The Weaver Festival Phenomenon

by Ron Regé Jr.

A funny and romantic teenage ghost story that marks a departure from the author's more abstract and esoteric work, The Weaver Festival Phenomenon is a story of love & loss that retains the delicate sense of magic and pain that readers have come to cherish from Regé over his 20 year career.

Genres: Comics

64 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2018

About the author

Ron Regé Jr. began drawing and self publishing comics in the early 1990’s in Cambridge MA. His first book Skibber Bee~Bye was published by Highwater Books in 2000. His most recent book Against Pain collects short works from 1986-2006 and was published by Drawn & Quarterly in 2008. His comics and drawings have appeared in hundreds of zines and comics anthologies. Illustration clients have included Nike, Sony, Tylenol, HP, McSweeney’s, Vice, The New York Times, and Canada’s National Post. Ron currently lives in Los Angeles.

His current project The Cartoon Utopia began in early 2008 as a series of 60 small drawings, but has expanded to include larger drawings, and longer comics pieces, including those presented here. Drawings from The Cartoon Utopia have been presented as solo gallery shows in Los Angeles, Montreal, Richmond VA, and Austin TX. They will eventually be collected as a book.

Reviews

[rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a really beautiful story on grief and the way our lives transform after losing someone we love :,), and finding hope after the most unimaginable hardships

"...But to keep nursing the memory of a love so great you can't believe you'll ever love again is a useless drain on a woman's energy."

[Adrienne Blaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a most mystical turn of events, this comic book and the short story it is based on were sitting next to each other on my bookshelf, finding their familiar places without my knowledge. Ron Regé, Jr. is one of my favorite artists and I searched for a comic bookstore when I was living in DC to buy this book when it was still a new release. I didn’t read it right away, and instead I moved it with me back to California during the pandemic. During that time I experienced upheaval, loss and renewal — a time when I searched for meaningful books to get me through. At a little free library I picked up a copy of Banana Yoshimoto’s book, which includes the story that inspired Ron Regé, Jr.’s comic book. I had put them in a special barrister-style bookcase among my most treasured books awaiting that perfect moment when I would be ready to read them. I finished Yashimoto’s book last night and immediately noticed the mention of The Weaver Festival Phenomenon as the title of the comic book I was saving. Now I realize how wonderful it was to have these book friends were sitting together all along after journeying from such distinct places and times in my own life.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story from one of comics' truly unique talents. The name on Goodreads is incorrect; it should be The Weaver Festival Phenomenon. The printing looks really good, but the glossy black pages retain fingerprints and smudges when you turn them :/ Still great, though.

[Mickey Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cool art with an intriguing little story.

[Des'Ree · Rating 4 out of 5]

So weird but the art and entire vibe had an eerie calmness to it.