The newest issue of Floating World's fantastic comics newspaper is coming out this week... DIAMOND 6!

This issue features new works by members of the Electric Ant Zine extended family like Dash Shaw Jonny Negron and Lala Albert, as well as a bunch of other heavy hitters in the scene. I am gonna grab a copy at TCAF (i hope!?). 

Featuring a wraparound cover and 1 page comic by Paul Pope!

The latest full color issue of DIAMOND is at the printers right now and is due to arrive this Wednesday, April 13. Like the previous issue, we’ve teamed up with the Portland Mercury for distribution. 5000 copies will be included as a FREE insert in the 4/14 issue of the Mercury coming out next week.

We’re holding onto 1000 copies which will be sold at the store and through distributors like Last Gasp, Tony Shenton, Copacetic… Orders may also be placed directly by emailing jason (at) floatingworldcomics (dot) com.

[28 pages, FC, 10.25″ x 13.5″, unbound newsprint, $4]

I was recently sent an advanced copy of Ray Sohn's upcoming PYRAMID LAKE, and the zine indelibly changed my impression of what a personal art zine/project can aspire to encompass. (I realize that sounds a little hyperbolic but it's true, especially after seeing so many flimsy "zines of xerox'd sketches" with work that didn't really persist past the time your eyeballs were scanning the page). I haven't met Ray personally yet, but am a longtime admirer of the gross-out/true-life comic strip True Chubbo, which he creates with his wife Tomomi.

Ray's latest project is Pyramid Lake, an upcoming exhibition of new works by the Brooklyn-based cartoonist that will be happening next month at Wonder Fair gallery in Lawrence, Kansas. Pyramid Lake is also the name of a book accompanying the exhibition, and will be available to purchase via his site next month as well.

"...a conscious, almost spartan resolve to restrict myself by only using a dip pen, and black india ink on 12" x 12" pieces of paper. All of the free hand, and technical ink lines were laid down directly on paper with absolutely no planning, forethought, or preparatory under drawings."

I'm probably not good at describing the specific pieces in the book (which include Ray's monolithic portrait of Lady Gaga from Prison for Bitches) but I can say that it was one of the most visually exciting books I've encountered in a while, the kind of short read where you pore over the details in each page rather than skim quickly. If you don't believe my tastes, Mr. Gary Panter wrote the introduction and discusses the accomplishments of Ray's project in the book's opening page :)

You can see some of what I'm talking about here:

(Click each image for a larger version)

DETAILS ON THE EXHIBITION:

Pyramid Lake: 

An Exhibition and Book by Ray Sohn

April 29th - June 19th, 2011

Opening Reception

(Final Friday) April 29th, 6-10pm

Wonder Fair: Art Gallery, Shoppe & Studio

803 1/2 Massachusetts Street

Lawrence, KS 66044

The issue contains 20 stories from Latvian and international artists about the forest. It might not be so much about gnomes and fairies, like in the forest of your dreams, but rather stories that might evoke nightmares...

Hobie becomes a plush!
A collaboration with with Happycloud Thunderhead (aka Daniel Allyn Lee)
Limited edition of 3 pieces
Each Hobie stands at 34cm tall (approximately 13 inch) and cost 60$.
AVAILABLE NOW IN MY SHOP:
makkinoso.bigcartel.com/

Thanks again to Daniel for doing such an amazing job!
www.happycloudthunderhead.com
www.flickr.com/photos/danielallynlee/

...featuring a fantastic two-page strip about Iceman and Jubilee by our own Michael DeForge!

Also included in the issue: the insane Silver Surfer x Galactus by James Stokoe.

New friend of Same Hat (and scarily-talented illustrator) Jillian Tamaki wrote about our bestie and Electric Ant #2 cover artist, Hellen Jo in the latest issue of BUST MAGAZINE:

Pick up a copy to check this out, where Jillian writely describes Hellen's comics as "brash, cinematic, and deftly tempered by a delicate, virtuosic technique…"   HIGH FIVE HELLHELL!