The 1960s ushered in era of sexual liberation that profoundly influenced American pop culture. The social stigma was removed from adult films, which were openly advertised in major publications and attracted throngs of curious patrons. Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery examines the aesthetics of erotic movie posters in Sexytime: The Post-Porn Rise of the Pornoisseur opening Saturday, February 9 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM.

Grindhouse movie aficionado Jacques Boyreau assembled an amazing collection of porn movie posters with lurid titles like Teddy Bare, Hot Lunch, and Milk Lady ("She Delivers!"). The films often parodied blockbuster hits of the day, nakedly mimicking their plots while featuring look-alike stars. The content of the book remarkably reflect the fads, films, and fashions of the decades of the 1960s and 70s. These relics of the golden age of American pornography are at once alluring and ridiculous.

The "Sexytime" exhibition opens on Friday, February 9, which coincides with the Valentine's edition of the Georgetown Art Attack, marking the 5th anniversary of this lively art walk. Editor Jacques Boyreau will be available to sign copies of the oversize, hardbound book. Musical entertainment will be provided by Molly Rainey with her post-apocalyptic pop act Poppet. Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is located at 1201 S. Vale Street (at Airport Way S.) only minutes from downtown Seattle. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone 206.658.0110.

Listing information:

"Sexytime" vintage porn poster exhibition and book signing.
Opens Saturday, February 9, 6:00 to 9:00 PM with music by Poppet.
Exhibition continues through March 6, 2013.
Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
1201 S. Vale St. Seattle, WA
206.658.0110

Mingle with local comix luminaries at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery this Saturday, January 26 from 4:30 to 6:00 PM as the store plays host to participants in the Graphic Artists Guild annual Graphic Novel Panel, sponsored in part by Fantagraphics Bookstore and Emerald City Comicon. The party at the store is free and open to the public.

The stellar line-up includes David Lasky, artist of the sensational new graphic biography The Carter Family: Don't Forget This Song; Ellen Forney, whose recent memoir Marbles: Mania, Depression Michelangelo & Me was named by the Washington Post as the Best Book of the Year; cartoonist, game designer, and comix archivist Michel Gagne; and well as Fantagraphics friends Phil & Kaja Foglio, Allen Gladfelter, Stefano Gaudiano, and Mark Monlux. A special guest is the store's current featured artist Jim Woodring! We also anticipate visits from our colleagues Ryder Windham, Edd Vick and others. Complimentary refreshments and snacks will be served. This'll be great fun!

Seattle is once again the center of the alternative comix universe with shows opening all over town this weekend. On Friday, January 11 at Roq la Rue from 6:00 to 9:00 PM is the post-apocalyptic group show "I'll Love You Til The End Of The World" featuring Fantagraphics favorites Camille Rose Garcia and Scott Musgrove. The same evening you'll find "Friends" at Cairo, featuring Intruder artists Max Clotfelter, Darin Shuler, Aidan Fitzgerald, Tom Van Deusen, Marc J. Palm, David Lasky, Nikki Burch, Ben Horak, Jason T. Miles, Tim Miller, James Stranton, Kazimir Strzepek and Alexa Kristine Koenings. (The future of alternative comix now.)

The comix action moves to Georgetown on Saturday evening, with a show of "Paintoons" by John Ohannesian at the One Night Stand Gallery (located directly above Fantagraphics Bookstore.) John has been busy in recent months as a Fantagraphics freelancer faithfully restoring classic strips like Nancy, Buz Sawyer, and Popeye for your reading pleasure. It'll be interesting to see how this exercise informs his cartoon paintings. Across the street at LxWxH Gallery is Bette Burgoyne's "Forest," a 30-foot narrative scroll drawing. And, of course, don't miss the Problematic reception with Jim Woodring at our bookstore. Lots of great surprises await.

Join us at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery this Saturday, January 12 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM for the book launch party of Jim Woodring’s Problematic. An exhibition of imagery not included in the book will be displayed, as well as the artist’s original sketchbooks, including examples of Woodring’s inventive pop-up drawing constructions. Get a rare glimpse inside the creative process of this iconoclastic master of modern cartooning. The artist will be available to sign copies of his exquisite new book.

This event coincides with the colorful Georgetown Art Attack, featuring festive art events and exhibitions throughout the neighborhood. Fantagraphics Bookstore is located at 1201 S. Vale Street in the heart of Georgetown’s historic arts community. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone 206.658.0110. See you soon.

Visionary artist and cartoonist Jim Woodring presents Problematic, an enlightening look inside his creative process, at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery opening Saturday, January 12 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM.

Woodring is rarely without a pocket-sized Moleskine sketchbook, in which he captures character studies, sight gags, emblems, dream motifs, and other fugitive impressions. He has filled at least one a month for the past 8 years. Problematic collects random images from these sketchbooks from 2004 – 2012. The resulting book is, in Woodring’s words, "an idea battery loaded with shorthand references to long game insights." The exhibition includes drawings, notes, and related ephemera from the collection, resulting in revealing insight into the artist’s creative process.

A longtime Seattle resident, Jim Woodring's idiosyncratic approach to art and storytelling has made him an influential figure in the fields of fine art and alternative comix. His work has been exhibited worldwide and published in several popular volumes by Fantagraphics Books, including The Frank Book, Seeing Things, Weathercraft, and Congress of the Animals.

Please join us on Saturday, January 12 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM, as we celebrate the work of this remarkable artist at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, located at 1201 S. Vale Street in the heart of Seattle’s historic Georgetown arts community. This event coincides with the colorful Georgetown Art Attack featuring challenging visual and performing arts presentations throughout the neighborhood.

Listing information:

Jim Woodring’s Problematic art show and book signing
Opening reception Saturday, January 12, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
Exhibition continues through February 6, 2013
Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
1201 S. Vale Street, Seattle 206.659.0110
Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM. Sundays until 5:00 PM
www.fantagraphics.com