Seattle is once again the center of the alternative comix universe with shows opening all over town this weekend. On Friday, January 11 at Roq la Rue from 6:00 to 9:00 PM is the post-apocalyptic group show "I'll Love You Til The End Of The World" featuring Fantagraphics favorites Camille Rose Garcia and Scott Musgrove. The same evening you'll find "Friends" at Cairo, featuring Intruder artists Max Clotfelter, Darin Shuler, Aidan Fitzgerald, Tom Van Deusen, Marc J. Palm, David Lasky, Nikki Burch, Ben Horak, Jason T. Miles, Tim Miller, James Stranton, Kazimir Strzepek and Alexa Kristine Koenings. (The future of alternative comix now.)

The comix action moves to Georgetown on Saturday evening, with a show of "Paintoons" by John Ohannesian at the One Night Stand Gallery (located directly above Fantagraphics Bookstore.) John has been busy in recent months as a Fantagraphics freelancer faithfully restoring classic strips like Nancy, Buz Sawyer, and Popeye for your reading pleasure. It'll be interesting to see how this exercise informs his cartoon paintings. Across the street at LxWxH Gallery is Bette Burgoyne's "Forest," a 30-foot narrative scroll drawing. And, of course, don't miss the Problematic reception with Jim Woodring at our bookstore. Lots of great surprises await.

Join us at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery this Saturday, January 12 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM for the book launch party of Jim Woodring’s Problematic. An exhibition of imagery not included in the book will be displayed, as well as the artist’s original sketchbooks, including examples of Woodring’s inventive pop-up drawing constructions. Get a rare glimpse inside the creative process of this iconoclastic master of modern cartooning. The artist will be available to sign copies of his exquisite new book.

This event coincides with the colorful Georgetown Art Attack, featuring festive art events and exhibitions throughout the neighborhood. Fantagraphics Bookstore is located at 1201 S. Vale Street in the heart of Georgetown’s historic arts community. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone 206.658.0110. See you soon.

Visionary artist and cartoonist Jim Woodring presents Problematic, an enlightening look inside his creative process, at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery opening Saturday, January 12 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM.

Woodring is rarely without a pocket-sized Moleskine sketchbook, in which he captures character studies, sight gags, emblems, dream motifs, and other fugitive impressions. He has filled at least one a month for the past 8 years. Problematic collects random images from these sketchbooks from 2004 – 2012. The resulting book is, in Woodring’s words, "an idea battery loaded with shorthand references to long game insights." The exhibition includes drawings, notes, and related ephemera from the collection, resulting in revealing insight into the artist’s creative process.

A longtime Seattle resident, Jim Woodring's idiosyncratic approach to art and storytelling has made him an influential figure in the fields of fine art and alternative comix. His work has been exhibited worldwide and published in several popular volumes by Fantagraphics Books, including The Frank Book, Seeing Things, Weathercraft, and Congress of the Animals.

Please join us on Saturday, January 12 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM, as we celebrate the work of this remarkable artist at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, located at 1201 S. Vale Street in the heart of Seattle’s historic Georgetown arts community. This event coincides with the colorful Georgetown Art Attack featuring challenging visual and performing arts presentations throughout the neighborhood.

Listing information:

Jim Woodring’s Problematic art show and book signing
Opening reception Saturday, January 12, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
Exhibition continues through February 6, 2013
Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
1201 S. Vale Street, Seattle 206.659.0110
Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM. Sundays until 5:00 PM
www.fantagraphics.com

We'd like to thank everyone involved in making 2012 a spectacular success at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery. Gifted artists, authors, musicians, and curators coalesced to create a stimulating cultural atmosphere at the space. 

Thanks to artists Peter Bagge, Gabrielle Bell, Jeffrey Brown, Nathan Bulmer, Charles Burns, Art Chantry, Jack Davis, Michael Dougan, Ellen Forney, Camille Rose Garcia, Ruth Hayes, Gilbert Hernandez, Jaime Hernandez, Tom Kaczynski, David Lasky, Tony Millionaire, Gary Panter, Joe Sacco, Noah Van Sciver, Chris Ware, and Jim Woodring; authors Jim Demonakos, Susan Kirtley, Mark Long, Pat Thomas, and Nico Vassilakos; musicians Geneviève Castrée, Zachary David, Dennis Driscoll, Lori Goldston, Kyle Hanson, and Molly Nilsson; guest curators J. Michael Catron, Max Clotfelter, Michel Gagne, Ben Horak, Cathy Hillenbrand, Tim Miller, Kristy Valenti, and Jen Vaughn; bookstore interns Lillian Beatty and Lillian Morloch; bookstore staff Janice Headley and Russ Battaglia, as well as our retail partners at Georgetown Records.

Most of all we want to thank you - our wonderful patrons - for your enthusiasm and support over the past six years. Cheers!

Join us at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery on Sunday, December 30 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM as we welcome Brooklyn cartoonist Nathan Bulmer back to his native Seattle. He’ll be signing copies of his new Eat More Bikes collection from Koyama Press, and other self-published comix.

Enjoy live music from Zachary David Jammin’, imbibe in complimentary seasonal refreshments, view the colorful 30 Years of Love and Rockets exhibition, and take advantage of deals all over Georgetown from the Only in Seattle Sundays discount program sponsored by the Office of Economic Development.

Fantagraphics Bookstore is located at 1201 S. Vale Street (at Airport Way S.) only minutes south of downtown Seattle. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Open on New Year’s Eve until 4:00 PM. Closed New Years Day. Phone 206.658.0110.

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery curator Larry Reid joined Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn last Friday at the ribbon cutting ceremony marking the re-opening of the Airport Way Bridge at the north entrance to the Georgetown business district. While Reid had imagined wielding scissors on a Claes Oldenburg scale, the more modest pair did the job. So patrons again have an unobstructed route to the store. Following the snipping exercise, the Mayor dropped by the bookstore for some Christmas shopping. (To avoid tipping off the gift recipients, we won’t disclose his purchases – but he displayed excellent taste in comix.) Store is open until 4:00 PM on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, closed for Christmas and New Year’s Day. Seasons greetings.

Meet Ellen Forney and pick up a signed copy of her sensational New York Times bestseller Marbles, this Saturday, December 22 from 1:00 to 2:00 PM at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery. The perfect occasion to complete your last minute holiday shopping. Add new meaning to "stocking stuffer" with a signed copy of Ellen's lovely Lust collection (though we're unsure ourselves what that new meaning might be.) We have exquisite gifts for everyone in every price range — many under $20!

While you're at the store, you can view our colorful exhibition celebrating 30 Years of Love & Rockets and check out new offerings from your favorite local alternative cartoonists, as well as international artists and classic comic strip collections.

Fantagraphics Bookstore is located in the historic Georgetown industrial arts colony at 1201 S. Vale Street, minutes south of downtown Seattle. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Open until 4:00 PM on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, closed on Christmas and New Year's Day. Happy holidays.

End the year in style with a trip to Georgetown on Sunday, December 30 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM as Fantagraphics Bookstore welcomes Brooklyn, NY cartoonist Nathan Bulmer back to his home town of Seattle. Bulmer will sign copies of his new comix collection, Eat More Bikes, from Canada's adventurous Koyama Press.

A recent graduate of New York's storied School of Visual Art, Bulmer made an immediate impact with his daily Eat More Bikes comix art blog. He returns to Seattle with a new anthology of these strips, as well as a handful of hilarious self-published minicomics. The festivities include music by Zachary David Jammin' and complimentary holiday refreshments. This event coincides with the "Only in Seattle Sundays" small business promotion of the City of Seattle Office of Economic Development.

Shop local at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, located at 1201 S. Vale Street (at Airport Way S.) in the heart of Seattle's lively Georgetown arts community. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Open until 4:00 PM on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day. Phone 206.658.0110.

Listing information:

Nathan Bulmer book signing with music by Zachary David Jammin'
Sunday, December 30, 2:00 to 4:00 PM
Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
1201 S. Vale St., Georgetown, Seattle
206.658.0110
www.fantagraphics.com

Santa recently delivered a big bag of barely bent books by our favorite artists to Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery. They'll be featured at 50% off all day Friday and Saturday, December 14 and 15. Dozens of books by Barks, Bagge, Burns, Clowes, Carre, Crumb, Forney, Friedman, Hernandez, Kurtzman, Millionaire, Panter, Sacco, Swarte, Woodring and more. Classics like Peanuts, Pogo, Popeye, and Prince Valiant, along with some long unavailable titles - all at half off!

While visiting Georgetown, head up the street to see Santa at Masquerade on Friday and Saturday from 2:00 to 6:00 PM, or get your picture taken with Santa's sexy helpers from Little Black Devil Burlesque from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. Make a day of it and shop local at the Georgetown Trailer Park Mall and Full Throttle Bottles, then drink and dine at one of Georgetown's lively cafes or nightclubs. 

Fantagraphics Bookstore is open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. We'll be open until 4:00 PM on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. (Closed on Christmas and New Years Day.) 

To commemorate Fantagraphics Bookstore's 6th anniversary and 30 years of Love & Rockets, we commissioned Clone Press to publish a silkscreen print of the image pictured above. Signed copies of this 18" X 24" edition of 100 will be available at the event for only $25 on Saturday evening at 6:00 PM. Since the Hernandez Brothers appeared in Seattle at Fallout Records on their 10th anniversary tour, we thought it appropriate for the proprietor of that legendary establishment to DJ two decades later. Russ Battaglia will spin vintage punk rock vinyl and demented holiday hits. Don't miss what promises to be the season's most festive party.