The first 30 customers at Fantagraphics Bookstore's 6th anniversary party on Saturday will receive a free copy of the Before Love and Rockets minicomic, featuring Jaime's pre-Love & Rockets L.A. punk posters and an early Inez story by Gilbert. Have the Bros sign this and other rare merchandise we've uncovered for this momentous occasion, including affordable Love and Rockets posters, prints, tee shirts, and more - much of which has been unavailable for many years. See you all this Saturday at 6:00 PM.
We're thrilled to host a rare Seattle performance by gifted French Canadian cartoonist, artist, and musician Geneviève Castrée at Fantagraphics Bookstore's 6th anniversary gala on Saturday evening. She'll present her experimental Ô Paon music project as we celebrate 30 years of Love & Rockets. We'll offer a variety of small press publications and indie recordings from this Drawn & Quarterly Showcase and Kramer's Ergot contributor. Listen to Sainte-Patronne de Rien Panttoute from her 2010 LP Courses. Oui.
Shout it out! Last month, Northwesterners got the chance to experience The Last Vispo Anthology: Visual Poetry 1998-2008 in person, and it was indeed, a hoot and a holler! (That's editor Nico Vassilakis leading the call, and Fantagraphics co-founder Mike Catron helping out in the background!)
A fleet of poets descended upon the Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery on Saturday, November 24th, and throughout the evening, they performed small batches of readings.
Contributor Gustave Morin traveled all the way from somewhere in Southern Ontario -- "Let's just say, Detroit," he told us -- for his performance.
Another Canadian, poet Donato Mancini, braved the border crossing for a reading with us. He had a very touching moment when he was flipping through the book to find his piece, and just exclaimed, awestruck, "I still can't believe this thing exists!"
In between the batches of readings, we were fortunate to have musical performances from Lori Goldston (former Nirvana and Earth cellist, and recent Stranger “Genius Award” recipient) with former Black Cat Orchestra band mate Kyle Hanson.
Sadly, this evening was also a farewell party for Nico, a longtime co-worker of ours, who is moving to New York with his new bride. This shot is blurry, but I love the proud round of applause he's getting from Gary Groth here. We'll miss you, Nico!!!
Warehouse hero Ajax Wood prepares to bitchslap the young Conrad Groth. Just kidding, I have no idea what is going on. You can see more photos from the opening reception at the Fantagraphics Flickr.
Thank you to all the poets for participating in this very special weekend for a very special book!
Our exhibit of prints from the anthology will continue to be on display at the Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery through tomorrow Thursday, December 6th, and are for sale for the ridiculously low price of $25 each. Drop by to see them 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.
Visitors to the festivities at Fantagraphics Bookstore's 6th anniversary gala on Saturday are in for a treat. In addition to celebrating 30 years of Love & Rockets with Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez, and music by cartoonist Geneviève Castrée's Ô Paon, we have a stellar line up of special guests in store. Dutch artist Femke Hiemstra (pictured above) is in town for a show at Roq la Rue with Blab cover artist Ryan Heshka. They'll attend the party with Roq la Rue proprietor Kirsten Anderson (who is also celebrating her birthday that night.) Peter Bagge will also be there. Look for his work upstairs at the One Night Stand group show. Our resident Stranger geniuses Jim Woodring and Ellen Forney will be around. While you're there, pick up a copy of Ellen's sensational new graphic memoir Marbles. I'm sure she'll sign one for you. Start your holiday season in style this Saturday, December 8 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. Ho, ho, ho!
Celebrate 30 Years of Love and Rockets with Gilbert & Jaime Hernandez at Fantagraphics Bookstore on Saturday, December 8!
When Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez created the first issue of Love and Rockets three decades ago, they foreshadowed the diverse American society we enjoy today. Their work wasn’t overtly political. They simply reflected their cultural environment. In doing so, they profoundly influenced popular culture on a global scale. Celebrate the illustrious legacy of these amazing artists on Saturday, December 8 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. This festive evening of art, comix, and music marks the 6th anniversary of Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery .
The Love and Rockets comic book series helped lay the foundation for the alternative comix movement. Brothers Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez combined elements of their Southern California punk counterculture with accessible pop motifs, breathing new life into the moribund underground comix form. Their work found a receptive audience among the adventurous youth culture of the period. The Hernandez brothers’ efforts soon came to the attention fledgling comic book publisher Fantagraphics Books, helping launch that storied enterprise. The relationship remains strong 30 years later, as Fantagraphics and Love and Rockets help shape the rising influence of alternative comix. The Love and Rockets franchise has grown to include countless comix collections and continues as an annual edition that complements the solo projects of the sibling artists.
The festivities on Saturday, December 8 include an exhibition of Love and Rockets art and artifacts chosen by Fantagraphics editorial associate Kristy Valenti and bookstore curator Larry Reid. A signed commemorative silkscreen print will be produced for the occasion. Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez will be available to sign a wide variety of comix, anthologies, and related merchandise. Accomplished cartoonist, visual artist and musician Geneviève Castrée will provide entertainment with her music project Ô Paon – helping us celebrate 30 years of Love and Rockets as well as six wonderful years of Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery. This event coincides with a lively holiday edition of the Georgetown Art Attack, featuring visual and performing arts presentations throughout the historic neighborhood, including wandering carolers from Choir of the Sound.
Listing Information:
30 Years of Love and Rockets with Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez Exhibition and book signing, with music by Ô Paon Saturday, December 8, 6:00 to 9:00 PM Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery 1201 S. Vale Street, Seattle. 206.658.0110 Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM
Turkey smurkey. It's a holiday weekend -- put down that comic book, get off the couch, and come buy more comic books!
Thursday, November 22nd
• Salvador, Brazil: Max launched his retrospective exhibition, Panóptica, at the Instituto Cervantes de Salvador! Check out the FLOG for pics and reports from previous stops on this exhibit's tour! (more info)
• Seattle, WA: Join us at the Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery for the book release party for The Last Vispo Anthology, edited by Northwest literary artists Nico Vassilakis and Crag Hill. Their work will be feted with an exhibition, readings, and a musical performance from Lori Goldston (former Nirvana and Earth cellist, and recent Stranger “Genius Award” recipient) performing with former Black Cat Orchestra bandmate Kyle Hanson. (more info)
• Vancouver, BC: And the celebration continues for The Last Vispo Anthology at the STAG (Strathcona Art Gallery) Library with unscheduled pop-up readings and performances by: Jim Andrews (Vancouver), Judith Copithorne (Vancouver), Crag Hill (Idaho), Donato Mancini (Vancouver), Gustave Morin (Windsor), Michael V. Smith (Kelowna), Nico Vassilakis (Seattle) and possibly more! (more info)
If you missed our opening reception, then dang it, you missed a truly awesome time. The great Jim Woodring was droppin' some science, although Marketing Director Mike Baehr seems dubious. Local cartoonist Tim Miller pledged his undying love to Noah. (Just kidding about all of that; I have no idea what was going on...)
I also have no idea what's going on in this awesome photo Lasky took of me, Mike, and local cartoonist (and Short Run Small Press Fest organizer) Kelly Froh. But it makes me laugh.
[ Check out more of David's photos at his Flickr page here! ]
David and Noah's exhibit of original artwork will be on display through this Friday, November 23rd, so stop by -- you'll be thankful you did! We even still have a few signed copies left of each title.
Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is located at 1201 S. Vale Street in Seattle's Georgetown district. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. CLOSED on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, but OPEN AS HELL on Friday, November 23rd. Phone: (206) 658-0110.
Please join us this Saturday, November 24 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM for the festive release of The Last Vispo Anthology, edited by Northwest literary artists Nico Vassilakis and Crag Hill.
The reception will feature short readings by contributors James Yeary, Donato Mancini, Robert Mittenthal, Joseph Keppler and Gustave Morin, as well as editors Hill and Vassilakis. The exhibition will include 14 prints from the anthology. Musical entertainment will be provided by Lori Goldston (former Nirvana and Earth cellist, and recent Stranger "Genius Award" recipient) performing with former Black Cat Orchestra band mate Kyle Hanson. This event marks the departure to New York of editor Nico Vassilakis, a longtime Fantagraphics employee and fixture in Seattle’s cultural community. Admission is always free.
Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is located at 1201 S. Vale Street in Seattle’s vibrant Georgetown industrial arts corridor. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone 206.658.0110.
Here lie the records from The Hypo Pacific Northwest Tour starring Noah Van Sciver. Recently the Fantagraphics store hosted cartoonists David Lasky and Van Sciver as guests of honors for a signing, Larry Reid arranged their gorgeous work out on the wall. The two signings were perfect, graphics novels about a young depressed Abraham Lincoln struggling to be a great politician and a young family in a depressed era struggling as music makers. The Hypo is available on our website while The Carter Family by Lasky is available at Abrams.
Frank M. Young, David Lasky, Ellen Forney and Noah Van Sciver pose with their books. Young (who survived as a TCJ editor for 13 months in the early 90s) and Lasky are both local to Seattle but Van Sciver was the Denverite on the move. Another Fantagraphics' favorite Ellen Forney stopped by to say hi (holding up her new book, Marbles).
One dad brought his very interested and inquisitive children to the signing. They asked Noah many, many questions about Lincoln.
Our production and art director Jason T Miles wins the staring contest with Van Sciver.
Smartly, right-handed Lasky and left-handed Van Sciver smartly sat with their drawin' hands away from each other. Check out the amazingly posh table cloth provided by store curator, Larry. Nothing says MONEY like two books about depressed poor people! Luckily, each have their silver linings.
Dennis Driscoll from K Records sang both songs by the Carter Family and some 'old' languid creations of his own. Forgive me but he needed a volunteer for the troll song.
Upstairs, an Intruder comic art show was also opening up at the One Night Stand Gallery. Noah and Kaz Strzepek enjoy the show.
Intruder and cartoonist Marc J Palm jaws on with Floating World's Jason Leivian.
The next day Short Run (a small press comics show in Seattle) was held at the Vera Project who had the sickest looking screen printing setup ever! Their vacuumed-table allowed for perfect printing on the thinnest of paper like this here comic.
The celebrated locals also sat pretty at their tables. Pat Moriarity shared space with Noah Van Sciver while Peter Bagge commanded attention, standing and selling and constantly talking.
The party continued at the Black Lodge, here Noah yukks it up with Fantagraphics' Jacq Cohen and Pat Moriarity (stolen photo from Robin McConnell).
The Hypo Pacific Northwest Tour hit the road again after a successful Short Run, this time over the border in Vancouver, Canada.
Noah's reading at Lucky's Comics took place on a rainy afternoon but that didn't stop us!
Another artist's soft sculpture provided some texture to the room during the reading.
Jason Zumpano, a local musician stopped by (far left) as well as local Ph.D. students and book sellers, interested in Noah's graphic novel.
Store owner Gabe and Noah.
Check out some the Fantagraphics books on the display!
We stopped by the Vancouver Comic Con (it takes place about every other month) organized by Leonard Wong. Below Noah cuts in line to speak to James Lloyd from Bongo Comics.
We spent the rest of the time drawing in a cafe, waiting for the bus.
We were both sad because we saw a cute dog get attacked by another dog and then we read in the paper about a giraffe dying at the zoo. Noah commemorated the cute dog on a bookplate for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.
I drew that sad giraffe who died, a little after two OTHER giraffes in the zoo. C'mon, Vancouver.
The trip continued to Floating World thanks to Jason Leivian but the pictures were so epic, they exploded (digitally) when sent via email. But that's okay because I have another original Van Sciver for you. Remember that troll song? This JUST came in the mail today for me from Noah. What a funny man.
Enjoy The Hypo and his other comics today! Thank you to everyone who came out, bought a book, talked to us, bought us drinks or showed us the way.
The 2013 Fantagraphics Ultimate Catalog of Comics is available now! Contact us to get your free copy, or download the PDF version (9 MB).
Preview upcoming releases in the Fantagraphics Spring/Summer 2013 Distributors Catalog. Read it here or download the PDF (26.8 MB). Note that all contents are subject to change.
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