One of the world's great cartoonists, Jacques Tardi, revisits the subject which drives some of his most passionate work in Goddamn This War!, a chronological, infantry-eye view of the first World War.

Our edition of Goddamn's predecessor, It Was the War of the Trenches, was one of the most acclaimed graphic novels of 2010, earning two Eisner awards and a spot on numerous "best of the year" lists. Here's just a sampling of the praise, which could just as well apply to Goddamn: 

"The potency of the soldiers' tragic stories is enhanced by the elegance of Tardi's lucid drawing and keen compositions... This masterful condemnation of the cruelty and stupidity of war... is a cri de coeur that stands out even amid Tardi's impressive body of work." - Gordon Flagg, Booklist (Starred Review)

"This is war as hourly apocalypse, Expressionist and agonizing." – Joe Gross, Austin American-Statesman

"Originally inspired by his grandfather's first-person stories, Tardi has created not a formal history but a masterful graphic and visceral tone poem about war." – Library Journal

"Few people alive today are old enough to remember World War I, and as it recedes into the past, the 'war to end all wars' becomes more abstract. But French cartoonist Jacques Tardi's graphic novel, It Was The War of the Trenches..., brings the Great War to life in all its mud- and blood-soaked misery. Without a trace of sentimentality, Tardi's richly detailed and grimly rendered vignettes depict the horror, illness, cruel manipulations, and stupidity of this giant black spot in human history." - Mark Frauenfelder, Boing Boing

Stand by for more previews; read a 16-page excerpt and pre-order your copy right here. 

Wandering Son fans will be happy to know that we're catching up on our release schedule and Volume 5 is off to the printer now for release in August (barring any calamities), just 3 months after Volume 4, which is due later this month after a slight delay.

Which gender-specific uniform is a gender-questioning teen to wear to the junior-high entrance ceremony? Can new and old friendships survive romantic jealousy? These and other questions are addressed with uncommon insight in this volume of Shimura Takako's delightful, acclaimed dramedy.

"...[L]ike the best coming-of-age stories — comics or otherwise — Wandering Son is meticulously accurate in its details, but universal in its emotions. Gay or not, readers shouldn't find it too difficult to identify with kids who feel like their bodies and their friends are equally culpable in the worst kind of betrayal, preventing them from realizing the potential they see in themselves." – Noel Murray, The A.V. Club 

We'll have more sneak peeks for you in the weeks to come; you can pre-order the volume right now. And it's not too late to get in on our 3-volume subscription, which gets you Vols. 4-6 with a smart discount and free shipping, with each volume sent to you as soon as they are released! 

Dash Shaw's newest comic, 3 New Stories, is available today for the first time both in print and digitally via comiXology! In this 32 page comic, Shaw creates three full-color short stories exploring varied dystopian societies, from a Sherlock Holmes-style investigator who must complete his high school degree to filmed "voluntary" nudity to prison camps full of jaded children.

Enjoy this full meal of comic on its own or consider it an appetizer for New School out next month. It's only $2.99 for a fun read.

"Dash Shaw is a modern comics master. He experiments with everything from structure to narrative to color. If you're unfamiliar with his work, he's sort of like Gary Panter illustrating a Chris Ware story, or, in this case, 3 stories of dystopian societies." -Benn Ray, Atomic Books 

Release the hounds! Graham Chaffee will be premiering his latest graphic novel Good Dog on Friday, May 17th at Meltdown Comics in Los Angeles!

We can't wait for everyone to see Graham's latest work!  Over the past few years, he's been devoting himself to the art of tattooing, but he's back with this beautiful story about Ivan, a good dog, who is plagued by terrible nightmares about chickens and rabbits. Readers accompany the stray as he navigates dog society, weathers pack politics, and surveys canine-human interactions.

And while supplies last, you can also get a copy of the FBI•MINI comic Bad Dog, a charming story of Ivan's buddy Kirby! 

So, sit! And, stay! For this exciting book launch, starting at 7:00 PM! Meltdown Comics is located at 7522 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles.

This week's comic shop shipment is slated to include the following new titles. Read on to see what comics-blog commentators and web-savvy comic shops are saying about them (more to be added as they appear), check out our previews at the links, and contact your local shop to confirm availability.  

3 New Stories
by Dash Shaw

32 page full color 6.5" x 10.25" comic • $3.99

"3 New Stories is a fascinating work, a book knocked me back on my heels with its tremendous inventiveness, playfulness and intriguing approach to the comics page." –Jason Sacks, Comics Bulletin

Peter Bagge's Other Stuff
by Peter Bagge et al.

144-page color/black & white 7.25" x 10.25" softcover • $19.99
ISBN: 978-1-60699-622-5

"While this is an odds-and-ends compilation of a number of the creator of Hate's shorter works, it is by no means a "b-sides and outtakes" collection." –Benn Ray, Atomic Books

Castle Waiting Vol. 2: Definitive Edition
by Linda Medley

472-page black & white 5.75" x 8.25" hardcover • $29.99
ISBN: 978-1-60699-633-1

"Castle Waiting creates a vibrant fantasy world not unlike The Lord of the Rings' Middle-earth but with a focus on the lives of women.... Fun to read and look at, Castle Waiting will enthrall fantasy readers of both genders." – Time

The Complete Crumb Comics Vol. 5: Happy Hippy Comix
by Robert Crumb

144 page black & white with color 8/5" x 11" softcover • $19.99
ISBN: 978-0-930193-92-8

"Fantagraphics' Crumb project advances into wilder, woolier, scarier, more fantastic, and lewder and still lewder territory in [Volume 5]... This is definitely X-rated material — make that triple-X! — but it's brilliant, scabrously hilarious, absolutely basic to understanding the 1960s American counterculture, and authentically mind-blowing." – Booklist

3 New Stories
by Dash Shaw

32-page full-color comic book • $3.99
ISBN: 978-1-60699-721-5

Order Now!

This one-shot comic book features three all-new, full-color short stories that explore varied dystopian societies. From a Sherlock Holmes-style investigator who must complete his high school degree to filmed "voluntary" nudity to prison camps full of jaded children, Shaw pens each story with his signature style and unique spin, all in 32 pages.

"A former student of the genius artist-seer-cartoonist Gary Panter, Dash, it's fair to say, is something of a genius as well." — Chris Ware

"Dash Shaw is an utterly brilliant young cartoonist who has, in a few short years, advanced from the academic experiments of his earlier work... into a formalist genius whose skills encompass both a natural gift for color and a feel for subtle, indirect characterization." – Bill Howard, Only the Cinema

"Kaleidoscopic... Shaw has a deft touch... Like the very best illustrated fiction, Shaw's work moves between pathos and humor, between the fantastic and the familiar." – The Christian Science Monitor

This summer ends with a blast at Bumbershoot! The Northwest's foremost arts festival features the premiere of Fantagraphics Follies, showcasing diverse works from some of Seattle's most notorious cartoonists. Don't miss your favorite Fantagraphics artists appearing on stage in the lively variety show format of a late-night talk show at the colorful Labor Day weekend event.

The entertainment begins big with Jim Woodring demonstrating his prowess with a giant quill pen. Fine artist (and finer cartoonist) Eroyn Franklin puts on a shadow puppet show, followed by the hilarious comix comedy routine of Kelly Froh. Ellen Forney plays Marbles before her stint on the couch, and Danny Bland reads In Case We Die. Peter Bagge's pop combo Can You Imagine? featuring Steve Fisk performs the role of house band as Fantagraphics Bookstore curator Larry "Letterman" Reid plays host. Big fun for all ages.

Some lucky dozens of you have already got your hands on advance copies of Dash Shaw's incredible new graphic novel New School on his ongoing book tour... If you haven't had a chance to fondle a copy, here's a couple of photos to ogle for the time being.

A powerful combination of 1990s nostalgia, family drama, speculative fiction, and experimental visual techniques, flavored with wonder and deadpan humor, New School is unlike anything you've read before. Library Journal and Paste both named it one of their most-anticipated books of the year, with the latter saying "In a few short years, Dash Shaw has proven himself a restless artist, committed to pushing what comics can do and what his own talents can accomplish... it's nice to see him return with two works, no less." (The other one is 3 New Stories.) And it's a big honkin' book.

Portlandians can pick up the book and see Dash this Thursday, May 2, at Floating World Comics; Seattleites, come on down to Dash's signing at Fantagraphics Bookstore on Saturday, May 4; Torontonians, catch Dash at TCAF May 11-12! Everyone else, the book'll be out in June. More previews are forthcoming; read our free 18-page excerpt and pre-order your copy right here.

The lucky seventh volume of Hal Foster's Prince Valiant is off to the printer for release in August and here's our final, fine-tuned cover art. From an investigation of black magic to a quest for Christian missionaries, from epic derring-do to lighthearted domestic comedy, this volume runs the gamut of what readers love Foster's dashingly-told, masterfully-drawn strip for.

This Saturday, May 4, head to your participating local comic shop for a FREE excerpt from this volume in our Prince Valiant: Free Comic Book Day Special Edition comic book! And we'll have more sneak peeks for you right here in the coming weeks. Of course, you don't have to wait until then to put in your pre-order.

* Other People's Publications
** Yeah, You Know Me.

This Saturday, May 4th, we're thrilled to present a signing with acclaimed artist Dash Shaw for his latest Fantagraphics titles 3 New Stories and his ambitious hardcover graphic novel New School.

We'll also have this new mini-comic available, New Jobs, published by Tom Kaczynski’s mighty imprint Uncivilized Books. This limited edition mini measures a mere 1/2 page, but packs in as much emotional resonance as the brick-sized Bottomless Belly Button.

A couple living in Bed-Stuy are going to have a child. To support the child, they need to get new jobs. It's a story any of us could relate to. My heart especially went out to the panel with a stack of stark bills piled on a table. 

Dash will be signing with us from 6:00 to 9:00 PM, and will discuss his work and screen short animations, including Seraph, which premiered at the recent Sundance Film Festival. Hurry out here and get your copies of his new work while they last, especially this limited edition mini!

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is located at 1201 S. Vale Street in Seattle's Georgetown district. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone: (206) 658-0110.