• The Daily Vanguard gives Ganges #2 by Kevin Huizenga the #1 spot on its Top 10 Graphic Novels and Comics of 2008, a list which also includes Mome Vol. 12, The Education of Hopey Glass by Jaime Hernandez, and Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw

• The Daily Cross Hatch calls Beasts! Book 2 "downright stunning"

• Ward Six looks at The Portable Frank by Jim Woodring

• USA TODAY Pop Candy is excited about the Brian K. Vaughn interview in The Comics Journal #295

• There's a great illustration by Max in this New York Times article about the future of the publishing industry that we're all reading with great interest

• New Robert Crumb comics (via everywhere)

Anders Nilsen has a solo show opening tomorrow at Little Bird Gallery in Los Angeles. "It's my first proper solo show. It's mostly a bunch of drawings and paintings I've been doing over the last year or so, of various sizes, and a few covers from issues of Big Questions." Seeing a collection of Nilsen's original work would surely be a great experience.

Jim Woodring fans might want to check out the Kaiju Invasion at Art Center South Florida.

Jesse LeDoux show in Rhode Island Saturday.

Also, TONIGHT: Portland's Grass Hut has a grasshutgang show. Le merde, Scrappers, Bwana Spoons, APAK, and Martin Ontiveros will all have new works up.

Our pal Steven Weissman would like you to know that the shipping is free on anything you buy from him on Comic Art Collective through Sunday, December 7. Give the gift of Ribs for the holidays!

Jim Woodring (also our pal) has been adding more original art to his CAC page, too. It's mostly sold by now, but it's still there for the lookin'.

• More French awards news: La Rivière empoisonnée, the French edition of Gilbert Hernandez's Poison River (collected by us in the new volume Beyond Palomar as well as its own older collection), is nominated for the Selection Patrimoine (Heritage Prize) 2009, to be awarded at the Festival International de la Bande Desinée d'Angoulême (caught by Spurge)

• I Wish I Had A Spare $200 Dept: New art for sale from Jim Woodring (going fast!)

• PLAYBACK:stl says Deitch's Pictorama has "a groovy charm" and "a vibe of pure fun"

• For The Patriot-News, Chris Mautner looks at Where Demented Wented: The Art and Comics of Rory Hayes

• Elsewhere (Newsarama), Mautner talks to Ivan Brunetti

• Look, it's Jim Blanchard & J.R. Williams at APE

• Eye on Comics looks at Petey & Pussy by John Kerschbaum

• On the Inkstuds audio podcast: Josh Simmons

• The Beat reports from a recent NYC event featuring some of our favorite Euro-comics artists

• The Times-Union posts an essay about the mixed-race heritage of George Herriman and its effect on Krazy Kat (via The Daily Cartoonist)

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery Celebrates 2nd Anniversary on December 13 with a Spectacular Party and BEASTS Art Exhibition!

Over the course of two years, Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery has become woven into the region’s cultural fabric and drawn attention to an impressive array of local, national and international narrative cartoonists, illustrators, graphic designers, and fine artists while providing a showcase for Seattle-based publisher Fantagraphics Books. To celebrate the second anniversary of this stimulating space, Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery hosts a festive gala and reception for the phenomenal BEASTS BOOKS 1 & 2 book launch and art exhibition on Saturday, December 13 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM.

Since its publication in December 2006, BEASTS BOOK ONE has become a pop culture sensation, quickly selling out two printings and finding an enthusiastic worldwide audience. Meticulously designed, the book combines colorful illustrations of mythical monsters with imaginative text describing the folkloric origins and characteristics of these creatures. The brainchild of Fantagraphics Books design director Jacob Covey, the first BEASTS volume included accomplished contributors including Art Chantry, Tim Biskup, Tony Millionaire, Richard Sala, Martin Ontiveros, and Jordan Crane among many others. BEASTS BOOK TWO, which will debut at the December 13 event, continues the tradition of illustrations from interdisciplinary international luminaries including David B. (France), Jaime Hernandez (US), Femke Hiemstra (Netherlands), Toby Tam (China), Kim Deitch (US), Tatsuro Kiuchi (Japan), and many more. To commemorate the publication of BEASTS BOOK TWO and the simultaneous release of the paperback edition of BEASTS BOOK ONE, Covey has selected 45 representative artists from both volumes for an eclectic exhibition of original works and fine art prints.

The 2nd Anniversary celebration and BEASTS reception will be hosted by Fantagraphics stalwarts Ellen Forney, Jim Woodring, Jacob Covey, Peter Bagge, Jim Blanchard and special guest Ted Stearn. Musical entertainment will be provided by Peter Bagge’s new pop combo Can You Imagine? featuring celebrated musician and producer Steve Fisk. The public of all ages is welcome and admission is free. Guests can peruse a new crop of bad ass books and exquisite gifts from the Northwest’s most adventurous purveyor of comics, graphic novels and low brow art.

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is located at 1201 S. Vale Street (at Airport Way S.) in Seattle’s lively Georgetown arts community. Open daily 11:30 – 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone 206.658.0110. The 2nd Anniversary Gala and BEASTS exhibition on Saturday, December 13 coincides with the festive Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack featuring visual and performing arts presentations throughout the neighborhood. Please join us for this auspicious occasion.

Listing Information

BEASTS art exhibition and 2nd Anniversary Gala
Saturday, December 13, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
Music by Peter Bagge’s CAN YOU IMAGINE?
BEASTS exhibition of original art and prints by 45 artists continues through January 10, 2009.
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
www.fantagraphics.com/bookstore

A selection of imagery in a variety of formats is available for publication. For additional information contact Eric Reynolds at Fantagraphics.

There'll be a little more catch-up tomorrow:

• Etch-A-Peanuts

• Fantagraphics art director Jacob Covey talks to United Arab Emirates newspaper The National about Garfield Minus Garfield - wait, what?

• Flog commenter "Faraquet" points out this 2001 Dutch TV interview with Daniel Clowes (via this blog) and says "It's very weird" (having watched the first few minutes we're going to say it's the background music that gives that impression)

• For Publishers Weekly, Frank Santoro looks at the new volume of E.C. Segar's Popeye

• Ellen Forney announces on her blog that she'll be collaborating with Sherman Alexie again on his next book - congrats, Ellen!

• Chris Diaz shares a photo of Gene Deitch from Gene's recent visit to San Francisco

• Comics Bulletin looks at The Portable Frank by Jim Woodring

• I'm pretty sure I've seen this circulate on the blogosphere before, but: Tim Hensley presents The World's Weirdest Comics Jam

Thanks to Justin Green for granting us permission to run his introduction to Jim Woodring's The Portable Frank here on our website in its entirety. A great intro to a great book.

In these uncertain economic times, there's nothing to lift your spirits like FREE comics, eh? Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery came into possession of a stash of Steven Weissman's LE SKETCH #06 micro mini comic, free for the asking to all store visitors. This delightful 16-panel accordion fold cartoon sketchbook on sturdy cardstock provides a great introduction to this popular Fantagraphics star.

While you're at the store, check out Weissman's "Affect Horror" print, published by our friends at Payseur & Schmidt and available exclusively at Fantagraphics Bookstore for only $20. This 18" x 24" silkscreen is printed on an ultra-bright white Finch 80lb. cover stock. Limited to 125 signed and numbered copies. Cheap art for the huddled masses!

As a bonus, you'll see Jim Woodring's lovely new COSMOCOPIA exhibition, as well as all our amazing new books, including the topical AMERICAN PRESIDENTS by incomparable illustrator David Levine.

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is located at 1201 S. Vale Street in Seattle's colorful Georgetown arts community, only minutes south of downtown. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone 206.658.0110. See you all soon.

Above, Paul DiFilippo and Jim Woodring pose with their new collaborative book/objet d'art Cosmocopia (from our fine friends at Payseur & Schmidt) at the release party and exhibit opening at our Seattle bookstore on Saturday night. Click here for lots more photos. Below, DiFilippo reads an excerpt from the book (video link):

A couple more photos:

We've got a brand-new selection of downloadable wallpapers featuring recent and upcoming Fantagraphics titles. Just click on the size that matches your monitor resolution and the image will open in a new window; if you're on a PC, right-click the image and select "Set As Background"; if you're on a Mac, control+click and select "Set As Desktop Background." (We don't know what the procedure is for iPhones, but if you have one, you probably do, right?) And for our complete selection of wallpapers, click right here!