The "Comixtravaganza" event at the Seattle Public Library was a big, well-attended success! Top to bottom: David Lasky leads a comics workshop; the "Getting Into Comics" panel with our own Eric Reynolds at far right; and Ellen Forney meets fans and signs books after her performance. Click each photo for more details in our Flickr stream and click here for the entire set of photos.

It's Friday, which means it's time for a new installment of Steven Weissman's "Chocolate Cheeks" chapter in his ongoing Yikes! stories! Check back every week for the newest adventure of Li'l Bloody, Sweet Chubby Cheeks and the whole gang.

Our new and soon-to-be-expanded Online Comics section is totally FREE and available ONLY to registered, logged-in Fantagraphics.com users... yet another great reason to sign up if you haven't already! Coming soon: Martin Kellerman's Rocky.

One of my favorite newer cartoonists is Tom Kaczynski, a regular contributor to MOME. His 14-page story in the forthcoming Vol. 11, "Million Year Boom," just might be his best story yet. Here's a couple of lovely panels. Can't read 'em? Sorry, you'll have to buy the issue!

By the way, have I mentioned who's on the cover of Vol. 11 yet? He also has a fantastic 12-page story in the issue, as well.

It's a big weekend for comics events in Seattle! In between Crumb at the Frye Museum, Comixtravaganza at the Seattle Public Library, and Persepolis at the movies, why not head on down to Georgetown to shop at the Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery and marvel at the demolition of the Rainier Brewery cold storage building right across the street?

I've been reluctant to weigh in on the ComicsPro position paper that has been generating a lot of discussion of late but since we have been one of the publishers who have sold advance books at shows, several folks have asked us for comment so here we are. I know it's probably difficult for retailers to believe, but I actually do very much see both sides and have never quite been able to reconcile them. I will try to explain this...

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On her blog, Ellen Forney points out a nice plug Alison Bechdel gave Ellen's new book Lust, saying "It's stunningly drawn, and most educational." What really makes it worth re-posting, though, is the accompanying photo:

What says romance more than comics? If there is anything, we don't want to know about it. Woo your sweetie this Valentine's Day with our hand-picked selection of romantic and/or erotic books. From classic romance comics to cutting-edge erotica, from sweet to twisted, these comics are fluent in the many dialects of love.

Several Fantagraphics employees have new projects out now or coming soon. Warehouse manager Nico Vassilakis has Text Loses Time, a new book of bracing poetry and text-based art from Many Penny Press (available at Georgetown Records, the conjoined twin of the Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery) -- stay tuned for an announcement of the book release party:

New sales guy Jason Miles has Dead Ringer, a new book that is part comic, part print portfolio, and all amazing, coming soon from La Mano:

And our Art Department production maestro Paul "Diamond Blow" Baresh has a new solo CD titled Luv Juice & Atomic Rock out now:

And don't forget the new CD from Extravagant Bachelor, the ongoing exploits of Fox Hollow, Kristy Valenti's columns for Comixology, Jacob Covey's freelance design work... and much more that I'm unaware of, I'm sure.