I recently had a chance to sit down with T. Edward Bak and speak to him about his newly published graphic novel Island of Memory. No matter how well intended I was to have a serious Q and A, I was immediately disarmed by Bak' s intelligence, dedicated knowledge, and clear explanation of the history behind his new work. The first book in the WILD MAN series, Island of Memory follows the story of naturalist Georg Steller and his experiences with the Second Kamchatka Expedition during the 18th century. The composition, beautiful in its own right, is underscored by the meticulous research put into it. Simply put, Bak' s work hits home on two fronts: aesthetic and intellectual.
Island of Memory is an exceptional story filled with vivid depictions of people that lived long ago. Bak does a phenomenal job humanizing historical figures while still preserving the fact that they actually existed. It was incredibly easy for me to devour the entire story in one sitting because, frankly, it was too beautiful to put down. The richness of the artwork along with beautifully crafted storytelling make this first volume a great introduction to the WILD MAN series.
Looking to get your hands on a copy? Listed below are a few ways to capture the WILD MAN!
- T. Edward Bak will be having a book release and signing October 3rd at Floating World Comics from 6-10pm.
- Island of Memory is also available for preorder through Floating World Comics and will ship in November.
- WILD MAN Research + Lecture Series KickStarter has some awesome rewards, including a signed copy and original artwork.
Shanna Matuszak
Frenzy Devotee
September 17, 2013: SO many happenings and going-ons! Readers, you must forgive me as I play catch-up with our blog. There is certainly much to talk about and as preparation intensifies on our new NE Portland storefront, we recently had the opportunity to host our first art opening in our new location. Letterfirm, a group exhibition of expressive typography, opened August 20th and ran through the 27th. This show, expertly curated by Ian Lynam in association with TypeCon, featured the creatively diverse works of 23 internationally recognized graphic designers and typographers leading the industry both professionally and artistically. If you were not able to attend the opening or exhibition, I have included pictures below as well as links to all participating artists.
- Aaron Winters
- Gail Swanlund
- Chris Ro
- Thomas Kracauer
- Thea Lorentzen
- Scott Massey
- Jiwon Lee
- Masato Nakada
- Sarah Gottesdiener
- Yasmin Gibson
- Ed Fella
- Silas Munro
- Ian Lynam
- Michael Worthington
- Jae-Hyouk Sung
- Benjamin Woodlock
- David Matthew Davis
- Troy Patterson
- Kat Catmur
- Alex Pines
- Everything Type Company
- Mylinh Trieu Nguyen
- Micah Hahn
We were definitely excited to open our doors again for this beautiful collection of artists and designers. This show utilized the entire store retail space, but in the future we look forward to hosting shows in our gallery space located within the new Frenzy. Our official store opening date is October 4th. So, come on or after for your opportunity to see what we have been up to and experience a taste of the new Reading Frenzy.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Shanna Matuszak
Frenzy Devotee
September 15, 2013: The 13th Annual Zine Symposium was a complete success! From a business perspective, having the opportunity to reconnect with past Frenzy guests and forge new relationships was exciting. With all of the preparation for our reopening on October 4th it most certainly felt empowering to generate new interest in the store. The event as a whole was a veritable cornucopia of information, workshops, panels, and beautifully handcrafted products. For what once was a tiny, homegrown convention, this event now attracts people from all over the West Coast and beyond. For those not able to attend, I have taken a couple of photos so you can live vicariously through our escapades!
Shanna Matuszak
Frenzy Devotee
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