Fantagraphics has a new Simon Hanselmann graphic novel in the works for July, as well as a tribute by Bill Griffith to his late wife, Diane Noomin.
Hanselmann is joining forces with up-and-coming cartoonist Josh Pettinger (Goiter Comics) for a parody of the colorful hardcover annuals that were a staple of the British kids’ comics scene for years. Werewolf Jones & Sons Deluxe Summer Fun Annual is very much not a kids’ comic, however; it’s an adults-only sendup that features Werewolf Jones, a truly terrible parent, and plenty of drug- and alcohol-addled activities. Hanselmann’s characters Megg, Mogg, and Owl put in an appearance, as do Dracula Jr. and a drug-dealing spider. The 96-page hardcover will go on sale on July 18, 2023, with an MSRP of $19.99.
Moving from the ridiculous to the sublime: Bill Griffith’s The Buildings Are Barking: Diane Noomin In Memoriam is also on the Fantagraphics July slate. Griffith and Noomin, both cartoonists who got their start in the underground comix movement of the early 1970s, were married for 49 years, until Noomin’s death last year (see “R.I.P. Diane Noomin”), and this slim volume is his tribute to her in comics form. The 24-page paperback will be released on July 19, 2023, with an MSRP of $7.00.Source: ICv2
