Tony Millionaire:

"I made a t-shirt for my kids school, see how many vaginas you find hidden in the drawing."

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Tony!

(Seriously though, I'm kind of coveting this shirt.)

Artwork from the collection of the late SPX Executive Director Jeff Alexander, who passed away last year, is being auctioned to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund this Saturday at 4:30 at SPX. Internet bids will also be accepted via email — see the link for details. Among the pieces being offered in this year's first annual auction are the original Billy Hazelnuts page by Tony Millionaire shown here, a couple of original Roger Langridge pages featuring Fred the Clown, and a Peter Bagge sketch which I couldn't find an image for. Preview the artwork and get more information here.

Our weekly strips from Kupperman & Weissman, plus links to other strips from around the web:

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Up All Night by Michael Kupperman (view at original size):

Barack Hussein Obama by Steven Weissman (view at original size):

And elsewhere:

Belligerent Piano by Tim Lane:

Humblug by Arnold Roth (3 new udpates):

Maakies by Tony Millionaire (and various tattoo artists):

Rumbling by Kevin Huizenga at What Things Do (we're late to add this — be sure to catch up on past installments)

Truth Serum by Jon Adams:

 Underworld by Kaz & co. (click for animated strip):

"Hey kids! Get off my lawn!"

That loving portrait of the incomparable Tony Millionaire can be found in the collection Heroes & Villains, out now from Zero+ Publishing. In fact, photographers Tatiana Wills and Roman Cho captured quite a few of our beloved artists in this volume! Take a look:

Johnny Ryan

Gabrielle Bell

Anders Nilsen

A book release and signing party is going on tonight in L.A., and an exhibition of selected photographs with contact sheets and Polaroids will be on view! I can't wait to see more!

LAUNCH LA
Thursday, September 1st, 7-10 pm
125 East 6th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013

Those of you lucky enough to be in Seattle this weekend be sure to drop by Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery on Saturday, September 3. You'll be among the first in the nation to screen "Hooked on Comix 3." Los Angeles filmmakers Audrey Mandelbaum and David P. Moore have been documenting the masters of alternative comix at the peak of their prowess since 1993.  Meet these exceptional filmmakers and see the latest installment of this truly wonderful documentary series, which features Dame Darcy and Tony Millionaire, two of Fantagraphics' most talented and eccentric cartoonists. The film will run continuously between noon and 3:00 PM. As an added incentive to attend — (like you need one) — we'll be offering 20% off on all books by the two stars on the film, all day long.

Fantagraphics Bookstore will be open Labor Day Monday, September 5 from 11:30 to 4:00 PM. Get all your back to school comix this weekend.

The new Diamond Previews catalog is out today and in it you'll find our usual 2-page spread with our releases scheduled to arrive in your local comic shop in November 2011 (give or take — some release dates may have changed since the issue went to press). We're pleased to offer additional and updated information about these upcoming releases here on our website, to help shops and customers alike make more informed ordering decisions.

Our Spotlight item this issue is the gorgeous oversized collection Mr. Twee Deedle: Raggedy Ann's Sprightly Cousin - The Forgotten Fantasy Masterpiece of Johnny Gruelle. Classic strip collectors will also be happy to see our final Krazy Kat Sundays softcover Krazy & Ignatz 1922-1924: At Last My Drim of Love Has Come True and — finally! — the big "Vol. 1" hardcover, Krazy & Ignatz: The Complete Sunday Strips 1916-1924. Plus the Tony Millionaire art book 500 Portraits, Amazing Mysteries: The Bill Everett Archives Vol. 1, Jason's new short story collection Athos in America, and the long-awaited 7th issue of Michael Kupperman's Tales Designed to Thrizzle!

See them all here!

When someone at Staten Island comic shop Comic Book Jones tweeted about their tattoo of the NYC cityscape based on a Tony Millionaire drawing, we knew we had to see it and share it with all our Flog readers. And look what else we found in their Twitpic archives: one of their customers with a neck tattoo (!) of Michael Kupperman's Snake 'n' Bacon and a panel from Tales Designed to Thrizzle #6 on his arm!

Our weekly strips from Kupperman & Weissman, plus links to other strips from around the web:

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Up All Night by Michael Kupperman (view at original size):

Barack Hussein Obama by Steven Weissman (view at original size):

And elsewhere:

Forming by Jesse Moynihan:

Humblug by Arnold Roth (3 new udpates):

Maakies by Tony Millionaire:

Truth Serum by Jon Adams:

...or rather, Jacob Covey's lovely cover design thereof. The area on the left will be faux cloth, while the right side will be uncoated paper — much like our Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse books. 500 Portraits should be available in about 3 months, give or take a couple weeks.

Russ informs us that punk legend Exene Cervenka of X fame dropped by Fantagraphics Bookstore on Monday evening with Phil Alvin of the Blasters to do some record and comix shopping. Visiting Seattle to perform at Neumos with X bandmate John Doe, Exene was reportedly pleased to find a copy of Talk to Her, a collection of interviews conducted by Krisitne McKenna. Exene is interviewed, along with counterculture celebrities like Lou Reed, Joey Ramone, Allen Ginsberg, Johnny Rotten, Joe Strummer, Chrissie Hynde, Joe Sacco, Elvis Costello, Walter Hopps, and Richard Hell, among others. The book includes portraits of interview subjects by Charles Burns, Daniel Clowes, Tony Millionaire and more. Pick one up. You won't be able to put it down.

P. S. Fans of X, The Blasters and other pioneering punk rawk acts would do well to get Destroy All Movies!!!: The Complete Guide to Punks on Film, which includes interviews with Exene and John Doe, a forward by Richard Hell, and chronicles countless cultural milestones. Essential.