Sweet baby Jane! We just barely got Esther Pearl Watson's Unlovable Vol. 1 out the door, and now we've got the cover for Vol. 2 to show you! This one will feature pink glitter and I'm guessing that the orange is going to be day-glo like the hot pink of Vol. 1. I'm betting that Vol. 2 will be out early next year -- Eric can correct me in the comments if I'm wrong.

Here's the world premiere of Seth's cover design for The Complete Peanuts 1973-1974, this Fall's volume in the series. This is a preliminary version; the final printed version will likely have minor changes. If you'd been wondering (like I had) how Seth was going to handle the scale issue for the Woodstock cover, here's his beautiful solution. And watch out: the 1971-1972 volume (with Sally on the cover) is looking like it will arrive earlier than expected!

Hank Ketcham's Complete Dennis the Menace 1959-1960 (Vol. 5)
By Hank Ketcham

We are proud to present the fifth volume of Hank Ketcham's phenomenal panel covering the end of the Postwar Era, 1959-1960. Ketcham captured the mischievousness, rambunctiousness, and anarchy of a kid's world better than any other cartoonist. The strip appeals to both parents and children — while parents shake their head ruefully at how accurately Ketcham caught the essence of children's natural zest for mayhem, children identify with Dennis and the chaos that he leaves in his wake. Ketcham's gags are funny, subtle and touching, and executed with a vivacious, exquisite line.

Ketcham drew Dennis the Menace from 1951 to 1994, when he retired and let his assistant take over the strip. This fifth volume of Hank Ketcham's Complete Dennis the Menace publishes every single panel strip from 1959 and 1960 in one handsome brick of a hardcover. Ketcham's legendary pen and ink work is in full flower in this volume as are the various situations and themes that Ketcham would return to again and again, featuring Dennis and his regular group of supporting players: his long-suffering parents, the even longer-suffering neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, Dennis's dog Ruff and his best pal Joey, the annoying Margaret, the adorable Gina, and more.

672-page black & white 5.5" x 6.25" hardcover • $24.99
Add to Cart • Read More...

• Interview: The Inkstuds radio programme talks to Beasts-master Jacob Covey

• Interview: Newsarama asks David B. about his latest book Nocturnal Conspiracies and his work in Mome (with answers in both the original French and translated English -- nice touch)

• Review: Newsarama posts the latest rave for Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw

• Preview: The Forbidden Planet International Blog Log takes a sneak peek at Carol Swain and Bruce Paley's comics memoir Giraffes in My Hair: A Rock 'N' Roll Life, which we've currently got on our schedule for August this year

• Things to see: The New York Times presents an animated ode to the Bowery by Gary Leib

• Things to see: This Animal Collective video that's blowing up the internets features animation by Jon Vermilyea

• Things to see: Johnny Ryan illustrates the cover of the current Las Vegas Weekly

• Things to see: The latest batch of sketchbook scans from Anders Nilsen

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery presents Esther Pearl Watson’s UNLOVABLE art exhibition and book launch on Saturday, February 7.

With Valentine’s sentiments in mind, Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery in Seattle is pleased to present UNLOVABLE, an exhibition of original art and book launch celebration by Esther Pearl Watson on Saturday, February 7 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM.  Watson’s visual interpretations of the diary entries of teenager Tammy Pierce will resonate with everyone once afflicted by the eccentricities of adolescent isolation, unrequited love, and other torments of teen angst. The revealing narrative of the protagonist is perfectly suited to the artist’s endearing and empathetic renderings.

Los Angeles-based artist Esther Pearl Watson has exhibited work in prestigious galleries throughout the U. S. and Canada. Her recent paintings are currently featured in a solo exhibition, “Visions of the Future,” at Billy Shire Fine Arts in Los Angeles. She is author of The Adventures of Jules and Gertie (Harcourt Children’s Books, 1999) and The Pain Tree and Other Teenage Angst-Ridden Poetry (Houghton Mifflin, 2000). Watson is co-author of What'Cha Mean, What’s a Zine? (Houghton Mifflin, 2006) with her artist husband Mark Todd. Her latest book, UNLOVABLE, published by Seattle-based Fantagraphics Books, is loosely based on a teenager’s diary from 1985 found in a gas-station bathroom, detailing the sometimes ordinary, sometimes humiliating, often poignant and frequently hilarious exploits of underdog Tammy Pierce. Laurie Henzel, creative director at Bust magazine, which serialized portions of the book, observes, “No matter how cool or smart you may be as a grown up, I think there is a little Tammy in all of us.”

Esther Pearl Watson’s first exhibition in Seattle will include original drawings related to the book, which will debut at the event on February 7. The artist will be present to sign copies of the book. Musical entertainment will be provided by Rusty Willoughby, performing a solo serenade arranged for the occasion. Willoughby, currently fronting Llama and a former member of seminal Seattle bands Pure Joy and Flop, has countless recordings on Sub Pop, Frontier, Sony Music and other labels.

Please join us on Saturday, February 7 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM to welcome this remarkable artist to Seattle. The exhibition remains on view through March 4, 2009. Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is located at 1201 S. Vale Street (at the corner of Airport Way S.) in Seattle’s Georgetown arts community. Phone 206.658.0110. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM.

Listing Information

Esther Pearl Watson
UNLOVABLE
Art Exhibition and Book Signing
Saturday, February 7, 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Serenade by Rusty Willoughby
Exhibition continues through March 4, 2009

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
1201 S. Vale Street (at Airport Way S.)
Seattle, WA 206.658.0110
Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM

Artist Hans Rickheit has launched an official website for The Squirrel Machine, his upcoming Fantagraphics graphic novel, with excerpts, teasers, extras and more information about the book.

• List: I Love Rob Liefeld loves Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw and Ganges #2 by Kevin Huizenga, putting them on the top-10 list of "The Best Comics of 2008" at #2 and #8, respectively

• List: A top-25 "Best Comics of 2008" list from Matthew Brady, with Love and Rockets: New Stories #1 by the Hernandez Brothers at #19, Pocket Full of Rain and Other Stories by Jason at #16, and Bottomless Belly Button at #12

• Review: Reason "briefly notes" Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko by Blake Bell

• Review: ComicMix recommends Man of Rock: A Biography of Joe Kubert by Bill Schelly

• Interview: The Daily Cross Hatch starts a 3-parter with Lilli Carré

• Interview: The Comix Claptrap podcast talks to Andrice Arp and Jesse Reklaw

• Things to see: Photos from Jim Blanchard's art opening at Wall of Sound in Seattle a couple of weekends ago

• Things to see: Photos of Dame Darcy at her exhibit opening in D.C. (with news of an upcoming musical gig in Portland); the D.C. Examiner looks at the exhibit too

• Things to see: Covered blog founder Robert Goodin contributes his version of Wonder Woman #155

• List: Sean T. Collins reveals his Best Comics of 2008, with Love and Rockets: New Stories #1 by the Hernandez Brothers, Mome Vols. 10-12, and Pocket Full of Rain by Jason crowded into a 6-way tie (counting Mome as one entry) for 15th place and Tales Designed to Thrizzle #4 by Michael Kupperman in 14th

• List: The Indie Jones WizardUniverse Blog "Best of 2008" has The Last Musketeer by Jason, Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw, and "Invasion" by Al Columbia (from Mome Vol. 12) on it

• List: The Guardian names The Three Paradoxes by Paul Hornschemeier as one of "The best graphic novels" as part of their series "1000 novels everyone must read"

• Review: On TheRumpus.net, The Believer editor Andrew Leland has a great review of Petey & Pussy by John Kerschbaum

• Review: DJ Sloofus's Baaadaaaassssss Blog! looks at Popeye Vol. 3 and declares "All hail Segar!"

• Video: Arrested Motion compiles an 11-part video from YouTube user sketchv of Robert Williams's recent talk at the Oakland Museum of California

• Oddity: The Solar Sisterhood takes note of a calendar of real-life Maggie the Mechanics

• Oddity: On YouTube, Chinese Popeye vs. some mummies

Glamour shot! Now you can be greeted by Tammy Pierce from Esther Pearl Watson's Unlovable every time you start up your computer (or iPhone) with this spiffy, sparkly desktop wallpaper! Just select your resolution below to open the corresponding size image in a new window. And click here for more desktop decorating selections. Oh yeah!

800 x 600 | 1024 x 768 | 1152 x 864 | 1280 x 960 | 1280 x 720 | iPhone

• List: Aron Nels Steinke presents his Top Ten of 2008, including Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw and Ganges #2 by Kevin Huizenga

• List: At Robot 6, Chris Mautner declares Bob Levin's Most Outrageous: The Trials and Trespasses of Dwaine Tinsley and Chester the Molester one of the "five most criminally ignored books of 2008"

• Review: Rob Clough examines Grotesque #2 by Sergio Ponchione

• Review/Things to see: French cartoonist Olive Booger posts her impressions of Bottomless Belly Button (original French; Google translation) with bonus fan art!

• Blurb: Irregular Orbit devotes 9 perfectly-chosen words to Zippy: Connect the Polka Dots by Bill Griffith

• Interview: The Daily Cross Hatch concludes their three-parter with Bob Fingerman

• Interview: The Comics Reporter's Tom Spurgeon found a video file of Jonathan Lethem interviewing Daniel Clowes at the 2005 MoCCA Festival; he can't remember where it came from but he's posted it anyway

• Things to see: Steven Weissman's HLK

• Oddity: "Chris Ware can show Video Games the path to manhood"