The final issue of macabre master (and birthday boy!) Richard Sala's modern-day reimagining of the Snow White story told from the "Prince Charming" point of view, Delphine #4 brings our hero into an inevitable confrontation with unspeakable evil!

Italian artist Sergio Ponchione's series is becoming a cult hit in the U.S., and he returns with the eagerly-awaited Grotesque #3, containing the second half of the wildly surrealistic "Cryptic City" epic.

Both titles, part of our Ignatz Series of deluxe oversized comics, are now available for pre-order! They are scheduled to be in stock and ready to ship any day now and in stores approximately 4 weeks later (subject to change).

Don't miss the preview pages we've posted for each issue -- just click "View More Images" on each product detail page. Photo and video previews are still in the works -- watch this space.

It's your Online Commentary & Diversions for the day:

• Review: "There is this old-fashioned comic feel that mixes so well with the overall theme and texture of this short. [In] Ganges #2... [Kevin] Huizenga's elegant neo-clear-line style brings a crispness and humor to these low-key slice-of-life stories, and the gray-blue duotone he has picked gives the art a new depth and complexity." - Hero Spy

• Plug: "I’m also trying Blazing Combat, the war comic collection from Fantagraphics. I don’t know much about the series, so this should expand my knowledge of a type of comic I’m not much familiar with." - Johanna Draper Carlson, Robot 6 "What Are You Reading?"

• Profile/Review: If it's Comics Should Be Good's "Comic Book Alphabet of Cool" and it's the letter K, it must be Michael Kupperman! Brian Cronin calls Tales Designed to Thrizzle #5 "one of his best issues yet!"

• Things to see: A nice big new batch of sketchbook comics & drawings from Anders Nilsen

• Things to see: Fan Steve Mandich posts his Tony Millionaire sketch & signature from our Bookstore event a couple of weeks ago (with a link to some photos)

• Things to see (and buy): A new Vice strip and art for sale from Johnny Ryan

• Things to see: 'Round the office

Be sure and drop by Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery this Saturday, May 2 between 11:30 and 8:00 PM to take full advantage of FREE COMIC BOOK DAY! Who knew?

To celebrate, Fantagraphics Books is offering a free sampler of Love and Rockets: New Stories by eminent alternative cartoonists Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez. Included is a special preview of Gilbert's "Sad Girl" saga, which introduces the character "Killer."

Also free is a limited supply of the coveted Unseen Peanuts comic from the 2007 Free Comic Book Day promotion, featuring rare strips by American master Charles M. Schulz. Not to mention the I.G.N.A.T.Z. sampler from last year's Free Comic Book Day featuring comics by David B., Zak Sally, Kevin Huizenga, Richard Sala and more. If that's not enough, we'll be handing out Comic Strip Masterpieces, a cool collection of classics including Little Nemo, Popeye, Krazy Kat, Terry & the Pirates and more presented in their original tabloid newsprint format.

Saturday's Free Comic Book Day coincides with the delightful Georgetown Super 8 Film Festival with screenings of locally produced short films at various locations in the neighborhood throughout the day and evening. Oh, and SAVE THE DATE: Tony Millionaire's Drinky Crow art show and book signing on Saturday, May 9, 6:00 to 9:00 PM.

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is located at 1201 S. Vale St. at the corner of Airport Way S., only minutes from downtown Seattle. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone 206.658.0110.

See you all soon.

14 Italian artists, including Ignatz creators Marco Corona (above), Gabriella Giandelli, Lorenzo Mattotti and Sergio Ponchione, illustrate the articles of the Italian Constitutional Charter for an exhibit opening in Bologna tomorrow, January 13. Marco Corona's blog has details in Italian; here's the Google translation.

This exhibit opens tomorrow evening at 6PM at scott eder gallery in Brooklyn and includes work by a slew of Ignatz Series fumettisti including series founder/co-publisher Igort (Baobab), Marco Corona (Reflections), Gabriella Giandelli (Interiorae), Gipi (Wish You Were Here), and Lorenzo Mattotti (Chimera) along with other greats. More info and online preview right here. Another must-see!

With 5 new issues from ongoing series in our deluxe Ignatz format having just come out this summer, we're giving you a chance to catch up on back issues and check out some of the other series in the format for just $5.95 each — that's over 25% off the $7.95 cover price — throughout September 2008. (Sale ends at 11:59 PM Pacific time, September 30, 2008.) Created by an international roster of cartoonists (from Anders Nilsen to Zak Sally; from Gipi to Igort to Martí), comics in the Ignatz series are magazine-sized, printed in duotone on heavy premium paper, with jacketed covers. Click here to browse all titles in the format!

Sammy the Mouse #2
By Zak Sally

In this issue, things ramp up, as Sammy still can't seem to find some peace and quiet in the comfort of his home (because a giant finger is poking him in the skull, among other things), and some new "friend" won't take "No" for an answer. An answer for what? Why, a PICNIC, of course. EVERYBODY loves a PICNIC, right? As if that weren't enough, Feekes keeps shooting off his drunk mouth (with dire consequences), there's more secret scary underwater business from Him, and where the hell is Puppy-boy, anyway? Also in this issue: a moustache.

32-page two-color 8.5" x 11" saddle-stitched softcover with jacket • $7.95
Add to Cart • Read More...

Interiorae #3
By Gabriella Giandelli

Things are getting weirder in the apartment house in this, the third (of four) episode of Gabriella Giandelli's surreal tale. Two teens record a rock song, an ugly breakup takes place between a husband and a wife, the old lady resorts to increasingly desperate measures to find her inner peace, more and more people have begun to notice the white rabbit, much to his distress... and The Creature That Lives in the Basement and Feeds on Dreams is becoming frustrated because no one is dreaming.

32-page two-color 8.5" x 11" saddle-stitched softcover with jacket • $7.95
Add to Cart • Read More...

Baobab #3
By Igort

Baobab #3 returns to the structure of the first issue, split between two ongoing and (seemingly) unrelated stories set a century ago. In the first part of the book, young Hiroshi’s ailing grandmother tells him that she will die soon, and that his future will be in his nation’s capital: Tokyo. It’s the beginning of his new life for Hiroshi, and the end of his childhood. Then we return to the continuing story of two young, struggling South American cartoonists. Celestino is still living in his native Parador where, on the eve of World War I, a right-wing military dictatorship is growing in power and viciousness, even destroying the printing presses of the paper for whom he works. Even in this darkness, some light emerges: Celestino receives his first few fan letters from readers, and embarks on a romance with his publisher’s daughter. Meanwhile, his expatriate friend and colleague Pilade regales him with tales from the exciting world of American syndicated cartoonists, and together the two dream about this new artform whose birth they are witnessing, and may very well be contributing to...

32-page two-color 8.5" x 11" saddle-stitched softcover with jacket • $7.95
Add to Cart • Read More...

This week we're unleashing another series of daily video and photo teasers of upcoming releases. Kicking things off, here's Interiorae #3 by Gabriella Giandelli, one of three releases in our Ignatz format due later this month. Watch the video above, and take a closer look in our photo gallery.