Joe Sacco's "Palestine" Discussion & Signing October 27, 2007

"Joe Sacco's Palestine is a whole that transcends both its medium and its mandate." – Washington City Paper

Fifteen years ago, cartoonist Joe Sacco spent two months in the occupied territories of Palestine, insinuating himself into a foreign — and frequently perilous — culture. Upon his return to Portland, OR he assembled his sketches and journal entries into the Palestine comic book periodical. In the process he created a new form of journalism. Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery in Seattle celebrates the publication of Palestine: The Special Edition with an exhibit of Sacco's original artwork and a discussion with the artist. The exhibition opens with a reception on Friday, October 26 from 7:00 ­ 9:00 PM, followed by a talk with Sacco on Saturday, October 27 at 2:00 PM. All events are free and open to the public.

Collected for the first time in a hardcover format, Palestine: The Special Edition includes supplementary material never previously published. A new essay by Sacco details his creative process and reporting techniques related to the conception of the book. Selections from Sacco's journal, photographs and preliminary sketches from his journey add context to his compelling story. The project was initiated by repeated requests from librarians and university professors for a hardcover edition of Palestine. In a recent interview in Publishers Weekly, Fantagraphics co-publisher Kim Thompson explains, "I knew Joe had quite a lot of interesting ancillary graphic material that no one had ever seen, and I thought he¹d like to pen a new essay looking back at the creation and reception of Palestine."

In both style and substance Sacco humanizes the conflict in the Middle East, and the comics medium makes complex geopolitical issues accessible to a broad audience. Palestine was honored with the prestigious American Book Award in 1996, and he received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2001. Sacco has subsequently employed his unique talent to examinations of conflicts in the Balkans, Gaza Strip, and elsewhere. His books include introductions by intellectual heavyweights including Edward Said and Christopher Hitchens.

Artist Reception
Friday, October 26, 2007
7:00 - 9:00 PM

Discussion with Joe Sacco
Saturday, October 27, 2007
2:00 - 3:00 PM

Official Website: http://www.fantagraphics.com/bookstore.html