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This beautiful, square-sized quarterly art magazine is a must-have coffee table book. It even includes four full-color posters of some of the featured artists. The design is heavy on showcasing the actual artwork and the interviews are all informative and concise. The current issue includes work from Seattle’s own Parskid, the crazy designs of Gary Baseman and the absolutely amazing paintings of San Fransisco’s Tiffany Bozic, a truly great find. Damn! It also has a handful of music reviews and profiles of other cool publications like “Hamburger Eyes” and “RE:UP Magazine.” Based in Dallas, Art Prostitute just opened their own gallery in Denton, TX in June of last year that’s already featured the works of Shepard Fairey, Dave Kinsey and Ryan McGinness. Keep up the great work, guys!—Kristopher Monroe
By Manu Larcenet
NBM Publishing, $11.95
B
Translated from the French, this award-winning graphic novel revolves around Marc, a scruffy photojournalist and cat owner who suffers from frequent panic attacks. Larcenet’s style alternates between colorful stylization and sepia-toned realism and his story is absorbing. He is particularly adept at balancing humor (Marc loves to smoke “BIG, FAT JOINTS!” with his brother) and pathos (their father is dying), but I’m not sure why he gave his protagonist such a big, phallic nose. Really, it’s a little distracting. Otherwise, good stuff.—Kathleen C Fennessy
By Damon Hurd & Rick Smith
Origin Comics, $2.95
B-
Temporary worker Envy Saint-Clare fights her way through an ordinary yet sinister office landscape with the help of her imaginary friend, Sympathy. Only Envy can see Sympathy, in the form of a childish drawing of a little girl. In “Temporary #3,” Envy is caught stealing by a cop with multiple personalities. Hurd and Smith portray the characters’ mental states as well as their actions. I just wish this issue were longer with more action.—Jill Charles
On August 6 at the Comet Tavern in Seattle,
Three Imaginary Girls, Argo and Joe Alterio will be
joint-hosting a split CD release/comic book release party
for Argo’s new EP and Joe Alterio’s new comic
book/diary/manifesto “365.” Check out joealterio.com or
call the Comet at 206.323.9853 for more deets..