Updates of Online Commentary & Diversions may be oddly timed for the rest of the week as we're eyeball deep in MoCCA preparations.

• Review: "[Harvey] Kurtzman and company aimed high for a more sophisticated humor mag than the competition... Fantagraphics’ package for it is bar none — handsome, sturdy and restored with great care... I was most interested in the behind-the-scenes story of Humbug and the creative process that went into it — not to mention doomed it — and the book’s introduction and exclusive interviews more than satisfy on that count." - Rod Lott, Bookgasm

• Review: "In a way, Humbug almost feels like a goof-humor version of The New Yorker or something. There’s a lot of fairly serious political/social commentary, cloaked in wry rainment. It’s a blend as interesting as any cocktail, and it’s goddamn great to have this stuff easily available. Hats away!" - Byron Coley & Thurston Moore, Arthur Magazine

• Review: "...[U]nparallel parodists Kurtzman and Elder ran rampant for themselves when they published these 11 exceptional issues of comic art anarchy. This two-volume hardcover box set has been reproduced from the original art and digitally restored to make everything look even better than when it first came out in 1957. This long-overdue definitive edition of Humbug is an essential slice of satire from the masters of the genre." - Jeffrey Morgan, Detroit Metro Times

• Review: "Everybody Is Stupid Except For Me [is] a compilation of the notorious Seattle libertarian [Peter Bagge]’s politically (and sexually) charged comics for Reason magazine... It’s great. So colourful (always my favourite part of Pete’s comics) and acerbic and smart-ass, but with a heart and purpose behind the bickering and keenly observes caricatures... It’s too early to say now, but right now I’m thinking it’s perhaps my favourite stuff of his, full stop..." - Everett True

• Review: "Connective Tissue... make[s] for an engaging read... While Darla sounds like she could be a handful, she is a good and sympathetic protagonist, making her a modern-day Alice in a 21st century Wonderland." - Jason Borelli, Beyond Race Magazine

• Preview: At Newsarama, Michael C. Lorah comments on our scheduled August 2009 releases as seen in the current issue of Previews (and right here on our site)

• Preview: Spotlighting comics shipping this week, The Comics Reporter says of Uptight #3: "The previous issue of this series from the great Jordan Crane was super, super strong." Likewise, Chris Mautner at Robot 6: "The latest issue in Jordan Crane’s very good series about ghosts and melancholy comes to town. I feel we should be doing all we can to ensure Crane keeps making comics, don’t you?" And Matthew Brady says: "I missed the second issue of this series, but the first one was great... Check it out if you see it on the shelves."

• Profile: My Adventure Is Your Advantage spotlights the design work of our very own Art Director Jacob Covey, calling him "the bees knees of design" and presenting previously unseen previews of the forthcoming Abstract Comics anthology

• Profile: "[Dash] Shaw's online and bound comics inhabit surreal spaces both cerebral and emotional, leaping from zombie love stories to futuristic set pieces without resorting to predictability... It's probably safe to say he has arrived." - Wired

• Interview: Publishers Weekly's Heidi MacDonald asks our own Eric Reynolds for his thoughts about Book Expo America and its value for comics publishers like us; The Comics Reporter's Tom Spurgeon comments on the interview; meanwhile, The Daily Cross Hatch's Brian Heater gets a few words from Eric on the show floor

• Interview: Comic Book Resources' Jeffrey Renaud talks to Gilbert and Mario Hernandez about their forthcoming sci-fi miniseries Citizen Rex (Dark Horse is publishing it, but how could we not link?)

• Interview: Newsarama's Michael C. Lorah talks to Stan Sakai about the 25th anniversary of Usagi Yojimbo and gets a little bit of scoop about our forthcoming Usagi Yojimbo: Special Edition deluxe set

• Oddity: Julie Demboski's Astrology peppers her advice with a little Romance Without Tears

From World of Strange, 3 new Peter Bagge t-shirts, 2 featuring classic Hate and Neat Stuff covers and one for Pete's new band! Purchase!

Is this the title page for Tim Hensley's soon-to-be-collected masterwork Wally Gropius? I can only guess, but god damn I love it. Clicky click for process images that you can click to blow up bigger.

RICHARD SALA ART BLOG!

Look inside.

From Underground Comix historian Patrick Rosenkranz, a video tribute to Underground pioneer Jack Jackson. Watch on YouTube.

Due to holidays, vacations and conventions, our webcomics posting schedule continues to be a little goofed up the next couple of weeks; our apologies.

Ah, those childhood lessons in this week's Blecky Yuckerella strip by Johnny Ryan...

It's the ominous homecoming of Chocolate Cheeks in this week's installment of Steven Weissman's in-progress pages from "Blue Jay," an epic 51-page story from Chocolate Cheeks, the next collection of the Yikes! gang's adventures....

And this week's Mon.-Fri. batch of Martin Kellerman's Rocky includes crime talk, unwelcome phone calls... and an extra-big 9-panel strip!

WHO: Jason
WHAT: Signing the new book, LOW MOON
WHEN: Wednesday, June 3, 7:00PM
WHERE: The Strand Bookstore, 12th St. & Broadway, New York, NY

The Georgetown Art Attack, one of the Northwest's liveliest and most provocative cultural encounters, returns on Saturday, June 13 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. The June installment of this monthly art walk once again includes an eclectic array of local, national and international artists working in diverse media. The public of all ages is invited to explore the historic quarter and visit its countless resident artists and creative enterprises.

Among the highlights of the June 13 Art Attack: "Les Femmes a la Carte," a one-night exhibition of work by Rebecca Woodhouse, Beverly Gimlin, Jessie Higgins Murray, Linda Sherman, and Tina Randolph in the Melinda Hannigan space at Equinox Studios; Rebecca Bolte ‘s "Things Aflame and Things Burned," a hot new series of traditional photographic still lifes on fire at Bolte Creative; "Low Moon," an exhibition of original comics and book signing by internationally acclaimed Norwegian cartoonist Jason at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery; Full Throttle Bottles presents Anthony Godoy's panoramic photographs together with a display of Hazard Factory's power tool racers in advance of Georgetown's annual Power Tool Races (on June 27); Georgetown Tile Works features outsider and southern folk artists from the Shortbusgallery collection, including Tom D., Alyne Harris, R.A. Miller, Mr. Imagination and others; Motorcycle paintings and prints by John Bickley at Smarty Pants; Paintings by Bryan Ubaghs with music by Dubcar at the Stables; a stimulating assortment of alluring shops including vintage vinyl at Georgetown Records, mid-century Americana at Fruit Cocktail Collectibles, handcrafted gifts at George, the recently relocated A Dog's Dream canine boutique, and the newly opened bicycle shop Bikes So Good; dozens of open art studios; baked goods and beverages at Two Tartes Bakery and All City Coffee, and colorful dining and imbibing at Georgetown's many illustrious bars and cafes.

Preceding the Art Attack, our SoDo neighbors to the immediate north are hosting "Art on Airport" from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM. The public is invited to tour more than 20 art studios housed in the Sunny Arms complex (707 S. Snoqualmie St.), ORB (Old Rainier Brewery, 3100 Airport Way S.), and the 4810 Building (4810 Airport Way S.)

The Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack is a monthly promotion of the Georgetown Merchants' Association. For more information contact GMA chair Kathy Nyland or Art Attack coordinator Larry Reid, or visit: www.georgetownartattack.com

Scheduled to arrive in comics shops this week: Uptight #3 by Jordan Crane.

Comic shops will be getting this item before we have it in stock ourselves, due to the intricacies of shipping and distribution, so once again the Wednesday Warriors win out! As always, check with your local shop to confirm availability.

(Note that our description of the issue has been updated to reflect the issue's contents; the story "Keeping Two" does not appear in this issue.)

Castle Waiting Vol. II #15
By Linda Medley

As the cast pairs off to commence moving Jain and Pin (and a pampered chicken) into the castle, the conversations range far and wide, from romance to war politics. You'll learn that the wise man always has the right goat for the job, and that sometimes you just have to say "Hooray for ridiculous." Plus, you'll find out what happens when a giant moves to your town (hint: making a pie requires semaphore signals).

24-page black & white 6.75" x 10.25" comic book • $3.95
Add to Cart • More Info & Previews