It’s come that time when Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery curator Larry Reid chooses his favorite comix of the year. I customarily select about a dozen outstanding titles. This being a banner year for contemporary comix, I’ll be more expansive this time, listing my top twenty. This exercise is subjective by nature. I try to avoid the term “best,” preferring instead to name the books that most appealed to me. 20. Doukhobor Comics by Rose Driver. What’s not to like about an eccentric anarchist/nudist/arsonist religious cult that, with the help of Leo Tolstoy, made their way from Russia to the Pacific…
Celebrate Free Comic Book Day with Ellen Forney and Simon Hanselmann
Celebrate Free Comic Book Day at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery as Ellen Forney presents her latest project, Rock Steady: Brilliant Advice From My Bipolar Life, with an exhibition and book signing this Saturday, May 5 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Her appearance will be preceded by Simon Hanselmann signing copies of Fantagraphics’ free sampler, World’s Greatest Cartoonists, from 4:00 to 6:00 PM. Rock Steady is a sequel to Forney’s widely acclaimed graphic memoir Marbles, which addressed the artist’s experience with bipolar disorder. Her highly anticipated companion volume turns the focus outward, offering a self-help guide of tips, tricks, and tools by…
What’s in Store: A Sensational Spring at Fantagraphics Bookstore
Make plans to attend the many engaging events at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery in the coming weeks and months. On Saturday, March 3 at 7:00 PM we welcome back Jamie Hernandez, one of the masters of contemporary comix. Join us for a casual reception and book signing following the Emerald City Comicon. A week later on Saturday, Mach 10, 6:00 to 9:00 PM Jonathan Evison reads from the 10th anniversary edition of his debut novel All About Lulu, winner of the Washington Sate Book Award in 2008. He has since gone on to a stellar career of bestselling…
What’s in Store: Days to Remember
For the past decade, we’ve been privileged to share space with our retail partners at Georgetown Records. The shop specializes in vintage vinyl – everything from early punk, power pop, prog, soul, industrial, electronica, garage, psychedelic, rock n roll, and more. This Saturday, April 22 marks the 10th annual Record Store Day, a national celebration of record shops. To commemorate the occasion, Georgetown Records presents live music by two Seattle bands: the blue-eyed soul of Bonneville Power featuring our own Martin Bland on drums, and roots rockers Paper Dolls. The music starts a 4:00 PM, but drop by early to…
Re/Read: No Straight Lines: Four Decades of Queer Comics
Re/Read is a regular feature by Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery curator Larry Reid drawing attention to backlist books you may have missed or deserve another look. This time we’ll discuss No Straight Lines: Four Decades of Queer Comics, edited by Justin Hall. Comics frequently play a prominent role in social justice movements. Such is the case in the LGBTQ community, as demonstrated by No Straight Lines. Cartoonist Justin Hall carefully curated a comprehensive anthology of contemporary comics covering themes of coming out, the response to the AIDS crisis, and current issues and attitudes facing the LGBTQ community. His insightful introduction…
Re/Read: Buddy Buys a Dump by Peter Bagge
Re/Read is an occasional column by Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery curator Larry Reid examining backlist books you may have missed or merit another look. This time we’ll focus on Buddy Buys a Dump by Peter Bagge. A generation of comix enthusiasts came of age following the foibles of Buddy Bradley and his crew of lovable losers in Peter Bagge’s Hate. This work came to define the youth movement associated with Seattle’s “grunge” counterculture. Bagge became a central figure in illustrating the attitudes and aesthetics of this global phenomenon. A truly remarkable achievement. Buddy Buys a Dump collects the 9 issues…
What’s in Store: 40 Years of Comics As Art
Fantagraphics Books commemorates its 40th anniversary with a series of talks, exhibitions, book signings, performances, and parties celebrating four decades of publishing the world’s greatest contemporary cartoonists. The impressive record of accomplishment and immeasurable influence of this Seattle-based enterprise are chronicled in the new book, We Told You So: Comics as Art, An Oral History of Fantagraphics Books. The festivities begin with a panel discussion on Fantagraphics’ first 40 years on Friday, December 9, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the elegant Folio library, located at 384 Marion Street in downtown Seattle. Moderated by Fantagraphics publisher and co-founder Gary…
What’s in Store: Northwest Exposure
Don’t miss the Northwest Alternative Comics exhibition at Washington State University’s Museum of Art featuring Jim Woodring, Peter Bagge, Ellen Forney, David Lasky, Max Clotfelter, Tom van Deusen, Eroyn Franklin, Taylor Dow, Mita Mahato, and Paul Chadwick, on view through December 17. Fantagraphics Bookstore curator Larry Reid served as a consultant and will speak (very briefly) at the opening reception on Thursday, October 6. Artist talks, workshops, and related activities are planned throughout the run of the show. WSU is conveniently located in the middle of nowhere, on the border between Washington and Idaho south of Spokane. Then tune up…
What’s in Store: Independent Bookstore Day
This Saturday, April 30 is Independent Bookstore Day, when book lovers everywhere are encouraged to support their local bookstores. In Seattle alone, over 20 stores are offering consumers a rich variety of programming and incentives to make the rounds. Fantagraphics Bookstore is hosting a reception from 1:00 to 3:00 PM for Underground Seattle, a handsome minicomic produced exclusively for the occasion. The book includes stories by some of Seattle’s most accomplished cartoonists including Tom van Deusen, David Lasky, Eroyn Franklin, Peter Bagge, Ellen Forney, Kelly Froh, Robyn Jordan, Max Clotfelter, Laura Knetzger, Joe Garber, Tatiana Gill, Pat Moriarity, Seth…
What’s in Store: Art, Music, Comix and More!
Don’t miss the action this Saturday, April 23 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM with Simon Hanselmann and HTML Flowers. This promises to be a wildly entertaining evening of art, music, and comix action. You might want to arrive a little early. The following Saturday, April 30 is Independent Bookstore Day (like Record Store Day, only for bookstores.) To commemorate the occasion we published a 32-page mincomic, Underground Seattle, featuring stories by a crew of exceptional local artists including Tom van Deusen, David Lasky, Eroyn Franklin, Peter Bagge, Ellen Forney, Kelly Froh, Robyn Jordan, Max Clotfelter, Laura Knetzger, Joe Garber, Pat Moriarity,…
