FLOG! Entries - November 2008

Now in stock: Beasts! Book 2

mike

Beasts! Book 2
By various artists; edited and designed by Jacob Covey

In the spirit of 2007’s acclaimed Beasts!, editor/designer Jacob Covey has assembled an entirely new line-up of over 90 artists who did not appear in the first Beasts! volume. Like the first book, the deluxe collection includes a Who’s Who of the contemporary art world, collectively crafting a menagerie of mythological creatures, monsters, beasts and things that go bump in the night, superbly laid out in breathtaking two-page spreads per beast. Featuring all-new work by over 90 artists including Blex Bolex, Brian Chippendale, Craig Thompson, Dan Zettwoch, Dash Shaw, David B., Eleanor Davis, Ellen Forney, Femke Hiemstra, Gene Deitch, Jaime Hernandez, Travis Louie, Thomas Allen, Jon Vermilyea, Kim Deitch, Lilli Carré, Mark Todd, Olivier Schrauwen, Paul Hornschemeier, Peter Bagge, Ray Fenwick, Stephan Blanquet, Taylor McKimens, Tom Neely, Tomer Hanuka, Yuko Shimizu and dozens more.

216-page full-color 8" x 8" hardcover • $34.99
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Now in stock: Misery Loves Comedy (2nd Ed.) by Ivan Brunetti

mike

Misery Loves Comedy (2nd Ed.)
By Ivan Brunetti

A psychiatric case study masquerading as a fancy-pants graphic novel, Misery Loves Comedy collects Ivan Brunetti's early issues (no pun intended)... wait, let's rephrase that. Misery Loves Comedy collects the first three issues of the legendary comic book series Schizo in their entirety, as well as a host of miscellaneous flotsam and jetsam from various anthologies, c. 1992-2005. Readers will find the author's unwitting self-caricature as a paranoid, deluded young man intriguingly repugnant and often chuckle-inducing. Besides Brunetti's trademark nihilism, self-loathing, relentless depression, and inchoate, spittle-soaked misanthropy, these earlier comics offer a dollop of scatology and blasphemy for that extra puerile, lowbrow tang. These are comics for those who enjoy witnessing one man's sanity in its final death rattle, swinging its tail from anhedonia to schadenfreude and back again. Also: lots and lots of filthy jokes.

While supplies last, you can choose to order the new Second Edition, with a dark red clothbound cover, or the First Edition, bound in dark green cloth.

172-page b&w/color 7" x 10" hardcover • $24.95
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Now in stock: Mome Vol. 13 - Winter 2009

mike

Mome Vol. 13 - Winter 2009
By various artists; edited by Gary Groth & Eric Reynolds

The latest issue of the 2008 Eisner, Harvey and Ignatz Award-nominee features the first chapter (of three) of an all-new graphic novel by superstar Freak Brothers creator Gilbert Shelton! Thomas Ott (The Number), Josh Simmons (House), David Greenberger (Duplex Planet) and rising minicomics star Laura Park all make their MOME debuts. Bottomless Belly Button creator Dash Shaw delivers an all-new story, "Satellite CMYK", and creates this issue's covers. Also featured: Tim Hensley, Kurt Wolfgang, Nate Neal, Sara Edward-Corbett and Derek Van Gieson.

Video & Photo Slideshow Preview (view in new window):

104-page b&w/color 7" x 9" softcover • $14.99
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Now in stock: Zippy: Welcome to Dingburg by Bill Griffith

mike

Zippy: Welcome to Dingburg
By Bill Griffith

This new Zippy collection is an unexpected departure from previous editions: most of the strips in this volume chronicle the strange history, people and social mores of Zippy’s hometown, “Dingburg,” the only city in the U.S. inhabited entirely by pinheads — well, aside from Washington, D.C., and certain sections of Newark.

Take a tour of Dingburg’s “Beatnik District,” experience the festive holiday season of “Nordisk,” meet Dingburg’s resident Cubist, watch as citizens capture Donald Trump’s wig in a raid on an Atlantic City casino, and find out (at last) exactly why Zippy and his fellow Dingburgers speak in non sequiturs (it’s the water).

Reader response to this new Dingburg “story thread” has been loud and approving, with many asking for directions to the fabled enclave, somewhere “17 miles west of Baltimore.” Detailed maps will be provided on the new book’s endpapers.

Dingburg’s own favorite comic strips are also on display. Marvel at the baffling success of “Fletcher & Tanya” and the Dingburg kids’ favorite online comic, “Unibrow Versus The Universe.”

Also in this isue: the revealing “Little Zippy” series, in which Zippy’s magical and very weird childhood is laid bare.

And, finally, Zippy and J. Edgar Hoover (remember him?) cavort in tutus and play with loaded guns. Welcome to Dingburg!

160-page b&w/color 8.5" x 9" softcover with wraparound foldout cover • $18.99
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Daily links: 11/28/08

mike

• The Times' list of recommended graphic novels for Christmas includes Pocket Full of Rain and Other Stories by Jason, The Number 73304-23-4153-6-96-8 by Thomas Ott, and Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw

• PLAYBACK:stl looks at Amor Y Cohetes and Love and Rockets: New Stories #1 by the Hernandez Brothers

• Chris Diaz uploads more photos from APE 2008

• Meathaus has a teaser of a forthcoming animated music video co-created by Dave Cooper

• Sketchbook comics from Tom Kaczynski

• A short Beasts! review

• Ladies and gentlemen, Tim Hensley covered in Post-It notes

Webcomics update for 11/28/08

mike

Time for the new installment of Steven Weissman's in-progress pages from "Blue Jay," an epic 32-page story from Chocolate Cheeks, the next collection of the Yikes! gang's adventures. In this week's episode: kitten of mystery!

This is also a great time to catch up on our current 5-day chunk of Martin Kellerman's Rocky, updated Monday-Friday (including Thanksgiving Day yesterday)!

All for free! No registration required! Enjoy!

Drinky Crow Show Trivia

covey

I just remembered this timely factoid about the Tony Millionaire Leviathan that appears in BEASTS! Book One: These sketches (embellished with Tony's esoteric notes) are the actual reference material that was used by animators to create the look of the recurring "whale fish" for the Drinky Crow Show.

Seattle: Bring It, Screen It

covey

Each year the Vera Project invites you to bring in a piece of clothing and they'll show you how to do a quick screenprint of a one-off logo for $5. There will be a number of designers/illustrators contributing and you can screen a tshirt or, say, a baby onesie. Babies love custom screenprinted onesies. Case in point: Freya Blue Covey, shown here. Lookit how happy she is with hers!

I've contributed designs for five years running because I think it's a great event. (Bonus: Last year had a Steven Weissman piece that might still be floating around the room down there.) It's fun to do and you don't get messy or have to deal with a bunch of clean-up, thanks to the awesome volunteers. Come down to the Vera Project at the corner of Warren and Republican on December 6th from 12-7pm. There will also be craft tables, live KEXP DJ sets, a bake sale, and, apparently, haircuts.

Now in stock: Castle Waiting Vol. II #13 by Linda Medley

mike

Castle Waiting Vol. II #13
By Linda Medley

The bowling action from last issue reaches its rollicking conclusion! Will the unorthodox bowling technique that Chess learned from Tolly enable him to scare up a victory for his team? Post-game, will Jayne finally succeed in drawing the mysterious Dr. Fell out of his shell? And is Beaky still wearing that dress? Answers to these questions, and tantalizing hints at future mysteries yet to be revealed (where did that magic trunk come from, anyway?), in this issue of Linda Medley's hit series.

Video & Photo Slideshow Preview (view in new window):

24-page black & white 6.75" x 10.25" comic book • $3.95
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Anders Nilsen solo show

mike

Anders Nilsen says:

[Above is] the postcard for a show I am doing at Littlebird Gallery in L.A., called Landscapes and Smoke. It opens on December 6th and features a bunch of big drawings, a few gouache paintings and a few covers from Big Questions. Included are Batman, Captain America, The Archangel Gabriel, Adam and Eve and an upside down tree. Oh, and Bison Man. If you're around you should come check it out.

Daily links: 11/26/08

mike

• Comic Book Resources talks to the mighty Tony Millionaire about The Drinky Crow Show &c.

• Jacob Covey finally posts his most recent batch of TMNT sketches on Flickr

• Uncanny Coincidence of the Week

U.S. readers, enjoy your holiday tomorrow.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Schulz

mike

Today is the 86th anniversary of Charles M. Schulz's birth. Learn more about Schulz's life in this brief biographical essay by Gary Groth.

Preview video/slideshow: Misery Loves Comedy (2nd Ed.) by Ivan Brunetti

mike

The second printing of Ivan Brunetti's Misery Loves Comedy will be available soon and sports a new color for the clothbound cover. (This is the only change between the two editions.) As of right now the first edition, with the dark green cover, is still available; when the new edition arrives we will be offering a choice of editions while our supply of the first edition lasts.

With that out of the way: Enjoy the preview. Click this link if the embedded slideshow doesn't appear above, and/or to open it in a new window.

Georgetown Art Attack Holiday Blast

LarryR

GEORGETOWN SECOND SATURDAY ART ATTACK HOLIDAY BLAST ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13!

Join us in Georgetown for one of the season’s most festive holiday celebrations on Saturday, December 13 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. The Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack offers diverse entertainment, visual arts exhibitions, unique shopping experiences, exquisite dining and boisterous socializing at dozens of locations throughout South Seattle’s colorful industrial arts quarter. Discover why Seattle Magazine named Georgetown as “Seattle’s Best Neighborhood” of 2008.

The December 13 Art Attack will feature: An exhibition of charming canine portraits by Misti Tucker at A Dog’s Dream boutique, where you’ll find an array of gifts for four-legged family members; "The Story of Belle and Wissell: How It All Began" including a story kit and window display featuring the illustrations and writing by Steven & Carmela D'Amico (creators of the "Ella" books) and free letterpress posters printed by Belle & Wissell co-founder Mr. Wissell; Georgetown Tile Works’ Second Annual Holiday Artisans Bazaar including marionette theater puppets by Branden Romans, paintings by Dave Mazak, Kamala Dolhin-Kingsley, Joe Wackerman, Jenna Colby, Tina Randolf and Don DeLeva, prints by Art Garcia, Kelly Lyles and Mike Poetzel, soft sculptures by Sara Lanzillotta and Miss Oblivious, and more; A show of photographs by Katherine Mitton at Full Throttle Bottles, which will feature a full line of seasonal beverages perfect for stocking stuffers; “Beasts,” an exhibition of prints and paintings marking the release of the second volume of this sensational book together with the second anniversary party of Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery featuring music by Peter Bagge’s pop combo Can You Imagine?; A display of photographer Charles Peterson’s new line of Manik Skateboards at Georgetown Records; Open studios including our neighbors to the north at the Tully’s building with Douglas Wilcox, Scott Dodson, SocialEyes Studio, Aaron Cohen/Novustone, Jesse Thomaselli, Michael Gaston, Heather Wofford, Matt Brown, Alana Lindner, and Tyler Potts. All this and much, much more.

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

New Comics Day 11/26/08

mike

We're unleashing a torrent of raunchy comic strips and erudite comics scholarship on comic shops across the U.S. this week, with the following titles scheduled to arrive:

• Comics Are for Idiots!: Blecky Yuckerella Vol. 3 by Johnny Ryan
• Rocky Vol. 2: Strictly Business by Martin Kellerman
• The Tijuana Bibles Vol. 9
• The Comics Journal #294

As always, we've got more information and previews at the links above for your perusal.

(And if I might be allowed a non-Fantagraphics recommendation this week: Kevin Huizenga's Fight or Run #1 from Picturebox CORRECTION Buenaventura [dammit, sorry Alvin]. If you liked the opening sequence of Ganges #2, get this.)

Daily links: 11/25/08

mike

• Mark Evanier calls Man of Rock: A Biography of Joe Kubert by Bill Schelly "one of the best books of its kind"

• Inkstuds puts the microphone to John Pham

• Mishka blurbs Beasts! Book 2, calling it "A great gift for yourself or somebody else just as weird"

• A new Jimbo minicomic by Gary Panter? Yes

• du9 interviews Tori Miki (en Français; Google translation - via the Icarus blog)

• 2theadvocate.com reports on David B.'s recent visit to Louisiana (via The Beat)

The Land that Time Forgot

Eric

When I was a kid, I had a recurring dream about hanging out at Popeye and Olive Oyl's house. I really liked Popeye, and had a bit of a crush on Olive. Little did I know, I could have tried to convince my parents to actually take me to Popeye's house... in Malta! I am so taking my li'l swee'pea here one day.

Coming in April

Eric

Lilli Carre's "The Carnival" in MOME 14

Eric

We just wrapped up the next MOME (Vol. 14), out next spring. This issue features quite a doozy: Lilli Carré's "The Carnival," a 32-page full-color graphic novella (featured on the cover above). It's an elegant follow-up to her new graphic novel, The Lagoon, and between both stories it's clear that Carré is a major talent to watch.

In the meantime, look for MOME Vol. 13 to hit stores next month.

Wish You Were Here

Eric

Check it out: Ray Fenwick postcard set forthcoming from Chronicle Books.