brand new Fletcher Hanks screenprint available for preorder

The hits just keep on coming!  We just completed this high-quality screenprint of Hanks's Fantomah in anticipation of the NYC book-launch for "You Shall Die By Your Own Evil Creation." Don't miss this event. Paul Karasik and Dan Nadel will be on hand to discuss the Hanks legacy and field questions, and the book looks amazing.

that's 7 -9 pm
Thursday July 23rd
at Desert Island
540 Metropolitan Ave

Preorder a print here:

preorder price: $20
($25 at the event and thereafter)
40 prints available
14" X 14" on heavy paper

new Michael Kupperman print

These amazing handmade screenprints are 12" X 16" and will be signed and available on July 10th when Mr. Kupperman appears at Desert Island to celebrate the release of TALES DESIGNED TO THRIZZLE VOL. 1. 

Smoke Signal is here

check out this Paul Hornschemeier print

We're working on this sweet print with Paul Hornschemeier, which will debut on June 5th when Paul does a signing at the store. We're only making and edition of 40 this time, so they will probably go fast. Preorder via paypal so you don't miss out:

WE ARE PUBLISHING A FREE ALL-COMICS NEWSPAPER

If you like the idea of a free comics paper, please come party with us
on May 25th [memorial day] at Union Pool

with a concert featuring:
Uninhabitable Mansions
Ambergris
Boogie Boarder
Darlings

for the purpose of raising funds
 for the production of a free all-comics newspaper
which will be known henceforth as
 SMOKE SIGNAL

Union Pool is located at 484 Union Ave in Brooklyn, NY (718) 609-0484
Right near the Lorimer L + Metropolitan G train stops

$8 admission - ALL of the money goes toward printing costs!
doors open at 7

-----------------------------------------------------------
if you would like to contribute work, please see http://www.desertislandbrooklyn.com/Newspaper.pdf

friday May 15th -> OVERSPRAY

Mark Newgarden & Megan Montague Cash THIS SUNDAY

Celebrating two new Bow-Wow books!

Sunday April 26th 4-6 pm
with milk and homemade cookies for all
plus: dog movies

Al Burian // Cat Chow // Cassie J Sneider on sunday!

reading @ 6 pm
sunday 4/5/09
punk rawk style
byob

Gabrielle Bell + Ariel Schrag signing on friday March 27th!

Gabrielle told me that she and Ariel used to sell their wares together on the street in the old days! Awesome. Glad they'll be visiting together for this signing.

Gabrielle Bell + Ariel Schrag
book release party, signing, and slide show
friday, March 27th from 7 to 9 pm
at Desert Island, 540 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn NY

be there!

I SAW YOU... COMICS INSPIRED BY REAL-LIFE MISSED CONNECTIONS

Super-fun book release party this friday, Feb 20th, at 7 pm.

Tons of contributing artists will attend, including Gabrielle Bell, Matthew Bernier, Abby Denson, Nate Doyle, Austin English, Sarah Glidden, Tom Hart, Sam Henderson, Joe Infurnari, Adam Kidder, Sam Merwin, Shannon O'leary, Joan Reilly, James Smith, Neil Swaab, Julia Wertz... and maybe a few more! Crazy.

you must watch this

Koren Shadmi book release party on friday the 13th

puppet show on Sunday the 25th!

Paping presents "Pop-up Theater"

A Puppet show in 3 acts

Sunday, January 25th

starting at 4 p.m.

suitable for all ages

FREE!

humanbeing lawnmower

Check out our flicker page for some snaps of this one... http://www.flickr.com/photos/popopnits/

Kramers Ergot tour hits on Dec. 6th

Feast your eyes on this schedule:

4-4:45 pm Sammy Harkham / John Pham
4:45 - 5:30 James McShane / Ron Rege Jr.
5:30 - 6:15 Gabrielle Bell / Adrain Tomine
6:15 - 7:00 David Heatley / Jonathan Bennett
7:00 - 7:45 Ben Katchor / Kim Deitch
7:45 - 8:30 Matthew Thurber / Jesse McManus
8:30 - 9:15 Sammy Harkham / Frank Santoro
9:15 - 10 Sammy Harkham / Kevin Huizenga






Thanks!

Rafael Grampá signing

Grampá is traveling from Brasil for this book release party for "Mesmo Delivery," his first graphic novel. His drawings are amazing! We're doing a deluxe screenprint with him of this image:

Check out his site for more images: http://furrywater.wordpress.com

Rafael Grampá
Mesmo Delivery NYC book-release
Friday, November 14th 7-9 p.m.
at Desert Island -> 540 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn NY

Matt Leines book release party

You gotta see this book - it's awesome!


Introduction by Gary Panter. Text by Taylor McKimens.

"If I stumble upon something, I'll just try to draw it in my sketchbook as quick as possible," New Jersey-based artist Matt Leines has said of his process. "I like to look at a lot of paintings from different cultures where you have to infer what is going on. If there is something I come across, an image, a composition, an idea, I just draw it--and I'll use the word bastardized--until the initial influence has disappeared and it exists only in my world." Leines--who was born in 1980 and remains inspired by all of the WWF wrestling and He-Man cartoons he absorbed in his youth--was at Providence's Rhode Island School of Design during the tail end of the now mythic scene that grew up around the raucous, DIY art space Fort Thunder. Leines, who studied illustration at RISD, has poured these influences into a graphic, illustrative technique that blends his experience of suburban American culture with styles he borrows from primitive and non-Western art, creating a highly original, new-fangled psychedelic stew. Recent obsessively detailed, highly patterned works done in ink, watercolor and pencil on paper feature a cast of aboriginal-looking men posing with spears or shrouded in ornate masks. For those not lucky enough to have bought a drawing when this now highly collectable artist was selling on eBay to the highest bidder, this volume-his first monograph-will more than suffice.

opening tonight at Scott Eder - looks good!

Happy Accident

Happy​ Accid​ent:​​ Dash Shaw,​​ Ken Dahl,​​ Jesse​ Rekla​w,​​ and Trevo​r Alixo​pulos​

Wedne​sday,​​ Octob​er 8th, 7:00 – 9:00 PM

Deser​t Islan​d
540 Metro​polit​an Ave, betwe​en Union​ and Lorim​er

woah!

have you seen this?

Leah Hayes performing at the store

Eleanor Davis and Dean Haspiel book-release party this friday

You may know Eleanor Davis from her incredible mini-comics and her regular contributions to MOME. Did you know she just made an awesome kid's book? It's called "Stinky," and it's about a monster who who loves pickles. It's really cute and funny, and it's published by Francoise Mouly and Art Spiegelman's TOON Books imprint.

Another new TOON book is "Mo and Jo" by Dean Haspiel and legendary underground cartoonist Jay Lynch. It's a tongue-in-cheek superhero story about two twins who love the same superhero but can't stand each other! Really fun stuff.

Join us this Friday, September 5th for a book-release party for both books, milk and cookies, and signings by the artists.

Who: Eleanor Davis and Dean Haspiel
What: book release party
When: Friday, September 5th from 6 - 9 p.m.
Where: Desert Island, 540 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn NY 11211
Why: to celebrate the release of "Stinky" and "Mo and Jo - Fighting Together Forever"

Leah Hayes this friday the 29th

Join us this friday for a live performance and book signing by the inimitable Leah Hayes and her musical alter-ego Scary Mansion. Some fun! All of Ms. Hayes' work wil be available for your perusal, as well as some special treats created just for this event.

"Scary Mansion’s vibe is sort of goth, and that's sort of key: Though Hayes’s songs (and accomplished artwork) show a flair for the dark side, she comes off as more clear-eyed and resolute than downcast."
-- Time Out New York

Come by at 6 for a beer and an autographed book.
Performance at 8

don't miss

Michael Kupperman
Friday, August 22nd
6 - 9 p.m.

We're very excited to host Michael Kuperman in celebration of his brand-new comic booklet. As you may know, Mr. Kupperman makes hilarious comics which look like old-timey woodcuts and don't make any damn sense. To mark the occasion, we have also created an amazing silkscreen print in the form of an advertisment for "Long John Silver's Sex Party Blimps."

more info here

we like this

showpaper #33

Showpaper is an amazing free one-sheet newsprint publication which comes out every two weeks, with all-ages shows on one side, and rad artwork on the other side. Joe + Gabby let us curate this one, and we selected Kevin Regan, who we know from the olden days in Florida. Check out Kevin's ongoing project about bilateral symmetry: Enantiomorphic Chamber

Rory Hayes book release

The controversial cartoonist Rory Hayes was a self-taught dynamo of the underground comics revolution. Attracting equal parts derision and praise, Hayes emerged as comics’ great primitive, drawing horror comics in a genuinely horrifying and hallucinatory manner. Hayes died in 1983 from a drug overdose at the tender age of 33.

Finally, a book exists of his work. "Where the Demented Wented: the Art and Comics of Rory Hayes," will see official release on Friday, August 8th (Rory's birthday), and we're having a party + panel discussion.

The party starts at 7, and the panel begins at 8 p.m. with Kim Deitch, Bill Griffith & Geoffrey Hayes, moderated by Dan Nadel.

Q&A to follow

A limited-edition silkscreen print will be available at the event for $20.

hello Goddess of War

Join us this Sunday from 4-7 p.m. to celebrate Lauren Weinstein's amazing new window display. Lauren will attend to sign her recent book, Goddess of War, and we'll also unleash our new collaborative screenprint.

goodbye ice cave

We would like to take a moment to give special thanks to our friend CHRIS PATCH, the man who created our amazing first window display. Chris's installation has been a neighborhood favorite for months, and was created with painstaking effort before the store opened this February. He formed the whole structure from sheets of cardboard and packing tape, and magically transformed it with a killer paint job.



The ice cave will come down on Sunday, July 27th in preparation for a new installation by Lauren Weinstein. Check out some of Chris's other work here: http://christopherpatch.com/home.html

good times

Thanks to everyone who came for Leslie Stein's party. Super fun! Here's a pic of Barry London rocking on the sitar:

BIG TIME MEGA-UPDATED EVENT SCHEDULE

All events on Fridays except as noted

SUNDAY August 3rd (4-7 p.m.):

LAUREN WEINSTEIN signing and party
celebrating Lauren's new window display + silkscreen print

---------------------------------------------------------------------

August 8th (7-10 p.m.):
RORY HAYES book release and panel discussion
featuring guests Kim Deitch, Bill Griffith, and Geoffrey Hayes

with a discussion moderated by Dan Nadel

celebrating the release of "Where the Demented Wented," a new collection of Rory's work published by Fantagraphics, as well as a new limited screenprint published by Desert Island

---------------------------------------------------------------------

August 15th (6-9 p.m.):

SAM HENDERSON signing + party
celebrating the release of Magic Whistle #11
and a limited-edition screenprint

---------------------------------------------------------------------

August 22nd (6-9 p.m.):
MICHAEL KUPPERMAN book release party
celebrating the release of Tales Designed to Thrizzle #4
as well as a limited-edition screenprint!

---------------------------------------------------------------------

August 29th (6-9 p.m.):
LEAH HAYES musical performance + book signing

holy crap

All of a sudden, we're publishing tons of silkscreen prints! Very exciting. They're really looking great, thanks to the expert printmaking assistance of Mark Herschede. If anybody needs a fine-art printmaker in Brooklyn, drop me a line and I'll introduce you.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

vice magazine guys annoying Johnny Ryan

magical mermaid moment

Listen to this one. My friend Dana came into the shop carrying an amazing old-timey plastic mermaid figure, looking to rid herself of the thing for various associative reasons. As I scratched my head and admired the mermaid, Janine (pictured) stepped up and offered to exchange her delicious vegan cupcakes for the piece. Rapture!

Gabrielle Bell book release party

don't sleep on this

Quoth Vice magazine: "Tomorrow night a great man will grace the city of New York with his presence. A man who makes his living drawing the son of God as a vaginal fart, penning single-panel gags for Nickelodeon magazine, and who helms the greatest comic series since the heyday of HATE. That man is named Johnny Ryan, and tomorrow from 6 to 9 he will sign his name on anything you ask him to at Desert Island Comics in Williamsburg. You would have to be retarded to pass up an opportunity like this."

how sweet it is!

Nancy Ford created this detailed tapestry especially for the store. We met her back in our Chicago days, and have always been enthralled by her neat stuff. She doesn't have a website, but her other work is really good too. Actually, she doesn't have a cell phone or a computer either! Wow. Do you know any New Yorkers like this? Anyway, come check out Nancy's piece in person - it's great.

coming up at the store

Friday June 6th:

MoCCA pre-party

celebrating the release of FIVE NEW BOOKS
from publishers Sparkplug, Bodega, and Secret Acres

Including

Austin English "Windy Corner #2"

Eamon Espey "Wormdye"

Sam Gaskin "Fatal Faux-Pas"

Dave Kiersh "Neverland"

Chris Wright "Inkweed"

have you seen this?

I'm speechless with amazement!

awesome

Thanks for coming on sunday! Great turnout for Joshua's book release and storytime event. We're gonna do storytime again next month so stay tuned!

The Moth or the Flame

Joshua Ray Stephens
Book Release and Signing

Sunday May 11th
6-9 p.m.


Come have a beer and celebrate this amazing new graphic novel!

our first event

It's official!

Desert Island was lucky enough to host Mark Newgarden and Paul Karasik last Friday, April 18th, for our inaugural event. Both gentlemen came into the shop as customers about a month prior, sniffed out the joint, and enthusiastically volunteered to participate in a book signing at the store. Very nice!


Paul and Mark pose outside the store


For the event, I encouraged Mark and Paul to participate in my fledgling "Show and Tell" series. Both guys responded with a wealth of material. Mark presented some censored and rejected artwork from his Topps days, including never before seen Garbage Pail Kids artwork, and other amazing unreleased series illustrated by John Pound and Drew Friedman. Paul Karasik also brought a special treat: Fletcher Hanks' earliest known work, which was created for a correspondence comics course in the 1920's and rescued from an attic by Mr. Karasik. Very interesting to see these unreleased gems!

from unreleased series "Ugly Americans"
artwork by John Pound

In the future, we will host "Show and Tell" nights for you guys to bring some of your collectible oddities from home. Stay tuned!