Desert Island

We're not really using this blog any more

2011-06-22T16:53:00.003-04:00

For the latest Desert Island news, info, and visuals, please see our other websites:

- www.desertislandbroklyn.com

- Our Facebook page

- Tumblr

Thanks guys!

Peter Bagge and Leslie Stein at Desert Island on 4/8

2011-04-01T15:25:00.003-04:00

RSVP here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=101687159915542&ref=ts

Tony Millionaire at Desert Island this Thursday

2011-01-24T16:50:00.002-05:00

We will have tons of Tony's books and a new print for you to get signed. Come hang out!

Welcome to the future!

2011-01-07T15:09:00.004-05:00

Lots of amazing guests coming to the store this year

Namely:
Thursday Jan. 27th
Tony Millionaire
book signing
7 - 9 PM

Wednesday Feb. 16th
James Kirkpatrick
book release party and signing
7 - 9 PM

Friday April 8th
Peter Bagge
book signing
7 - 9 PM

Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival

2010-12-02T13:59:00.004-05:00

>THIS SATURDAY<
Dec. 4th - from Noon to 9 pm - FREE ADMISSION

275 North 8th St, Brooklyn, NY

Signing at the Desert Island table:
1 - 2 PM: Nate Neal and Derek Van Gieson
2 - 3 PM: Johnny Ryan
3 - 4 PM: Michael Kupperman and Anders Nilsen
4 - 5 PM: Kim Deitch
5 - 6 PM: Bill Griffith
6 - 7 PM: Mark Alan Stamaty

PROGRAMMING EVENTS:
Downstairs at Our Lady of Mount Carmel | 275 North 8th Street, Brooklyn
All panels moderated by Bill Kartalopoulos unless otherwise indicated

1:00 | LYNDA BARRY AND CHARLES BURNS IN CONVERSATION
Lynda Barry drew the syndicated weekly comic strip Ernie Pook's Comeek
for more than two decades, and has authored books including Cruddy,
One Hundred Demons, What It Is, and this year's Picture This. Charles
Burns is the author of acclaimed graphic novel Black Hole and the
recent full color book X'ed Out. Join us for this conversation between
two extraordinary artists who also share a personal history as former
classmates.

2:00 | THE ART OF EDITING
In 1980, Françoise Mouly co-founded, with Art Spiegelman, the
ground-breaking comics anthology RAW. She is also the Art Editor of
The New Yorker and the Editorial Director of the TOON Books line of
children's comics. Sammy Harkham is the editor of the Kramers Ergot
series, which has articulated a new aesthetic for comics – and comics
anthologies – with each monumental volume. Harkham and Mouly will
discuss the pleasures and problems of editing.

3:00 | TAKING INVENTORY: THE STORY OF THINGS
In their most conventionally narrative form, comics develop a
storyboard-like continuity from panel to panel. But how isolated can a
panel be? Renée French, James McShane, Jungyeon Roh and Leanne Shapton
will discuss the ways in which they construct or suggest narratives by
assembling images of objects and moments that retain their individual
integrity.

4:00 | IRWIN HASEN: WHEN COMIC BOOKS WERE NEW
Comic books came into their own with the success of Superman’s 1938
debut. By 1940, Irwin Hasen was working in this new field, drawing
early comics featuring Green Lantern and Wildcat before co-creating
the comic strip Dondi and, recently, the 2009 graphic novel Loverboy.
Evan Dorkin and Paul Pope will join moderator Dan Nadel for a special
conversation with an artist who has been working in comics for seventy
years.

5:00 | ANDERS NILSEN Q+A
Anders Nilsen’s fine line, radical graphic experimentation, and humane
philosophical investigations distinguish him as one of the most
notable cartoonists of his generation. This winter sees the conclusion
of his series Big Questions, an epic epistemological adventure
featuring several cartoon birds (some of them dead) and one
disoriented fighter pilot. Anders will discuss his art and career in
this spotlight conversation.

6:00 | HOW NANCY IS: THE SEMIOTICS OF THE GAG
Ernie Bushmiller’s iconic comic strip Nancy has been described as “a
mini-algebra equation masquerading as a comic strip” drawn by “a moron
on an acid trip.” Bill Griffith (Zippy the Pinhead), Mark Newgarden
(How To Read Nancy), and Johnny Ryan (Angry Youth Comix) will discuss
the unshakeable appeal of Nancy and the essence of gag humor in their
comics.

7:00 | CHAOS AND PATTERN
Artwork that is dense with compositional detail, line, pattern and
texture encourages a lingering, wandering eye. How does this kind of
drawing work in comics? Brian Chippendale, Jordan Crane, Keith Jones
and Mark Alan Stamaty will consider the relationship between densely
made drawing and the propulsive concerns of visual narrative.

SATELLITE EVENTS AND EXHIBITS

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3
“Nazi Knife” Exhibit Opening
Location: Secret Project Robot | 210 Kent Ave, Brooklyn
Time: 8:00 – 10:00 pm

A collection of images curated by the French collective Nazi Knife,
whose eponymous anthology has become a post-millennial clearing house
for the psyche-grotesque and other non-narrative drawing in the
transgressive post-punk French tradition. Artists include: C.F., Mat
Brinkman, Hendrik Hegray, Jonas Delaborde, Andy Bolus, Leon Sadler,
Massimiliano Bomba, Stephane Prigent.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5
The Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival presents:
Cartoonists and Comics On Camera, 1916-1962
Location: The Knitting Factory | 361 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn
Time: 3:00 – 5:00 pm

A once-in-a-lifetime presentation of rare footage featuring 20th
century comics greats and some unusual animated adaptations of their
work, curated by Mark Newgarden. See Rube Goldberg, Otto Soglow,
Chester Gould, Frank King, Harold Grey, Hal Foster (and many more) at
the drawing board! See Jefferson “Gags And Gals” Machamer act! See a
drawing lesson from Fred C. Cooper! Plus Krazy Kat, Al Capp, Jacky’s
Diary and many more surprises! And join us afterwards for drinks at
the Knitting Factory’s front-room bar.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7
“Renée French: Drawings” Exhibit Opening
Location: Adam Baumgold Gallery | 60 East 66th Street, NY, NY
Time: 7:00 pm

Adam Baumgold Gallery presents a selection of Renée French's exquisite
graphite-on-paper drawings from 2007 to the present. Included here are
sequences from her acclaimed new graphic novel, H Day, as well as a
series of metaphorical "portraits" -- uncanny visages made up of
microscopic details.

The Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival is an ongoing project by
Desert Island, PictureBox and Bill Kartalopoulos. More information
about the Festival is available online at
www.comicsandgraphicsfest.com.

Direct link for Programming Schedule:
http://www.comicsandgraphicsfest.com/?page_id=81

Direct link for Satellite Events:
http://www.comicsandgraphicsfest.com/?page_id=83

Direct link to Press Release on our site:
http://www.comicsandgraphicsfest.com/?p=158

How To Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less

2010-11-02T15:01:00.004-04:00

Leslie Stein profile from Etsy

2010-10-23T01:25:00.002-04:00

Check out this video portrait of our cartoonist pal Leslie Stein from 2008 (with a cameo in our shop). Her comics are great, and she has a book coming out with Fantagraphics in 2011.

Larry Storch at Desert Island

2010-10-09T00:58:00.001-04:00

Larry Storch appeared at Desert Island with Drew Friendman for the book launch of Friedman's "Too Soon?"

Drew Friedman at Desert Island

2010-10-05T14:08:00.002-04:00

This will be a good one! Drew Friedman in person at Desert Island, interviewed by Dave the Spazz from WFMU, celebrating his new book TOO SOON? We'll also have a new limited edition print published by Desert Island. Good times!

Here's his wikipedia entry in case you've had your eyeballs shut for the past 30 years:

Drew Friedman (born 1958) is an American cartoonist and illustrator who first gained renown for his humorous artwork and "stippling"-like style of caricature, employing thousands of pen-marks to simulate the look of a photograph. In the mid-1990s he switched to painting. His painstaking attention to detail and photorealistic parodies of Hollywood legends is widely admired.
Friedman's work has appeared in such periodicals as Entertainment Weekly, Newsweek, Time, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, The New Republic, The New York Observer, Esquire, RAW, Rolling Stone, and MAD Magazine.

Although in recent years Friedman has mostly worked doing caricature illustrations for mainstream publications, he first attracted public attention in the 1980s producing morbid alternative comics stories, sometimes working solo but often with his brother Josh Alan Friedman writing the scripts. These stories portrayed celebrities and character actors of yesteryear in seedy, absurd, tragi-comic situations. One memorable story followed Bud Abbott and Lou Costello wandering the urban jungle at night, encountering whores, junkies and other lowlifes. Friedman created strips featuring actor/wrestler Tor Johnson in his iconic hulking moron persona from Ed Wood, Jr. films. The brothers also wrote stories about talk-show host Joe Franklin, including one strip, written by Drew, for Heavy Metal magazine, The Incredible Shrinking Joe Franklin, that prompted Franklin to sue for $40 million. The suit was later dismissed.[citation needed] These stories were generally meant to be amusing, although they were extremely dark and a few were tragic. Drew Friedman's work won high praise from such notable figures as Kurt Vonnegut Jr., who compared him to Goya,[citation needed] and R. Crumb, who wrote, "I wish I had this guy's talent".[citation needed]
The Friedman brothers were first published in RAW Magazine. Working with and without his brother, Drew's comics were published in Heavy Metal, Weirdo, High Times, National Lampoon, and other comics anthologies from the '80s into the early '90s. The brothers published two collections, Any Similarity to Persons Living or Dead is Purely Coincidental and Warts and All. In a Comics Journal interview, Drew Friedman lamented that he and his brother had failed to earn a living creating work that was time- and labor-intensive yet earned little. Josh gave up comics to become a journalist and a musician.[citation needed]
Beginning in 1986, Drew illustrated a monthly feature, "Private Lives of Public Figures," for (the now-defunct) SPY magazine; these illustrations were compiled in a book published by St. Martin's Press in 1992. He also provided illustrations for Howard Stern's two best-selling books, Private Parts and Miss America. Friedman served as comics editor for the National Lampoon in 1991,[citation needed] introducing the works of (among others) Daniel Clowes and Chris Ware to a wider audience. Since 1994 he has provided regular front-page illustrations for the New York Observer.
In 2006, Friedman published Old Jewish Comedians (Fantagraphics Books), a collection of portraits of famous and forgotten Jewish comics of film and TV in their old age, about which Steven Heller, in the New York Times Book Review, wrote: "A festival of drawing virtuosity and fabulous craggy faces, . . . Friedman might very well be the Vermeer of the Borscht Belt."[1] A sequel, More Old Jewish Comedians (Fantagraphics Books), was published in 2008. A collection of newer work, The Fun Never Stops! was published by Fantagraphics in 2007, containing many comics co-written by his frequent collaborator and wife, K. Bidus. Booklist listed it as One of the Ten Best Comics Collections of 2007.[citation needed]
He is the son of author/satirist Bruce Jay Friedman.

Nate Neal - Sanctuary launch party and Tribal Ritual

2010-09-23T19:48:00.004-04:00

for more info visit
http://natenealsanctuary.blogspot.com/

Julia Wertz & Aaron Renier event

2010-08-25T20:25:00.003-04:00

Aaron Renier / Julia Wertz
DOUBLE BOOK LAUNCH!!
(extra exclamation mark necessary for the doubleness!)

Aaron Renier and Julia Wertz will be teaming up to launch The Unsinkable Walker Bean and Drinking at the Movies at Desert Island on September 3rd, 2010 from 7 to 9 pm

Come down to Desert Island for slideshows, an exclusive silkscreen print collaboration from Aaron and Julia, and lots of fun times.

Desert Island is at 540 Metropolitan Avenue, only a block away from the Metropolitan/Lorimer G/L train. You should stop by!

Peter Bagge is doing the next Smoke Signal cover

2010-07-29T19:20:00.002-04:00

(this isn't it)
(but we are psyched!)

Denis Kitchen and Charles Brownstein

2010-07-13T02:05:00.006-04:00

click on the pic to hear the whole talk!

Underground legend Denis Kitchen friday July 9th

2010-07-08T01:20:00.004-04:00

Mr. Kitchen on the left, photo by Alan Light

Legendary underground comics publisher and cartoonist Denis Kitchen will appear at Desert Island on Friday July 9th for a book signing and talk with Charles Brownstein. Brownstein is the the current director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, which was founded by Mr. Kitchen in 1986.

This event celebrates "The Oddly Compelling Art of Denis Kitchen," a new hardcover book featuring artwork from Kitchen's forty-plus years in the comics industry, an introduction by Neil Gaiman, and an extensive biographical essay by CBLDF president Charles Brownstein.

Denis Kitchen
in conversation with Charles Brownstein
followed by book signing

Friday, July 9th, 7-9 pm
Desert Island
540 Metropolitan Ave
Brooklyn NY 11211
http://www.desertislandbrooklyn.com/

RSVP on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=135106543180795&index=1

Denis Kitchen grew up in Wisconsin, attending William Horlick High School, Racine, where he co-founded and edited Klepto, an unofficial school paper, also contributing stories and illustrations to the paper. He continued this interest at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, where in 1967 he co-founded and served as art director for the humor magazine Snide, also supplying cartoons.

In 1969 Kitchen decided to self publish his comics and cartoons in the magazine, Mom’s Homemade Comics, inspired in part by Bijou Funnies and Zap Comix. The selling out of the 4000 print run inspired him further, and in 1970 he founded Kitchen Sink Press (initially as an artists' cooperative) and launched the underground newspaper The Bugle-American, with Jim Mitchell and others. Under the name of the Krupp Syndicate, he syndicated comic strips to almost 50 other underground and college newspapers. In addition to the Milwaukee artists like himself, Mitchell, Bruce Walthers, Don Glassford and Wendel Pugh, Kitchen began to publish works by such cartoonists as Howard Cruse, Trina Robbins and S. Clay Wilson, and he soon expanded his operations, launching Krupp Comic Works, a parent organization into which he placed ownership of Kitchen Sink Press and through which he also launched such diverse ventures as a record company and a commercial art studio.

By 1973 Kitchen Sink Press was publishing works by established comics artists Harvey Kurtzman and Will Eisner, and Kitchen was approached by Stan Lee to edit Marvel's underground comic magazine, Comix Book. Kitchen assembled a number of underground comics artists to submit to the venture, including Justin Green, Kim Deitch and Art Spiegelman, whose three page story was the foundation for what was to become Maus. Sales were not strong enough for Marvel to support the book beyond three issues, and although Kitchen put out two more through Kitchen Sink Press to utilize the work already commissioned, the title ceased publication with issue five.

Kitchen's founding of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund occurred in 1986, after comic store manager Michael Correa was charged with possession and sale of obscene material. Since two of the works cited in the case as obscene were published by Kitchen Sink Press, Kitchen felt some responsibility for Correa's predicament, and so he set about raising funds for the defense of Correa, who saw his conviction overturned on appeal. Kitchen used surplus funds to incorporate the fund as a non-profit charitable organization in 1990. Kitchen served as the fund's president from its inception until 2004, noting on his retirement from the board that "The challenges facing comics are different from when I founded the Fund ... I think it's fitting that the generation directly facing these challenges ... should be the ones standing up to them."

Read a recent interview with Kitchen here:
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25284

The Oddly Compelling Art of Denis Kitchen HC
Writer: Denis Kitchen, Neil Gaiman, Charles Brownstein
Artist: Denis Kitchen with design by John Lind
Genre: Art Book Publication Date: June 16, 2010
Format: FC, 200 pages, HC, 9" x 12"
Price: $34.99
ISBN-10: 1-59582-360-3
ISBN-13: 978-1-59582-360-1
Preview the book here:
http://www.newsarama.com/php/multimedia/album.php?aid=35575

Megan Kelso slideshow & signing Fri June 25th

2010-06-24T16:28:00.003-04:00

Megan's book Artichoke Tales has been ten years in the making. And now it's here! Come check out this amazing book, and watch a live reading with the artist.

Artichoke Tales is a 176-page coming-of-age story about a young girl named Brigitte whose family is caught between the two warring sides of a civil war, a graphic novel that takes place in a world that echoes our own, but whose people have artichoke leaves instead of hair. Influenced in equal parts by Little House on the Prairie, The Thorn Birds, Dharma Bums, and Cold Mountain, Kelso weaves a moving story about family amidst war. Kelso’s visual storytelling, uniquely combining delicate linework with rhythmic, musical page compositions, creates a dramatic tension between intimate, ruminative character studies and the unflinching depiction of the consequences of war and carnage, lending cohesion and resonance to a generational epic. This is Kelso’s first new work in four years; the widespread critical reception of her previous work makes Artichoke Tales one of the most eagerly anticipated graphic novels of 2010.

Megan Kelso started working in the 1990s with the minicomic Girlhero, which won her a Xeric Foundation grant in 1993. She has since published several other projects including Queen of the Black Black and The Squirrel Mother. She was the editor of the female cartoonist anthology, Scherherazade: Stories of Love, Treachery, Mothers, and Monsters (published by Soft Skull Press). Among many other publications, Kelso had a story (which she co-created with Ron Rege) in SPX 2004.
She received two Ignatz Awards in 2002, for Outstanding Artist (for Artichoke Tales #1 and her story in Non #5) and Outstanding Minicomic (for Artichoke Tales #1).
From April 1 to September 9, 2007, Kelso published a weekly comic strip in The New York Times Magazine titled Watergate Sue. She is recently completed her graphic novel Artichoke Tales for Fantagraphics Books.

Check out her site here: http://www.girlhero.com/

Old York meets New York

2010-06-10T17:13:00.003-04:00

lots of events this month at the shop

2010-06-03T13:23:00.005-04:00

First up, a release party for this fine publication. Static Fish is a beautifully designed full-color hardcover book with illustrated work by Pratt students and faculty. Drop by on tuesday evening to check it out. Here's the flyer:

Coming soon: events with Keith Jones, Seth Scriver, Sonja Ahlers, Megan Kelso, Jim Woodring, and Denis Kitchen. Stay tuned!

Dan Nadel and Richard Gehr this friday

2010-05-19T13:14:00.003-04:00

Critic Richard Gehr will interview comics historian, publisher, and editior Dan Nadel at Desert Island about his interest in comics and the process of forming Art In Time. The new book will be available and Dan will stick around to sign copies and chat. Drop by for a beer!

Friday May 21st

Dan Nadel and Richard Gehr in conversation

+ Art in Time release party

7 - 9 pm at Desert Island

540 Metropolitan Ave

sneak preview

2010-04-22T23:58:00.006-04:00

festival loot

2010-04-16T13:43:00.003-04:00

In the time-honored tradition of posting comic convention purchases online, here's some of the stuff I scored at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art's annual festival. (most of these items are now available on the shelves at Desert Island)

Tonight! 4/15/10

2010-04-14T20:05:00.003-04:00

oh yes

2010-04-03T17:35:00.008-04:00

Confirmed Artists: Sara Granér (Sweden), Johan F. Krarup (Denmark) , Anna Sailamaa (Finland), Tommi Musturi (Finland) + many more

BodyWorld: Dieball Trophy Print by Dash Shaw

2010-03-17T17:45:00.002-04:00

Get one here while they last:

http://desertislandbrooklyn.com/store.html

Smoke Signal #4 = done

2010-03-04T17:06:00.005-05:00

Get one here. With unpublished work by Matt Furie, Tom Gauld, Leif Goldberg, Dina Kelberman, Aidan Koch, Michael Kupperman, Jesse McManus, Taylor McKimens, Jason T. Miles, Travis Millard, Lisa Ramsey, Johnny Ryan, Dash Shaw, Avi Spivak, Jillian Tamaki, James Turek, and lots more!

Two-year Anniversary! Feb 26th! Our first sale! 15% off everything! One day only!

2010-02-25T16:08:00.004-05:00

That's right, it's been two years since we opened our doors at Desert Island. A lot has happened since then, and we're happy to be going strong.

Come celebrate with us on the 26th! There will be discounted books all day long, and free booze starting at 7 pm.

The evening's festivities will also double as the release party for "We Will Bury You," a zombie comic taking place in 1927. Authors Zane and Brea Grant will be in attendance.

DONATE TO SMOKE SIGNAL

2010-02-18T14:23:00.002-05:00

We need your help to raise printing costs for issue #4, which will feature new work by Johnny Ryan, Leif Goldberg, Matt Furie, Dash Shaw, and many others. Donations over $100 will receive a copy of Smoke Signal #1, which is completely out of print. (I have 5 copies at home in the archive).

You know you have some extra dough in your paypal account!

Click here to donate:
no amount too small!

an odd coincidence

2010-02-12T13:07:00.008-05:00

for more vintage postcards and other fun stuff, check out http://www.flickr.com/photos/popopnits/sets/72157621915339248/

Hotwire release party with Kupperman, Sandlin, Sikoryak +

2010-01-20T00:09:00.002-05:00

Featuring: Glenn Head, Danny Hellman, Sam Henderson, Michael Kupperman, Jayr Pulga, David Sandlin, R. Sikoryak, Chadwick Whitehead, and Karl Wills -WOW!

early Smoke Signal issues now online

2010-01-09T22:07:00.002-05:00

Check em out! Issues #1 and #2 are online in their entirety here: http://desertislandbrooklyn.com/smokesignal.html

Let me know if it works (or doesn't) for you?

thanks to all who came to this! amazing.

2009-11-30T21:56:00.005-05:00

PictureBox & Desert Island Present:

The Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival

Saturday December 5th 2009: 11 AM - 7 PM

Our Lady of Consolation Church

184 Metropolitan Ave.

Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Free admission

Download the festival program here for a map and schedule.

The Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival consists of 3 components in 3 nearby locations in Williamsburg, Brooklyn:

-Over 50 exhibitors selling their zines, comics, books, prints and posters in a bustling market-style environment at Our Lady of Consolation Church, 184 Metropolitan Ave.

-Panel discussions and lectures by prominent artists, as well as an exhibition of vintage comic book artwork at Secret Project Robot, 128 River St.

-An evening of musical performances at DBA, 49 S. 2nd St.

In the cozy basement of Our Lady of Consolation Church (184 Metropolitan), exhibitors will display and sell their unique wares. Exhibitors include leading graphic book publisher Drawn & Quarterly of Montreal; famed French screenprint publisher Le Dernier Cri; artist's book publisher Nieves of Zurich, Switzerland; Italian art book publisher Corraini; master printer David Sandlin; and tons of individual artists and publishers from Brooklyn.

Featured guests include the renowned artists Gabrielle Bell, R. O. Blechman, Pakito Bolino, Charles Burns, Anya Davidson, Kim Deitch, C.F., Carlos Gonzales, Ben Katchor, Michael Kupperman, Mark Newgarden, Gary Panter, Ron Rege Jr., Peter Saul, Dash Shaw, R. Sikoryak, Jillian Tamaki, Adrian Tomine, and Lauren Weinstein, among others.

FESTIVAL GUEST SIGNINGS

184 Metropolitan Ave.

1:00: Michael Kupperman, Jillian Tamaki, Lauren Weinstein

2:00: Matthew Thurber, Ron Rege Jr., C.F.

3:00: Kim Deitch, R.O. Blechman, Dash Shaw

4:00: Ben Katchor and Gary Panter

5:00: Mark Newgarden, David Sandlin, Lisa Hanawalt

6:00: Gabrielle Bell & R. Sikoryak

The commerce portion of the Festival is partnered with an active panel and lecture program nearby at Secret Project Robot, 5 minutes down the street at 128 River St. This mini symposium will run from 1 to 6 pm and is being overseen by noted comics critic Bill Kartalopolous.

PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE:

Secret Project Robot

128 River St. and Metropolitan

1:00 GARY PANTER & PETER SAUL

Two generations of painters, Gary Panter and Peter Saul, will discuss their shared history, image-making, narrative, and the joys and dilemmas of making difficult work. Moderated by Dan Nadel.

2:00 PANELS AND FRAMES: COMICS AND ANIMATION

Comics and animation operate very differently, yet retain deep historical and stylistic connections. R. O. Blechman, Kim Deitch, and Dash Shaw will discuss the relationship between the two forms with moderator Bill Kartalopoulos.

3:00 BEN KATCHOR

Ben Katchor has chronicled the pleasures of urban decay and other metropolitan phenomena in comics including Julius Knipl, Real Estate Photographer and The Jew of New York. Katchor will read performatively from his comics and discuss his work in this rare spotlight presentation.

4:00 FLATLANDS: COMICS ON THE PICTURE PLANE

Do comics need a third dimension? Lisa Hanawalt, Mark Newgarden, Ron Regé, Jr., and David Sandlin will consider the tension between comics' illusionistic worlds and their status as images on a picture plane. Moderated by Bill Kartalopoulos.

5:00 LIVE COMICS DRAWING

In a one-of-a-kind comics drawing session, Frank Santoro will present Gabrielle Bell and R. Sikoryak with a rough page layout based on his principles of composition and design. These two artists will translate Santoro's layout into two unique pages of comics, live, before your very eyes.

Also: An exhibition of 1950s original comic book art curated by Dan Nadel

PERFORMANCES

Death by Audio

49 S. 2nd Street

Finally, at the end of the day visitors can troop over to Death by Audio at 49 S. 2nd Street, for an evening of musical performances by cartoonists, organized by Paper Route, and including performances by Kites, Ambergris, Sam Gas Can, Boogie Boarder, Nick Gazin, Graffiti Monsters, Dubbknowdubb.

The Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival

Exhibitors and Artists:

Our Lady of Consolation Church

184 Metropolitan Ave.

Williamsburg, Brooklyn

11 AM - 7 PM

Panel Discussions, Lectures & Art Exhibition:

Secret Project Robot

128 River @ corner of Metropolitan Ave.

Williamsburg, Brooklyn

1 PM - 6 PM

Musical Performances:

Death by Audio

49 S. 2nd St Between Kent & Wythe

Williamsburg, Brooklyn

9 PM onward

Smoke Signal #3 is at the printers

2009-11-25T03:09:00.003-05:00

Featuring this awesome cover by Anders Nilsen

Available for free on December 5th at the (also free) Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival. See you there!
http://www.comicsandgraphicsfest.com/

LOTS of new stuff in our web store

2009-11-17T14:17:00.004-05:00

Including new signed prints by Al Columbia and Marc Bell. Have you seen?

http://www.desertislandbrooklyn.com/store.html

http://www.desertislandbrooklyn.com/store.html

http://www.desertislandbrooklyn.com/store.html

http://www.desertislandbrooklyn.com/store.html

http://www.desertislandbrooklyn.com/store.html

we are now open 7 days a week!

2009-11-02T23:52:00.004-05:00

That's right! We used to be closed on Mondays, but now Desert Island is open every day. (...at least until New Years.)

new hours:
Mon - Sat // noon - 9 pm
Sunday // noon - 7 pm

Cancel all plans, Marc Bell is in town.

2009-10-24T18:10:00.004-04:00

Marc Bell signing at Desert island
Sunday October 25th, 5 - 7 PM
book-debut for Hot Potatoe [Marc's supernaturally good art monograph by Drawn and Quarterly]
PLUS a new Marc Bell print by Desert island for only $30
PLUS general good-times
AND fun

540 metropolitan avenue
Brooklyn NY
http://www.desertislandbrooklyn.com/

Best of New York 2009

2009-10-21T23:47:00.000-04:00

Taffy Hips release party and anniversary celebration

2009-10-08T12:32:00.003-04:00

Taffy Hips is a fun publication with comics and interviews with cartoonists. It was started by zara messano & gil gentile a year ago, and they're releasing their 5th issue tomorrow at Desert Island starting at 7 pm. Come check it out! I think it's only $2, and they'll have some back issues too.

Join us as we celebrate one year as a magazine !

We will be releasing the 5th issue of Taffy Hips, as well as back issues #2 & #3 and various zines & "merch" at Desert Island in Brooklyn.

_Artists featured in Issue #5:
Blaise Larmee
Davis Weir
Emma Furman
Evan Neal
Gil Gentile
Harrison Sherrod
Jack Rohman
Jaime Kansler
Jason Overby
Margaret Powers
Maggie Wong
Mallory D'Alessandro
Myles Lawson
Patrick Kain
RT Peters
William Cardini
Zac Singer
Zara Messano

_As well as interviews with :
Lilli Carré & Benjamin Marra
_Cover #5 by :
Margaret Powers

John Porcellino signing + slideshow this tuesday the 29th - be there!

2009-09-26T16:38:00.003-04:00

JOHN PORCELLINO was born in Chicago, in 1968, and has been writing, drawing, and publishing minicomics, comics, and graphic novels for over twenty-five years. His celebrated self-published series King-Cat Comics, begun in 1989, has inspired a generation of cartoonists. Diary of a Mosquito Abatement Man, a collection of King-Cat stories about Porcellino’s experiences as a pest control worker, won an Ignatz Award in 2005, and Perfect Example, first published in 2000, chronicles his struggles with depression as a teenager. King-Cat Classix, published in 2007, is a comprehensive overview of the zine's first fifty issues, and Thoreau at Walden is a poetic expression of the great philosopher’s experience and ideals. According to cartoonist Chris Ware, "John Porcellino's comics distill, in just a few lines and words, the feeling of simply being alive."

Porcellino's work has been translated into French, German, Spanish, Swedish, and Italian. He currently lives in Denver with his wife Misun, and two Skweezil-Cats named Liz and Charlie.

More info: www.king-cat.net.

Map of My Heart celebrates the twentieth anniversary of John Porcellino’s seminal and influential comics zine, King-Cat Comics, which he began self-publishing in 1989. In this collection, Porcellino, while living in isolation and experiencing the pain of divorce, crafts a melancholic, tender graphic-ballad of heartbreak and reflection.

Known for his sad, quiet honesty, rendered in his signature deceptively minimalist style, Porcellino has a command of graphic storytelling as sophisticated as the medium’s more visually intricate masters. Few other artists are able to so expertly contemplate the sadness, beauty, and wonder of life in so few lines.

The Book of Other People

2009-09-17T20:40:00.004-04:00

Haven't seen this mentioned on any of the other comics blogs and thought I should spread the word. The recently released "Book of Other People," edited by Zadie Smith, has new pieces by Dan Clowes, Chris Ware, and a cover by Charles Burns. Considering how infrequently we see new work by Clowes and Ware, this seems like a significant development.

Matthew Thurber on September 11th

2009-09-10T13:20:00.003-04:00

Quoth Thurber: "to rotate the juju of that day"

Release party from 7 - 9 pm at Desert island, with a live acoustic performance by Ambergris around 8.
Come check out Matthew's new comic and have a beer!

Matthew Thurber is a cartoonist from Washington State, now residing in Brooklyn. His comic book series, “1-800-MICE” is to be collected by Picturebox. His comics have appeared in anthologies such as Kramers Ergot, The Ganzfeld, and Yale University Press' Anthology of Graphic Fiction. He has exhibited at Adam Baumgold Gallery, Southfirst in Brooklyn, and the Fumetto festival in Lucern, Switzerland. In 2006 he was named “Mini Comics Artist of the Year” by The Comics Journal. He has performed at venues from the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles to Issue Project Room in New York with his musical project Ambergris, and played saxophone from 2006-08 with Soiled Mattress and the Springs.

Smoke Signal #2 release party this saturday at Death by Audio

2009-08-25T00:28:00.011-04:00

Come out and celebrate the new issue of our free comix newspaper!

Performances by
Antimagic [former These are Powers],
Cat Chow [she plays a sweet Hello Kitty guitar],
Driphouse [member of Raccoo-oo-oon],
and more, lots of amazing artists in attendance, free stuff, and maybe a dance party.

Death by Audio // 49 S. 2nd st // Brooklyn
saturday august 29th

10 pm seems about right

The new issue kicks ass, featuring unseen work by:
Dash Shaw
Julien Langendorf
John Brodowski
Gabrielle Bell
Avi Spivak
Desmond Williams and Richard Livesey
Leslie Stein
Daniel Locke
Sam Henderson
James Turek
Alyssa Berg
Bucky Cox
Dina Kelberman
Sam Gaskin
Jason T. Miles
Michael Kupperman
Vincent Giard
Shoboshobo
Frank Santoro
Mika Oshima
Max Evry and Nick Rose
Travis Millard
José Medina
Marc Bell
Joshua Ray Stephens
Ron Regé Jr.
Rich Guzman
Taylor McKimens
Victor Kerlow
Noah Lyon
Kerozen
Matthew Thurber
Jesse McManus
Chris Cammett
Leon Sadler
Becca Kacanda

LOOKING FOR BANDS FOR AUG 29TH @ DEATH BY AUDIO!

2009-08-18T22:36:00.002-04:00

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LOOKING FOR BANDS FOR AUG 29TH @ DEATH BY AUDIO

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if you want to rock, please get in touch at desertislandbrooklyn@gmail.com

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it's a release party for our free comix newspaper Smoke Signal

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this one has new or unseen work by Gabrielle Bell, Dash Shaw, Michael Kupperman, Shoboshobo, Frank Santoro. Marc Bell, Leslie Stein, and ton of other awesome people

pen and ink vs computer

2009-08-12T20:11:00.004-04:00

I've been complaining about bad photoshop work in comics for a while, so I thought it was time to give an example. (I accidently started a debate on another blog by voicing my distaste for crappy photoshop work -- you can read it here.)

Here's an object lesson from Dave Berg of Mad magazine:

On the top is "The Lighter Side of..." from 1977; the bottom from 2002. Berg was never one of my favorite Mad artists, but his transformation to digital is clearly a nose-dive into inferior work. What is happening here? Maybe Berg is too old to learn new computer skills, but why do I keep seeing this lazy wacom-tablet aesthetic coming from 24 year old artists?

I'd like to add that digital comic art "originals" have zero value as artwork. Can you imagine what the Masters of American Comics exhibition would look like if the artists were all working in Photoshop?

huge news

2009-08-07T14:53:00.001-04:00

Desert Island will be organizing a one-day comics fest in a large church basement in Willamsburg Brooklyn on Saturday December 5th 2009. We're very excited to get involved with the comic community on this level, and welcome your input in advance of this awesome event.

More info about individual table rates as we figure out the costs involved.

I finally got a flickr pro account

2009-08-03T01:06:00.004-04:00

And I'm posting tons of goofy shit like this:

take a look!

video of Al Burian reading at the store

2009-08-01T22:21:00.001-04:00

recorded by Brian Heater

Any interview with Al Jaffee is a good interview

2009-07-25T19:50:00.003-04:00

Maybe you guys have seen this already? http://www.viceland.com/int/guide_comics/htdocs/
I'm glad to see more decent comics content coming from the Vice magazine people. (Even though their main writer has an unbearable novelty mustache).

Al Jaffee is seriously a genius.

Fletcher Hanks screenprint

2009-07-14T13:36:00.003-04:00

Check it out! You can get one of these from our web shop: http://desertislandbrooklyn.com/store.html

new Michael Kupperman print

2009-06-25T15:08:00.006-04:00

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

2009-06-01T13:55:00.003-04:00

check out this Paul Hornschemeier print

2009-05-16T14:50:00.003-04:00

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

2009-05-07T15:17:00.029-04:00

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

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

friday May 15th -> OVERSPRAY

2009-05-02T13:01:00.000-04:00

Mark Newgarden & Megan Montague Cash THIS SUNDAY

2009-04-22T19:03:00.003-04:00

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!

2009-04-04T15:21:00.003-04:00

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

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

2009-03-10T17:34:00.004-04:00

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

2009-02-17T19:52:00.006-05:00

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

2009-02-06T20:51:00.001-05:00

Koren Shadmi book release party on friday the 13th

2009-02-06T17:17:00.003-05:00

puppet show on Sunday the 25th!

2009-01-17T18:49:00.000-05:00

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

2009-01-03T20:47:00.001-05:00

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

Kramers Ergot tour hits on Dec. 6th

2008-11-19T13:36:00.000-05:00

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

2008-11-08T12:51:00.000-05:00

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

2008-10-14T16:16:00.000-04:00

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!

2008-10-10T13:45:00.002-04:00

Happy Accident

2008-10-07T15:12:00.000-04:00

Happy Accident: Dash Shaw, Ken Dahl, Jesse Reklaw, and Trevor Alixopulos

Wednesday, October 8th, 7:00 – 9:00 PM

Desert Island
540 Metropolitan Ave, between Union and Lorimer

woah!

2008-09-26T15:19:00.000-04:00

have you seen this?

Leah Hayes performing at the store

2008-09-04T20:35:00.000-04:00

Eleanor Davis and Dean Haspiel book-release party this friday

2008-08-30T13:42:00.000-04:00

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

2008-08-27T15:53:00.000-04:00

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

2008-08-20T17:46:00.001-04:00

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

2008-08-14T15:32:00.001-04:00

showpaper #33

2008-08-13T01:29:00.000-04:00

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

2008-08-07T16:08:00.000-04:00

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

2008-08-01T21:49:00.001-04:00

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

2008-07-25T17:20:00.000-04:00

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

2008-07-20T21:15:00.001-04:00

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

2008-07-16T15:38:00.000-04:00

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

2008-07-13T14:37:00.001-04:00

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

2008-07-02T02:18:00.000-04:00

magical mermaid moment

2008-07-01T23:40:00.000-04:00

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

2008-06-29T12:21:00.000-04:00

don't sleep on this

2008-06-12T15:51:00.000-04:00

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!

2008-06-02T15:02:00.000-04:00

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

2008-05-18T18:16:00.000-04:00

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?

2008-05-16T20:59:00.000-04:00

I'm speechless with amazement!

awesome

2008-05-13T16:46:00.001-04:00

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

2008-04-30T12:45:00.000-04:00

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

2008-04-25T20:55:00.000-04:00

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!

Desert Island

We're not really using this blog any more

Peter Bagge and Leslie Stein at Desert Island on 4/8

Tony Millionaire at Desert Island this Thursday

Welcome to the future!

Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival

How To Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less

Leslie Stein profile from Etsy

Larry Storch at Desert Island

Drew Friedman at Desert Island

Nate Neal - Sanctuary launch party and Tribal Ritual

Julia Wertz & Aaron Renier event

Peter Bagge is doing the next Smoke Signal cover

Denis Kitchen and Charles Brownstein

Underground legend Denis Kitchen friday July 9th

Megan Kelso slideshow & signing Fri June 25th

Old York meets New York

lots of events this month at the shop

Dan Nadel and Richard Gehr this friday

sneak preview

festival loot

Tonight! 4/15/10

oh yes

BodyWorld: Dieball Trophy Print by Dash Shaw

Smoke Signal #4 = done

Two-year Anniversary! Feb 26th! Our first sale! 15% off everything! One day only!

DONATE TO SMOKE SIGNAL

an odd coincidence

Hotwire release party with Kupperman, Sandlin, Sikoryak +

early Smoke Signal issues now online

thanks to all who came to this! amazing.

Smoke Signal #3 is at the printers

LOTS of new stuff in our web store

we are now open 7 days a week!

Cancel all plans, Marc Bell is in town.

Best of New York 2009

Taffy Hips release party and anniversary celebration

John Porcellino signing + slideshow this tuesday the 29th - be there!

The Book of Other People

Matthew Thurber on September 11th

Smoke Signal #2 release party this saturday at Death by Audio

Death by Audio // 49 S. 2nd st // Brooklynsaturday august 29th

LOOKING FOR BANDS FOR AUG 29TH @ DEATH BY AUDIO!

pen and ink vs computer

huge news

I finally got a flickr pro account

video of Al Burian reading at the store

Any interview with Al Jaffee is a good interview

Fletcher Hanks screenprint

new Michael Kupperman print

Smoke Signal is here

check out this Paul Hornschemeier print

WE ARE PUBLISHING A FREE ALL-COMICS NEWSPAPER

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

friday May 15th -> OVERSPRAY

Mark Newgarden & Megan Montague Cash THIS SUNDAY

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

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

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

you must watch this

Koren Shadmi book release party on friday the 13th

puppet show on Sunday the 25th!

humanbeing lawnmower

Kramers Ergot tour hits on Dec. 6th

Rafael Grampá signing

Matt Leines book release party

opening tonight at Scott Eder - looks good!

Happy Accident

woah!

Leah Hayes performing at the store

Eleanor Davis and Dean Haspiel book-release party this friday

Leah Hayes this friday the 29th

don't miss

we like this

showpaper #33

Rory Hayes book release

hello Goddess of War

goodbye ice cave

good times

BIG TIME MEGA-UPDATED EVENT SCHEDULE

Death by Audio // 49 S. 2nd st // Brooklyn
saturday august 29th

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