As envisioned by Kurt Wolfgang. (Normally Eric would post this, but he's out chauffeuring Mr. Clowes right now.) 

Here's what people on the web are writing about our books this week:

• Futurismic, German site Nerdcore and Canada's SEE Magazine (which wins for best article title and best writer name) take note of Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko by Blake Bell; the latter article sparks debate between Steven Grant and Jarett Kobek

• The Onion A.V. Club's latest "Comics Panel" roundup includes a B+ review for Tim Lane's Abandoned Cars; Sequart takes a good look at the book too

• Chris Mautner at Blog@Newsarama gets the first word in on The Portable Frank by Jim Woodring (below the Steve Canyon review)

• For The Washington Post, Douglas Wolk looks at Explainers by Jules Feiffer and Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw

• Guided by Voices fan blog Pop Zeus plugs Robert Pollard's Town of Mirrors

• Tripping Toward Lucidity looks at Mail Order Bride by Mark Kalesniko

• Mexican site Comiquero recommends The Last Lonely Saturday by Jordan Crane (albeit with art from a different story)

• Sequart examines Where Demented Wented: The Art and Comics of Rory Hayes, while The Village Voice pairs Demented with Herbie Vol. 1

• Comic Book Resources compares Mome Vol. 12 to two other recent anthology releases and declares it "the best deal for your anthology pleasure this summer." Take that, Tori Amos!

• Boing Boing spotlights Love and Rockets: New Stories #1

• Sequart continues their detailed examination of the original run of Love and Rockets comics with a look at issue #35

• Demon Art recommends Malicious Resplendence by Robert Williams for hot rod lovers

• Dick Hyacinth updates his ongoing "Best of 2008" list with 5 more of our titles

• Indie Pulp looks at Jason's Pocket Full of Rain and Other Stories

• PLAYBACK:stl on Daddy's Girl by Debbie Drechsler

And in other links...

• If you fall on that part of the Venn diagram where "alt-comics fans" and "Sims 2 players" overlaps, Kinemortophobia has some virtual posters featuring our book covers for you to download

• Richard Grayson of Dumbo Books reports from last Friday's Michael Kupperman signing at Desert Island in Brooklyn

• Tom Spurgeon of The Comics Reporter makes a suggestion for The Comics Journal #300 (due next year). It's been a while since we did a flip cover like that.

• Via Spurge, and from Electric Politics, three words that you might not ever expect to go together: Robert Crumb podcast

• Another great theme sketchbook: Calvin and Hobbes, with Jordan Crane, Jim Woodring and others

• Bob Levin offers some additional thoughts on his book Most Outrageous

• Screenwriter and blogger Todd Alcott dishes on successfully pitching a Maakies gag to Tony Millionaire, and, with Tony, unsuccessfully pitching a Sock Monkey movie to Hollywood

• Spanish-language blog Little Nemo's Kat discusses the acquisition of a page of original Gilbert Hernandez art from Luba #3

• Leon Beyond takes on Krazy Kat, courtesy of Kevin Huizenga

And in anticipation of comics events in Seattle this weekend:

• Seattle Weekly profiles Ivan Brunetti

• Don't miss Ellen Forney at Bumbershoot tomorrow

• The Daily Herald of Everett, WA has a profile and short interview with Daniel Clowes

• The Stranger recommends that you come see Dan at our storefront tonight

 Does Kirby draws a badass McCain or what, eh?!? 

TONIGHT! SEE Daniel Clowes in a rare in-store appearance! GAZE upon an exhibit of original art from Ghost World! HEAR Dan answer questions from our fearless leader Gary Groth! MEET other special unannounced guests! PURCHASE the very first copies of Ghost World: Special Edition and our special signed limited-edition silkscreen exhibit poster (VERY limited quantities of both - get there EARLY to secure your copies)! GET your Clowes books and paraphenalia signed! CLICK here for more details!

It all happens from 6 to 9 PM TONIGHT at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, 1201 S. Vale St., Seattle WA USA. Phone 206-658-0110.

Time for a new installment of Steven Weissman's in-progress pages from "Blue Jay," an epic 32-page story from Chocolate Cheeks, the next collection of the Yikes! gang's adventures. In this week's episode: Elzie Crisler (the world's cutest monster dog) is in deep, deep trouble. (Remember, you must be registered and logged in to read.)

The Society of Illustrators is launching a new exhibition, "Politics '08", next week on Sept. 12 in NYC. The show includes Steve Brodner, Drew Friedman, and many more. 

UPDATE: This show was originally to open on Sept. 4 but has been pushed back to Sept. 12th! 

Adam Baumgold Gallery presents an exhibition of drawings by Charles Burns from September 5 through October 12, 2008. This will be Charles Burns' first New York solo exhibition and will include fifty seminal drawings executed in the last 25 years that showcases Burns' masterful pen and ink drawings for his award winning comic books and other publications.

Featured in the exhibition will be covers and drawings for the serialized version of Charles Burns' epic graphic novel "Black Hole," as well as the drawings for the covers and pages of "Skin Deep," "Big Baby," and "El Borbah," and a rare RAW era "Dog Boy" strip. The exhibition will also have drawings and covers for The New Yorker, Esquire and numerous other magazines that include drawings of cult figures William S. Burroughs and Robert Crumb. Also included will be the cover of "Permagel" the new large scale book of Burns' art.

Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday 11:00 - 5:30 P.M. . For additional information please contact Adam Baumgold at (212)861-7338 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Signed exhibition posters will be available. A preview of the exhibition can be seen at adambaumgoldgallery.com Charles Burns will be present at the opening on Friday September 5th from 6 to 8.

Adam Baumgold Gallery
74 East 79th St. #1-D
New York, NY 10075
(212)861-7338

See the show HERE! 

The new masthead slogan for every Eros comic: "It isn't very good but lots of our other artists are even worse."

Here's a tip to cartoonists looking to be published: It doesn't matter if you've lived through three murder attempts, don't slander the work of the publisher you're courting. (Kim Thompson has verified that this technique, though surprisingly often utilized, is not effective.) And maybe don't send in your self-professed "not very good" work. (See below.)

(Thank you to Customer Service voice-of-Fantagraphics Stephanie Olczyk for placing this in the *ahem* "permanent" file. We'll miss you when you're gone.)