Robert Pollard talks a bit about his upcoming art book to Billboard. And by the way, here's your first look at the final cover design. The logo box will be a peelable sticker on hardcover:

If you weren't able to make it to Larry Reid's slide lecture "Weirdos: Seattle’s Alternative Comics Culture in the Context of R. Crumb’s Underground" at the Frye Art Museum last month, or if you were and want to re-live it, we are very pleased to present it here on the website in a nifty interactive format. Stream or download the MP3 audio and follow along with the slides at the "ding," just like back in grade school! (You can also read the text of the lecture and browse the slides at your own pace, if you prefer.) Larry's speech is informative, entertaining and opinionated as always, and the slideshow includes a wealth of seldom-seen imagery like the Rocket cover by the Brothers Hernandez pictured above. Click here to dive on in!

From our pals at Manik Skateboards, the official announcement of the launch of their Peter Bagge line of decks (and the launch party at our storefront on May 17):

Media Release
Contacts: Marshall Reid
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Nin Truong
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MANIK SKATEBOARDS PRESENTS ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PETER BAGGE
Launch Party on Saturday, May 17 at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery

Seattle-based Manik Skateboards continues its innovative artist-in-residence approach to skateboarding culture with the release of a new line of skate decks and related merchandise by acclaimed local cartoonist Peter Bagge. The launch of this new product line begins with a display and reception for the artist on Saturday, May 17 from 6:00 - 9:00 PM at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery in Georgetown.

Now in it 6th year of operation, Manik Skateboards instituted their artist-in-residence program in 2004. Past participants have included accomplished artists in a variety of media including Maya Hayuk, Andrew Pommier, Charles Peterson, Craig Wetherby, and Jeff Proctor, among many others. Peter Bagge continues this tradition of provocative graphic design with a regional flavor.

Seattle's Peter Bagge is one of the most influential and admired cartoonists in the world. His grunge-era imagery is ideally suited to the skateboarding subculture. At once hilarious and poignant, Bagge's work of this era went beyond satire, and helped fashion both the attitudes and aesthetics of Seattle's only significant indigenous youth movement. Manik partner and designer Nhon "Nin" Truong explains, "Since our inception, Manik has been devoted to preserving our region's cultural heritage. From the anachronistic architectural anomalies of the ‘Aurora Avenue' series, to the jazz and blues legends of the ‘Jackson Street' edition, we've made an effort to expose a new generation to Seattle's cultural legacy. Like Charles Peterson's photographic series of skateboards, Peter Bagge represents an amazing era in our history." Manik partner and promotions director Marshall "Stack" Reid" (a former staffer at Fantagraphics) adds, "I was exposed to Bagge's comics at a very early age, and this series is like reliving my childhood."

The launch party is open to the public of all ages. The artist will be available to sign boards and books. Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is located at 1201 S. Vale Street (at Airport Way S.) in Seattle's lively Georgetown district. Phone 206.658.0110.

A selection of images in a variety of formats is available for publication. For additional information, feel free to contact Nin Truong or Marshall Reid at numbers above.

Websites: www.manikskateboards.com and www.fantagraphics.com

Listing Information
Manik Skateboards Peter Bagge series launch party
Saturday, May 17, 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, 1201 S. Vale St., Seattle (206) 658-0110
Admission free. All ages.

Well, this was long overdue! Daniel Clowes contributes not one, but TWO covers to this week's New Yorker magazine. Speaking of Daniel, the eagerly-anticipated Ghost World Special Edition is in da house and will debut Labor Day Weekend at our Bookstore & Gallery in Seattle, along with a Ghost World exhibition and signing by Clowes! Details to come later this summer...

On Saturday, May 17th, Overkill Shop in Berlin presents "Cheech Wizard goes to Berlin" with artwork by Vaughn Bodé, featuring an appearance by Mark Bodé and celebrating the launch of a limited-edition Bodé sneaker from Puma. The sneakers look pretty sweet (especially riding a Peter Bagge-designed Manik skateboard, I bet), though for me personally they take 3rd place to the Gary Panter-designed Simpsons Vans and Jim Woodring's custom-designed Chucks.

This week's free preview is a downloadable 10-page excerpt from Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko, the upcoming retrospective of the life and work of the Spider-Man and Dr. Strange co-creator from author Blake Bell. These previews are exclusive to registered Fantagraphics.com users, so sign up and/or sign in to view.

(As a reminder, 20/20 Club members receive these previews two weeks before we post them on the website, just one of many great reasons to join up...)

Courtesy Renée French:

Have you seen it yet? It might be our most impressive package in our 30-year-history. Here's an early review from Comic Mix.

And don't forget editor Todd DePastino's Virtual Book Signing tomorrow.  

Courtesy Molly Kiely:

Peter Bagge presents a "Lost Scene" from Reefer Madness at the Turner Classic Movies website (warning: Flash interface).