At Floating World Comics, one of our goals is to bring new and exciting art to comics fans who are looking for something new. In 2008 I started publishing a FREE comics newspaper called Diamond Comics. Equally inspired by Fort Thunder’s Paper Rodeo and international art magazines like Faesthetic or Rojo, Diamond features experimental art and comics from around the world.

The majority of the print run is given away free in Portland, at coffee shops, records stores, bars, and other venues. I love the fact that someone might find this mysterious art object at a coffee shop and wonder how it got there. Just as Paper Rodeo inspired me when I first saw a copy, I hope Diamond will do the same for a new generation.

I’m excited to announce a number of cool changes for the fifth issue of Diamond Comics.

First of all the print run is quintupling from 2000 to 10,000 copies, and 9000 of those will be included as a FREE insert in the April 21st ‘Comics Month’ issue of the Portland Mercury! The remaining 1000 will be distributed through the shop, the artists and sponsors, FREE at local cafes, bars and shops, and through other cool stores internationally. That issue of the Mercury will also feature Stumptown Comics Fest coverage which is that weekend (April 24-25), so we’re expecting to reach maximum eyeballs.

Secondly the entire issue will be FULL COLOR.

Finally, we’re going to have repeat artists for the first time. I had an unofficial rule where I wasn’t repeating artists in Diamond. Which is cool because there’s so much great art out there. But also it’s odd because that prevents us from working with the artists we loved from past issues. Isn’t that how anthologies develop a following? So to celebrate the new format and the new distribution with the Mercury, we’re putting our best foot forward by working with none other than our favorite artists from previous issues:

Derek Ballard (Diamond #4)
Michael Deforge (Diamond #4)
Stanley Lieber (Diamond #1)
Benjamin Marra (Diamond #2)
Panayiotis Terzis (Diamond #3)
Pete Toms (Diamond #1)

We’re welcoming one new artist, Cleon Peterson (Obey Giant), providing the center spread and a planned cover by Al Columbia.

Because of the larger print run and the color printing, our costs are a bit higher. Publishing projects like Diamond are fruits of the labor that is Floating World. I’ve had people from other states and countries tell me they love the store (even though they haven’t been here), but because of projects like these that they’re aware of. My comics curating relationship with Arthur Magazine gets more and more involved and we’ve got some cool ideas for more collaborations coming soon. Thanks again for all your support. I would probably do it even without the sponsorship help, but only once every year or two. With your sponsorship help we can get these out 3-4 times a year. Exciting!

Sample pages from Diamond 4: http://superduper.shapesofsweetness.com/2009/10/25/diamond-comics-4/

http://www.floatingworldcomics.com/main/diamond-comics-4-available-now/

More comics here: http://www.arthurmag.com/contributors/comics/

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This March First Thursday, join writer Matt Wagner and artist, Joëlle Jones, as we present her enchanting artwork from the hit Vertigo series, Madame Xanadu.  We will have Joëlle’s original artwork on display and Matt Wagner will attend to talk with fans and sign books.

LISTING INFORMATION:
WHO: Joëlle Jones & Matt Wagner
WHAT: Madame Xandu art exhibit and book signing
WHEN: Thursday, March 4th, 6-10pm
WHERE: Floating World Comics, 20 NW 5th Ave #101

BIO INFORMATION:

Who is Madame Xanadu? She is one of comics’ most legendary and mysterious magicians. For years, she has aided the powerful and powerless alike when supernatural forces threaten our world. Madame Xanadu has played a part in countless stories, but her own story was never told before this critically acclaimed series was launched by DC/Vertigo in 2008. Nominated for multiple Eisner Awards in 2009, it has quickly become one of the more talked-about series in comics.

“This features lots of the fairies, magicians and medieval-style witchcraft in a style that evokes at least a little bit the classic Midsummer Night’s Dream issue of THE SANDMAN. The book looks lovely and reads well.” – Variety

Portland artist Joëlle Jones joined regular series writer Matt Wagner for issues #19 and #20, a 2-part story that offers a storybook look back at Madame Xanadu’s earliest days in ancient, pastoral Britain. The Elder Folk confront the coming of mortal man, and the rivalry between two ageless sisters takes root. Squabbles with the young immortal’s sister Morganna turn bloody as the world of Fairy and Roman conquest vie for domination.

Matt Wagner has enjoyed a career in comics for over twenty years. Born and educated in Pennsylvania, his first published work was a short story that would introduce one of comicdom’s most respected creator-owned characters–the mastermind assassin, GRENDEL. Best known for this epic creation and his other, more personal, allegory, MAGE, Matt has also worked on a variety of established characters. These include his ground-breaking work on the character of Batman villain, Two-Face, in the graphic novel, FACES, as well as a five-year stint both developing and generating the stories for the fan-favorite Vertigo title, SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATRE. In the past few years, Matt has also written and drawn several high profile projects for DC; a three-issue prestige series starring Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman; titled TRINITY and a year-long, project which comprised two mini-series that chronicled some of the earliest aspects of Batman’s career, collectively titled DARK MOON RISING.

Wagner’s more recent efforts in this vein have included writing MADAME XANADU, as well as reboots of ZORRO and GREEN HORNET.

Joëlle Jones is a relative comics newcomer by comparison. Her first published work was illustrating a short story for the Dark Horse anthology SEXY CHIX in 2005, which was followed a year later by the full-length graphic novel 12 REASONS WHY I LOVE HER, written by Jamie S. Rich and published by Oni Press. 12 REASONS WHY I LOVE HER earned her a nomination for the prestigious Russ Manning Best Newcomer Award. Since then, Jones has drawn TOKEN for DC’s Minx line, and collaborated with Rich again in the summer of 2009 for the crime graphic novel YOU HAVE KILLED ME. Her work has also appeared in FABLES, MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS, PORTLAND NOIR, and the popular POPGUN anthology. Most recently, she drew a comic book based on the popular online musical DR. HORRIBLE’S SING-ALONG BLOG, and is currently at work on a comic book by best-selling novelist Janet Evanovich called TROUBLEMAKER and a Vertigo graphic novel titled THE STARVING ARTIST. Her next book with Rich, SPELL CHECKERS, also featuring artwork by Nicolas Hitori de, will be published by Oni Press in April.

http://www.joellejones.com/

http://www.mattwagnercomics.com/

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I’ve compiled a list of our 25 Bestselling titles in 2009 so you can see what customers spent their money on at Floating World.  A couple notes on how the list was compiled.  This is based on dollar amount, so I multiplied quantity sold by retail price.  Also I eliminated certain redundancies where applicable.  Meaning, I only let Walking Dead, Batman & Robin, Scott Pilgrim, etc… appear on the list once, even though other volumes or issue numbers were among the bestsellers.

So what did we learn from this year’s list?  4 of the bestselling titles weren’t even available from Diamond!  Shows what they know.  6 of the 25 titles were published by Portland companies.  Also if you work here you’ll have an opportunity to hand sell a lot of copies (see: me or Jamie).  First Thursday signings generated lots of sales (see: David Mack).  Marvel only had 1 title on the list.  16 of the titles were from indy publishers.  Secret Acres has published 7 titles since their foundation in 2008; 2 of those books showed up on our list.  Walking Dead and Scott Pilgrim are unstoppable.

THE LIST!

1.   SCOTT PILGRIM VOL. 5 (Oni Press)
2.   WATCHMEN TP (DC/Vertigo)
3.   YOU HAVE KILLED ME (Oni Press)
4.   WALKING DEAD VOL 9 (Image)
5.   KABUKI ALCHEMY HC (Marvel/Icon)
6.   CAPACITY TP (Secret Acres)
7.   LOEG CENTURY #1 (Top Shelf)
8.   KRAMERS 7 (Buenaventura)
9.   ALL STAR SUPERMAN VOL 2 HC (DC)
10. BLANKETS (Top Shelf)

11. BATMAN AND ROBIN #1 (DC)
12. BOOK OF GENESIS BY ROBERT CRUMB (W.W. Norton)
13. FILTH TP (DC/Vertigo)
14. MONSTERS GN (Secret Acres)
15. A DRIFTING LIFE (D&Q)
16. ALL STAR SUPERMAN VOL 1 TP (DC)
17. CATERER #3 (Floating World)
18. THB COMICS FROM MARS (Adhouse)
19. MULTIFORCE (Picturebox)
20. GIANT THB 1.V.2 (Horse Press)

21. BART SIMPSON’S TREEHOUSE OF HORROR #15 (Bongo)
22. WEDNESDAY COMICS #1 (DC)
23. BEN JONES HC (Picturebox)
24. LOCAL (Oni)
25. TEKKON KINKREET (Viz)

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Floating World Comics is proud to offer original artwork by Al Columbia. Every month or so we plan on making a new piece available for sale. This original painting from 2003 features Pim and Francie at the Salmon Falls Sweet Shoppe. Click on the image below to see all the beautiful details - check out the books on the comic rack!

We’re down to the last ten copies of the limited edition ‘TOYLAND’ giclee print. There’s still time to get one before they’re gone. Artwork is shipped priority mail or fedex for international orders.

PIM & FRANCIE - SALMON FALLS SWEET SHOPPE

Size: 14″ x 12″ - mixed media - 2003

SOLD

To purchase please email: jason (at) floatingworldcomics (dot) com

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Floating World Comics & Fantagraphics present:

“CHOCOLATE CHEEKS” book release & art exhibit with Steven Weissman

This February’s 1^st Thursday, Floating World Comics is proud to present a book signing and art exhibit with one of my favorite comic creators, Steven Weissman, creator of Yikes!.

Hilarious, frightening, mysterious, adorable and utterly bleak, Chocolate Cheeks has arrived to disgust and delight comic-book readers of all ages. “Sweet” Chubby Cheeks and the Pullapart Boy (a 21st Century Frankenstein’s monster for kids) are driving each other crazy. Forced together by their dating parents, these two bitter enemies have alienated—or otherwise disposed of­—most of their social circle, leaving them with plenty of quality time for each other. They go camping, start a business, form a band, join a team, try to make some new friends (including icky new characters Crustache and Lumpy Noodle) and engage in a “holy war.” Things go from worse to worst, though, when the two boys find a cat—or is it a bird?—one hot summer day in the harrowing 51-page story “Blue Jay” (as previously serialized at Fantagraphics.com).

Steven Weissman, modern master of light tragedy, is at his most horrible with Chocolate Cheeks. Juxtaposing gag-driven, newspaper-fashioned strips that are just gross enough to delight younger readers and sophisticated enough to be appreciated by grown-ups alongside the symbolically rich extended narrative of “Blue Jay,” this is the greatest “Yikes” book yet.

LISTING INFORMATION:

WHO: Steven Weissman

WHAT: CHOCOLATE CHEEKS book release & art exhibit

WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 4th, 6-10pm

WHERE: Floating World Comics, 20 NW 5^th Ave #101

BIO INFORMATION:

Steven Knight Weissman, at various times known as “Steve,” “Ribs,” and “Weissman” (but never “Stevie Knight,” as one potential employer threatened to call him in 1987), was born in California on June 4, 1968. He’s written and drawn comics for Marvel Entertainment, Nickelodeon Magazine and, most TRIUMPHANTLY, Fantagraphics Books. He currently lives in the Los Angeles’ “Little Armenia” neighborhood with his wife, Charissa, and their son, Charles.

“Steven Weissman is the best cartoonist to explore the fantastic world of children since John Stanley (Little Lulu).” – Gilbert Hernandez

“Weissman indirectly captures childhood better than most literal representations do.” – The Onion

“Steven Weissman is a cartoonist who is so good, so funny, and so original that he doesn’t have to be serious to be taken seriously.” – Jaime Hernandez

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