Re/Read is an occasional column by Fantagraphics Bookstore curator Larry Reid examining books you may have missed or are worth another look. In the wake of the second annual woman’s march, we’ll focus this time on Last Girl Standing and other works by Trina Robbins. Last Girl Standing is a fascinating first person account of Robbins’ early years as a counterculture maven in the Hollywood folk rock scene, to her arrival in New York’s East Village as a fashion designer, boutique owner, and model, before becoming an influential member of the underground comix scene. The story chronicles her involvement with…
What’s in Store: Top Comix of 2017
It’s come time for Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery curator Larry Reid to name my choices for the best comix of the past year. This list is customarily limited to the top 10 publications plus a handful of honorable mentions. This being a banner year for contemporary comix, I’ve expanded my subjective selections to an even dozen, together with an equal number of alternatives – any one of which could be included among the best. 12. Chris Ware: Monograph This comprehensive collection of Ware’s art, comix, and ephemera does justice to the remarkable career of one of the most innovative…
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…
