I can't think of a nicer way to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit than with this Usagi Yojimbo exhibit at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles!  

The exhibit gets hoppin' this Saturday, July 9th, as the great Stan Sakai is in town to give a talk, a demonstration, and sign some books!

In fact, the whole day is jam-packed with fun activities, including screenings of anime films from the '20s and '30s, origami workshops, and a cooking lesson on how to make a broccoli carrot slaw, sure to satisfy any samurai!

Sakai-san explains himself, on his blog: 

I have been in a lot of exhibits, but this one will be the most comprehensive. It will not only display a lot of art in all phases of production, but also merchandising such as UY toys, pajamas, and statues. There will even be a section of Usagi art by other creators such as Frank Miller and even Stan Lee. A mini-documentary will be shown in the theater, with interviews with friends such as Sergio Aragones, Scott Shaw, Stan Lee, Geoff Darrow, and others. 

The exhibit runs 'til October 30th, but the opening day is FREE and open to the public, so why wait!

The Georgetown Art Attack celebrates independent artists on Saturday, July 9 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM as creative enterprises present a stellar array of visual and performing arts throughout the historic industrial arts corridor

Among the highlights: All City Coffee commemorates a decade as a Georgetown institution with a 10th Anniversary exhibition of neighborhood artists including Miaja Fiebig, Chris Pfeifle, Chris McMullen, Tom E. Hall, David Mazak, Edward Matlock and more; The Georgetown Trailer Park Mall marks its first anniversary with live music, treats and the recent addition of new art venues including the Shasta 1400 Pinata Trailer and the Interstate Art Space; "Peripheral Visions," a collection of work from Augie Pagan at the Firm; Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery presents "The Quiet Rrriot," an examination of the Riot grrrl zine movement featuring Megan Kelso, Nikki McClure and Stella Marrs; Elizabeth Scallon's "Space for Thoughts" at Vecta Photo; Nautilus Studio presents "De-Vice" by Yvette Endrijautzki and Brandon Bowman with recent work by Richard Olmsted; New work by Barry Sean Little at Calamity Jane's; "Half-Man, Half-Creature" group show at American Pie; paper mosaic art by Eric Edwards and music by The Sweet Spots at Georgetown Arts and Cultural Center; Krab Jab Studios presents Tenaya Sims with resident artists Mark Tedin, Julie Baroh, Michael Hoppe, Sandra Everingham, and artist-at-large Kyle Abernathy; a painting sale at Mary Tudor Studio; as well as diverse dining, adult libations, exotic shopping, and delightful distractions at every turn.

Then join us on Sunday, July 10 for the annual Georgetown Garden Walk. Maps are available at the Bank of America lot at 12th Avenue S. and S. Bailey St. The Georgetown Art Attack is a monthly promotion of the Georgetown Merchants Association (www.georgetownmerchants.org.) For a map of Art Attack participants visit: www.georgetownartattack.com.

For your viewing pleasure, Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery will be open on Monday, July 4 until 4:00 PM. This is the last weekend to take in Charles Peterson's fantastic exhibition Taking Punk to the Masses. Oooh, aaaah!

It's remarkable how Peterson's early works display sophisticated formal qualities while capturing the energy of the era. The halo of light in many of the candid concert shots is used to stunning effect. Also evident is the advent of his signature cinematic approach to still photography. 

Comix enthusiast Bruce Pavitt's Sub Pop fanzine of the early-80s featured the work of cartoonists like Lynda Barry and Charles Burns. His commitment to the emerging "Seattle Sound' in this period led to the phenomenal success of bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and others — all of whom released early recordings on his fledgling Sub Pop record label.

Notable horror writer Wilum Hopfrog Pugmire, editor of seminal Seattle zine Punk Lust, pictured here between low brow art collectors Marlow Harris and Jo David.

A rare public appearance by Art Chantry, perhaps the most influential graphic designer of his generation. He helped develop the aesthetics associated with grunge.

Look at this line up of kickass kuties: artist Lisa Petrucci, tattooist Sunny Buick visiting from Paris, and their art dealer extraordinaire Kirsten Anderson of Roq la Rue.

You can view the Peterson exhibition, and pick up the companion book, through July 5 at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery. See you all soon.

Curator Robert Boyd gives you a guided video walk-through of Walpurgis Afternoon: The Art of Jim Woodring & Marc Bell at Lawndale Art Center in Houston. Man I wish I could see this in person. The exibit runs through June 4.

I feel like I've been living under a rock! I just found out via Juxtapoz that an exhibit of Robert Crumb's original artwork from our bestselling book Kafka (written by David Zane Mairowitz) opened last week and runs through July 30 at Tony Shafrazi Gallery in New York City. There really has been an embarrassment of riches exhibit-wise for Crumb fans in NYC lately, hasn't there?

Sorry for the short notice on this must-see exhibit which opens tonight at Andrew Edlin Gallery in NYC:

"Andrew Edlin Gallery is pleased to present Zap: Masters of Psychedelic Art, 1965-74, curated by Gary Panter and Chris Byrne. The exhibition will include works by the seven artists from the original Zap lineup: Robert Crumb, Victor Moscoso, Rick Griffin, S. Clay Wilson, Gilbert Shelton, Spain Rodriguez and Robert Williams. The focus of the show is the early days of Zap, when these artists begat their visionary deconstruction of the comic book with remarkable innovations in storytelling and drawing. An accompanying catalogue is being published by the gallery."

'Nuff said! (Well, if it's not 'nuff, there's more info and links to preview the artwork here.)

UPDATE: More on the show from Gary at his blog!

Seven inches of superhero splendor from Seattle band Ancient Warlocks will be available at the Charles Peterson exhibition reception and Peter Bagge signing this Saturday, May 14 at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery.

Says Warlock Darren Chase, "The Superwizard single features two songs inspired by the comic books of yesteryear. The title track is a rock n roll tribute to Fletcher Hanks' mighty hero of the early 1940's, The Super Wizard Stardust. Thrill to the heavy sounds of Superwizard as Ancient Warlocks take you on a mission to stop the fiends bent on wrecking civilization! This pressing is on black vinyl with silkscreen cover art. It's limited to 300 hand numbered copies in three different sleeve colors. Grab yours before the supervultures snatch 'em all up!"

Darren will be on hand to sign copies and I'm sure we can convince DJ Russ to give it a spin during the Taking Punk to the Masses bash on Saturday from 6:00 to 9:00 PM.

Gary Panter will be in Paris for the opening of his art show at Galerie Martel on the 29th of April. On his blog he says "I am excited. I have many friends in France and it has been decades since I was there." 

Seattle's Experience Music Project is hosting festivities all weekend to launch their ambitious Nirvana exhibition  and companion book Taking Punk to the Masses, published by Fantagraphics in association with EMP. The celebration begins with a private reception, followed by a members preview, this Friday evening with celebrity DJs including Fantagraphics friends Steve Fisk, Mark Pickerel, and Charles Peterson. Activities continue all weekend, including a panel on the origins of grunge at 2:30 on Saturday, with panelists including Peterson and former Fantagraphics frontman Tom Price, moderated by curator and the book's author Jacob McMurray.

The EMP exhibition focuses on Nirvana, while the book takes a broader view of Seattle's grunge counterculture, primarily through artifacts and oral histories provided by many of the principals of the movement. It reads like a chronicle of my misspent youth. (I'm quoted on Page 1 along with Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, Wayne Kramer of the MC5, and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam.) Every page reveals another fascinating step in an evolving punk subculture that would eventually alter the course of popular music worldwide. Who would've guessed at the time? Not me.

It's appropriate that Fantagraphics published this document. Comix played an important role in shaping the attitude and aesthetics of Seattle's grunge movement. I often compare Seattle in the late 80s and early 90s to San Francisco in the mid-60s. Like the hippie movement in the Bay Area, the Northwest had distinctive rock music, poster graphics, and fashion (or anti-fashion) sensibilities. We also had an army of talented and perceptive alternative cartoonists to disseminate the emerging scene, none more influential than Peter Bagge. The book establishes that many Fantagraphics artists, friends and future employees were central to the development of Seattle's domination of the counterculture of the era.

I commissioned this poster by Weirdo and Real Stuff contributor Ashleigh Talbot (formerly Ashleigh Raffloer, AKA Triangle-Slash) for a 1988 show I promoted with the U-Men, a legendary proto-grunge outfit. This bill included famed illustrator Ed Fotheringham's Thrown Ups featuring Mark Arm on drums. Mark and Ed are pictured prominently in Peterson's cover photo for the book. Both Mark and Tom Price of the U-Men would later work for Fantagraphics. Tom is playing guitar with the U-Men on the announcement for Peterson's May 14 show at Fantagraphics Bookstore below.

The Nirvana exhibition at EMP continues through 2014. To supplement the EMP show, Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery will mount an exhibition of seminal work by accomplished Seattle photographer Charles Peterson opening May 14. He will be joined by Peter Bagge signing copies of Hate Annual #9 (featuring Buddy's return to Seattle) and the Yeah! collection. The show will be followed by a concert by Bagge's band Can You Imagine? featuring Steve Fisk on keyboards. You should just move to Seattle. OK?