Tim Hensley apparently posted this over at Blog Flume last month but it just yesterday showed up my RSS reader. I'm in awe of the sketchbook pages he's been posting over there, too.

By popular demand, we are extending our massive blowout Spring Cleaning Sale at our storefront through Wednesday, April 16! There are still some choice goodies to be had, so if you couldn't make it over the weekend, you still have a few more days to get in on the fun.

Speaking of fun, Saturday's event at the store was a blast! Here's video of happy shoppers, with audio from Martin Bland's "Randomized Control Trials":

Man of the hour Martin Bland, right, with Jason Miles:

Below, Dutch artist Femke Hiemstra with Roq La Rue gallery owner Kirsten Anderson. We will be publishing Hiemstra's work in the Beasts 2 anthology (Jacob Flogged her piece back in January) and in her own solo book, Rock Candy. Her work is currently on exhibit at Roq La Rue, through May 3rd:

More photos here.

Renee French started an art blog a couple of weeks ago and it's instantly one of my favorites.

As if the promise of half-price books at our giant scratch-and-dent Spring Cleaning Sale all this weekend at our storefront weren't enticement enough on its own, feast your eyes on this spread:

Video? Why not!

Selection is still good, so come on down!

Here's another daily photographic sneak peek at (and inside) an upcoming book that we recently received "in the flesh" at the office. Today it's the latest volume in Craig Yoe's wild-n-wacky Arf series of anthologies, Comic Arf. For a Flickr slideshow, click here (link fixed!), or to browse manually, click here.

It's time for your weekly installment of Steven Weissman's "Chocolate Cheeks"! In this week's strip: hate at first sight? (Remember, you must be registered and logged in to read.)

The blowout Spring Cleaning Sale at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, with 50% off hundreds of scratch-and-dent books, is going on RIGHT NOW -- hustle on down for the best selection. Then, head on back tomorrow night from 6-9 for Martin Bland's "Randomized Control Trials" sound installation. For a taste of what to expect, download this MP3 of the aptly-titled "The Explainer":

Martin Bland - "The Explainer" (1.87 MB MP3)

We also have an EXCLUSIVE Martin Bland composition entitled "Warehouse" and featuring, you guessed it, the sounds of the Fantagraphics warehouse:

Martin Bland - "Warehouse" (4.42 MB MP3)

Hot on the heels of the release of Castle Waiting Vol. II #11, we have two more great new items for Castle Waiting fans: one bargain and one splurge!

Castle Waiting Vol. II #1-10 Starter Pack
By Linda Medley

The popularity of Castle Waiting continues to grow, and to help new fans catch up on the latest installments of Linda Medley's award-winning ongoing epic, we're pleased to offer the first ten issues of Volume II in one handy package at a significant savings over the combined cover price — over a dollar off each issue!

In these issues, a new chapter begins as the Castle welcomes some new guests, undergoes some renovations, and reveals more of its secrets. Secrets about the Castle's denizens are revealed as well, as we delve into the pasts of Lady Jain, Iron Henry, and Dr. Fell. Medley's sharp pen and even sharper storytelling create a delightfully adventurous universe.

A fable for modern times, Castle Waiting is a fairy tale that's not about rescuing the princess, saving the kingdom, or fighting the ultimate war between Good and Evil — but about being a hero in your own home. Linda Medley lavishly illustrates Castle Waiting in a classic visual style reminiscent of Arthur Rackham and William Heath Robinson. Blending elements from a variety of sources — fairy tales, folklore, nursery rhymes — Medley tells the story of the everyday lives of fantastic characters with humor, intelligence, and insight into human nature. Castle Waiting can be read on multiple levels and can be enjoyed by readers of all ages.

ten 64-to-24-page black & white comic books • $24.99
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Castle Waiting: The "Hand Made" Special Edition
By Linda Medley

This ultra-deluxe, hand-assembled edition of the Castle Waiting graphic novel includes the following:

• Full-color archival chapter-divider bookplates printed on acid- and lignin-free 50 lb. stock with pigmented inks; the adhesive is a permanent modified acrylic (no gooey rubber to gum up the works). Each plate measures 4" x 5".
• Tipped-in front endpaper plate.
• Gilded edge pages.
• Tiny flat two-sided solid pewter charm added to the bound-in ribbon bookmark. Measures approximately 1/2" wide x 3/4" high.
• Original dustjacket with brass protective corners. Reproduced from the vintage tooled-leather cover Linda's very own extra special personal copy wears. Printed in full-color on heavyweight glossy paper.
• "Liberry Card" set of three cards: includes a Library Card, Borrow Slip, and Author Card in an acid-free pocket affixed into the book. All are printed both sides on acid-free cardstock and each card measures 2.75" x 5.5". The Library Card is reproduced from a Victorian (circa 1898) library card, and the signed Author Card is in the style of cabinet cards of the same era.

456-page black & white 5.5" x 8" hardcover • $150.00
Add to Cart • Read More...

Castle Waiting Vol. II #11
By Linda Medley

A fable for modern times, Castle Waiting is a fairy tale that's not about rescuing the princess, saving the kingdom, or fighting the ultimate war between Good and Evil — but about being a hero in your own home. In this issue: with nary a strip-mall in sight, the castle folk enjoy an evening of bowling and clothes shopping; and Jain learns some interesting details concerning lovable Doctor Fell's puzzling condition.

24-page black & white comic book • $3.95
Add to Cart • Read More...

We ended voting on our poll question "Which part of our product listings do you find most useful or persuasive?" and more than half of you who responded said "Preview images & downloads." We're already stepping up our efforts to give you more of what you want (and now that Flickr is hosting videos, watch for video previews in the near future), so thanks for your feedback! See the final poll results here. If you have any other comments, please drop us a line.

For our new poll, we're asking what your primary consideration is when making a purchase from our website. The poll can be found on the right column of FLOG and on our front page (and elsewhere on our site). We promise that we'll take a break from picking your brains for marketing info and put up a fun poll in the near future!