Fantagraphics Blog

… but apparently Robin is not gay.  Via SLOG. Only two weeks to go until Comicon! UPDATE: No, actually they are gay. False alarm. Sorry about that!    

July 7, 2009 – SEATTLE, WA. The creative arts and business community of Georgetown continues its colorful tradition of presenting challenging contemporary art this Saturday, July 11 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. The Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack features a diverse array of visual, performing and applied arts together with unparalleled drinking, dining and shopping opportunities at more than thirty locations in south Seattle’s incomparable industrial arts quarter. Among the many presentations of the July 11 Art Attack installment: Celebrated cartoonist Peter Bagge’s diverse talents are the focus of an art exhibition and book signing at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery…

Is this a shout-out to Gilbert Hernandez's Palomar delicacy on Kitty Pryde's baseball cap in my battered thrift-store copy of Uncanny X-Men #201 (Jan. 1986), or just a bilingual pun? Either way, very cute, Chris Claremont, Rick Leonardi and/or Whilce Portacio. Or was letterer Tom Orzechowski responsible? So many mysteries!

Mome Vol. 15 – Summer 2009 By various artists MOME 15 spotlights the first, 20-page chapter of T. Edward Bak's (Best American Comics 2008) new graphic novel, "WILD MAN – The Strange Journey – and Fantastic Accounts – of the Naturalist Georg Wilhelm Steller, From Bavaria to Bolshaya Zemlya and (Beyond)", as well as the final chapter (3 of 3) of legendary Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers creator Gilbert Shelton's first graphic novel in 20 years, "Last Gig In Shnagrlig." Also featured: the final installment of Tim Henlsey's hilarious "Wally Gropius," and new work by Dash Shaw, Andrice Arp (who also…

Today's Online Commentary & Diversions: • List: The Complete Peanuts Vol. 9: 1967-1968 ranks on School Library Journal's "Great Comics for Kids Reading List: Comics That Celebrate America's Cultural Diversity" thanks to the introduction of Franklin • Review: "Low Moon, the latest collection from this Norwegian-born graphic novelist [Jason], is certainly as funny as his previous books, but the humor is quieter, more mature. It balances the awkward sexuality and cynical humor of a teenage boy with the disillusionment and longing of an old man… Basically, it's been a while since I read a book and thought, 'This is changing the way I…

After a very long stint as our Fantastic Intern here in the Fantagraphics Art Department, we are very pleased (and relieved) to have the poorly-photographed Alexa Koenings working on staff as Designer #3. We all know liquor sales rise as recession creeps but who'd have thought that we could add staff at a comics publisher?  Onward we push, to bring the world more comics, more graphic novels, more of the best inky inebriants. Thank you comics buyers for your support. We owe you a drink. Trivia: Alexa's the only person I've met whose name is spelled and pronounced similar to…

Scheduled to make their Wednesday debuts in comics shops this week, some hot stuff: Everybody Is Stupid Except for Me and Other Astute Observations by Peter Bagge Prince Valiant Vol. 1: 1937-1938 by Hal Foster The Sweetly Diabolic Art of Jim Flora, ed. by Irwin Chusid & Barbara Economon And on the adults-only Eros Comix side, Hot Moms #12 by Rebecca is scheduled to arrive as well. As always, check out our previews & whatnot for each title, ring up your local shop to confirm availability, and then get to shoppin'.

  I really like these. 

Holy moly there's a lot of links today! There's a few major interviews in today's Online Commentary & Diversions, so let's lead off with those: • Interview: At Amazon's Omnivoracious blog, Heidi Broadhead talks to our own Kim Thompson about translating the works of Jason ("His latest collection, Low Moon… has filmic moments and comic pathos that have set a new standard for me for short fiction") and other Eurocomics. Sample quote: "But I'm also more invested in these books because I work so hard on them, and in many cases, of course, such as Tardi, I'm literally fulfilling a…

ICv2.com has an exclusive 6-page excerpt from the new Fletcher Hanks book You Shall Die by Your Own Evil Creation!, featuring an entire story starring everybody's favorite omnipotent vengeance-seeker… no, not God, silly: Stardust the Super Wizard! This is in addition to our 13-page excerpt which is available for download from this page. Feast your eyes on Fletcher's feverish fantasias!