Angela Hsieh and Brigitta Blair at Fantom Comics

Angela Hsieh is being interviewed by Brigitta Blair about her new book Lu and Ren's Guide to Geozoology at Fantom Comics.

FCBD at Fantom Comics

 Thanks to Sarahti and Jacob of Fantom Comics,* the Library of Congress will once again have a complete set of FCBD comics for 2025.

 

Sarahti Gassmalla as Zatanna

Chelsea "Astronym" Blackwell

Chelsea "Astronym" Blackwell and Erin Lisette

May 24th manga book is apparently extremely disturbing but Ryan Holmberg and Brian Baynes will be talking about Beautiful Monster by Maruo Suehiro

*They order 2 of everything for me and I pay for them since the comics cost the store money, and aren't "free" to them.

Fantom Comics' Jacob Shapiro on tariff's toll on comics shops

Owner of comics shop that relies on imports fears it won't survive Trump tariffs [Fantom Comics; Jacob Shapiro]

Nancy Cordes

CBS Evening News Apr 4, 2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzPNXcmk06I

The early casualties of the trade war are not just investors, but small businesses as well. Nancy Cordes talks to a comic book store owner concerned his business won't survive President Trump's new tariffs. Then, Lana Zak speaks to a crane operator for Stellantis who fears she could be included in the company's temporary layoffs. Kelly O'Grady joins for analysis of today's Wall Street losses. "CBS Evening News" delivers the day's most important stories, delivering context and depth to bring greater understanding to your world. Check local listings for "CBS Evening News" broadcast times.

Apr 20: Box Brown at Fantom

Fantom Comics

https://www.facebook.com/events/s/fantom-420-featuring-box-brown/3444413469022042/

Note the $10 tickets - https://stores.comichub.com/fantom_comics/products/fantom-420-day-april-20-2025-

4/20 approaches… you know what that means—chill times at Fantom Comics
at 3pm we're hosting cartoonist @boxbrown all the way from Philly for a signing to discuss his comic LEGALIZATION NATION, about the weed legalization movement.

following the signing, at 5pm our popular friendship bracelet workshop returns!
then at 6pm, local music legend @sire.u closes out the day with a DJ set.
free 420 gifts provided by our neighbors at @yana.creatives!
entry to the bracelet event & music set is $10 (tix at link in bio), or free with a purchase of Legalization Nation.

March 23: JIMI HENDRIX: PURPLE HAZE SIGNING w/ DJ BEN HA MEEN at Fantom Comics

JIMI HENDRIX: PURPLE HAZE SIGNING w/ DJ BEN HA MEEN
>> SUNDAY, March 23rd @ 3pm
Are you experienced?? We're pleased to host JIMI HENDRIX: PURPLE HAZE writer and forallnerds podcast host DJ Ben Ha Meen for a signing & author talk in conversation with cartoonist/critic Julian Lytle. The new graphic novel from @titancomics is a psychedelic sci-fi adventure available at Fantom now.

Written by Mellow Brown, the critically acclaimed writer of Blade Runner: Origins, and DJ BenHa Meen. Drawn by award-winning artist, Tom Mandrake! In a galaxy where a tyrannical force has silenced music and enslaved all life, Hendrix must embark on a perilous quest to find a magical talisman powerful enough to unlock the incredible latent power of his trademark sound.

https://stores.comichub.com/fantom_comics/products/jimi-hendrix-purple-haze-dm-edition-hardcover-mature-

A post-SPX chat with Angela Hsieh

 by Mike Rhode

Angela Hsieh and I first met at Fantom Comics in summer 2023 at a booksigning, and then again as she tabled at SPX in 2023 and 2024. We talked about doing an interview all three times. Her first book was illustrating Antarctica: The Melting Continent, a picture book written by Karen Romano Young. Finally her graphic novel is coming out and she's answered my usual questions.

What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?
Graphic novels take up most of my time, though I've been known to do a short comic or two on the side. For the past three years I've been working on my debut graphic novel, Lu and Ren's Guide to Geozoology. It's finally coming out in May 2025. You can even preorder it!

Lu and Ren's Guide to Geozoology is a middle grade fantasy story about two friends who travel across the fantastical land of Lirrin in search of Lu's missing ah-ma (grandma). All they have to guide their way is Ah-ma's journal. One major problem: Ah-ma wrote it in her native Cylian language, which Lu can barely read. As Lu and Ren follow Ah-ma's footsteps and encounter incredible geofauna such as colossal axolotl-like ambystufa and adorably massive guinea pig-shaped cavioliths, they find out more about the complex relationships between geofauna and people—and between each other.

How do you do it? Traditional pen and ink, computer or a combination?
I write scripts in Scrivener, or in Google Docs, or on a piece of paper if that's what calls to me at that moment. I thumbnail on paper and sketch/pencil in an iPad app called Comic Draw. Lu and Ren's Guide to Geozoology was colored in Procreate. Procreate really isn't designed for comic pages, though, so I'm looking to other programs such as Clip Studio to improve my workflow.

Why are you in Washington now?
I moved to DC in 2018 when I got an internship at NPR. Said internship turned into a contract gig, and when that year was up I'd put down roots in DC and didn't want to pack up my life yet again and move to another city. Now I freelance from here.

What is your training and/or education in cartooning?
I took a grand total of one (1) sequential art course at my alma mater, RISD. I went through art school thinking I'd make a career as an editorial illustrator—which, to be fair, I did for a few years—so I focused on that and didn't seek classes in comics or cartooning. I wish I took more comics classes when they were more easily available to me, but I'm not going to be too hard on myself for making decisions that made sense at the time.

Who are your influences?
It changes depending on what I'm working on at the moment. While I was making Geozoology, for example, I found inspiration in Kay O'Neill's Tea Dragon series, Tim Probert's Lightfall books, and Shaun Tan's The Arrival. More broadly, nature, science, and history are core influences in my work. The world is vast and very, very interesting.

If you could, what in your career would you do-over or change?
I would float backwards in time and rasp ominously into 12-year-old Angela's ear, "Your spine will never be the same again if you don't sit your ass in a chair with proper back support starting NOW."

What work are you best known for?
Probably these Bulbasaur Brassica cultivars or this mini comic I made about my cat staring into a hole in the bathroom wall.

What work are you most proud of?
Finishing an entire graphic novel. That's 256 pages!

What would you like to do or work on in the future?
I have another graphic novel I'm working on with Harper, so that'll keep me busy for the next two to three years. There isn't much I can say about it at this point in time except that it'll be in the fantasy genre, but tonally a bit darker than Geozoology. Because I always need to have multiple irons in multiple fires, I'm also working on a pitch for yet another graphic novel in collaboration with a writer. If you like gays in sports, you'll like this one.

 

What do you think will be the future of your field?
I don't know what I'm going to eat for lunch tomorrow, much less what the future of comics will be.

What local cons do you attend? The Small Press Expo, Awesome Con, or others? Any comments about attending them?
DC Zinefest and Small Press Expo are my favorites! I table at them if the lottery is kind to me. I had a great time last year at Graphic Novel Fest in Baltimore—it was their first year, and I'm looking forward to seeing it continue!
 
What comic books do you read regularly or recommend? 
Recently, I've been really into DUNGEON MESHI by Ryoko Kui. She lands every single joke. Her expressions are priceless.

Do you have a local store?
Fantom Comics!! They always have some fun event going on, and the folks that run Fantom are the best.

What's your favorite thing about DC?
That cliche-but-true characterization of it being a big city with small-town vibes. It's walkable, it's green, the buildings are short enough that I can actually see the sky, and more than once I've bumped into friends while running errands.

Least favorite?
The rent. :'|

What monument or museum do you like to take visitors to?
I always take visitors to that most respected of DC institutions, the Q Street Barbie pond.

How about a favorite local restaurant?
It's so hard to choose! Chercher (Logan Circle) is my go-to for Ethiopian, and Sharbat (Adams Morgan) has a honey cake that's, in a word, divine. If sushi's your thing, Umai Nori (Downtown) has fantastic hand rolls.

Do you have a website or blog?
My website is www.angela-hsieh.com. My newsletter, currently the most reliable source of updates, can be found at angelahsieh.substack.com.

In today's edition of her newsletter, Angela writes, B&N is doing a 25% off member pre-order sale today through Friday (Feb 5-7)!

WHY’RE AUTHORS ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT PRE-ORDERS?

In short, pre-orders help increase the chances of the book’s success. They signal interest in the book to publishers and retailers. Pre-orders help build “buzz” around a book, which can lead publishers to adjust print runs and encourage retailers to make larger orders. If you pre-order from an independent bookstore, not only does it help the creator, they help independent bookstores by guaranteeing sales for their stock.

Pre-orders also count towards first week sales numbers, which is how books end up on those bestseller lists when they’ve only been out in the world for less than a week. I’m not saying that I’m anticipating bestseller status for Geozoology, but I’m not gonna say no to the possibility. ;)

Decade-old Fantom Comics photo used to illustrate 2024 comics sales article

Heh. They are actually on P St, NW just off Dupont Circle.

UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 27: Fantom Comics a new store at Union Station in Washington, D.C. (Photo ... [+]

CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Comic Sales Slipped In 2023. Are They Due For A Rebound?

Rob Salkowitz 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/robsalkowitz/2024/10/29/comic-sales-slipped-in-2023-are-they-due-for-a-rebound/

Luke Healy interviewed by Jacob Shapiro at Solas Nua

 Here's some photos, followed by the basic information about the event. It's supposed to be on YouTube eventually.

 Some quick notes -  

He was a gossip columnist in Ireland when he decided to go to the Center for Cartoon Studies on Vermont. #centerforcartoonstudies

Healy's new graphic novel - even though the character is named Luke Healy, it's not memoir, but a look at what his future life might be.

 Apparently he's done work for the NY r based on the intro.

Healy's new book is on climate change in future England but he says that disaster is a stand in for the COVID epidemic.

An audience member just asked about the similarities of stand up and graphic novel comics that Healy does. 

Solas Nua Presents Luke Healy: "Self-Esteem and the End of the World"
Date & Time	Sep 16, 2024 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Webinar ID	997 1888 9938
Description			Solas Nua is also proud to present Luke Healy in a public conversation panel event in Washington, D.C. on Monday, September 16th at 7:00 pm ET. This talkback will take place at NYU DC (1307 L St NW, Washington, DC 20005). From there, Luke will be traveling to New York to continue promoting Self-Esteem and the End of the World. Please check solasnua.org for more tour event details soon. This event is co-sponsored by the John Brademas Center of NYU.

Shawn Martinbrough at Fantom Comics on Instagram

Talking with SHAWN MARTINBROUGH (@smartinbrough) about NEIL GAIMAN's (@neilhimself) ANANSI BOYS comic from @darkhorsecomics!

Jacob Shapiro

fantomcomics July 2 2024

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C88B6SBxGUF/?igsh=MWFheXBpdGltdzdjaw== 

May 25: Hazel Newlevant at Fantom Comics

[I'm planning on attending to at least buy the book]

BOOK LAUNCH & AUTOBIO COMIC WORKSHOP w/ HAZEL NEWLEVANT

>> SATURDAY, MAY 25th @ 3pm

Fantom friend (Comics for Choice, No Ivy League, Sugar Town) joins us to host an all-ages autobio comics workshop, celebrating the launch of the anthology Becoming Who We Are: Real Stories About Growing Up Trans! Supplies provided, masks required.

Get copies in-store or on our website: https://stores.comichub.com/fantom_comics/products/becoming-who-we-are-graphic-novel-mature-

Fantom Comics FCBD photos

 They had a great crowd apparently. It was still a line going out the door when I got there after lunch. Since before Covid, Fantom has been providing a complete set of FCBD comics for the Library of Congress; I've taken over collecting them. Here's a few shots I took.

She-Ra from Masters of the Universe

Store co-owner Dave Bishop

Erin Lisette, and her Incomplete Origins series and Baby Forest Spirit Plush 

Fantom’s own Raven Smith's interview's Instagram feed

Fantom's own Raven Smith (@writeravenwrite) joins us to discuss the fantasy series GODFELL that she story edited! 

Jacob Shapiro

w/ special interview assist by Kat Overland (@dogunderwater). 

Fantom Comics March 7 2024

https://www.instagram.com/p/C5eSoG-R4D9/

Limited signed copies available~

Raven Smith interviewed at Fantom Comics

Raven is being interviewed now live and on Instagram my Jacob Shapiro at Fantom Comics about God Fell. She edited the book for Vault and the author.