Fantagraphics Bookstore Marks 4th Anniversary on December 11 with Festive Holiday Gala Featuring Music, Art, Comix and More!

Since opening in December 2006, Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery has become a treasured civic asset. In addition to feeding Northwest residents' insatiable appetite for challenging contemporary culture, the space has attracted visitors from across the country and around the world. Saturday, December 11 marks the bookstore's 4th anniversary, and to celebrate the occasion we're once again hosting the season's most festive party featuring amazing music, comix, art, and more!

The evening includes solo music sets by Zak Sally and Mark Pickerel. Zak was a founding member of alternative music legends Low and continues solo music endeavors while publishing great comics with Fantagraphics as well as producing exquisitely crafted small press projects on his own La Mano 21 imprint. This event will mark the debut of his ambitious Kim Deitch File portfolio project, among other recent La Mano offerings. Zak will be joined by Fantagraphics friend Mark Pickerel, who began his musical career with the highly acclaimed Screaming Trees and now fronts Mark Pickerel and His Praying Hands, in addition to being the proprietor of Seattle pop culture emporium Damaged Goods.

An exhibition of comix art curated by Jason T. Miles and Max Clotfelter, in association with Friends of the Nib, features promising emerging cartoonists. together with masters of the medium. "Medieval Thinkers" includes original works by Peter Bagge, Bruce Bickford, D. J. Bryant, Chris Cilla, Max Clotfelter, Eleanor Davis, Kim Deitch, Heidi Estey, Kelly Froh, Justin Green, Gerald Jablonski, Megan Kelso, Jason T. Miles, Nate Neal, Bob Rini, Zak Sally, Dash Shaw, Matt Tamaru, Drew Weing, Jim Woodring, Mary Woodring, Max Woodring, Martine Workman, and Chris Wright. According to Friends of the Nib co-curator Miles, "Many of these artists work with antiquated materials most commonly associated with 19th and 20th century cartooning, specifically the metal dip pen or crowquill pen nibs, although use of these tools was not a requisite for inclusion. What brings these artists together is an imagist approach to picture-making and a willful ignorance of the aesthetics, fashion, and politics of the fine art industry. Medieval thinkers organize their experience by executing lessons in perspective, balance, humor and alchemy."

All this plus screaming deals on comix, celebrity guests, holiday libations, demented Christmas platters spun by DJ Russ Fallout, and a few surprises makes Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery's 4th anniversary party the place to be on Saturday, December 11. This event coincides with the colorful holiday version of the Georgetown Art Attack with amazing visual and performing arts presentations throughout the historic arts community.

Listing Information:

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery's 4th Anniversary Celebration
Music, Comix, Art and More!

Saturday, December 11, 6:00 to 9:00 PM

Music by
ZAK SALLY and MARK PICKEREL

Medieval Thinkers original comix exhibition featuring
Peter Bagge, Bruce Bickford, D. J. Bryant, Chris Cilla, Max Clotfelter, Eleanor Davis, Kim Deitch, Heidi Estey, Kelly Froh, Justin Green, Gerald Jablonski, Megan Kelso, Jason T. Miles, Nate Neal, Bob Rini, Zak Sally, Dash Shaw, Matt Tamaru, Drew Weing, Jim Woodring, Mary Woodring, Max Woodring, Martine Workman, and Chris Wright.
Curated for Friends of the Nib by Jason T. Miles and Max Clotfelter.

Exhibition continues through February 8, 2011.

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
1201 S. Vale Street, Seattle, WA 98108
206.658.0110
Open daily 11:30 - 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM

Celluloid chaos is on tap as Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, in association with Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, present the final Seattle celebration of DESTROY ALL MOVIES!!!: The Complete Guide to Punks on Film on Saturday afternoon, November 13 at 2:00 PM. Editors Zack Carlson and Bryan Connolly will be joined by Fantagraphics Books' resident design genius Jacob Covey to sign copies of this exquisite, encyclopedic compendium of punk movies. The event features an ambient screening of clips drawn from the more than 1,100 films chronicled in the book.

DESTROY ALL MOVIES!!! documents the punk movement as captured through the lenses of major Hollywood studios, international independent filmmakers, and everything in between. The book includes movie stills, posters, opinionated reviews and revealing interviews with the actors, directors and musicians featured in the films.

Join us for this festive punk rock matinee with free popcorn and soda, as we celebrate the remarkable achievement with Zack, Bryan and Jacob. And visitors can view the stunning exhibition by famed cartoonist Charles Burns. Fantagraphics Bookstore is located at 1201 S. Vale Street in the heart of Seattle's Georgetown arts community. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone 206.658.0110. 

Charles Burns was among a trio of gifted cartoonists to emerge from The Evergreen State College in the mid-1970s. Together, Burns and fellow Evergreen alumni Matt Groening and Lynda Barry altered the course of contemporary comix and left an indelible mark on regional culture. Burns makes a rare return visit to his native Seattle on Saturday, October 30 to celebrate the publication of his amazing new graphic novel X'ED OUT with a slide talk, art exhibition, and book signing at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery. His idiosyncratic horror-story sensibility is perfect for the Halloween-eve occasion.

Burns began his career as a fine artist in Seattle while publishing illustrations and his "Big Baby" cartoon in The Rocket magazine, developing his signature stark-contrast rendering style. Burns also composed covers for Bruce Pavitt's seminal Sub Pop cassette fanzine, the forerunner to the celebrated record label. On a visit to New York, Burns came to the attention of cartoonist Art Spiegelman, who subsequently published his work in the influential anthology RAW. The rest, as they say, is history. Spiegelman published the collected BIG BABY on his RAW imprint, and Seattle-based publisher Fantagraphics Books produced his influential BLACK HOLE serial, as well as graphic albums SKIN DEEP and EL BORBAH (in addition to reprinting BIG BABY.)

X'ED OUT continues the artist's examination of the furtive insecurities of adolescence becoming manifested in bizarre and horrific consequences. In a departure from Burns' prior work, the current graphic novel is presented in full color.

The reception at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, located at 1201 S. Vale Street, will feature a brief slide talk and book signing. An exhibition of recent fine art prints will be complemented by Burns' original drawings and related Sub Pop ephemera courtesy of label co-founder Bruce Pavitt.

Please join us to celebrate the lasting legacy of Charles Burns on Seattle's civic culture and the debut of his graphic novel X'ED OUT on Saturday, October 30 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. Spooky Halloween costumes are welcome but not required. All ages, free admission.

Listing Information

CHARLES BURNS: X'ED OUT
Slide Talk, Print Exhibition and Book Signing
Saturday, October 30, 6:00 to 9:00 PM

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
1201 S. Vale Street, Seattle, WA 98108
206.658.0110
Open Daily 11:30 - 8:00 PM, Sunday until 5:00 PM

Destroy All Movies!!!: The Complete Guide To Punks On Film is a wildly comprehensive release featuring A-to-Z coverage of over 1100 films from around the world, as well as dozens of exclusive interviews with the cast/creators of crucial titles like Repo Man, Return of the Living Dead, The Decline of Western Civilization and Valley Girl. Editors Zack Carlson and Bryan Connolly reviewed countless prime examples of straight-to-VHS slasher trash, Brooklyn skid row masterpieces, Filipino breakdancing fairytales, no-budget apocalyptic epics and movies that shouldn't even have been released, many of which have never been written about. Plus hundreds of eyeball-smashing stills and posters, many in full color!

This hot pink-infused tome nails down decades of insanity with superhuman research, vicious precision and electrically charged stills and images, and is the first and final definitive armchair roadmap to punk and new wave on celluloid. After over 5 years and 20,000 movies researched, this pulse-bursting monument to lowbrow cultural obsession is a must for all film fanatics, music maniacs, anti-fashion mutants, '80s nostalgists, sleazoids, cop-killers and spazzmatics!

DAM!!! also features tons of exclusive interviews with music/big screen luminaries including Ian MacKaye, Richard Hell, Penelope Spheeris, Nick Zedd, John Doe & Exene Cervenka, Alex Cox, Martha Coolidge, Lee Ving, Keith Morris, Mary Woronov and many more!

Destroy All Movies!!!: The Complete Guide To Punks On Film is slated to be released November 2010 just in time for Carlson and Connolly to hit the road on a movie screening and book signing tour. These two cinemasochists will pack a van full of books and 33mm film prints, doing 17 events in 8 cities in 14 days. Bookstore shows will incorporate the occasional live hardcore band or pile of free doughnuts, while ultra-rare 35mm theatrical screenings will include:

CLASS OF 1984 (1982) - Punk teen maniacs live the chaos in director Mark Lester's rabid ode to juvenile delinquency. The most violent punk classic of all boils over into mayhem as teachers take on new wave students in a battle to the DEATH!!

TIMES SQUARE (1980) - Two teenage girls set New York on fire in the ultimate street punk battle cry. This film was thought lost -- even by the studio that released it -- but we've found a one-of-a-kind 35mm print!

URGH!: A MUSIC WAR (1981) - The crucial on-stage document of the then-rampaging punk and new wave explosion. Earth-shaking performances from countless bands including Devo! Dead Kennedys! Klaus Nomi! Gary Numan! The Go-Go's! The Cramps! X! Gang of Four! Must be seen to be believed.

VALLEY GIRL (1983) - This '80s teen masterpiece is the first, last and most hilarious word in punk heartbreak. Nicolas Cage stars as an LA new waver who gets his guts tangled up over an all-American high school princess. Unstoppable.

…all these plus punk classics like LADIES & GENTLEMEN - THE FABULOUS STAINS, GET CRAZY, the afterschool special THE DAY MY KID WENT PUNK and many more!

Fantagraphics Books & The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Present:
THE DESTROY ALL MOVIES!!! TOUR
THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO PUNKS ON FILM

Meet authors Zack Carlson & Bryan Connolly plus special guests!
MOVIES, BOOKS, MUSIC & MORE! ALL MOVIES SCREENED IN 35MM!
PunksOnFilm.com

ALBUQUERQUE, NM

Tues, Nov 9 • 7PM
Film Screening: VALLEY GIRL & TIMES SQUARE
The Guild Cinema
3405 Central Ave NE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
(505) 255-1848
www.guildcinema.com

SEATTLE, WA

Fri, Nov 12 • 5PM
Book Signing: Scarecrow Video
5030 Roosevelt Way NE
Seattle, WA 98105
(206) 524-8554
www.scarecrow.com

Fri, Nov 12 • 7PM
Film Screening: VALLEY GIRL, GET CRAZY, CLASS OF 1984, URGH!
The Grand Illusion Cinema
1403 NE 50th St.
Seattle, WA 98105 - (206) 523-3935
www.grandillusioncinema.org

Sat, Nov 13 • 2PM
Book Signing: Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
1201 South Vale St (at Airport Way S.)
Seattle, WA 98108
(206) 658-0110
www.fantagraphics.com/bookstore

OLYMPIA, WA

Sat, Nov 13 • 6PM
Film Screening: THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION PARTS 1 & 3
With Special Guest Penelope Spheeris
Capitol Theatre
206 5th Ave SE
Olympia, WA 98501
(360) 754-6670
www.olympiafilmfestival.org

OLYMPIA, WA (cont)

Sun, Nov 14 • 1PM
Book Signing: Orca Books
509 4th Ave E
Olympia, WA 98501
(360) 352-1456
www.orcabooks.com

Sun, Nov 14 • 7PM
Film Screening: LADIES & GENTLEMEN -- THE FABULOUS STAINS and TIMES SQUARE
Capitol Theatre
206 5th Ave SE
Olympia, WA 98501
(360) 754-6670
www.olympiafilmfestival.org

Mon, Nov 15 • 8PM

Book Signing w/ live music by White Boss
Olympia Timberland Library downtown
313 8th Ave Southeast
Olympia, WA 98501
(360) 352-0595
www.trlib.org

PORTLAND, OR

Tues, Nov 16 • 6:30PM
Book Signing with DJ HWY 7
Reading Frenzy
921 SW Oak St
Portland, OR 97205  
(503) 274-1449
www.readingfrenzy.com

Tues, Nov 16 • 9PM
Film Screening: ROCK 'N' ROLL HIGH SCHOOL
Hollywood Theatre
4122 NE Sandy Blvd
Portland, OR 97212
(503) 281-4215
www.hollywoodtheatre.org

EUGENE, OR

Wed, Nov 17 • 6PM
Film Screening: ROCK 'N' ROLL HIGH SCHOOL & URGH!
Bijou Art Cinema
492 E 13th Ave
Eugene, OR 97401
(541) 686-2458
www.bijou-cinemas.com

SANTA CRUZ, CA

Thurs, Nov 18 • 9:45PM
Film Screening: CLASS OF 1984
Del Mar Theater
1124 Pacific Ave
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
(831) 469-3220
www.thenick.com

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Fri, Nov 19 • 3PM
Book Signing: Needles & Pens
3253 16th St
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 255-1534
www.needles-pens.com

Fri, Nov 19 • 7PM
Film Screening: SURF II & TIMES SQUARE
The Roxie
3117 16th St
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 863-1087
www.roxie.com

LOS ANGELES, CA

Sat & Sun, Nov 20 & 21 • 5PM - CLOSE
Film Screening: DESTROY ALL MOVIES!!! 2-DAY PUNK CINEMA MELTDOWN
The Cinefamily
611 N Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 655-2510
www.cinefamily.org

Sun, Nov 21 • 2PM
Book Signing: Wacko
4633 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 663-0122
www.soapplant.com

Destroy All Movies!!!: The Complete Guide To Punks On Film
Editors: Zack Carlson & Bryan Connolly • Foreword: Richard Hell
Release Date: November 17, 2010
Price: $35 • Page Count: 463 • ISBN: 978-1606993637