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1854 W. North Ave · Chicago, IL 60622 · 773-342-0910
Jun ’24 |
5 |
6:00 pm |
Emil Ferris at the Harold Washington Library Center
400 S. State Street, Cindy Pritzker Auditorium, Lower Level
Wednesday, June 5
6pm–7pm
Not at Quimby’s.
The Chicago Public Library and Quimby’s welcome Emil Ferris to the Harold Washington Library Center to discuss her highly anticipated new book, My Favorite Thing Is Monsters Book Two. Emil Ferris will be in conversation with painter Kurt Devine.
Set against the tumultuous political backdrop of late ’60s Chicago, My Favorite Thing Is Monsters Book Two is the eagerly awaited conclusion to the most acclaimed graphic novels of the past decade. Presented as the fictional graphic diary of 10-year-old Karen Reyes as she tries to solve the murder of her beloved and enigmatic upstairs neighbor, Anka Silverberg, a holocaust survivor, while the interconnected stories of those around her unfold.
In Book Two, dark mysteries past and present continue to abound in the tumultuous and violent Chicago summer of 1968. Young Karen attends the Yippie-organized Festival of Life in Grant Park and finds herself swept up in a police stomping. Privately, she continues to investigate Anka’s recent death and discovers one last cassette tape that sheds light upon Anka’s heroic activities in Nazi Germany. She wrestles with her own sexual identity, the death of her mother, and the secrets she suspects her brother Deez of hiding. Ferris’s exhilarating cast of characters experience revelations and epiphanies that both resolve and deepen the mysteries visited upon them eariler. Visually, the story is told in Ferris’ inimitable style that breathtakingly and seamlessly combines panel-to-panel storytelling and cartoon montages, filled with B-movie horror and pulp monster mag iconography.
My Favorite Thing Is Monsters Book Two is part of the My Favorite Thing is Monsters series.
Emil Ferris grew up in Chicago during the turbulent 1960s, where she still lives, and is consequently a devotee of all things monstrous and horrific. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Find her at on Patreon here – on IG @emilferris on Twitter @Emilferrisdraws
How to Attend – In Person: Doors to the Auditorium open at 5:30 p.m., and seating is first come, first served (350 capacity). Quimby’s will be selling Emil’s book, and she’ll be available to autograph books at the conclusion of the program.
How to Attend – Virtual: This event will also take place live on CPL’s YouTube channel and CPL’s Facebook page. You’ll be able to ask questions during the event as well! Can’t make it to the live stream? CPL will archive the video on YouTube to watch later.
Accessibility: Need sign language interpretation or other accessibility assistance for this event? Please call (312) 747-8184 or email access@chipublib.org to request accommodations. Requests must be made at least 14 business days before the event.
More info at the CPL Event Listing here.
Facebook event listing here.
Note this event is NOT at Quimby’s!
Apr ’24 |
27 |
3:30 pm |
Quimby’s welcomes celebrates Independent Bookstore Day with Chicago-based artist Bianca Xunise on Saturday, April 27th at 3:30pm to celebrate the release of their book PUNK ROCK KARAOKE. Xunise will be joined in conversation by director, producer and author Jessica Hopper.
PUNK ROCK KARAOKE is the explosive new YA graphic novel from Ignatz Award-winning and nationally syndicated cartoonist Bianca Xunise (Six Chix, Be Gay Do Comics), following three friends and their Garage Punk band on their quest to make it big in Southside Chicago’s underground music scene. Drawn from Xunise’s passion for their city and extensive Punk knowledge, PUNK ROCK KARAOKE explores questions about authenticity, the importance of community, and what it means to succeed on your own terms. Complete with a zine-style guide to the real-life Punk icons referenced throughout the story, the book is sure to be a hit with listeners of The Linda Lindas and viewers of Netflix’s Scott Pilgrim Takes Off.
Asked about their inspirations for the project, Xunise said, “PUNK ROCK KARAOKE is a love letter to the diverse and rambunctious underground scene of the DIY music community. I hope that readers fall in love with the same community that allowed me to march to the beat of my own drum and are inspired to create spaces for each other in their own backyards.”
In PUNK ROCK KARAOKE, School is out for summer and Ariel Grace Jones is determined to make it one for the books! Together with their bestie bandmates, Michele and Gael, Ariel believes they’re destined to break into the music industry by singing lead in their garage punk band, Baby Hares. But before they can officially get into the groove, the realities of post grad life start to weigh on this crew of misfits. Ari begins to worry that it’s time to pull the plug on their dreams of making it big.
Just when all hope feels lost, a fellow punk and local icon takes an interest in their talent. It seems like he might be the only one Ariel can rely on as frustrations between bandmates reach at an all-time high, but is he really all he seems? And will Ariel and Michele’s friendship survive the journey?
“Incredibly grounded in its neighborhood and scene, this is a great ride from start to finish.” -Booklist
“A vibrant, inclusive, feminist, punk-rock homage, guide, and coming-of-age story” -Kirkus
“Stole my heart from the first page to the last. Endlessly funny and sincere.” -Tillie Walden, Eisner & Ignatz Award-winning cartoonist
Bianca Xunise is a cartoonist based out of Chicago, Illinois. Their work primarily focuses on the plight, joy, and daily struggles of misfits within the black community. In 2017 Xunise earned an Ignatz for Promising New Talent for their comic Say Her Name, an autobiographical story of police brutality and social justice. In 2020 Xunise earned their second Ignatz for their contribution to Be Gay, Do Comics published by IDW. Xunise has collaborated with Vogue, The Washington Post, The Nib, and Believer Magazine. They are also a contributor to the book How We Fight Supremacy: A Field Guide to Black Resistance along with Ta-Nehisi Coates, Tarana Burk, and Harry Belafonte. Bianca became the first nationally syndicated non-binary cartoonist when they joined the comic strip Six Chix in 2020 as their first black creator. Bianca is also the April Quimby’s artist-in-residence! CHECK OUT THE AMAZING BANNERS THEY DESIGNED IN OUR WINDOW! More info at https://linktr.ee/biancaxunise
Jessica Hopper is a director, producer and author based in Chicago. Most recently, Hopper directed and executive produced the upcoming four-part docuseries Women Who Rock, releasing summer of 2022 on Epix and Sky. She has written for Rolling Stone, The New York Times Magazine, the Chicago Reader, Punk Planet and more. She ins the author of The Girls Guide To Rocking, The First Collection of Criticism By A Living Female Rock Critic, Night Moves. She is series editor of The American Music Series at the University of Texas Press. More info at jessicahopper.org.
As always, Quimby’s events are free. Want the Facebook invite for this event? Click here.
This event is also on Independent Bookstore Day 2024! Quimby’s is a stop on the Chicagoland Bookstore Crawl. Get info about that here. Stay posted for more #IBD24 surprises!
Flyer at the tippy top for event by Caroline Cash.
Mar ’24 |
30 |
3:00 pm |
Quimby’s welcomes Chicago cartoonist and educator Beth Hetland, in conversation with Kyle O’Connell for what’s sure to be an enlightening discussion on Saturday, March 30th at 3pm.
Tender is a psychological thriller about a woman obsessed with her vision for a picture-perfect, curated life. Carolanne wanted a perfect wedding, a perfect husband, a perfect family. She carefully performs her own roles (gal pal, bestie, girlfriend, wife, and expectant mother) and in trying to enact agency over her life, sacrifices it completely. Her desire to control the uncontrollable ultimately becomes her undoing. When things don’t go her way, she exerts dominance over the one thing she does have total control over: her body; until that “betrays” her. After suffering a horrible loss, Carolanne spirals into a literal, all-consuming delusion that will engross comics readers and horror aficionados alike. Hetland’s graphic novel debut is a brilliant psychological thriller that tears down the wall of a genre — body horror — so often identified with male creators. Heady and visceral, Tender uses horrific tropes to confront women’s societal expectations of self-sacrifice despite those traditional roles often coming at the expense of female sexuality and empowerment.
“Hetland gets under the skin in her nimble and unsettling graphic novel debut. … [Her] ability to maintain a sinister atmosphere in scenes both mundane and monstrous will keep horror fans turning the pages.” — Publishers Weekly
“A strong debut with powerful visual storytelling, Tender digs into the existential dread of getting everything that you thought you wanted and still not being satisfied.” — Diabolique Magazine
“A brutal critique of gender roles, social media, cultural pressures & expectations, Tender is a triumph.” — Rob Clough – High Low Comics
“An incredibly paced horror story that’s equal parts sardonic, gruesome, and tender. A Jeanne Dielman for the Instagram generation.” — Katie Skelly
Beth Hetland is a Professor, Adj. at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago where she teaches several comics and comics adjacent courses. She holds an MFA (2011) from The Center for Cartoon Studies and BFA (2009) from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Find her on IG here: @bethhetland and at all sort of other links here. Kyle O’Connell can be found at kyle-oconnell.com.
As always, this event at Quimby’s is free.
Want a link to the Facebook event invite for this event? Here ya go.
Jan ’24 |
20 |
3:00 pm |
Zine Club Chicago is kicking off the season of love in all its incarnations with a heart-shaped invitation: Come make zine valentines with us about your self-publishing passions!
We want you to pour your admiration for your favorite zinemakers, most beloved art supplies (who doesn’t love a long-arm stapler?), or whatever else you adore about DIY culture into the pages of a mini zine. We’ll also have postcard supplies on hand so you can send a sweet note to our out-of-town zine pals.*
Please join us at Zine Club Chicago: Zine Valentines Hangout at 3 p.m. Saturday, January 20 here at our shop. Free!
We’ll provide zinemaking supplies, blank postcards, and snacks. Zine Club Chicago is a mask-supportive environment; we’ll have masks available if you’d like to wear one.
*Out-of-town friends, Zine Club Chicago would love to pair you up with a zine pen pal! Fill out this Google form by 10 p.m. CT Tuesday, Jan. 16 if you’d like to receive a postcard from our in-person event: tiny.cc/ZCCZineValentines2024
Zine newbies and longtime enthusiasts alike are always welcome at Zine Club Chicago. This free monthly event series is produced by Cynthia E. Hanifin and sponsored by Quimby’s Bookstore. Anna Jo Beck designs our monthly flyers, created our logo, and made our Zine Club Chicago Shout-Outs site, where folks can peruse and recommend zines we’ve discussed at our events.
Facebook event link here. More info on the Zine Club Chicago social media channels: @zineclubchicago
Image description: A red-and-blue infographic flyer, with an image of several vintage valentines and text that reads: “Zine Club Chicago: Zine Valentines Hangout; In Person! Free!; Quimby’s Bookstore, 1854 W. North Ave.; www.quimbys.com; 3 p.m. Saturday, January 20, 2024”