Number 2, September 2003

* Lambiek moves to the Sunny Side of the Kerkstraat
* Recommended new imported comics
* Comics pioneers added to Comiclopedia
* Recommended new Dutch editions
* Link tip
* Guests
* Oracle

Lambiek relocates from 78 to 119:
on the sunny side of the Kerkstraat

Subscribers to Dutch comics magazine MYX found an interesting article in the most recent issue, which stated that Lambiek will close its store in November 2003, due to a renovation of the building in the Kerkstraat 78. The Reporter sought an interview with Kees Kousemaker, owner of Lambiek.

KK: You shouldn't believe everything the papers say. Yes, there will be a renovation, but it will start in October, not in November. And the store will stay open, but will temporarily be housed in Kerkstraat 119, across the street from the current location.

TR: You mean that very small store...?

KK: Yes, the smallest store in the street. Consider it a Zen exercise: we are searching for happiness within limitations. It will be a disappointment for many not to find the regular wide range of comic books in Lambiek, for reducing the store from 200 to 15 square meters requires cuts in the choice and range. If customers have a specific request, they can let us know a day in advance, so we can get the books from our storage.

TR: What are your plans for the future?

KK: To find a better location on the Kerkstraat within a year. :)

Recommended import

1) BLANKETS - Craig Thompson
€ 38.99 (EURO)
After his acclaimed debut 'Goodbye Chunky Rice', Thompson now baffles his audience with the 600 pages of 'Blankets'. A personal story about childhood, fears, religion and love.

2) QUIMBY THE MOUSE - Chris Ware
Softcover € 17.19 (EURO)
Graphically the most beuatiful publication of this moment: hardcover collection of Quimby in large format.

3) LES CHERCHEURS DE TRÉSOR - David B.
€ 12.50 (EURO)
Newest publication of this talented French artist. 'Epileptic', the English translation of his autobiographic work, is also still available at Lambiek.

4) JESSICA OF THE SCHOOLYARD - Karl Wills
€ 4.50/4.95 (EURO)
Our import from Hicksville, New Zealand. Inspired by the format of the Tijuana Bibles, or eightpagers, small pornbooklets from the 1930s. Wills leaves the porn for what it is, but tells the bizarre and violent tales of Jessica, a college student. Eight issues have appeared, one of which in 3D (glasses included). Every issue contains a trading card. Collect them all!

5) MAX HAMM - FAIRY TALE DETECTIVE - Frank Cammuso
€ 6.45 (EURO)
The second book about fairytale characters gone wrong. Still shattered by the tragic death of his partner Humpty-Dumpty, Max Hamm sets out to crack another case...

6) THE WOLVES IN THE WALL - Neil Gaimann, illustrated by Dave McKean
Hardcover, € 22.15 (EURO)
After 'The Day I Swopped my Dad for a Goldfish' and 'Coraline', this is the third children's book by the talented duo Gaiman/McKean.

All these books are for sale at Lambiek and can be ordered by email.

Comics pioneers added to Comiclopedia

The latest issue of magazine Comic Art features an article about the American editions of the work of Rodolphe Töpffer, in the middle of the 19th century. It is generally believed that comics in America didn't start until 'The Yellow Kid' by Outcault appeared in 1896. This article points out that there were many comic artists active during the 19th century, almost all of them have become forgotten. Until now, that is, since you can read all about them in our Comiclopedia:

Frank Bellew
Livingston Hopkins
David Claypool Johnston
Joseph Keppler
John McLenan

Interesting new additions are made almost on a daily basis. In the month of August, a great number of Spanish comic artist were added, and soon a number of German comic artists will follow, in the wake of the recent Comic Festival in Berlin.

New Dutch editions

1) DE AVONDEN 2 - Gerard Reve en Dick Matena
Special price! € 16.95 (EURO), instead of € 19.95 (EURO)
Matena adapted the famous novel by Reve in comic form, leaving the original text intact.

2) MENEER JOHAN - Dupuy & Berberian
€ 9.50 (EURO)
Translation of the French 'Monsieur Jean', the series about the life, love and struggle of a thirty-something writer in Paris.

3) PROSOPOPUS - Nicolas De Crécy
€ 12.95 (EURO)
Textless story about the mythical creature Prosopopus.

4) DE WERELD VAN DICK BOS - Rich Thomassen
€ 15.95 (EURO)
Not a comic book, but a book about the comic 'Dick Bos' from the 1940s, and its creator Alfred Mazure.

5) DONJON - Joann Sfar & Lewis Trondheim
€ 9.95 (EURO)
Very humorous fantasy stories. The first tow albums of the series have been translated in Dutch.

All these books are for sale at Lambiek and can be ordered by email.

Link tip

Guests

Lambiek gets visitors from all over the world. In August, our store was graced by a visit from comic artists Felix Molinari, Michel Rodrigue and Cyrus Tota.

Our guest-book was signed by visiting Hungarian comic artists.

The Oracle

Boris Kousemaker, Lambiek's oracle, prophesies about the future of comics in The Netherlands.

Will these ominous words come true? Read all about it in the next issue of The Reporter!

To be notified of future newsletters, email Lambiek, requesting 'Version A'. Additional updates on new comic titles is available by requesting 'Version B'.

See the most recent newsletter, or the previous newsletters in the archive.

The Reporter is made by:
Margreet de Heer, André Buhrs, Kees Kousemaker, Klaas Knol, Boris Kousemaker