old grandparents out on a cruise. It explores ageism, mortality and life-long love in gorgeous watercolors, all bookended in a small WWII biography from Lucy's grandfather's journals. Readers will identify with Knisley's frustration, her fears, her compassion, and her attempts to come to terms with mortality, as she copes with the stress of travel complicated by her…

We got in our morning workout with the advance arrival of Alexander Theroux's newest and by far heftiest book, Collected Poems. At 672 pages, this is a book to take in small doses, like spare sips of a fine wine. With a huge variety in form and length, this compilation of Theroux's poetry has a diverse palate and promises to be a major literary event of 2015. Collected Poems is slated to arrive in April. Our video and photoset previews are not far behind, and the book is available for pre-order.

Harvey Kurtzman created MAD, and thus was the road to our modern era of parody and satire paved. From MAD to EC Comics to Playboy, Kurtzman's expansive body of work has made its indelible mark on American culture and humor. Harvey Kurtzman: The Man Who Created MAD and Revolutionized Humor in America is a heavily researched biography by Bill Schelly, in which we are treated to a fuller glimpse into the life and times of this influential man, including extensive interviews with colleagues, friends, and family, and an examination of Kurtzman's personal archives. Here is our finalized cover design, featuring the impish, toothy grin of…

In Solidarity — Tony Millionaire