Today only (we think... it's not entirely clear), you can download Paul Hornschemeier's short prose story "The Spoils of the Fair" (which originally ran in Mome and is now collected in All and Sundry) to your "smart phone" for free at cellstories.net. Paul has a bit more info at his blog.

Poppin' fresh Online Commentary & Diversions:

• Review: "Giraffes in My Hair: A Rock ‘N' Roll Life... is deeply personal but doesn't get bogged down with self service or making a Titan out of a man. I love that here we have a view of some of the seedier sides of counterculture that doesn't have an agenda beyond the act of sharing...of storytelling. It feels like a recounting, almost a journalistic telling of the facts of his personal history. But it also feels like you're having a great dinner with an old friend. ... As a graphic novel it is very strong. Carol Swain’s rough-layered pencils are distinct and complex with texture. ... Giraffes achieves a fusion of art and story where each serves the other in a mutually empowering way. An ideal comic. It is sharp and witty visual commentary on sharp and witty writing. There is a great eye for details at play with Swain's artwork. ... It is as though the story and memory of the story are more important than the teller himself. Brilliant." – Jared Gniewek, Graphic NYC

• Review: "The fact is that comics have always had an abstract artistic potential — and as far as my memory goes, one that is accepted by all worthwhile theoretical definitions of comics. But, until now, its role was secondary, relegated to isolated experiments. It is here that the anthology does its job: presenting an overview and organizing it, Abstract Comics creates a movement. From it, abstraction in comics can move beyond an experiment and become a legitimate possibility — a process that began in the visual arts years ago." – Eduardo Nasi, Universo HQ (translated from Portuguese on the Abstract Comics Blog)

• Review: "West Coast Blues is Fantagraphics' first offering in what one hopes will be am ambitious Tardi reprint project... It's an elegant, somewhat unorthodox set-up, at least with Tardi's narration, and indeed Tardi makes a number of creative, idiosyncratic choices in adapting the novel. ... The '70s milieu shouldn't put anyone off, and in fact that's one of the book's charms, with Tardi's clean line depicting classic old Mercedes and Citroens, and plenty of legwork and driving rather than digital assistance. Tardi has a really appealing style, clear and photorealistic in the details and yet messy with life. ... Tardi doesn't shy away from the violence of the story, but he doesn't revel in it, either, his pages all varying grids, many with tall, narrow panels that keep the pace brisk." – Christopher Allen, Comic Book Galaxy

• Plug: "As Orson Welles and Terry Gilliam have film adaptations of Don Quixote as their great incomplete masterworks; Al Columbia has Pim and Francie. A work over 15 years in the making, and never now likely to be ‘finished', the pieces of it have been assembled as Pim & Francie: The Golden Bear Days." – Marc Arsenault, Wow Cool

• Interview: The folks at The Comix Claptrap kick off another season of comics podcasting by talking to Jaime Hernandez, in streaming and downloadable audio

• Things to see: The Covered blog is a Fantagraphics intraoffice special today, as Jason T. Miles pays homage to Eric Reynolds

• Things to see: I think Kevin Huizenga is on to something with "The System"

Via Mike Lynch, by way of The Comics Reporter, comes this rare vintage radio interview (presented on YouTube in edited form, with an image montage) with Charles M. Schulz by host Dennis Daily.

Dash Shaw posted this announcement about his animated short film on his blog:

"The Unclothed Man in the 35th Century A.D. will be playing November 2nd and 5th at Cinema Tous Ecrans, a film festival in Switzerland. Here's the info."

The book of the same title was a hit debut at APE last weekend and should be available for pre-order here soon. Read our news release for more info about the film and book.

Now available for preview and pre-order following sell-out debuts at SPX and APE: Ganges #3 by Kevin Huizenga. The eagerly-awaited new issue of this Eisner-nominated, critically-adored series (in our deluxe, oversized "Ignatz" format) finds everyman Glenn Ganges dealing with a bout of insomnia and traversing strange mental landscapes. The first three pages can be previewed here. This issue is scheduled to be in stock and ready to ship sometime in the next 2 weeks and in stores approximately 4 weeks after that (subject to change).

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View a photo & video slideshow preview of the book embedded here. Click here if it is not visible, and/or to view it larger in a new window (recommended).

BONUS! Here are two newly-uploaded slideshow previews of this summer's Ignatz releases, Delphine #4 by Richard Sala (open in new window) and Grotesque #3 by Sergio Ponchione (open in new window).

On Saturday, October 31 at 3 PM, join artist Femke Hiemstra at the American Book Center in Amsterdam to celebrate the release of her new book Rock Candy: The Artwork of Femke Hiemstra. Femke will be signing books and prints of her artwork will also be for sale. RSVP on Facebook here.

Your midweek Online Commentary & Diversions:

• Review: "It’s probably not fair to expect Hernandez to issue another creative virtuoso like Palomar, but in the pages of Luba, he comes closer than might be expected. ... Although Luba doesn’t hit as hard as Palomar, it remains a compelling portrait of family in all its messy glory.  Alternately sexy and vulgar, beautiful and mean, optimistic and intolerant, Luba and her family encompass all the ugliness and amazement that comes with being part of the human entity." – Michael C. Lorah, Newsarama

• Profile: "Cartoonist Bill Mauldin was a genius at bringing the experiences of World War II home to the moms and dads, kids, wives or girlfriends of the GIs on the front lines in a very human way. ... To my knowledge, none of our wars since has produced a chronicler anywhere near the greatness of Mauldin." – Wesley G. Hughes, San Bernadino County Sun (via Newsarama)

• Video: A massive Peanuts ice sculpture depicting A Charlie Brown Christmas is being constructed in Nashville; The Daily Cartoonist has the PR and a promo video featuring members of the Schulz family

• Industry: Our own Eric Reynolds takes part in a roundtable on the topic of "Comics in the Age of Digital Piracy" at Graphic Novel Reporter

• Editorial: At his website, Barry Windsor-Smith writes eloquently in support of health care reform in the United States

As previously announced, Paul Hornschemeier and Jay Ryan hit the road together this November & December for an extensive book tour behind their respective new releases All and Sundry and Animals and Objects In and Out of Water. They'll have the poster above, drawn by Jay and Paul and printed by Jay, available for sale along the way, and the whole thing wraps up at our blowout Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery 3rd Anniversary party, about which more will be announced later. Full list of dates below; more info on Paul's blog.

Wed., November 11, 7pm
Quimby's Bookstore
1854 West North Ave
CHICAGO, IL

Thurs, Nov 12th, 7pm
The Sugar Maple
441 E. Lincoln Ave
MILWAUKEE, WI

Fri., Nov. 13, 7pm
Wholly Craft
3169 N. High St.
COLUMBUS, OH

Sat, Nov 14th, 4 to 6pm
Million Year Picnic
99 Mt. Auburn Street
CAMBRIDGE, MA

Sun., Nov. 15, 7pm
Rocketship
208 Smith St.
BROOKLYN, NY

Mon., Nov. 16, 6-8pm
Giant Robot
437 East 9th St.
NEW YORK, NY

Wed., Nov. 18, 7-9pm
Atomic Books
3620 Falls Rd.
BALTIMORE, MD

Fri., Nov. 20, 7pm
Carmichael's Bookstore
2720 Frankfort Ave.
LOUISVILLE, KY

Mon., Dec. 7, 6pm
Giant Robot
2062 Sawtelle Blvd.
LOS ANGELES, CA

Tues., Dec. 8, 7pm
Foundation Editions@NOMAD
1993 Blake Ave.
LOS ANGELES, CA

Wed., Dec. 9, 6-8pm
Giant Robot
618 Shrader St.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Thurs., Dec. 10, 7pm
D. King Gallery
2284 Fulton St.
BERKELEY, CA

Fri., Dec. 11, 6pm
Goodfoot Gallery
2845 SE Stark
PORTLAND, OR

Sat., Dec. 12, 6-9pm
Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
1201 South Vale St. @ Airport Way S.
SEATTLE, WA
*Fantagraphics Bookstore's 3rd Anniversary party*

As if you might need more of an excuse to go, Drew Friedman and Irwin Chusid will be at the WFMU Record Fair in NYC this coming Saturday from 2-5 PM hawking their respective wares: "My new prints will be on display and available to order, along with Old Jewish Comedian books, Jim Flora prints and calendars, and bottles and bottles of Durkee Sauce. Come one come all," says Drew.

Found on YouTube, a TV commercial for Excedrin pain reliever circa 1970 using an animated series of drawings by Burne Hogarth, cartoon classicist and great Comics Journal interview subject (as evidenced in The Comics Journal Library Vol. 5: Classic Comics Illustrators). Gary Groth, who passed this along, says "This is very fucking weird... I wish I'd known about this so I could've asked him about it."