Comics community stalwart, and comics news-site pioneer, Tom Spurgeon passed away on Novermber 13, at age 50. Spurgeon founded The Comics Reporter in 2004 and piloted it for over a decade and a half, along the way creating arguably the most important online space for the dissemination of comics news and goings on in North America, enabling far flung and isolated comics readers to feel connected to the overall comics community. Prior to that he co-wrote the first serious biography of Stan Lee, and, from 1994 to 1999, was the editor of The Comics Journal. Recently, starting in 2015, he had taken on the additional duty of Executive Director of Comics Crossroads Columbus (CXC).
Among many generous acts, he donated his extensive personal collection of small press, self-published and hand made comics (aka "mini-comics") to help found The Dylan Williams Collection at the Billy Ireland Museum
He will be missed.
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photo by Rob Clough (we think)
Frank Santoro talk at the Carnegie Library – THIS Wednesday, November 6
THIS Wednesday, November 6, Frank Santoro will be giving a talk about Pittsburgh, his highly acclaimed graphic memoir, at the main branch of the Carnegie Library in Oakland, from. 6pm to 7pm. Free admission. Details HERE. PLEASE NOTE: Advance registration requested (required?).
MAILROOM VACATION = Internet Order Fulfillment Delay
PLEASE NOTE: The Copacetic Internet Order Fulfillment Department (aka The Mailroom™) will be closed for vacation from Monday, October 7 through Tuesday, October 15. As a result, all internet orders placed after 3pm Sunday, October 6 will not ship until Wednesday, October 16. We apologize for the delay and the concomitant inconvenience.
The shop itself will remain open.
PITTSBURGH Release Party – with Frank Santoro – Saturday 5 October
Please join us on Saturday, October 5, from 6pm to 9pm, as we welcome Frank Santoro to celebrate the release of his masterful, one-of-a-kind comics memoir, PITTSBURGH! This book has taken quite a circuitous route to finally be celebrated here in the city of its making: initially published to much fanfare in France, in the summer of 2018, it was another year until its September 17 release by the esteemed publisher, New York Review Comics, since which date Frank has been touring fall festivals supporting its release. Now, at last, we can join Frank and celebrate it here in Pittsburgh. We hope you can make it!
In the meantime, take a moment to read Mike Machosky’s great piece on Pittsburgh for the Tribune Review.
And anyone so inclined can get some substantial background on the making of this book in Frank's just published interview with Caitlin McGurk in The Comics Journal.
Still here? Then take a moment to watch this interview with Frank that is more or less an artist's statement; made at the 2019 Angoulême Festival.
Emil Friis Ernst Release Party!
On Friday, September 20, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, please join us in welcoming Emil Friis Ernst, who is travelling all the way from his native Denmark to celebrate the release of his premiere graphic novel, Dr. Murder and the Island of Death (yikes!). Be prepared for Emil to deliver a soliloquy in character as Dr. Murder, and then be among the first in North America to get their hands on his new work. Refreshments will be served.
You can check out a preview of Dr. Murder and much more at Emil's site, HERE.
