The opening of Drew Friedman's "My Way" art show at Scott Eder Gallery in Brooklyn last month was JAM PACKED!

Drew's family was there! (Brothers Josh, Kipp & Drew; dad Bruce Jay & Kipp):

A bunch of cool stuff was on display in addition to the art on the walls!

Get the whole report and see a whole slew more photos at Drew's blog. Wish I coulda been there!

Still from "In Suspense" by Lilli Carré

A "moving hold" is an animation technique that involves cycling several drawings of a stationary character, giving the drawn lines a sense of vibration and energy. And it's also the title of the Lilli Carré exhibit opening in Chicago this week!

Moving Holds opens this Friday, April 20th at Western Exhibitions. For the show, Carré has created three different sets of work that all incorporate moving holds, as an idea, a technique, or both. Don't miss the opening reception from 5:00 to 8:00 PM this Friday!

Western Exhibitions is located at 119 N Peoria St, 2A, in Chicago, IL.  Moving Holds runs through May 19, 2012.

OhmyGOD. Our friends at PressPop have curated the show of my comic/music/critter-lovin' dreams!!!

Three Sides Chicago: Squares, Squirrels & Dots spotlights the work of Archer Prewitt, alongside Sam Prekop and Eric Claridge, who also happen to be his bandmates in The Sea & Cake.

The Tokyo exhibit opens today (Monday, March 26th) in Tokyo at Shibuya Parco B1F LIBRO, and when the show closes on April 8th, all three gentlemen (pun not intended) will be at the store for a signing!

And then on April 4th, a simultaneous show will open at the Trancepop Gallery in Kyoto featuring different artwork from the Tokyo show!  Archer, Eric & Sam will be there for the opening reception for a signing, as well. The exhibit will run in Kyoto until April 22nd.

Hmm, how about a Seattle show?? Whaddaya say, Presspop?!

The Real Comet Press Retrospective reception at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery on Saturday was a festive affair.

A very special canine friend appeared courtesy of former Fantagraphics administrative assistant Kirsten Olsen and her husband Greg: the infamous "Poodle With a Mohawk" in person.

DJ Russ of Fallout fame with the Charles Burns-inspired beer of the same name, which made its debut at the party.

Northwest comix legend Michael Dougan appeared to sign copies of East Texas and pay tribute to his first publisher. What a fun event.

[Ed. Note: Stay tuned for even more photos and video from the event!]

Visitors to the Real Comet Press Retrospective at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery on Saturday will be among the first people on the planet to sample the latest Charles Burns-themed beer from Elysian Brewing. The 3rd installment of the 12 Beers of the Apocalypse, offically released on March 21, is a green cardamom ale called Fallout. That's appropriate becuase DJ Russ Fallout will be spinning art damaged punk platters from the 80s in honor of the heyday of Real Comet Press.

We have an amazing array of wonderful artworks, iconic graphics, rare books and long out-of-print comix by the many gifted authors, artists, critics, and cartoonists that helped lay the foundation for Seattle's later ascendence to the forefront of global pop culture. Real Comet Press publisher Cathy Hillenbrand is a goddam civic treasure. Join hosts Michale Dougan, Art Chantry, and Ruth Hayes as we show our appreciation for Cathy's countless contributions to the cultural climate of the region. 

Among the many highlights of the Real Comet Press Retrospective opening Saturday, March 10 at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is a rare public appearance by Michael Dougan. This influential cartoonist helped attract an influx of young artists thoughout the 1980s, as Seattle became a beacon of the alternative comix movement. Real Comet Press published his masterful East Texas anthology and the companion poster "The Bigger the Hair, The Closer to God," which, along with Lynda Barry's "Poodle With a Mohawk," became one of the enduring images of the era. 

Also appearing will be graphic artist Art Chantry. His early Real Comet Press book of Seattle punk posters, Instant Litter, will be featured in the exhibition. It was prescient of Chantry to appreciate the value of these fugitive artifacts of a music scene that within a decade would influence popular culture on a global scale.

One of the few Real Comet Press publications that will be offered for sale at the retrospective, albeit in limited quantities, is Lynda Barry's first book, Boys + Girls, in the original format designed by Mark Michaelson and Helene Silverman. Publisher Cathy Hillenbrand often employed the gifted art directors of Seattle's Rocket magazine as book designers. Mark and Helene later established stellar careers in New York. (Helene is slated to accompany husband Gary Panter to his appearance at Fantagraphics Boostore later this year upon our publication of Dal Tokyo. Stay tuned.) 

Don't miss the amazing exhibition of original art, comix, book works and ephemera, as well as many of the artists, authors and personalitites associated with the seminal stages of Seattle's alternative culture on Saturday, March 10 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. Should be quite a reunion.

This coming Thursday, March 8th, they get to go to the opening of a Joost Swarte art show, with Swarte himself in attendance signing copies of his new book Total Swarte (i.e. the French edition of what we just released as Is That All There Is?).

Then, they will all head off to various cafés, with baguettes under their arms and berets on their heads, to drink wine, eat cheese, smoke, and argue until the wee hours of the morning. For they are French, and that is what the French do.

The Joost Swarte art show runs through May 5, 2012 at Galerie Martel [ 17 Rue Martel, Paris ].

Monday, March 5th

• New York City, NY: Groundbreaking artist Diane Noomin will be making a rare appearance to celebrate the release of  her first-ever collection Glitz-2-Go at the Yeshiva University Museum! This event is part of the Graphic Details: Confessional Comics by Jewish Women exhibit currently running through April. Diane will be introduced by Dan Friedman, the Arts & Culture Editor of the Jewish Daily Forward. (more info)

Wednesday, March 7th

• Seattle, WA: It's your last chance to check out our group exhibition "Funny Valentines: A Tribute to Jack Davis," a celebration of legendary artist Jack Davis featuring original artwork by Peter Bagge, Nikki Burch, Art Chantry, Tom Dougherty, Jesse Edwards, Ellen Forney, Art Garcia, Roberta Gregory, Charles Krafft, Jason T. Miles, Pat Moriarity, Tom Neely, Joe Newton, Ries Niemi, John Ohannesian, Augie Pagan, Eric Reynolds, Bob Rini, Johnny Ryan, Frank Santoro, SHAG, Matthew Southworth, and Jim Woodring. (more info)

Thursday, March 8th

• Paris, France: Joost Swarte debuts an art show at the Bienvenue à la Galerie Martel, and will be in attendance signing copies of Is That All There Is? (or as it is known in France, Total Swarte). More information about this event is coming to the FLOG soon!

Saturday, March 10th

• Seattle, WA: The Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery celebrates the legacy of local arts activist Cathy Hillenbrand with “Real Comet Press: A Retrospective.”  This exhibition features art, graphics and book works by regional artists nurtured by Real Comet Press including Lynda Barry, Michael Dougan, Art Chantry, and Ruth Hayes, among others.  A limited number of out-of-print Real Comet Press titles will be available for sale (including the iconic Lynda Barry poster “Poodle with a Mohawk”). (more info)

My, oh my! Remember that Max retrospective exhibition showing in Mexico last year? It's moved to a museum in Madrid! Magnificent!

Max wrote the following on his blog:  "I never dreamed one of my drawings could hang so big in a urban scenery, but there it is, on the wonderful neoclassical front of the Cervantes building in Alcalá street, facing the Bank of Spain. Hundreds of thousands of people walked right below it on last Sunday's demonstration against the new Work Reformation Law. Maybe some of them noticed that the figure on the first panel stands for an unemployed worker (the factory chimney on the background being not active). "

Occupy Madrid, Max!!!

Titled Panóptica, the exhibit spotlights his work from 1973-2011 with 120 original pieces, including posters, childrens books, magazine illustrations, and more. There are more in-depth photos online here.

The exhibition runs at the Instituto Cervantes [ Exhibition Hall, C/ Alcalá ] in Madrid through May 13, 2012.

Zak Silly // photo credit: Jason T. Miles

Celebrate Sammy with Zak Sally in Chicago! 

As we've reported on the FLOG, Zak has just released Sammy the Mouse Vol. 1, a self-published, self-printed collection of the first three issues of his Eisner-nominated Ignatz series. It is a handcrafted thing of beauty, and you can behold it yourself on Friday, March 23rd at Quimby's [ 1854 W. North Ave. ] at 7:00 PM.

Zak will be joined by John Porcellino and Dale Flattum, making this an event you surely cannot miss!

And then on Saturday, March 24th, this trio of talented men will be at Johalla Projects [ 1821 W. Hubbard St, Suite 110 ], for the opening reception of "Physical Evidence," a show of their comics, printmaking, zines and more!

Chicago comics fans are in for a wonderful weekend! Don't miss it!