Re/Read is an occasional column by Fantagraphics Bookstore curator Larry Reid drawing attention to backlist books you might have missed or are worthy of another read. This time we’ll break with tradition and look at the recent title, Take That, Adolf!: The Fighting Comic Books of the Second World War, edited by Mark Fertig. Art historian Mark Fertig explores the geopolitical underpinnings of World War II through the colorful covers of Golden Age comic books. With surprising sophistication, these images reflect the complexities of that global conflict. Chapters on Building Towards War, She Can Do It!, Pulling Together, Kids Can…
Re/Read: The Merchant of Dennis by Hank Ketcham
Re/Read is an occasional column by Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery curator Larry Reid drawing attention to books you may have missed or are worth another read. This time we’ll focus on Hank Ketcham’s engaging autobiography, The Merchant of Dennis. Hank Ketcham’s story reflects the life experience of America’s “Greatest Generation.” He was raised during the Great Depression on Seattle’s middle class Queen Anne Hill (the very same neighborhood that I later spent my formative years.) A natural entertainer, young Ketcham performed in theatrical productions, musical groups, and was a yell king at Queen Anne High. But his first love was…
