Time for a belated list of 2020 favorites from Fantagraphics Bookstore curator Larry Reid. This was a tumultuous year and the independent comix community was hit particularly hard. New titles were delayed and some were simply overlooked. In the struggle to keep the bookstore viable, I missed a lot of new titles completely. As a result, this list is far from comprehensive. Still, some stellar work appeared despite the dire circumstances. Below, in no particular order, is a baker’s dozen of the books that most appealed to me Daniel Clowes: Original Art. The latest in Fantagraphics’ series of deluxe studio…
Re:Read | Farmer Ned’s Comics Barn
Re:Read is an occasional column by Fantagraphics Bookstore curator Larry Reid examining backlist books you may have missed or merit another look. This time we’ll focus on Gerald Jablonski’s visionary masterpiece Farmer Ned’s Comics Barn from Fantagraphics adventurous FU Press imprint. I’ve always been drawn to “outsider” art, characterized by deeply obsessive expression. Gerald Jablonski’s work seamlessly combines the naïve sensibilities of folk artists like Reverend Howard Finster with the meticulous sophistication of cartoonists like Daniel Clowes – fluid, yet strangely formal. Farmer Ned’s Comics Barn alternates between dense, intricate narratives and spare, wordless renderings. Amazingly, in an appended…
Re/Read: Like A Velvet Glove Cast in Iron
Re/Read in a recurring column by Fantagraphics Bookstore curator Larry Reid that examines backlist titles you may have missed or are worthy of another look. This time we’ll focus on the early Daniel Clowes masterpiece, Like A Velvet Glove Cast in Iron, recently re-issued with a colorful new cover. Like A Velvet Glove Cast in Iron was first serialized in Eightball. It represented the artist’s initial effort at a long-form cinematic narrative. It was sometimes compared to the atmospheric work of filmmaker David Lynch. While there may have been superficial similarities, Clowes was clearly developing the singular approach to storytelling…
Re/Read: Charles Forsman’s Celebrated Summer
Re/Read is an occasional column by Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery curator Larry Reid examining backlist books you may have missed or merit another look. With Charles Forsman’s The End of the Fucking World soon to be released as a Netflix original series, it’s a good time to look back at his graphic novella Celebrated Summer. In Celebrated Summer, Forsman follows the drug-induced adventures of two friends at the conclusion of their high school years. The transitional period from adolescence to adulthood provides fertile ground for contemporary cartoonists. I couldn’t help but consider this work in terms of the Daniel Clowes…
Re/Read: The Daniel Clowes Reader
Re/Read is a regular feature by Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery curator Larry Reid looking back at books you may have missed or merit more attention. With the pending release of his feature film Wilson, it’s a good time to revisit The Daniel Clowes Reader. Daniel Clowes needs no introduction. He’s one of the founders and driving forces of the alternative comix movement. The Daniel Clowes Reader is a critical collection of stories, essays. interviews, and annotations edited by Ken Parille. A chronology of the artist’s early influences and seminal work is followed the complete Ghost World collection, including an in-depth…
What’s in Store: Top Ten of 2016
It’s come time for Fantagraphics Bookstore curator Larry Reid to select my favorite comix of 2016. A tough task this year with so many wonderful new books – a little like choosing which of my children I love the most. The choices are so close this list could easily be reversed. 10. Hey Lady. With a button affixed to the cover of each issue, I was immediately attracted to Regina Schilling’s zines. When I was able to fully absorb the contents, it became clear there was more to these creations than a clever premise and seductive artwork. Schilling selects a…
What’s in Store: Peter Bagge’s Neat Stuff!
Join us at Fantagraphics Bookstore on Saturday, August 13 for the debut of the Complete Neat Stuff by legendary Seattle cartoonist Peter Bagge. A limited number of advance copies of this two volume, slip case edition will be available for the artist to sign between 6:30 and 8:00 PM. Neat Stuff includes early work by Bagge introducing a cast of iconic characters that would populate his comix for decades. The Bradleys became a template for the dysfunctional American family, influencing the work of artists like Matt Groening, Mike Judge, Dana Gould, and countless others. This book collects the classic comix…
What’s in Store (Decadent Delicacies Edition)
Thanks to everyone who attended the Daniel Clowes signing last Saturday and waited so patiently on line. Great fun with new and old friends. The new book is simply sublime, exceeding all expectations. If you don’t have Patience, get it now! Don’t miss the second annual Georgetown Bites: A Taste of Georgetown on Saturday, March 26 from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. This food festival celebrates the delightfully diverse culinary attractions and cafe culture in Seattle’s coolest neighborhood. Georgetown is home to Seattle’s oldest continuously operating beer hall, Jules Maes Saloon, as well as…
What’s in Store (The Virtue of Patience Edition)
We can’t wait for the Daniel Clowes signing this Saturday at Fantagraphics Bookstore from 6:00 to 9:00 PM in Seattle. While we have ample supplies of Patience and other titles on hand, we encourage patrons to arrive on the early side, as his books tend to vanish quickly at these events. We’ll provide complimentary refreshments while you wait patiently to engage the artist. The book is simply amazing on every level imaginable. Coming up next, on Saturday, April 9 is the book launch for volume 1 of the Complete Crepax with an exhibition of tributes by contemporary American cartoonists (Benjamin…
What’s in Store
Thanks to Spanish artist Ricardo Cavolo and everyone who came out to support the release of Red Eye from Seattle’s own Short Run Micropress. The exhibition of prints and original art remains on view though April 6. A limited number of the minicomic featuring 16 international cartoonists are available at the store. Congratulations to our friends at Short Run on another exquisite publication. Our accent on international comix continues on Wednesday, March 9 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM as we welcome our Canadian colleague Tony Cliff signing copies of his new graphic novel Delilah Dirk and the King’s Shilling. The…
