Krazy & Ignatz 1941-1942: "A Ragout of Raspberries"
By George Herriman

George Herriman integrated full, spectacular color into Krazy Kat in June, 1935. The gorgeous evolution continues in our fourth color volume, which includes the Sunday strips from all of 1941 and 1942. The color format opens the floodgates for a massive amount of spectacular, rare color art from series editor Bill Blackbeard and designer Chris Ware's files. Most of these strips in this volume have not seen print since originally running in Hearst newspapers over 60 years ago.

For this volume, critic Jeet Heer contributes an essay about the history and precedents of Herriman's unique use of language, exploring his characters' loquacious lexicography.

120-page 9" x 12" full-color softcover $19.95
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Hotwire Comics Vol. 2
Various artists; edited by Glenn Head

The cartoon anthology that puts the kicks back in comics strikes again. Climb on board the Hotwire express for another electrifying joyride — from the sublime to the ridiculous, and all parts in between.

Hotwire Vol. 2 includes some of the strongest narrative comics around. Tim Lane's epic autobiographical strip, "Spirit," portrays the grittiness, desperation, and terror that accompanied him as he went on the bum, riding the rails. "Niacin" by Mary Fleener is the sordid but hilarious story of a hallucinatory date with a drug dealer. Mack White brilliantly deconstructs the western myth of the OK Corral gunfight in "Showdown at Hustler's Ridge." Series editor Glenn Head's "Oozing Dread!" tells the Twilight Zone-ish tale of Wilhelm Reich, madcap genius-inventor of the orgone box. "Communicable Disease" by Carol Swain shows the descent of a young Scottish lass into impoverished hell. Dutch artist Tobias Tak delivers a fantastical retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk with his comic "The Ten Inch Giant."

If you want comic art that knocks your socks off, you'll find plenty, from the likes of David Sandlin, Jonathon Rosen, Stephane Blanquet, Craig Yoe, Christian Northeast, and Mike Wartella. There are also hot new strips by David Lasky, Rick Altergott, Lauren Weinstein, Matti Hagelberg, Danny Hellman, Bob Sikoryak, Michael Kupperman, Chadwick Whitehead and others.

Hotwire delivers in the humor department as well. There are laugh-a-minute gag pages by Ivan Brunetti, Johnny Ryan, Doug Allen, Gary Lieb and Sam Henderson. Plus talened Hotwire newcomers Lorna Miller and Karl Wills delight in showing just how cute and cuddly childhood really is.

All this and an absolute killer cover by Tim Lane... hardboiled doesn't get much tougher than this!

Official website (with previews!)

136-page 9" x 12" b&w/color softcover $22.99
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Beto-esque image found on Mike Sterling's Progressive Ruin.

Our pal Craig Yoe has some vintage Dennis the Menace audio up on his Arflovers blog (courtesy of DJ David B.). Makes a great companion to the Terr'ble Thompson Musical!

Check out our Flickr photoset of the "Rebel Visions: The Underground Comix Revolution" exhibit up now at the Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery!

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