Here's a slew of stellar pics from Robert Williams' opening at Tony Shafrazi Gallery in NYC on Halloween night. Those sculptures! If you live in NYC, the show remains up thru Jan. 23, and be sure to check out Williams' new book, CONCEPTUAL REALISM, as well.  

The November issue of JUXTAPOZ is out, and it's pretty much all Robert Williams, all the time, promoting his new show at Tony Shafrazi Gallery, which opened on Halloween night, as well as our art book/catalog of the show, CONCEPTUAL REALISM: IN THE SERVICE OF THE HYPOTHETICAL, which is available exclusively right now at the Shafrazi gallery, but will be available everywhere else in about a month (and also available for preorder on our own website very soon). The issue is a great one for fans of Robert, the highlight being a particularly lively talk between Williams and Don Ed Hardy (who also wrote an excellent introduction for CONCEPTUAL REALISM), as well as a meaty selection of several paintings and their accompanying essays by Wms. from our book. But all of this post is really just an excuse to publish this spread from the mag: 

On your way to the Robert Williams exhibit opening at Tony Shafrazi Gallery in NYC this weekend, why not stop and pick up one of 13 pairs of custom, hand-painted Robert Williams Vans sneakers? The above promotional video, passed along by our own Lord of the Lowbrow, Larry Reid, provides all the details (and a fascinating look inside a Chinese sneaker factory)! And if those are a bit out of your range, don't worry, there will be another, less-exclusive Williams Vans release for Fall/Winter, too.

(Previously in sneakers/skatewear: Jim Woodring x Chuck Taylor, Gary Panter x The Simpsons x Vans, Peter Bagge x Manik, Vaughn Bodé x Puma, more Robert Williams x Vans, R. Crumb x Vans, R. Crumb x Burton)

Robert Williams' solo show In The Service of the Hypothetical opens Oct. 31, at Tony Shafrazi Gallery in New York City, and the opening will feature the premiere of Robert's new book from Fantagraphics, CONCEPTUAL REALISM: IN THE SERVICE OF THE HYPOTHETICAL. The book features over 25 new paintings, complete with essays on each piece by the artist, insights into the process behind each painting (including sketches, underpaintings, etc.), and many other surprises, including an introduction by painter, tattoo artist and international tattoo cultural advocate Don Ed Hardy.

The show runs through Jan 31. Art Nouveau Mag has a preview. The show features new paintings, drawings, and for the first time, sculptures. The show will continue in February at Cal State Northridge. 

All this week and next week we're bringing you a sneak peek at our Fall 2009 - Winter 2010 schedule of releases! Today's excerpt from our latest book distributor's catalog includes a couple of books that we just teased you on yesterday — now you can get the full scoop on those plus one more: Johnny Ryan's original graphic novel Prison Pit; Gahan Wilson: 50 Years of Playboy Cartoons; and Conceptual Realism: In the Service of the Hypothetical, the new art book from Robert Williams. (Note that all the info in this catalog is subject to change along the way to the books' release, including release dates, prices, cover art, book specs, etc.) Click here to download the PDF!

First in a recurring Flog! feature:

ROBERT WILLIAMS 

SUZANNE WILLIAMS 

AL COLUMBIA (with GARY GROTH)

DAVID COLLIER

• List: Sean T. Collins reveals his Best Comics of 2008, with Love and Rockets: New Stories #1 by the Hernandez Brothers, Mome Vols. 10-12, and Pocket Full of Rain by Jason crowded into a 6-way tie (counting Mome as one entry) for 15th place and Tales Designed to Thrizzle #4 by Michael Kupperman in 14th

• List: The Indie Jones WizardUniverse Blog "Best of 2008" has The Last Musketeer by Jason, Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw, and "Invasion" by Al Columbia (from Mome Vol. 12) on it

• List: The Guardian names The Three Paradoxes by Paul Hornschemeier as one of "The best graphic novels" as part of their series "1000 novels everyone must read"

• Review: On TheRumpus.net, The Believer editor Andrew Leland has a great review of Petey & Pussy by John Kerschbaum

• Review: DJ Sloofus's Baaadaaaassssss Blog! looks at Popeye Vol. 3 and declares "All hail Segar!"

• Video: Arrested Motion compiles an 11-part video from YouTube user sketchv of Robert Williams's recent talk at the Oakland Museum of California

• Oddity: The Solar Sisterhood takes note of a calendar of real-life Maggie the Mechanics

• Oddity: On YouTube, Chinese Popeye vs. some mummies

Certainly the first major national ad campaign to throw around phrases like "But sometimes polyps develop on the colon of mankind." 

Look for a new Robert Williams book from Fantagraphics in the fall of 2009.  

Courtesy Robert Williams: