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.

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!

The Emerald City Pinball Party at Shorty's on Saturday was a blast! Celebrity guests galore and great fun for everyone. We held a pinball competition for awesome prizes from hostJim Woodring, including a backglass from the Frank pinball machine currently in development. In an effort to level the playing field - (so to speak) - the lowest scores determined the winners! Worst prize went to cartoonist Anthony Leano.

Here's Jim with artist Camille Rose Garcia, who stopped by following a fabulous signing at neighboring Roq la Rue gallery. While chatting with Fantagraphics associate publisher Eric Reynolds, they discovered that they grew up a few blocks from each other in Huntington Beach and graduated a year apart from the same high school!

Fantagraphics office manager Stephanie Hayes, cartoonist Kelly Froh, and ace publicist Jacq Cohen add some glamour to the bash.

The great Shannon Wheeler dropped in for libations and a game of pinball. (He was far too good to win any prizes.)

Monday, March 26th

• Columbus, OH: Paul Hornschemeier will be leading an adult writing workshop for the graphic novel at Thurber House. (more info)

• Tokyo, Japan:  The group show Three Sides Chicago: Squares, Squirrels & Dots opens at the at Shibuya Parco B1F LIBRO, featuring the work of Archer Prewitt, alongside Sam Prekop and Eric Claridge. (more info)

• Northridge, CA:  Gilbert, Jaime, & Mario Hernandez will be speaking to Professor Charles Hatfield's class on Monday, March 26th at the California State University, Northridge (in greater Los Angeles). This event is open to the public, not just students! (more info)

Tuesday, March 27th

• New York, NY: Get ready for another editior of The Crime Stoppers Club with Michael Kupperman and co-host Kate Beaton! This month, they welcome Dave Hill, Victor Vardnado, Domitille Collardey, Jim Torok, and Corey Pandolphfor a night of laughter and imagery. This free event starts at 7:00 PM at Luca Lounge. (more info) 

Wednesday, March 28th

• Columbus, OH: Paul Hornschemeier will be leading a young writer's studio at Thurber House. (more info) 

• San Francisco, CA: Daniel Clowes will be interviewed by Rene de Guzman, Senior Curator of Art at the Oakland Museum of California, at the Kadist Art Foundation!  More details coming to the FLOG very soon!

Thursday, March 29th 

• New York, NY:  Kim Deitch will be on a panel discussing comic and graphic arts biographies for the 4th Annual Leon Levy Conference!  (more info)

Friday, March 30th   

• Seattle, WA:  Fantagraphics kicks off the weekend at the 10th Annual Emerald City Comicon!  Meet Ellen Forney at 5:00 PM and Jim Woodring at 7:00 PM.  Both artists will be part of our 6:00 PM panel "Northwest Noir: Seattle's Legacy of Counterculture Comix," with Real Comet Press publisher Cathy Hillenbrand, and Fantagraphics Books associate publisher Eric Reynolds. Moderated by Larry Reid of Fantagraphics Bookstore. (more info) 

Saturday, March 31st

• Seattle, WA:  Fantagraphics continues our appearance at the Emerald City Comicon at Booth 704 with special guests: Bill Schelly (editor of The Art of Joe Kubert) at 11:00 AM, Michel Gagné (editor of Young Romance: The Best of Simon & Kirby's Romance Comics) at 2:00 PM, and Jim Woodring at 5:00 PM.  (more info) 

• Seattle, WA:  Camille Rose Garcia will be signing her latest at Roq La Rue in the Belltown neighborhood.  (more info) 

• Seattle, WA:  Join Fantagraphics for the Emerald City Comicon Pinball Party at Shorty's, with your host Jim Woodring! Free fun for all comix and pinball enthusiasts over the age of 21! (more info)  

• Columbus, OH:  Otterbein professor of philosophy Andrew Mills will speak about Paul Hornschemeier's work in a philosophical context at this free event at the Columbus Museum of Art.  (more info) 

Sunday, April 1st

• Seattle, WA:  It's your last day to visit us at the Emerald City Comicon!  Stop by our booth between 2:00 to 3:30 PM to meet Jacques Boyreau, editor of Portable Grindhouse: The Lost Art of the VHS Box!  (more info)   

* Other People's Publications
** Yeah, You Know Me.

Once Upon A Time... the FLOG kicked off an occasional column titled "Down With OPP," where we spotlighted books from other publishers that you can find at the Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery in Seattle. And this week, we're looking at The Brothers Grimm's Snow White, as illustrated by our own Camille Rose Garcia, out now on Harper Design, an imprint of HarperCollins.

I love the way Camille captures the classic story with her whimsical watercolor illustrations! The colors are vibrantly reproduced on glossy pages in this petite hard-bound book, with some fanciful font treatments narrating the story. You can watch video of Camille working on the book here.

Camille will be celebrating the release of Snow White with a signing at Roq La Rue here in Seattle this Saturday, March 31st. And then join us down the street at Shorty's [ 2222 2nd Avenue ] for the Emerald City Comicon Pinball Party! Camille will be a special guest, and a signed copy of her wonderful Fantagraphics title, The Magic Bottle, will be just one of our many excellent prizes!

And find your "happily ever after" at the Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, located at 1201 S. Vale Street in Seattle's Georgetown district. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone: (206) 658-0110.

We're excited to announce that Camille Rose Garcia (seen here with our own Gary Groth at the Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery) is returning to Seattle for a book signing with our friends at Roq La Rue on Saturday, March 31st!

She'll be celebrating the release of her latest book Snow White, but be sure to bring your copies of her Fantagraphics release The Magic Bottle for signing! 

And then later that night, Camille will be a special guest at our Emerald City Comicon Pinball Party at Shorty's, right down the street from Roq La Rue [ 2312 2nd Avenue, between Bell and Blanchard ]. All the Fantagraphics fun will be right there in the Belltown neighborhood! See you there!

Check out this splendid Alice in Wonderland looking glass at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery. Created by Georgetown Records staffer and Fantagraphics friend John Ohannesian, the topical mirror is available for the modest price of $80. The first purchase of this limited edition piece was made by none other than Courtney Love.

Also back in stock is the new edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland 
illustrated by Camille Rose Garcia. They sold out quickly when Camille dropped by the Gilbert Hernandez reception last month and graciously signed copies for fans.

Jeez, was it really only last weekend that Gilbert Hernandez was in town? We've got a set of photos documenting his signing and art opening at our flagship store, including shots of all the artwork in the exhibit for those of you who can't make it to view the show in person. Look for a guest appearance by L.A.-based pop-surrealist artist Camille Rose Garcia, too. Browse the whole set here, or sit back and let the slideshow roll here.

Northwest fans of fine art and low brow culture alike are in for a treat this Saturday, March 13. Get your geek on at the Emerald City Comicon, and visit the Fantagraphics booth for a look at a carload of brand new books. Meet stellar cartoonists including legendary Love and Rockets co-creator Gilbert Hernandez.

Take a break from the convention madness to greet the lovely and talented Los Angeles artist Camille Rose Garcia at Roq la Rue Gallery. She'll be signing her timely new book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and ever-popular The Magic Bottle from Fantagraphics Books this Saturday afternoon.

Then head down to Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery from 6:00 to 9:00 PM for an adult beverage at the opening of Gilbert's HIGH SOFT LISP exhibition and book launch event that serves as the after-party for the Emerald City Comicon. Expect cameos from visiting pros, exquisite art, and DJ Russ Fallout spinning classic punk platters. See you this weekend.