A Look at Fantagraphics' 40% Sale

It's that time of year, where publishers try to clear out stock a bit and see what holiday money they can grab from their fans.  Fantagraphics takes this very seriously, offering what I think is essentially an annual 40% off sale on a variety of their books. Most of them are older, but some are of a more recent vintage.

As a public service, since there are over 150 items on sale, I thought I'd offer some suggestions if you have money burning a hole in your pocket and are looking for some great independent comics.  I've listed these in alphabetical order, just to make it easier.  Happy Shopping!


  • For those who don't need their comics to follow conventional borders and agreed upon rules, Fantagraphics is a constant source of material.  Abstract Comics is a collection of such work from a wide variety of creators.
  • You might not expect to find Barry Windsor-Smith in a Fantagraphics catalog, but here is with, with an independent work that was once an X-Men plot (three guesses with which character and the first two don't count, Adastra in Africa.  Windsor-Smith's artwork is amazing, and this is a great price for a lesser-known work by him.  There are also a pair of art books, for those who really, really like the talented creator.
  • Jason is one of my favorite creators, and if you haven't read any of his books yet (WHY THE HECK NOT?), this sale gives you a few changes.  Almost Silent is a collection of several Jason books under one set of covers.  There's also Hey Wait..., Sshhhh! and I Killed Adolph Hitler.
  • I used to love Zippy the Pinhead when the strip was mostly about Zippy commenting on pop culture, politics, and anything else that struck Bill Griffith's fancy.  It was the comedy of the absurd mixed with pieces of Americana.  Then Dingburg happened, and the thing went off the rails.  You can get several Zippy collections on sale here.  I recommend the early ones, which are Dingburg-free.
  • Artichoke Tales is the strange story of a race of people who look like walking vegetables and have serious family issues.  I liked this one when I read it awhile back, and it's definitely worth checking out.
  • Jack Cole is best known for Plastic Man, but after walking away from the character and before his suicide, he also did a comic strip and work for Playboy, both of which are collected by Fantagraphics.  It's not of huge interest to me, but I know there are folks who specialize in such books and now is a great time to grab them.
  • If you want some classic Tony Millionaire, Drinky Crow's Maakies Treasury  will stick out on your comics shelf, but comes recommended from Erica.
  • Want more Roger Langridge?  Fred the Clown is 40% off and likely to be a treat, based on all of Langridge's other works that I've read.
  • A long time ago, I read the first edition of Ho Che Anderson's King.  If you've never had the pleasure, 40% of is a perfect time.
  • Missing some Love and Rockets?  Volumes 19, 21, and 23 are available for those who need them.
  • If you like Jessica Abel and want to see her early work, Soundtrack has some of it for you.  I wasn't overly fond of the collection, but I think it's worth reading if you follow Abel's work.
  • Richard Sala's The Hidden was my #2 Indie comic of the year, so I would be remiss if I didn't mention two of his other books are in this sale, The Chuckling Whatsit and Mad Night.
  • If you didn't already buy Fantagraphics' great Usagi Yojimbo delux hardcover, you can get the first few trades as part of the sale.  Great stuff that's highly recommended by me.
Those are some of the highlights of the sale.  There's definitely something for everyone and at those prices, it's a great time to sample good comics!  Let me know what you decide to get!