Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Last Gasp of San Francisco @lastgaspbooks.bsky.social · 7d

On a remote and mysterious island, one man builds a playground of hedonistic excess. His world is filled with splendor — waterfalls, palaces, and gardens — a grand back-drop for decadent bacchanalia and dark secrets.

The Strange Tale of Panorama Island
by Suehiro Maruo
Now available in paperback

1 6 11

Last Gasp of San Francisco @lastgaspbooks.bsky.social · 7d

REMEMBERING STAR FRUIT BOOKS PUBLISHER MATT HAASCH, 1990-2025
by Zach Davisson

www.tcj.com/remembering-...

Remembering Star Fruit Books publisher Matt Haasch, 1990-2025 - The Comics Journal

Zack Davisson pays homage to the late Haasch, who died of cancer on Sept. 6.

www.tcj.com

1 17 34

Last Gasp of San Francisco @lastgaspbooks.bsky.social · 11d

Getting ready for San Francisco’s SMALL PRESS BOOK FAIR — today at Yerba Buena Gardens, 11-4

Tons of local publishers, new books, live entertainment. See you there — Sunday, Sept 28

Last Gasp of San Francisco @lastgaspbooks.bsky.social · 25d

Original art from S. Clay Wilson, Spain, Robert Williams and more underground cartoonists — live auction: comics.ha.com/c/search/res...

comics.ha.com

Last Gasp of San Francisco @lastgaspbooks.bsky.social · Sep 8

Very sad to hear this. Condolences to his loved ones.

1

Last Gasp of San Francisco @lastgaspbooks.bsky.social · Jul 27

See you there!

1 1

Reposted by Last Gasp of San Francisco

Litquake @litquake.org · Jul 27

PRE-FESTIVAL AMUSE-BOUCHE PT IV: Small Press Book Fair🤩

We're so excited to revive the Small Press Book Fair at Yerba Buena Gardens. Come browse the best in local literature set to a day of poetry readings from Litquake Out Loud. FREE!

📅Sep 28, 11–4
➡️Participating vendors: bit.ly/44P1jJN

Litquake's Small Press Book Fair | Litquake

Our book fair is back, with a whole new lineup of the Bay Area's best small presses and journals!

bit.ly

3 4 5

Last Gasp of San Francisco @lastgaspbooks.bsky.social · Jul 17

You’re correct—Barefoot Gen is behind schedule. We will announce the adjusted release dates for all our forthcoming titles in the next couple of days. Thanks for your patience.

Last Gasp of San Francisco @lastgaspbooks.bsky.social · Jul 3

The highly-anticipated sequel to Keiichi Koike's psychedelic sci-fi graphic novel — now available for pre-order from Last Gasp!

Praise for
ULTRA HEAVEN VOL 1:
"Must-Read Manga"
- Publishers Weekly
"I will be back for more."
- The Comics
Journal

ULTRA HEAVEN VOL 2 - PREORDER NOW

1 5

Reposted by Last Gasp of San Francisco

Deb Aoki @debaoki.bsky.social · Jun 16

Voter registration for the 2025 American Manga Awards is now open:

animenyc.com/american-man...

Eligible professionals working with English manga publishers can register to vote. US/Canada residency is not required. We invite professionals from all over the world to apply.

AMA Voter Registration - Anime NYC

Register to Vote in the 2025 American Manga Awards New voter registration closes: Monday, July 21 (5:00 pm ET) Voting ends: Thursday, July 24 (5:00 pm ET) Manga publishing professionals are invited...

animenyc.com

19 21

Reposted by Last Gasp of San Francisco

Deb Aoki @debaoki.bsky.social · Jun 16

Here’s some fast facts about this year’s American Manga Awards entries:
18 companies nominated out of 30 that submitted books
29 books nominated in 7 categories
187 individual titles submitted
375 total entries (in all categories, counting multiple entries in different categories)

3 10 23

Reposted by Last Gasp of San Francisco

Deb Aoki @debaoki.bsky.social · Jun 16

Big thanks to our judges, for picking our manga award nominees - @cybercjay.bsky.social, @mattalt.bsky.social, @hirokoyoda.bsky.social, @adityab.net, @airy.bsky.social, @shecallsmecdawg.bsky.social, @vlordgtz.bsky.social, @harleygin.bsky.social, @annlynzee.bsky.social @mangalibrarian.bsky.social

1 18

Reposted by Last Gasp of San Francisco

Deb Aoki @debaoki.bsky.social · Jun 16

The 2025 American Manga Awards nominees & Manga Publishing Hall of Fame announcement is now up on @publisherswkly.bsky.social / @pwcomicsworld.bsky.social

www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...

2025 American Manga Award Nominees Announced

Anime NYC and Japan Society have announced the 35 nominees for the second annual American Manga Awards, set to take place on August 21.

www.publishersweekly.com

7 74 120

Reposted by Last Gasp of San Francisco

Deb Aoki @debaoki.bsky.social · May 22

Get ready for the epic “Art of Manga” exhibit at the @deyoungmuseum.bsky.social ! See original genga (manga pages) from Rumiko Takahashi, Hirohiko Araki & more! Use promo code MANGAPARTNER from May 21 through July 1 for $5 off for tix from Sep 27–Oct 24 bit.ly/4k6PBPO

2 17 44

Reposted by Last Gasp of San Francisco

Shaenon K. Garrity @shaenon.bsky.social · May 22

Deb and I are on the advisory committee for this show and it looks amazing.

Deb Aoki @debaoki.bsky.social · May 22

Get ready for the epic “Art of Manga” exhibit at the @deyoungmuseum.bsky.social ! See original genga (manga pages) from Rumiko Takahashi, Hirohiko Araki & more! Use promo code MANGAPARTNER from May 21 through July 1 for $5 off for tix from Sep 27–Oct 24 bit.ly/4k6PBPO

7 32

Last Gasp of San Francisco @lastgaspbooks.bsky.social · May 13

🫡

Reposted by Last Gasp of San Francisco

Dan from thepuddingblog.blog @thepuddingblog.blog · May 13

www.smithsonianmag.com/history/thri...

The Thrilling Tale of How Robert Smalls Seized a Confederate Ship and Sailed it to Freedom

He risked his life to liberate his family and became a legend in the process

www.smithsonianmag.com

1 6 12

Reposted by Last Gasp of San Francisco

Evan Hayden @electronvolcano.bsky.social · May 4

Right now finishing up Keiichi Koike's "Ultra Heaven" vol 2. It's even more bonkers than volume 1! I recommend picking this series up. The art is incredible and the story goes to some really interesting places, especially in vol 2.

link to buy volume 1: lastgasp.com/products/ultra-heaven

A colorful collage of panels from the manga Ultra Heaven. A close-up of a woman's eyes, widened in terror, sweat dripping from her face. A picture of her and a guy (who is slumped-over) in an apartment, with a mountainous landscape superimposed over it. Refuse that was laying around the room is now floating mid-air. There is a mysterious bright star-light orb of light in the middle of the room. In the third picture, the woman is superimposed with a metallic liquid, floating around her.

2 11 35

Reposted by Last Gasp of San Francisco

Kip Williams sort of @kipwilliams.bsky.social · May 4

Here's two of them, found at Archive (and two bonus) in a meh-quality screenshot.

Four artist self-portraits from ARCADE (1975):
G (Gilbert) Shelton looks up from his drawing board.
Spain (Rodriguez) poses as the Lipton Tea man, complete with (R)
R (Robert) Williams is the effete Roman bust declaring "Better My Hand Be Severed Than Be The Craft Of Some Unartly Thing"
S (Steve) C (Clay) Wilson stands and looks pot-bellied while smoking in front of a pile of... cans, I hope.

Sorry for the crap screenshot.

4 1 2

Reposted by Last Gasp of San Francisco

Derf Backderf @derfbackderf.bsky.social · May 3

Spain Rodriguez. Man, I miss having this guy in the world.

Spain mural in a Buffalo abandoned factory.

3 12 100

Reposted by Last Gasp of San Francisco

The Comics Journal @comicsjournal.bsky.social · May 3

Ultra Heaven Volume 1 by Keiichi Koike, translated by Ajani Oloye (Last Gasp) reviewed by Brian Nicholson www.tcj.com/reviews/ultr...

Ultra Heaven Volume 1 - The Comics Journal

Ladies and gentlemen, we are floating in space. The thought appeared unbidden, of the filtered, feminine voice that speaks the line at the outset of the Spiritualized album of the same title. That rec...

www.tcj.com

5 13

Reposted by Last Gasp of San Francisco

Fieldmouse Press @fieldmouse.press · Apr 6

The picture is a joke, but the problem is serious. On Thursday, the US President enacted a 54% tariff on all products being imported into the USA from China...

We have thousands of books on a trans-Pacific freightliner heading to the USA from China. They'll be here in 3-5 weeks.

8 160 320

Reposted by Last Gasp of San Francisco

Glacier Bay Books @glacierbaybooks.com · Apr 6

This is the reality most every small business is facing right now. An absolute nightmare is basically the *best case* scenario at this point.

Fieldmouse Press @fieldmouse.press · Apr 6

The picture is a joke, but the problem is serious. On Thursday, the US President enacted a 54% tariff on all products being imported into the USA from China...

We have thousands of books on a trans-Pacific freightliner heading to the USA from China. They'll be here in 3-5 weeks.

1 12 42

Last Gasp of San Francisco @lastgaspbooks.bsky.social · Apr 1

It’s April Fools’ Day, did you dress your children or yourselves with backward clothing today? It is also 55 years since Last Gasp’s first comic book. Rolled off John Ploughman’s binder in Hayward, 1970.

5

Reposted by Last Gasp of San Francisco

Brigid Alverson @brigidalverson.bsky.social · Feb 12

Turtel Onli was the creator of the Black Age of Comics, an enthusiastic supporter of other Black creators, and an artist who redefined superheroes in his own way. And he told some great stories! I only met him a few times, but I know how well respected and loved he was. icv2.com/articles/new...

R.I.P. Turtel Onli

Comics Artist and Creator of the 'Black Age of Comics'

icv2.com

7 13