It's time for your weekly installment of Steven Weissman's "Chocolate Cheeks"! In this week's strip: more thoughts on parenting, plus cosplay. (Remember, you must be registered and logged in to read.)

Courtesy Dylan Horrocks (Dylan, I can't believe it's been seven years since you were visiting Seattle!)...

FANTAGRAPHICS & FROG HOLLOW BOOKS PRESENT: 

Halifax's RAY FENWICK celebrates the release of HALL OF BEST KNOWLEDGE on MAY 14!

WHO: RAY FENWICK
WHAT: HALL OF BEST KNOWLEDGE release party & author signing
WHERE: EYELEVEL GALLERY, 2063 Gottingen Street, Halifax
WHEN: Wednesday, MAY 14, 7PM

In this exciting debut graphic novel, Ray Fenwick has pioneered his own medium of storytelling, one best described as "typographical comics." [See this excellent NATIONAL POST feature on Fenwick from last month for more info.] HOBK is presented as a handsome, found journal written by an unnamed voice, referred to only as "The Author." Little is known about him. He clearly fashions himself a genius, writing with a faux-aristocratic air. Each page features pearls of "wisdom," lettered in an elegant, almost obsessive fashion, bedecked with Ionic columns and fleurs-de-lis. Only at the end does The Author's true story become clear. The ensuing journey is a riotous tour through the narrator's ego and id, part graphic novel, part art object, part satire, and part puzzle. Elegantly designed and printed with rounded fore edges and belly band.

RAY FENWICK is an artist, illustrator and typographic thing-maker living in Halifax, Nova Scotia. A former improv comedian and theater school dropout, he now occupies himself making drawings, comics and patterns for people like Blue Q, CMT, Nickelodeon, Urban Outfitters, and others. He contributes regularly to the comics anthology, MOME.

"Fenwick has taken a high-brow route to the art of comedy. Hall of Best Knowledge is several things rolled into one: a bizarre self-help book; an eccentric college text; a guide to life from the unlikeliest of guides. It's hard to categorize (typographical novel? graphic metafiction?), even harder to explain." - Mark Medley, National Post

PUB. DATE: MAY 14, 2008 • 168 pp. • ISBN 978-1-56097-910-4 • $19.99

I've been around Fantagraphics for 15 years now, but I never knew that comic book letterer extraordinaire Todd Klein designed not only the original LOVE & ROCKETS logo, but also a slew of other early Fantagraphics logo designs (who can forget the great "Elfquest Gatherum"?!). You learn something new every day.

Richard Sala provides illustrations for Gallery Ghost, which looks like a nifty edumacational book for the grade-school set. Via Sporadic Sequential, who get kudos for their blog post title.

Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack” Spring Offensive Continues with a Blast on Saturday, May10 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM

Seattle'’s liveliest cultural adventure continues with the May 10 installment of the Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack. This monthly event, a production of the Georgetown Merchants’ Association, is intended to draw attention to the creative industrial arts district of Georgetown in an effort to foment public sentiment in favor of preserving this historic civic asset. More than 50 galleries, nightclubs, boutiques, studios, and individual artists participate in this colorful celebration of aesthetic diversity.

Coinciding with the Art Attack is the first exhibition of Georgetown Independent Artists in the Engine Room of the enchanting old brewery building. Organized by painter John Ohannesian, the show features recent work by Augie Pagan, Doug Parry, Diana Pharoah, Angielena Chamberlain, Dave Mazak, Steve Wright, Mike Poetzel, Dave McGranaghan, Lance Mercer and many others. While these artists frequently exhibit throughout the region, this exhibition acknowledges the fierce independence of Georgetown’'s working artists, who largely reject the stifling restrictions imposed by traditional gallery representation. Other highlights include: “We Make Our Own Luck,” mixed media encaustic paintings by Joseph Wackerman at Georgetown Tile Works; an exhibition of illustrations and prints by Los Angeles artist Jordan Crane at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery; Georgetown artist Sherri Scott at George; musician Anna Coogan performing at Full Throttle Bottles; free musical performances at neighborhood nightclubs; exotic dining, drinking and shopping experiences in the charming Bohemian enclave of Georgetown.

For additional information contact GMA chair Kathy Nyland or Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery curator Larry Reid. Website: www.georgetownartattack.com

Listing Information

Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack
Saturday, May 10, 6:00 – 9:00 PM.

All City Coffee, Artcore Tattoo, Art at the Top of the Stairs. Backstage, Bella Vitale, Belle & Wissell, Black Market Studios, Bolte Creative, Calamity Jane's, Catherine Gill Studios, A Dog's Dream Natural Pet Supply, Equinox Studios, Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, Fruit Cocktail Collectibles, Full Throttle Bottles, George, Georgetown Art Center, Georgetown Liquor Company*, Georgetown Records, Georgetown Tile Works, Great Stuff, Hangar Café, Jules Maes Saloon*, MIX, 9 Lb. Hammer*, Smarty Pants Restaurant*, Squid and Ink, The Stables, Stellar Pizza & Ale, Two Tartes Bakery, 24 Karat, and more. * Indicates 21 + with valid ID

Attention MySpace friends, Facebook fans, Flickr contacts, Twitter followers etc! It's your second annual opportunity to save 20% off all your online purchases at Fantagraphics.com for the entire month of May -- and this time we're giving you a chance to save 25% by participating in some fun interactivity!

Here's how it works:

MySpace: We have posted a 20%-off coupon code in a post in our MySpace blog that only our friends can see! For extra savings, leave a comment on our profile with one of the following: a picture with your favorite Fantagraphics book or comic, a list of what you intend to buy with your coupon, or some fan art; we'll send you a coupon code for 25% off!

Facebook: Fans of our Facebook page, check your updates for your 20%-off coupon code! We'll send a new update every week so that new fans who sign up in May get the code too. For extra savings, take a photo (or video!) with your favorite Fantagraphics book or comic, upload it to your profile and post it on our page; draw on our page with the Graffiti app; or just leave a message on our Wall telling us what you intend to buy with your coupon -- we'll send you a coupon code for 25% off!

Flickr: We've posted a 20%-off coupon code in an image in our Flickr photostream which is only visible to our contacts. For extra savings, take a picture or video with your favorite Fantagraphics book or comic or create some fan art, upload it to your photostream, tag it with "Fantagraphics" and add it to our Fantagraphics group pool; we'll send you a coupon code for 25% off!

Twitter: If you're following our Twitter feed, check your direct messages for your 20%-off coupon code. For extra savings, post a public reply to us (include "@fantagraphics" in your post) that includes a link to an item on our website that you plan to buy with your discount (or any other page of interest on our website); we'll send you a direct message with your coupon code for 25% off!

Goodreads: We're still working out how to contact our friends on this site with the 20%-off coupon code, but don't worry, you'll know when we do. For extra savings, just post a review or comment on any book that we publish or on our profile; we'll send you a coupon code for 25% off!

(Yes, we are on more social networking sites than these, but we're sticking with the most popular ones for this promotion.)

Get creative! If you can think of other ways to show and spread your Fantagraphics love on any of these sites, you don't necessarily have to do exactly what we say to be rewarded with a 25%-off coupon -- just make sure that we notice whatever it is that you do!

Coupon codes are distributed at Fantagraphics' discretion. All coupon codes can be used as many times as you like for any online order through May 31, 2008, but it's limit one coupon per order. Yes, you can add us as a friend/contact/etc. during the month of May and still be eligible, but we cannot guarantee delivery of coupon codes after May 28, 2008, so don't dilly-dally!

Based on a true story, by Rick Altergott: