We're a bit late with this update but perhaps your comics will be too, due to East Coast Snowpocalypse '010? It's a big day for Fantagraphics releases at comic shops across the land today, with the following titles scheduled to ship:

Chocolate Cheeks
By Steven Weissman

Newsarama calls it "adorably dark — or perhaps darkly adorable," Robot 6's Chris Mautner asserts "If you like the Our Gang comics or Archie or the general 'kids pal around, go on adventures and make each other miserable' type of comic, chances are you'll really like this," The Stranger's Paul Constant called it "a doozy of a book," somebody at Austin Books & Comics "is raving about the latest @fantagraphics 'Yikes' collection. Something about most warped kids since Garbage Pail Kids" and webcomic character Lydia Park declares "Weissman is a genius."

Most importantly, Steven says "When you get yours, post a pic to YIKES! friendship and we'll mail you a FREE GIFT!" It's for real!

Hank Ketcham's Complete Dennis the Menace 1959-1962 Box Set
By Hank Ketcham

Robot 6's Chris Mautner declares "See Dennis bother the barber! Pester the construction workers! Annoy Margaret! Confuse Joey! And generally drive Mr. Wilson and his parents up a frickin' wall. All in the name of fun. And adorableness."

King: The Special Edition
By Ho Che Anderson

Robot 6's Chris Mautner calls it "lush," Jog highlights it, and Gosh! Comics admires my "big sausagey fingers" in the preview video.

Newave! The Underground Mini Comix of the 1980s
By various artists; edited by Michael Dowers

Robot 6's Chris Mautner again: "I'm a sucker for discovering unexplored corners of comics history, and this collection of mini-comics from the Reagan era... seems to do just that." The Comics Reporter's Tom Spurgeon says "A really good book and quite effective as raw" and then forgets to finish his sentence but be sure to read his full rave review. Jog predicts "the real fun will likely be in editor Michael Dowers' selection -- honed in on life signs of the older 'underground' period -- of now-obscure period talents..." There's also a nice plug from Gosh! Comics.

All right, your local shop can let you know if they got 'em (or order 'em for you if they didn't) and of course you can get your fill of previews and info at the links above.

Scheduled to arrive at enlightened comic shops across the land tomorrow:

Hotwire Comics Vol. 3
By various artists; edited by Glenn Head

The Comics Reporter says: "A boon for fans of a certain kind of energetic, restless, profane comic book making — for the rest of us it's an exquisitely curated, controlled visit to that particular comics world." Jog calls it "a distinctly old-fashioned scattershot alternative comics production" and "a louder, more comedic, more visually-driven" sibling to Mome.

We have previews-a-plenty both here on our site and on the official Hotwire website; check them out while you're contacting your local shop to confirm availability.

We're kicking off 2010 right with the following books scheduled to arrive at comics shops across the nation this week:

The Troublemakers by Gilbert Hernandez — Newsarama says "Girls! Guns! Gilbert Hernandez!" Jog says "Oh shit, here's how you start 2010 off right." Robot 6 says "it's very hard to imagine this not being fantastic." It's the second of the "Fritz filmography" series of standalone graphic novels. Pulpy goodness!

The Unclothed Man in the 35th Century A.D. by Dash Shaw — by some accounts this was at some shops a couple of weeks ago, but it wasn't on the official list until now. The companion to the breathlessly-received IFC.com animated shorts, with Shaw's wildly inventive Mome short stories and more, all in a cleverly designed hardcover. Jog says "Definitely flip through this one; Shaw's fleshy, emotive, color-seared approach isn't quite like anyone else's." Robot 6 says "This is really stellar work overall and just underscores why Shaw is one of the more notable new cartoonists."

As always, we recommend poring over our previews, reviews and other info at the links above and touching base with your local shop to confirm availability.

As most Wednesday Warriors are aware, this is a bye week in the Diamond Comics shipping schedule, so no new comics from us or other publishers distributed by Diamond will be arriving in shops. Some enterprising folks have declared this Indy Comic Book Week, seizing the opportunity to promote independent, local, and small press publishers and creators. While we won't be participating directly, by gosh do we ever support this effort in spirit, so visit the website for the list of participating shops and more information, and go support the independent spirit with your wallet — Fantagraphics readers tend to be the adventurous sort, and you never know what you might discover.

It's not on the official Diamond Comics Distributors shipping list for this week, but many sources (including but not limited to, um, our own publicity department) are reporting that The Unclothed Man in the 35th Century A.D. by Dash Shaw is also arriving in comic shops this week. We usually recommend checking with your local shop to confirm availability, but especially so in this case.

Arriving at comic shops in the nick of time for your holiday gift-giving, something for just about every interest and budget:

Conceptual Realism: In the Service of the Hypothetical by Robert Williams (Softcover Ed.) — 88 oversized pages of new artwork and writing from the lowbrow master.

The Definitive Prince Valiant Companion (Softcover Ed.) — everything we said last week when the hardcover edition came out still applies!

Gahan Wilson: Fifty Years of Playboy Cartoons (Collectors Edition) — just when you thought this collection couldn't get more deluxe! Includes an exclusive signed glow-in-the-dark letterpress print and a nifty box of facsimile Christmas cards Gahan sent to Hef, never before reprinted (not pictured).

The Great Anti-War Cartoons — A stunning collection from editor Craig Yoe. Newsarama calls its arrival "quite welcome."

Sublife Vol. 2 by John Pham — Newsarama says "do yourself a favor and check it out (and be sure to stroke the back cover)"... that's good advice!

Peruse plenty of previews at the preceding links prior to patronizing your preferred purveyor and purchasing these pretty publications. Pow!

Arriving in comics shops across the USA this week:

Gahan Wilson: Fifty Years of Playboy Cartoons. 3 volumes. Deluxe presentation. 11 pounds. The ultimate holiday gift for any lover of good cartooning. Chris Mautner of Robot 6 makes it his Pick of the Week and says "I've been perusing the thing over the past week and it's really a sumptuous package, exquisitely designed and full of great, great work from one of the finest (and sadly, often ignored) cartoonists of the modern era." Jog sums it up more succinctly: "I mean, c'mon." Couldn't have said it better myself.

The Definitive Prince Valiant Companion. The title says it all. Chris Mautner says Val fans will "go ga-ga for this book." Due to distribution vagaries, only the hardcover edition arrives this week, with the softcover to follow shortly.

And last but not least two freshly reprinted volumes of The Complete Crumb Comics. Vol. 7: "Hot 'n' Heavy!" features several Mr. Natural tales and some of Crumb's wildest sex comix and much more; and Vol. 12: "We're Livin' in the Lap o' Luxury!" spotlights Crumb's American Splendor collaborations with Harvey Pekar (as seen in the movie) and other diverse works. Classics!

As always we have informative and entertaining previews and other information about these books at the links above, so you can look before you leap.

Well technically it's not comics, but arriving in comic shops across the land this week (hot on the heels of its arrival at our warehouse) is Portable Grindhouse: The Lost Art of the VHS Box. Newsarama says "it looks totally awesome," and who are we to argue?

Of course, the BEST comic shop at which to pick up this book (up at which?) is Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery this weekend at our Portable Grindhouse launch/3rd Anniversary Party & Portable Grindhouse panel discussion! Barring that, though, I'm sure your local shop would love to see you.

(Also out this week and highly coveted by me: Dark Horse's collection of Carol Swain short stories Crossing the Empty Quarter — if you haven't picked up Giraffes in My Hair yet, why not make it a Swain two-fer?)

As Wednesday warriors are likely aware, New Comics Day is on Thursday this week due to the U.S. holiday last week. Two highly anticipated Fantagraphics publications are scheduled to hit comic shops:

Popeye Vol. 4: "Plunder Island" by E.C. Segar — we already quoted the critics calling this one "awesome" and "fantastic" and "practically seaworthy" and "the crown jewel in the Popeye crown" and "E.C. Segar's finest hour" and saying "If you only buy one volume in the series, blah blah blah"... check out our previews at the link above to sample the greatness.

The Comics Journal #300 — the last one for a while before we re-launch the bigger, badder version, and it's a doozy, with our most powerful lineup of artists in conversation ever, extra-fat, extra-good. Take a virtual browse at the link above. Sure to be a good conversation starter with your local shop proprietor when you go to pick it up, if they're worth their salt.

Just arrived in our warehouse and ready to ship, AND scheduled to arrive in comic shops this week:

Ganges #3
By Kevin Huizenga

In the third issue of Kevin Huizenga's Eisner Award nominated comic, Glenn Ganges still can't fall asleep. In "Mind and Body" Glenn tries lying still, but his mind — The Wanderer — keeps thwarting his plans! In "Getting Things Done" he gives up trying to get to sleep and tries to get some things done... until the cops show up! All executed in Huizenga's strikingly crisp, lovely two-color "clear line" style, and presented in our deluxe oversized Ignatz format.

32-page duotone 8.5" x 11" saddle-stitched softcover with jacket • $7.95
(Part of the Ignatz Series)
ISBN: 978-1-60699-338-5
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