July 7, 2009 – SEATTLE, WA. The creative arts and business community of Georgetown continues its colorful tradition of presenting challenging contemporary art this Saturday, July 11 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. The Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack features a diverse array of visual, performing and applied arts together with unparalleled drinking, dining and shopping opportunities at more than thirty locations in south Seattle’s incomparable industrial arts quarter.

Among the many presentations of the July 11 Art Attack installment: Celebrated cartoonist Peter Bagge’s diverse talents are the focus of an art exhibition and book signing at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery followed by a musical performance at nearby Jules Maes Saloon with Hank Adams, Fox Hollow, Can You Imagine? and The Action Suits featuring Bagge and illustrious musician-producer Steve Fisk; Georgetown Tile Works presents the official opening of its sister store "Frida" dedicated to local independent designers, artists and plucky finds; The Georgetown Super 8 Film Festival will screen this year’s film festival DVD at the Belle & Wissel; “Print for Life” benefit exhibition for the new print studio at Georgetown Art Center featuring Sam Hamrick, Angielena Chamberlain, Jameson Hubbard, and Jeff Mihalyo; “Citizens In” group show at Artcore Studios with Chris Crites, Jessica Geiger, Cliff Hare, Kelly Lyles and others; Bubbalicious and Furniture Girls headline a beach party at the Mix Lounge; Sullivan Giles’ detailed stencils inspired by Victorian design,medical illustration, machines and trinkets of old world charm at Smarty Pants; and the usual mirth and mayhem we’ve come to expect from this monthly celebration of eccentric misfits.

For a map and more information visit: www.georgetownartattack.com

Is this a shout-out to Gilbert Hernandez's Palomar delicacy on Kitty Pryde's baseball cap in my battered thrift-store copy of Uncanny X-Men #201 (Jan. 1986), or just a bilingual pun? Either way, very cute, Chris Claremont, Rick Leonardi and/or Whilce Portacio. Or was letterer Tom Orzechowski responsible? So many mysteries!

Mome Vol. 15 - Summer 2009
By various artists

MOME 15 spotlights the first, 20-page chapter of T. Edward Bak's (Best American Comics 2008) new graphic novel, "WILD MAN - The Strange Journey - and Fantastic Accounts - of the Naturalist Georg Wilhelm Steller, From Bavaria to Bolshaya Zemlya and (Beyond)", as well as the final chapter (3 of 3) of legendary Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers creator Gilbert Shelton's first graphic novel in 20 years, "Last Gig In Shnagrlig." Also featured: the final installment of Tim Henlsey's hilarious "Wally Gropius," and new work by Dash Shaw, Andrice Arp (who also provides the cover), Sara Edward-Corbett, Conor O'Keefe, Noah Van Sciver, Robert Goodin, and Paul Hornschemeier. Finally, the icing on the cake of this issue is a 16-page full-color minicomic by Spanish legend Max (Bardín the Superrealist), bound into each issue!

112-page color/b&w 7" x 9" softcover • $14.99
Add to Cart • More Info & Previews

We're pleased to offer the following bargain multi-packs. Buy Mome in bundles and save 1/3 off the cover price! 5-packs of Vols. 6-10 and 11-15 are $49.99 each; Vols. 6-15 are $99.99 and come with a FREE bonus Vol. 1!

Mome Vol. 6-10 Five-Pack
By various artists

5 color/b&w 7" x 9" softcover volumes • $49.99
Add to Cart • More Info & Previews

Mome Vol. 11-15 Five-Pack
By various artists

5 color/b&w 7" x 9" softcover volumes • $49.99
Add to Cart • More Info & Previews

Mome Vol. 6-15 Mega-Bundle (With Bonus Vol. 1)
By various artists

11 color/b&w 7" x 9" softcover volumes • $99.99
Add to Cart • More Info & Previews

Today's Online Commentary & Diversions:

• List: The Complete Peanuts Vol. 9: 1967-1968 ranks on School Library Journal's "Great Comics for Kids Reading List: Comics That Celebrate America's Cultural Diversity" thanks to the introduction of Franklin

• Review: "Low Moon, the latest collection from this Norwegian-born graphic novelist [Jason], is certainly as funny as his previous books, but the humor is quieter, more mature. It balances the awkward sexuality and cynical humor of a teenage boy with the disillusionment and longing of an old man... Basically, it's been a while since I read a book and thought, 'This is changing the way I think about short fiction.' So, I've been carrying the book around, like a buddy, trying to understand out what makes Low Moon so perfect." - Heidi Broadhead, Publicola

• Review: "You’ll Never Know is, for good or ill, going to elicit a lot of comparisons to Maus... Yet while Tyler’s work... certainly deserves any accolades it receives, it’s a much different book — warmer, more overtly affectionate and more personal to a certain extent as well... Tyler’s art is constantly inventive and alive throughout the book. full of color and energy yet incredibly lyrical and graceful when need be... Tyler has long been a cartoonist’s cartoonist, which basically translates as 'Why is no one paying attention to the awesome stuff Carol Tyler is doing?' Both in subject matter and in delivery, she seems poised to finally break free of that term." - Chris Mautner, Robot 6

• Plug: "Everybody Is Stupid Except For Me and Other Astute Observations: Damn it Peter Bagge, now what am I going to call my autobiography? This is a nice-looking collection of a decade's worth of the master cartoonist's cartoons from Reason magazine. I'm working my way through a preview copy at the moment, but I can personally attest to the first two chapters being pretty great." - J. Caleb Mozzocco, Newsarama

• Plug: "Peter Bagge has become quite the comics pundit in recent years, sounding off on a variety of issues like drugs, gun control and abortion in the pages of Reason magazine. This book [Everybody Is Stupid Except For Me] — love the title, by the way — collects most of them... [I]t’s really funny and you should buy it." - Chris Mautner, Robot 6

• Plug: "Bigger, harder, thicker and better colors. Fantagraphics has decided to repackage Hal Foster’s seminal 'knights and text' once again, this time in a hardcover format [Prince Valiant Vol. 1: 1937-1938] and with improved production values... I was quite surprised how entertaining this strip was back in the day." - Chris Mautner, Robot 6 (same link as above)

• Things to see: On the Covered blog, Steven Weissman has some alternate choices for new Avengers members in re Avengers #221

• Things to see: Guess which one of these convention sketches by Roger Langridge made me laugh out loud, and which one made me think "I've seen that guy at conventions"

• Oddity: At comiXology, Shaenon Garrity suggests some They Might Be Giants as the theme song to Ghost World

After a very long stint as our Fantastic Intern here in the Fantagraphics Art Department, we are very pleased (and relieved) to have the poorly-photographed Alexa Koenings working on staff as Designer #3. We all know liquor sales rise as recession creeps but who'd have thought that we could add staff at a comics publisher? 

Onward we push, to bring the world more comics, more graphic novels, more of the best inky inebriants. Thank you comics buyers for your support. We owe you a drink.

Trivia: Alexa's the only person I've met whose name is spelled and pronounced similar to Matt Groening. Fate?

Scheduled to make their Wednesday debuts in comics shops this week, some hot stuff:

Everybody Is Stupid Except for Me and Other Astute Observations by Peter Bagge

Prince Valiant Vol. 1: 1937-1938 by Hal Foster

The Sweetly Diabolic Art of Jim Flora, ed. by Irwin Chusid & Barbara Economon

And on the adults-only Eros Comix side, Hot Moms #12 by Rebecca is scheduled to arrive as well.

As always, check out our previews & whatnot for each title, ring up your local shop to confirm availability, and then get to shoppin'.

I really like these. 

Holy moly there's a lot of links today! There's a few major interviews in today's Online Commentary & Diversions, so let's lead off with those:

• Interview: At Amazon's Omnivoracious blog, Heidi Broadhead talks to our own Kim Thompson about translating the works of Jason ("His latest collection, Low Moon... has filmic moments and comic pathos that have set a new standard for me for short fiction") and other Eurocomics. Sample quote: "But I'm also more invested in these books because I work so hard on them, and in many cases, of course, such as Tardi, I'm literally fulfilling a childhood dream by translating them."

• Interview: "Carol Tyler is one of the best cartoonists currently working. She has been for years... Earlier this year Tyler released the first of an expected three volumes that seek to explore her father's time in World War II. You'll Never Know: A Good And Decent Man gently peels back the layers on these seminal experiences while at the same time providing an earnest portrait of the artist and her most important relationships during the time she started on the project. Tyler combines the unflinching eye of the late underground with the self-deprecating portrait of the alternative comics movement with the poetic qualities that some of the best post-alternatives are able to wring from their art. I really love Carol Tyler's work, and I was delighted she agreed to talk to me." - Tom Spurgeon, The Comics Reporter

• Interview: "In a perfect and just world, John Kerschbaum would be one of its most famous cartoonists." - Rob Clough, presenting his Q&A with Kerschbaum from The Comics Journal #295. Sample quote: "And when you're doing work for kids you just leave out the cursing… and tits - no tits."

• Review: "Wolverton... had a knack, too, for nightmarish drama... [He] saved his most enthralling pieces for the Bible. An ordained minister for a wacky Oregon church, he produced, in the mid 1950s, a series of apocalyptic scenes for the Book of Revelations; men and women, foregrounded in close-up, writhe under dominant skies of fire, plague, and war." - Robert Shuster, The Village Voice, on the Wolverton exhibit at Gladstone Gallery; hat tip once again to Drew Friedman

• Review: "Jason's unique skill of meshing cut-out Hollywood genres with fleeting moments of missed opportunities is like a unique cocktail - one part Hitchcock, one part Kubrick with a dash of Woody Allen... Low Moon is a slow-moving delight. Jason has crafted a perfectly executed yarn that is at once both familiar and bizarre. This collection is an exceptional entryway for reader still unaware of one of sequential arts greatest contributors." - Ascot J. Smith, examiner.com

• Review: "Known for his ability to convey melancholic, deadpan humor, Jason is as on top of his game as ever with this release... Each story expresses a different degree of the author’s range, mixing dark or mature themes with absurdity to varying degrees... Since it demonstrates Jason’s range and is priced fairly modestly..., Low Moon makes for a great starting point for those unfamiliar with Jason’s work." - Anthony Farruggia, examiner.com

• Review: "Jason's work is something to be revered... His comics are stark and morbid and often hilarious. Low Moon presents five beautifully illustrated stories that show a mastery of the craft... The stories range from violent to funny to sad, and the tragedies, murders, and pratfalls therein never seem out of the ordinary. It all fits into four rectangular panels on each page that seem like they were drawn to make you understand something more." - Gabe Bullard, PLAYBACK:stl

• Review: "Ho!... promises the most degenerate and juvenile one-panel gag comics ever penned by a working college professor... You're either loving it or deeply concerned for the author." - Byron Kerman, PLAYBACK:stl

• Review: "Kevin Huizenga introduces a relatable and unusual story with his quirky sequel to the first Ganges in the 'Ignatz' series from Fantagraphics. A tale about morality, realism, and video games, Ganges [#2] spins a web of confusion for those universal questions that lurk at the edge of our minds... 'Pulverize' makes a bold attempt to portray how living in a technological age can confuse as well as enlighten you to great lengths. Touching and unique, Huizenga creates a quirky story for the win." - Melissa Kay, Girls Entertainment Network

• Review: "My choice for the greatest comic strip in history would be Hal Foster's epic adventure strip Prince Valiant. And now Fantagraphics is reprinting the series in a series of spiffy, oversized hardcover collections, with the first volume out this week. And even though I own the whole 40-volume set of the Foster-drawn pages that Fantagraphics published in the 1990s, I’m perfectly happy to buy this new series, with larger pages, better-quality paper, and much better-quality coloring... It’s excellent stuff, and I look forward to enjoying it all over again." - Michael Rawdon, Fascination Tangents

• Review: "The most influential adventure strip ever produced, Foster's gorgeous Prince Valiant inspired generations of artists. While the Sunday-only strip has been reprinted several times, this edition contains for the first time images shot from Foster's own color engraver's proofs. Published at the strip's original dimensions and complete with an introduction by Hal Foster biographer Brian M. Kane and the insightful 1969 Hal Foster interview with Fred Schreiber, the hardcover Prince Valiant Vol. 1: 1937-1938 finally presents these lush tales in a format worthy of the material." - Rick Klaw, The SF Site - Nexus Graphica

• Review: "Like H.L. Mencken, [Peter] Bagge favors a scorched-earth satirical attack, tearing down arguments by ridicule as much as reason. Unlike Mencken, Bagge's work is more playful and less likely to attempt to install himself as a know-it-all (even if he thinks he does) because of his nebbishy self-portrayal... It's rare to see a cartoonist branch out into this kind of second act of a career with this much flourish and skill... his work here [in Everybody Is Stupid Except for Me] demands a reader's attention every bit as much as the more famous editorial cartoonists in America... Best of all, Bagge is still funny... and this is a very good thing for both his hardcore fans and new readers alike." - Rob Clough

• Review: "[Peter] Bagge made his reputation with the wicked social satire of Hate, but since 2001 he’s also produced these short comics [in Everybody Is Stupid Except for Me] for the libertarian magazine Reason... His visual style—in which people are all huge-mouthed, squinty-eyed, rubber-limbed caricatures—is turned up all the way to 'jeer'; it’s also pretty funny on its own. Bagge aims his (constitutionally protected) satirical blunderbuss at both the left and the right, and occasionally points it at fellow libertarians and even himself." - Publishers Weekly

• Review: "...Norwegian cartoonist Jason’s latest wheeze of a graphic novella [I Killed Adolf Hitler] invents a time-travelling professional assassin who attempts to exterminate the Fuhrer with predictably bizarre results... The deadpan humour, pared-down plotting and simple illustrations featuring Jason’s trademark zoomorphic characters make for a brisk and extremely enjoyable read." - 2012

• Plug: "OMG reading Low Moon on lunch IT IS SO GOOD how long can comics stay this awesome?" - Dustin Harbin, via Twitter

• Plug: Portuguese shop Ghoulgear recommends the comics work of Jason, "who reinvented the narrative language of comics... He is an author that is worth knowing."

• Plug: "There's some great material in [Everybody Is Stupid Except for Me], whether you agree with the opinions or not, since Bagge does some great cartooning and good journalism, providing hilarious insights into topics like art, public transportation, homelessness, and gun ownership." - Matthew J. Brady

• Plug: "I'm really looking forward to the hardcover of Prince Valiant as the online stuff shows this to be the best reproduction I have ever seen of the book. The Hal Foster years (especially for the first decade or more) are a great story and stunning artwork." - Comics And... Other Imaginary Tales

• Plug: "[Love and Rockets] was like an underground Archie, with Hispanic characters, plus it was literally oozing with a sensuality that simply couldn't be found in mainstream funnybooks... If you have the opportunity to pick up any L&R comics, I highly recommend it, as it is still some of the consistently very best comics that is being produced." - Robert J. Sodaro (former Fantagraphics employee)

• Plug: "I’m currently reading through the latest issue of The Comics Journal, number 298... I’m really looking forward to the interview with Thriller artist Trevor Von Eeden. Also, the Percy Crosby Skippy strips included in the gallery section are a wonder." - Chris Mautner, Robot 6; also, their guest contributor this week is Paul Karasik

• Things to see: Comic Book Resources presents a bunch of work by Terry LaBan (whose Fantagraphics titles are all out of print)

• Things to see: Johnny Ryan fan art from Norway

• Things to see (and buy): Steven Weissman has some new and discounted stuff up at Comic Art Collective

ICv2.com has an exclusive 6-page excerpt from the new Fletcher Hanks book You Shall Die by Your Own Evil Creation!, featuring an entire story starring everybody's favorite omnipotent vengeance-seeker... no, not God, silly: Stardust the Super Wizard! This is in addition to our 13-page excerpt which is available for download from this page. Feast your eyes on Fletcher's feverish fantasias!

Thursday, July 9, 2009 at 8:00pm
Le Poisson Rouge
158 Bleeker Street
New York, NY