By popular demand, we are extending our massive blowout Spring Cleaning Sale at our storefront through Wednesday, April 16! There are still some choice goodies to be had, so if you couldn't make it over the weekend, you still have a few more days to get in on the fun.

Speaking of fun, Saturday's event at the store was a blast! Here's video of happy shoppers, with audio from Martin Bland's "Randomized Control Trials":

Man of the hour Martin Bland, right, with Jason Miles:

Below, Dutch artist Femke Hiemstra with Roq La Rue gallery owner Kirsten Anderson. We will be publishing Hiemstra's work in the Beasts 2 anthology (Jacob Flogged her piece back in January) and in her own solo book, Rock Candy. Her work is currently on exhibit at Roq La Rue, through May 3rd:

More photos here.

As if the promise of half-price books at our giant scratch-and-dent Spring Cleaning Sale all this weekend at our storefront weren't enticement enough on its own, feast your eyes on this spread:

Video? Why not!

Selection is still good, so come on down!

The blowout Spring Cleaning Sale at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, with 50% off hundreds of scratch-and-dent books, is going on RIGHT NOW -- hustle on down for the best selection. Then, head on back tomorrow night from 6-9 for Martin Bland's "Randomized Control Trials" sound installation. For a taste of what to expect, download this MP3 of the aptly-titled "The Explainer":

Martin Bland - "The Explainer" (1.87 MB MP3)

We also have an EXCLUSIVE Martin Bland composition entitled "Warehouse" and featuring, you guessed it, the sounds of the Fantagraphics warehouse:

Martin Bland - "Warehouse" (4.42 MB MP3)

FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKSTORE & GALLERY HOSTS “MARTIN BLAND’S RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIALS” ON SATURDAY, APRIL 12

Fantagraphics Books’ resident genius will present his recent experimental sound project, “Martin Bland’s Randomized Control Trials,” on Saturday, April 12 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery. This event coincides with the colorful “Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack.” The bookstore will also offer a huge “Spring Cleaning Sale” with hundreds of graphic novels marked at 50% off from April 11 though April 13.

Fantagraphics Bookstore employee Martin Bland has an impressive musical pedigree. He was the drummer for Australia’s legendary psyche-garage band Lubricated Goat prior to relocating to Seattle 1992. He performed with Bloodloss and Monroe’s Fur and later joined Fantagraphics alums Mark Arm (Mudhoney, Mr. Epp) and Tom Price (U-Men, Gas Huffer) in the grunge supergroup Monkeywrench, which also featured Tim Kerr (Big Boys) and Steve Turner (Mudhoney). Monkeywrench recently released a posthumous collection, “Gabriel’s Horn,” on the Birdman label.

Martin Bland’s Randomized Control Trials represents a departure from his previous work. “The premise involved using the ‘shuffle’ program on a group of compact disc players running simultaneously to produce unique arrangements of original music,” Bland explains. “All of the pieces followed a few guidelines: the musicians should be recorded separately from one another with little or no idea what the other musicians had played. They would be given a loose theme to improvise on and a rigid tempo to follow. These recordings were transferred on to a computer and cut into short phrases and fragments. Once all of the music for a piece had been recorded, each instrument was then assigned a CD player. The CD players were then played simultaneously with the ‘shuffle’ program activated, thus producing a unique arrangement of the piece each time. Some of the voices were of a ‘found’ nature but none of the music was sampled from other sources.”

The resulting recordings are often stunning and always entertaining. The presentation on April 12 will reflect the random nature of the concept. Featured musicians include Bland, Price, and Arm, as well as violinists Janis Wildy and Tom Swafford, pianist John Wright, and a host of contributors from various musical genres. Examples can be heard by clicking headlines at: http://martinblandsrct.blogspot.com.

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery will also be the site of the publisher’s “Spring Cleaning Sale” on April 11 though April 13. Hundreds of slightly marred or damaged graphic novels will be offered at half price. Titles by Fantagraphics superstars including Peter Bagge, Charles Burns, Daniel Clowes, R. Crumb, Ellen Forney, Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez, Charles M. Schulz, Joe Sacco, Jim Woodring and dozens more will be featured. And Drew Friedman’s exquisite exhibition of original art “The Fun Never Stops!” remains on display through May 6. The space is located at 1201 S. Vale St. (at Airport Way S.) in the heart of Georgetown. Open daily 11:30 – 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone: 206.658.0110 As always, patrons of all ages are welcome, and admission is free.

Listing Information

Martin Bland’s Randomized Control Trials
Saturday, April 12, 6:00 – 9:00 PM
Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
1201 S. Vale Street, Seattle
206.658.0110
Hours: Monday – Saturday 11:30 – 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM
www.fantagraphics.com

It's Photo Friday on Flog! First, "The Fun Never Stops!" with Drew Friedman at our storefront last night. Below, the exhibit pre-opening: 

Below, the crowd gathers. That's Drew second from left.

Extreme close-up!

Lots more photos in our Flickr stream, in regular and fancy slideshow formats.

Don't forget, Drew appears at Skylight Books in L.A. tomorrow with guests Ben Schwartz and comedian Andy Kindler. Details here.  

Seattle's lively industrial arts district continues its monthly celebration of creative diversity with the April installment of the Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack. This colorful community event includes more than 30 galleries, studios, boutiques, cafes and nightclubs featuring dozens of local, regional and international artists working in a variety of disciplines. The public of all ages is welcome and admission is free. Festivities commence at 6:00 PM on Saturday, April 12.

Among the many highlights: An exhibition of mixed media works by Georgetown artist Sherri Scott at George; "Internal Guidance Systems," an installation of visionary art from the collection of internationally-acclaimed artist Anne Grgich at Georgetown Tile Works; "Hello Cruel World," a show of recent works on paper by Steve Roumas and Roger Shurtleff at Calamity Jane's; "Hanging," a show of new work by Georgetown painter Mark LaFalce at the Hangar; Martin Bland's "Randomized Control Trials," an experimental sound installation, together with a display of New York cartoonist Drew Friedman's stunning illustrations at Georgetown Records/Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery; "The Worst of the Trading Musician," an acoustic musical revue organized by Georgetown resident and Trading Musician proprietor Mike Smith at Jules Maes Saloon; an exhibit of bronze, clay and multimedia sculptures by students of Matt Buckner at Georgetown Art Center; paintings and woodblock prints by Georgetown artist Angielena Chamberlain at Bella Vitale Studio Gallery; adventurous shopping, exotic dining, and boisterous mingling in one of our region's most enchanting urban environments.

The Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack is a production of the Georgetown Merchants' Association. A detailed map and other information can be found at: www.georgetownartattack.com. For additional information contact GMA chair Kathy Nyland, or Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery curator Larry Reid.

Listing Information

Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack
Saturday, March 8, 6:00 - 9:00 PM.

All City Coffee, Artcore Tattoo, Art at the Top of the Stairs. Backstage, Bella Vitale, Belle & Wissell, Bolte Creative, Calamity Jane's, Catherine Gill Studios, A Dog's Dream Natural Pet Supply, Equinox Studios, Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, Fruit Cocktail Collectibles, Full Throttle Bottles, George, Georgetown Art Center, Georgetown Liquor Company*, Georgetown Records, Georgetown Tile Works, Great Stuff, Hangar Café, Jules Maes Saloon*, MIX, 9 Lb. Hammer*, Smarty Pants Restaurant*, Squid and Ink, The Stables, Stellar Pizza & Ale, Two Tartes Bakery, 24 Karat, and more.
* Indicates 21 + with valid ID.

This has nothing to do with comics, but some of you might enjoy this local news story about gentrification in the Seattle neighborhood of Georgetown, home of the Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery. If you haven't experienced G-town's many splendors, come on down and say hi to Drew Friedman tomorrow night and see for yourself.

"THE FUN NEVER STOPS!" WITH DREW FRIEDMAN AT FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKSTORE & GALLERY IN SEATTLE, OPENING MARCH 27.

Drew Friedman is among the most notorious illustrators and cartoonists in America. According to Entertainment Weekly, “He holds a marvelously warped lens up to crusty politicians and debauched celebrities. A good-natured misanthrope with an obsessive style and a sardonic tongue, Drew Friedman is one of the country’s sharper political artists.” Friedman will appear in Seattle for the first time at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery for a book signing and exhibition of his original artwork on Thursday, March 27 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM.

“The Fun Never Stops!” exhibition features 17 portraits meticulously rendered in Friedman’s singular style. Included are political figures such as “McCain as Popeye,” “John Kerry’s Inauguration,” and “Really Rich Rudy” as well as pop culture icons like Frank Sinatra, Woody Allen, and Alfred E. Newman. In addition, Fantagraphics Books produced a limited edition silkscreen print featuring George W. Bush as Slim Pickens in the apocalyptic finale to “Dr. Strangelove.” Friedman’s portraits are alternately savage satires or reverential renderings – and frequently both, as in his series of “Old Jewish Comedians,” recently published in two volumes by Fantagraphics Books.

Friedman’s illustrious career has included comics work published in Art Spiegelman’s RAW, R. Crumb’s Weirdo and MAD Magazine, and frequent illustrations in National Lampoon, The New York Times, The New York Observer, among countless other publications. He was the recipient of the 2001 Reuben Award for newspaper illustration. Friedman’s work has been collected by Seattle’s Fantagraphics Books in The Fun Never Stops!: An Anthology of Comic Art 1991 - 2006, Old Jewish Comedians, More Old Jewish Comedians, and Warts and All.

“The Fun Never Stops!” begins with a reception for the artist on Thursday, March 27 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. Admission is free to the public of all ages. The exhibition continues though May 6, 2008. Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is located at 1201 S. Vale Street (at the corner of Airport Way S.) in Seattle’s historic Georgetown industrial arts district. Open daily 11:30 until 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone: 206.658.0110.

Listing Information

DREW FRIEDMAN: THE FUN NEVER STOPS!
March 27 – May 6, 2008.
Opening Reception and Book signing
Thursday, March 27, 5:00 – 8:00 PM

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
1201 S. Vale St. (at Airport Way S.)
Seattle, WA 206.658.0110

Open Daily 11:30 – 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM

It was a lively scene down at the Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery on Saturday evening for our special Friends of the Nib Comics Jam with special guest of honor Kim Deitch and emcee Jim Woodring. We've got lotsa more photos right here at this link.

A happenin' crowd: 

 Kim signs books:

 Presenting a world premiere preview slideshow of Deitch's Pictorama:

 "Dial M for Monster"!

We'll have more Fanta-specific news about this show soon, but I liked this new Jeffrey Brown poster enough that I wanted to share. Oh, there is some news to share: Jordan Crane has been added! Jordan will be signing at Emerald City as well as having an art show opening at the Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery that same weekend. Make your travel plans now!