DUCE COMIX
The fifth issue of Italy's Inguine Mah!gazine runs a Mussolini special, examining in comics and other media fascist dictator Benito Mussolini's history, legacy and current role in contemporary culture. According to a press release, the issue includes a piece by Aleksandar Zograf, "asking himself what his countryman Milosevic and our Mussolini could have in common. David Vecchiato illustrates a short story by Elettra Stamboulis, based on the personal diary of ancient art's historian Ranuccio Bianchi Bandinelli. He was Mussolini and Hitler's guide during one of the journeys Hitler made in Italy. Paper Resistence's 'corrosive' illustrations show, in a gloomy and cold atmosphere, the key elements of fascist ideology, while Costantini... illustrates an authentic love conversation at the phone, between Duce and Claretta. Stefano Zattera and Eric Drooker's illustrations complete the visual path of this issue." The issue also debuts for Italian readers Joe Sacco's "More Women, More Chidren, More Quickly," a 22-page story about his mother's experiences in Malta during World War II and included in Fantagraphics' "Notes From a Defeatist" compilation. Issues of Inguine cost 5 Euros.
INFO: Inguine
posted by Egon on Wednesday, November 10, 2004

DEITCH IN THE NY PRESS
The November 10 - 16 issue of the New York Press runs a full-color, one page strip by Kim Deitch. In the piece, starring both Deitch and Waldo the Cat, the artist briefly takes stock of his life following the November 2 U.S. Presidential election.
LINK: New York Press
posted by Egon on Wednesday, November 10, 2004

CRUMB HANDBOOK TK
Publishers Marketplace's "Publishers Lunch" newsletter reports that London's MQ Publications will publish "The Crumb Handbook," a book "both by and about the famed counter-culture cartoonist, containing 'much new work.'" The publisher's "Handbook" series also includes books about Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley. "Publishers Lunch" also reports that Editions Denoel has acquired French rights to "The Book of Genesis According to Robert Crumb," the new graphic novel previously announced by W. W. Norton.
INFO: Publishers Marketplace
LINK: MQ Publications
posted by Egon on Tuesday, November 09, 2004

"YEAR'S BEST" COMICS & MANGA
St. Martin's Press will publish "The Year's Best Comics and Manga" as part of that publisher's "Year's Best" series, set to debut in Autumn 2005 and edited by Byron Preiss and Howard Zimmerman, the Beat reports. The anthology "will present a collection of the best comics and manga published June, 2003-December, 2004. The material will range from work published by small, independent presses to the giants of the industry, as well as feature an introduction by New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman. For further information on submitting content for consideration, professionals can go to www.komikwerks.com."
INFO: The Beat
LINK: Komikwerks
posted by Egon on Tuesday, November 09, 2004

TYPOCRAT DEBUTS
Typocrat Press, a London-based publisher "specializing in putting out the best contemporary European comics and graphic novels in high quality English editions," debuts with French-Swiss artist Alex Baladi's "Frankenstein Now and Forever," published in its original edition by Atrabile. The book will be released in the U.S. in early March, and sample pages are availabe via the publisher's website. "We will be publishing around three or four books a year by the best European artists, as well as a regular anthology series featuring a host of outstanding talents from across the continent."
INFO: Typocrat
posted by Egon on Monday, November 08, 2004

KRAMERS ERGOT 5 AVAILABLE
Kramers Ergot 5, edited by Sammy Harkham, is now available for purchase via Buenaventura Press's online store. The 320-page full-color book includes contributions from Gabrielle Bell, Mat Brinkman, Chris Forgues, Harkham, Gary Panter, Fabio Viscogliosi and Chris Ware, among others. The book costs $32.95 plus shipping and will be available via the Bueneaventura shop through mid-November.
INFO: Buenaventura Press
posted by Egon on Monday, November 08, 2004

IN PRAISE OF POGO
The Boston Review runs a lengthy appreciation of Walt Kelley's "Pogo" by John Crowley. "The mystery that Pogo presents, then, is how these miniature cartoon beings, not even people, not even animals for that matter, sketchily drawn however skillfully, can evoke in a reader such a range of feeling. Is there a bare minimum of representation that we can respond to as fully limning us? Do the bodies of our souls perhaps have longways oval eyes, though our physical bodies do not, allowing us to respond to these characters as fellow creatures with inner lives as rich as our own?"
INFO: Boston Review
posted by Egon on Monday, November 08, 2004

NPR ON GNs
Dan Nadel discussed Jaime Hernandez's "Locas" and Gary Panter's "Jimbo in Purgatory" for the October 2 episode of NPR's Weekend America. The episode is archived online as an audio file, accompanied by a slideshow of images from the two books.
INFO: NPR: Weekend America
posted by Egon on Monday, November 08, 2004