Official Press Release
FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS AT COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL
OUR PLEDGE TO YOU: ALL COMICS, ALL THE TIME!
Your guide to signings, panels, new books, freebies, sales and more!
JULY 12 2010, SEATTLE, WA — Comic-Con is upon us, and it is time to spill the beans on some major news. Fantagraphics Books is excited to announce that at this year’s show we will have no celebrity tie-ins, no comic adaptations of summer blockbusters, no TV show spinoffs, no videogame companion books, and no major announcements regarding digital distribution.
We do, however, pledge to deliver more cartoonists, more classic comics collections, more original literary graphic novels, more high-quality foreign reprints of international cartooning, more graphic memoirs, more offbeat humor books, more envelope-pushing anthologies, and more and better books-about-comics and comics history than any other publisher on the floor.
Next week, Fantagraphics Books will close up shop in Seattle and relocate for one week to San Diego, CA for the 2010 Comic-Con International (to booth #1718, to be exact). With over 20 authors signing throughout the weekend – including the first-ever U.S. appearance by MOTO HAGIO, founder of Shojo Manga, as well as American comix legends CAROL TYLER, PETER BAGGE, TONY MILLIONAIRE ,THE HERNANDEZ BROTHERS and many others – as well as over a dozen new books debuting at the show, the weekend promises to be an exciting one for fans of comic books and graphic novels. Here is your guide to Fantagraphics Books’ signings, book debuts, panels and much more!
AUTHOR APPEARANCES AND RELATED PANELS:
Thursday:
12:00 – 1:00: Johnny Ryan & Esther Pearl Watson
1:00 – 2:00: Moto Hago & Jeannie Schulz
2:00 – 4:00: Gilbert & Jaime Hernandez
4:00 – 5:00: Carol Tyler
5:00 – 6:00: Blake Bell
Friday:
12:00 – 2:00: Gilbert & Jaime Hernandez
2:00 – 4:00: Moto Hagio & Carol Tyler
4:00 – 5:00: Stephen DeStefano & Andrei Molotiu
5:00 – 6:00: Johnny Ryan & Esther Pearl Watson
6:00 – 7:00: Blake Bell, Wendy Everett (daughter of Bill Everett)
10:30AM: Spotlight on Moto Hagio, moderated by Matt Thorn (Rm. 5AB)
12:00PM: Spotlight on Carol Tyler, moderated by Gary Groth
2:00PM: Peanuts 60th Anniversary Panel with Jeannie Schulz
Saturday:
10:00 – 11:00: Mike Vosburg & Mitch Schauer
11:00 – 12:00: Ben Schwartz, Blake Bell and Andrei Molotiu
12:00 – 1:00: Tim Hensley & Carol Tyler
1:00 – 3:00: Peter Bagge, Dame Darcy and Tony Millionaire
3:00 – 5:00: Gilbert & Jaime Hernandez
5:00 – 7:00: Moto Hagio & Stephen DeStefano
12:00PM: Spotlight on Peter Bagge, moderated by Jason Miles (Rm. 3)
1:30PM: Comics Criticism panel with Ben Schwartz & co. (Rm. 4)
1:45PM: Cartoon Network panel with Stephen DeStefano & Co.
3:00PM: Comics Reprint Revolution with Gary Groth (Rm. 8)
3:30PM: International Graphic Novels panel with Moto Hagio (Rm. 4)
Sunday:
10:00 – 12:00: Stephen DeStefano & Peter Bagge
12:00 – 1:00: Ted Stearn & Andrei Molotiu
1:00 – 2:00: Moto Hagio & Carol Tyler
2:00 – 4:00: Gilbert & Jaime Hernandez
12:30PM: The Funny Stuff: Humor in Graphic Novels with Peter Bagge (Rm. 8)
NEW FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS DEBUTING AT COMIC-CON:
For more art and information regarding any of the below titles, click the title link.
LUCKY IN LOVE BOOK ONE by George Chieffet and Stephen DeStefano • This debut graphic memoir of one man’s experiences in love and WWII is gorgeously drawn by fan favorite Stefan DeStefano, who will be signing copies on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
THE COMPLETE PEANUTS 1977 to 1978 (Vol. 14) by Charles M. Schulz • Our 14th (!) volume, featuring an introduction by Alex Baldwin! Jeannie Schulz, widow of Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz and President of the Schulz Museum, will be onhand Thursday to sign copies.
THE COMPLETE PEANUTS 1975-1978 Boxed Set by Charles M. Schulz • Collecting the 13th and 14th volumes, this gift box set won’t be in stores until October! Jeannie Schulz, widow of Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz and President of the Schulz Museum, will be onhand Thursday to sign copies.
A DRUNKEN DREAM AND OTHER STORIES by Moto Hagio • Our long-awaited foray into the world of Manga, collecting the best work from legendary artist Moto Hagio’s 30 year-plus career. Ms. Hagio will be an International Guest of Honor at this year’s convention, making her first-ever trip to the States and signing all four days of the show.
FROM SHADOW TO LIGHT: THE LIFE & ART OF MORT MESKIN by Steven Brower • A coffee-table retrospective and critical appreciation of the great golden age cartoonist and illustrator, Mort Meskin.
FIRE AND WATER: BILL EVERETT, THE SUB-MARINER AND THE BIRTH OF MARVEL COMICS by Blake Bell • Part-biography of Sub-Mariner creator Bill Everett, part history of the early days of Marvel Comics, and part gorgeous art book, from acclaimed historian and critic Blake Bell, who will be signing copies on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. On Friday, Bell will be joined by Wendy Everett, daughter of Bill Everett, to answer questions and share anecdotes about her father.
TOO SOON? by Drew Friedman • Featuring an introduction by Jimmy Kimmel, this gorgeous coffee-table book features over 15 years of Freidman’s skewering commercial art.
YOU’LL NEVER KNOW BOOK TWO: COLLATERAL DAMAGE by C. Tyler • The second book in Tyler’s critically-acclaimed graphic memoir focusing on her father’s experiences in WWII and how his experiences affected her family after the war. Tyler is a special guest of Comic-Con’s, appearing all four days and participating in an author spoitlight with Gary Groth on Friday at noon.
THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF ADÉLE BLANC-SEC VOL. 1 by Jacques Tardi • The book that inspired Luc Besson’s 2010 film adaptation is available in English for the first time!
LOVE & ROCKETS NEW STORIES #3 by Gilbert & Jaime Hernandez • Another Comic-Con, another new Love & Rockets, and another weekend-long appearance from Fantagraphics’ most towering creators, the great Gilbert & Jaime Hernandez. This issue will not disappoint, we promise you.
PRISON PIT 2 by Johnny Ryan • Last year’s most talked-about book at Comic-Con is back with the eagerly-anticipated second volume, and Johnny Ryan will be as well to sign your copies and answer questions about his mental health.
RIP, M.D. by Mitch Schauer & Mike Vosburg • This all-ages graphic novel by comics veteran Mike Vosburg and animation heavyweight Mitch Schauer will delight parents and children, and the creators will be on hand Saturday morning (natch) to sign copies.
NORMAN PETTINGILL: BACKWOODS HUMORIST by Norman Pettingill • Sporting an introduction by R. Crumb, this deranged art book will surely appeal to fans of outsider art, and although Mr. Pettingill is no longer with us, co-editors Gary Groth and Johnny Ryan will be happy to sign copies and tell you all about this unique visionary.
And, our four new releases in the Ignatz imprint from Fantagraphics Books:
NIGER 3 by Leila Marzocchi
SAMMY THE MOUSE 3 by Zak Sally
INTERIORAE 4 by Gabriella Giandelli
GROTESQUE 4 by Sergio Ponchione
In addition to these exciting author events and new releases, there will be several other surprises for visitors, as well. We’ve put together a number of unique sales for the show that you’ll have to come by to check out, and we’ve also raided our warehouse and gathered as many cool items as we could find to stuff into bags for everyone who makes a purchase at the booth, from rare postcard sets by Peter Bagge, long unavailable buttons featuring classic Fanta characters, free comic books, posters, and much more. We’ve put together about 500 of these goodie bags that will be available with every purchase, while supplies last.
We look forward to seeing you all there!
