Gahan Wilson: 50 Years of Playboy CartoonsMedia Release -- Gary Groth and Kim Thompson will be at next weekend's SMALL PRESS EXPO in Bethesda, MD, debuting a slew of new books, including:

• Zak Sally's LIKE A DOG
• Al Columbia's PIM & FRANCIE
• E.C. Segar's POPEYE Vol. 4
• Jacques Boyreau's PORTABLE GRINDHOUSE
• Steve Ditko's STRANGE SUSPENSE
• Kevin Huizenga's GANGES #3
• Hans Rickheit's THE SQUIRREL MACHINE
MOME Vol. 16
• Jacques Tardi and Jean-Claude Forest's YOU ARE THERE

... and more.

We have some very exciting signings as well. To wit:

SATURDAY:

KEVIN HUIZENGA: 12PM to 2PMC. TYLER: 12PM to 2PMGAHAN WILSON: 2PM to 4PMHANS RICKHEIT: 2PM to 4PMZAK SALLY: 2PM to 4PMMISS LASKO-GROSS: 4PM to 5PMAL COLUMBIA: 5PM to 7PMPAUL KARASIK: 5PM to 7PM

SUNDAY:

GAHAN WILSON: 12PM to 2PMZAK SALLY: 12PM to 2PMKEVIN HUIZENGA: 12PM to 2PMHANS RICKHEIT: 2PM to 4PMC. TYLER: 2PM to 4PMAL COLUMBIA: 2PM to 4PMPAUL KARASIK: 4PM to 6PMMISS LASKO-GROSS: 4PM to 5PM

Plus, several FANTAGRAPHICS-related panels:

Saturday, 12:30PM: Debut Cartoonists
Hans Rickheit (The Squirrel Machine) and Zak Sally (Like A Dog) join Ken Dahl and Eleanor Davis to discuss their new books debuting at SPX. Brookside Conf. Rm.

Saturday, 3:30PM: Critics' Roundtable
Fantagraphics Publisher Gary Groth joins Rob Clough, Sean Collins, Chris Mautner, Joe McCulloch, Tucker Stone and Douglas Wolk to share acute critical insights. Brookside Conf. Rm.

Saturday, 4PM: Paul Karasik's Fletcher Hanks Experience
Cartoonist, editor and educator Paul Karasik presents "The Fletcher Hanks Experience," an illustrated tour over the brutally surreal Hanks mindscape narrated by the late Fletcher Hanks, Jr. White Flint Ampitheater.

Saturday, 5PM: Gahan Wilson Spotlight
This year, Fantagraphics publishes Gahan Wilson: Fifty Years of Playboy Cartoons. Mr. Wilson will be joined onstage by publisher and editor Gary Groth to discuss his life and work. White Flint Ampitheater.

Sunday, 1PM: Carol Tyler Q & A
Carol will discuss her new book You'll Never Know: A Good and Decent Man with comics critic Douglas Wolk. White Flint Ampitheater.

Sunday, 1:30PM: Source-Based Comics
Kate Beaton, Paul Karasik, Ed Piskor, and R. Sikoryak discuss what it means to make creative works of adaptation, parody, and historical fiction. Brookside Conf. Rm.

Sunday, 3:30PM: Future of the Comic Book
Discuss the future of the comic book format with publisher Alvin Buenaventura, and cartoonists Kevin Huizenga, Matthew Thurber, Hellen Jo and Noah Van Sciver. Brookside Conf. Rm.

BUT WAIT, THAT'S NOT ALL!

To celebrate the great Gahan Wilson's rare convention appearance at SPX 2009, we have a very special offer for SPX attendees. In early 2010, we will be publishing GAHAN WILSON: 50 years of Playboy Cartoons, a massive, three-volume hardcover collection of his work. Designed by Jacob Covey, it's going to be absolutely STUNNING.

SPX attendees will have the opportunity to PRE-ORDER the book at the show get a limited edition (150 copies) silkscreen print signed by Mr. Wilson at the show! Even better, we are going to include FREE SHIPPING for the book (and believe me, you'll be happy you didn't have to lug this thing around SPX, it's HUGE) when it ships and knock $25 off the $125 retail price!

For $100, you will get the book, an exclusive signed print, free shipping, and the chance to meet one of the great cartoonists of the 20th Century! These will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Don't miss out!

See ya at SPX!