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Underground > Comic Books >

THE NEW 8-BALL!!!!

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Murray Hamhandler

17:41 / 13.12.01

Oh...my...god...
You'se guys have got to read this. It's sooo good. I mean, I've always liked Eightball, but this...THIS! I don't know. Maybe it's just me, but I was completely blown away. I think that it's easily Clowes' best work and it's one of the best uses of the medium that I've seen in a while. It strengthens my resolve to do comics seriously and makes me proud of the artform. This, like Jimmy Corrigan, is something I feel that I can show a non-comics person and say, w/head held high, "This is what I'm gonna do when I grow up."
Let me know what you guys and gals think.
Arthur Sudnam

Matthew Fluxington

18:53 / 13.12.01

Um, two things:

a) I am quite certain that it is not out, nor has it been solicited. What the hell are you talking about? Did you find a copy of a David Boring issue or something?

b) could you clarify what you are talking about...assuming the issue has indeed been released, and all the cool comic shops in Manhattan have chosen not to stock it in spite of the heavy demand for any and all Clowes products post-Ghost World, what is the story about?

Murray Hamhandler

19:08 / 13.12.01

Ha ha...you made me laugh, Flux.

Not laugh at you, just at the thought that I read something that doesn't exist.
Yes! Yes, sir! Eightball 22 just came out yesterday! The first post-David Boring issue, and the first issue in...what, over a year? The story, as it were, is just 29 (I think) smaller, interconnected stories. It is, I think, the first issue of 8-Ball that is a whole entity unto itself (not part of a serial or made up of unrelated shorts). I have to say that I'm shocked that Manhattan comic stores wouldn't have it yet, when I picked mine up in relatively backwards Bloomington, IN just yesterday. I think it's probably worth taking another look, Flux, before they sell out (unless that isn't what's already happened).
Arthur Sudnam

Matthew Fluxington

19:11 / 13.12.01

I will now go to Forbidden Planet and see if they have it in yet. They surely bought up a truckload of copies, as the Clowes stuff sells out constantly...

yawn - thing's buddy

19:16 / 13.12.01

this is strange. I looked for it today in glasgow and saw no new eightball.

I'll check tomorrow.

intrigued.

19:34 / 13.12.01

Yesterday I was at The Beguiling, Toronto's premier comic shop, and they didn't have a new Eightball (and believe me, it would have been pointed out to me if they had). I just rang them to see if I'd missed it somehow and they had no idea what I was talking about. Quick check of Fantagraphics website indicates no Eightball released.

So you're

a) lying, god knows why

or

b) mistakenly referring to a previous issue.

Can you tell us about one of the stories to confirm?

[ 13-12-2001: Message edited by: CameronStewart ]

Matthew Fluxington

19:40 / 13.12.01

I just ran over to Forbidden Planet, a couple blocks from school... no Eightball, they said there have been no solicitations. Just to make sure, I called St. Mark's Comics, and again, no Eightball. Then I remembered that the shop in Park Slope which I had stopped in earlier today had no new Eightball. Then I remembered that Captain Zoom, who runs a comic shop answered that there have been no solicitations for a new Eightball, and he has no idea when it will come out.

Not to mention Cameron's testimony...and the fact that there is nothing about a new Eightball issue ANYWHERE on Fantagraphics.com

[ 14-12-2001: Message edited by: Flux = Special Ointment ]

20:00 / 13.12.01

But over in my birthday thread he did say that I was his favourite Invisibles artist, so he's alright in my book.

20:08 / 13.12.01

Don't know if Arthur is full of shit about it being out or not (i kinda doubt it...it's a pretty lame hoax)

He is right about the content though...I remember reading an interview with Clowes a while back where he talked about the next 8ball being a self contained issue of short interconnected stories...

I'm drooling

20:10 / 13.12.01

And is he the same Arthur Sudnam who did Cholly and Flytrap?

20:18 / 13.12.01

Nope...JUst checked...That was Arthur Suydam...

20:23 / 13.12.01

>>>and the fact that there is nothing about a new Eightball issue ANYWHERE on Fantagraphics.com<<<

Well, actually there is. A brief description of Eightball 22 that jives with Arthur's - self-contained, short stories, first issue since David Boring, etc - which is likely where Arthur got the info. They say it's available for order but have no mention anywhere of a projected release date.

Incidentally, I went and saw Star Wars Episode 2 last night. It's set after Episode 1 and is about Anakin Skywalker when he's a bit older. It was great!! You all should see it!

[ 13-12-2001: Message edited by: CameronStewart ]

Matthew Fluxington

20:29 / 13.12.01

quote:Originally posted by CameronStewart:

Well, actually there is. A brief description of Eightball 22 that jives with Arthur's - self-contained, 8 short stories, first issue since David Boring, etc - which is likely where Arthur got the info.

howabout some linkage? I can't seem to find that bit, and I looked all over, or so I thought...

Incidentally, the new GNR album came out on Tuesday, and it rocks. It's called "Chinese Democracy". Check it out, man.

09:13 / 14.12.01

http://www.fantagraphics.com/crystal_eightball.html

Scroll down to the bit about Clowes.

Murray Hamhandler

09:16 / 14.12.01

What in the everloving fuck is going on here? I mean, seriously. I am totally not lying about this. I can buy up all of the remaining copies from my local comic store and send them to you all...but that would deprive the people in my area from an 8-Ball fix. No, really. This is fucking with my head here, like you guys are making me think that I'm hallucinating about this thing that's RIGHT HERE IN MY HANDS!!! I'm totally, totally serious. I'll describe the entire thing from cover to cover if you still don't believe me. I went to that New Comic Book Release website yesterday when I got up to see what came out and I saw 8-Ball on there and about shit and so I ran to the store and bought it. Here's the link (under Fantagraphics). Of course, that thing said that the new Love and Rockets came out a couple of weeks ago and I still haven't seen it. It hurts my feelings that you guys think I'm lying about this, but I will consider all forgiven when you get yer mitts on this thing and we can start discussing its content rather than disputing its existence...
The plot, for those who still don't believe me, centers around a weird kid in this town called Ice Haven who has been kidnapped and supposedly killed. Several people are suspected and one actually sort of confesses, but there's still the air of 'whodunit?'. The plot is really secondary to the structure, though. The story is actually broken into these discrete parts that focus on individual residents in Ice Haven, Leopold and Loeb, and a sociopathic blue bunny named Blue Bunny. The various stories differ from one another in style and tone. It's full color throughout. I don't know what else to say. I wasn't really thinking that I'd have to prove myself, but there you are...
Arthur Sudnam

Matthew Fluxington

09:21 / 14.12.01

Well, that sounds great, and I hope to God it comes out in NYC next week, because I need my Clowes fix.

I'm sorry I'm coming down so hard on you, I'm just a huge fan of Clowes and the stuff comes out so rarely that I'm not about to take kindly to hoaxes...

Why the hell would it be available in Bloomington first?

09:21 / 14.12.01

Checked elsewhere and it seems that it is out in some places.

Very odd.

So apologies to Arthur for doubting him.

09:21 / 14.12.01

So hopefully that means that i can get it in approx 8 hrs....

or maybe it's not hit these shores yet

09:21 / 14.12.01

[ 14-12-2001: Message edited by: The Annotated Underachiever ]

09:21 / 14.12.01

Poor Arthur though eh?

I'm sure if he walked into a bar full of us rabid Clowes fans with similer un-backed-up flights of fancy we'd take his head off

But then we'd snuggle him when he whips one out his jeans

09:21 / 14.12.01

Unfortunately, my comic shop wouldn't know Dan Clowes if he came in and bit their tits. Will one of you hipsters post up here when it's available in the UK so I can get it on mail order from somewhere.

yawn - thing's buddy

09:21 / 14.12.01

this thread has GOT TO be archived.

classic.

11:33 / 14.12.01

maybe they staggered the realease because it's like, so cool, that if they released it everywhere at once it would, like, blow everybody's minds, man...

I'm greatly looking forward to it too, actually. It sounds really good. I take it it didn't come out in the UK yesterday..

13:23 / 14.12.01

No sign of it in london today but i did console myself with the new, 'Black Hole' 'Grip' 'X-Force' and the new Nabiel Kanan Graphic novel 'The Birthday Riots' so i am happy...

I'm going to find a nice cosy pub now and read comics and drink beer for the next couple of hours

Matthew Fluxington

13:30 / 14.12.01

The Hate annual came out this week too.
I haven't read through it yet, though...

Murray Hamhandler

15:33 / 14.12.01

I looked around on the internet for any further evidence of its existence and found none. It would seem to me that -someone- (Fantagraphics, Clowes) would want to take advantage of the whole Ghost World thing and ride its coattails as far as possible. Maybe that seemed to sell-out-ish a route and they decided to give it no promotion whatsoever, to the extent that it was only solicited in, oh, say Bloomington, Indiana. At any rate, I had to waggle my copy in front of my brother's nose and have him confirm its existence for me. So if it's any consolation, there are at least two of us hallucinating now.
Arthur Sudnam

18:13 / 14.12.01

Incidentally, the reason for the confusion and erratic availability is that some shops received it directly from Fantagraphics, whereas most are still awaiting a shipment from Diamond.

Apparently the Diamond shipment will be in next week.

23:03 / 14.12.01

ah...who gives a fuck anyway...i've gone off Clowes now...the guy's a pretentious fuck living in the 1950s....Get back to reading Heavy Metal i say!!!

Matthew Fluxington

13:50 / 15.12.01

quote:Originally posted by The Annotated Underachiever:
i've gone off Clowes now...the guy's a pretentious fuck living in the 1950s....Get back to reading Heavy Metal i say!!!

Murray Hamhandler

17:14 / 19.12.01

Well, since it seems that the more backward parts of the world are finally receiving their copies

, would anyone care to indulge me and discuss this thing now?...
Arthur Sudnam

Matthew Fluxington

20:05 / 19.12.01

Okay, I don't have the time to really get into it, but I think that this is now my new favorite Clowes comic, and that it is my second favorite thing he's ever done after the Ghost World film.

The Natural Way

10:38 / 20.12.01

I'm pretty sure I saw a new 8ball in Comic Showcase this morning, when I was picking up my copy of NXM. Was gonna buy it, but opted for szechuan prawns. Will get it later.

[ 20-12-2001: Message edited by: Guns 'n' Runces ]

02:14 / 21.12.01

It's in P45 in Nottingham. I've bought it, partially because of this thread; partially because I said to the chap there 'sell me something good'.

I loved the way that elements of the little stories combine to give a wider narrative embracing characters who don't actually meet and that gives a clear but unstated impression of the interconnectedness of small town live.

Or I could be making it up.

yawn - thing's buddy

07:17 / 21.12.01

bought it wednesday.

:click:whirr:click:currently processing:click:whirr:click:

13:02 / 22.12.01

oh mah good lord! this is the fakkin' coolest, i'll need to reread it, since i read it in an aire of hungover sleepyness, but the last violet story panal was shear beauty while the second to last on it is fuckin' frustaion to the hilt! and Mrs Ames, whatta slut!

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