Oops, I put yesterday's update together but forgot to click "publish." Here's a two-fer, then:

• Review: Rain Taxi says Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw is one of the best graphic novels of 2008

• Event: Chapman University in Orange, CA has an exhibit of original comic art by Tony Millionaire, Jeffrey Brown and Adrian Tomine currently showing through March 13

• News: On her blog, Ellen Forney celebrates the news that I Love Led Zeppelin is to be published in a Czech edition

• Things to see: New sketchbook drawings and comics by Anders Nilsen

• Things to see (and buy): Prints by John Hankiewicz

Emailed to me this morning by my dear ol' pal, Tony Millionaire: "I'll be coming to Seattle in May, we should have a good time. I'm going to punch your baby in the face, teach her a lesson about hard reality." 

Looking forward to it, man! 

 

 

Mark your calendars: An exciting offering of diverse exhibitions, performances and signings are on tap in the coming months at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery in Seattle. These and other lively events will keep the space jumpin' into the summer.

Esther Pearl Watson
UNLOVABLE
Opening reception and book signing Saturday, February 7, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
Exhibition continues through March 4, 2009
(more event info)

HUMBUG
Original art, artifacts and ephemera from Harvey Kurtzman's classic humor magazine.
Public preview Saturday, March 7, 11:30 to 8:00 PM
Exhibition continues through April Fools Day, 2009
(more about Humbug)

Dame Darcy
Music performance and book signing
Saturday, March 14, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
(more about Dame Darcy)

Jaime Hernandez and Stan Sakai
Original art by two masters of the medium.
Opening reception and book signing Saturday, April 4, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
Exhibition continues through May 6, 2009
(more about Jaime Hernandez and Stan Sakai)

Tony Millionaire
DRINKY CROW
Opening reception and book signing Saturday, May 9, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
Exhibition continues through June 10, 2009
(more about Tony Millionaire)

JASON
Opening reception and book signing Saturday, June 13, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
Exhibition continues through July 8, 2009
(more about Jason)

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is located at 1201 S. Vale Street (at the corner of Airport Way S.) in Seattle's Georgetown arts community. Phone 206.658.0110. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM.

Back in stock: signed bookplates for Big Baby, El Borbah and Skin Deep by Charles Burns; Percy Gloom by Cathy Malkasian; and Billy Hazelnuts by Tony Millionaire. How do you acquire these delightful hand-signed-by-the-artist little extras, you might ask? We give 'em away for FREE when you buy their respective books from us (while supplies last)!

Some conditions apply; click here for more details and the complete list of books available with this FREE premium!

I just remembered this timely factoid about the Tony Millionaire Leviathan that appears in BEASTS! Book One: These sketches (embellished with Tony's esoteric notes) are the actual reference material that was used by animators to create the look of the recurring "whale fish" for the Drinky Crow Show.

• Comic Book Resources talks to the mighty Tony Millionaire about The Drinky Crow Show &c.

• Jacob Covey finally posts his most recent batch of TMNT sketches on Flickr

• Uncanny Coincidence of the Week

U.S. readers, enjoy your holiday tomorrow.

There appears to be a whole bunch of The Drinky Crow Show that you can watch right now on adultswim.com. Note to self!

I just noticed that the clip reel at Mirari Films has some previews of upcoming Drinky Crow Show episodes and it looks like they're just going to get better. (Also shows a little of the Buddy Bradley animation they did.)

Also, if you don't have cable I understand that each week they stream the shows on the Adult Swim Website.

• Webcomics avatar/fictional comic shop clerk Lydia includes The Lagoon and Petey & Pussy in her staff picks this week in The Rack

• Here's a transcript of Gary Panter's panel discussion with C.F. and Dan Nadel at the Tokion Creativity Now Conference

• Sequart looks at Sublife Vol. 1 by John Pham

• Syndicate Product gives a quick overview of The Complete Peanuts

• Wart plugs the January 2009 release of the French edition of Jason's Pocket Full of Rain (in French)

• The Phoenix compares The Drinky Crow Show (debuting this weekend!) to its source material, Tony Millionaire's Maakies

• Wow, check out this amazing mosaic made of Peanuts strips at the Schulz Museum (photo by David Lasky)