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Blab! #11
Blab! Vol. 11
Fueled by the front and back cover paintings of Mark Ryden, the outsider art movement's leading contemporary painter, Vol. 11 broke new sales records for our preeminent anthology of the graphic arts. Blab 's list of contributors past and present reads like a Who's Who of the contemporary visual art world. Vol. 11 earned raves from both Print and Graphis magazines. Blab is edited and designed by five-time New York Festival of Advertising award-winner Monte Beauchamp. Under his guidance, Blab has grown from a fanzine begun almost 20 years ago to an annual coffee-table showcase of impeccable production values, wild experimentation and master craftsmanship. Blab is an objet d'art that has become a standard-bearer in the world of professional graphic arts.
This volume features leading contemporary cartoonists and illustrators like Gary Baseman (creator of ABC's Teacher's Pet), Christian Northeast, the Clayton Brothers, New York Times art director Steven Guarnaccia, Zap artist Spain Rodriguez, Richard Sala, Jonathon Rosen, Peter Kuper, Doug Allen, Drew Friedman, and many others. Vol. 11 and also include a feature on the popular Krampus devil cards that comprise the accompanying Fantagraphics title The Devil In Design (also edited by Beauchamp).
This volume features leading contemporary cartoonists and illustrators like Gary Baseman (creator of ABC's Teacher's Pet), Christian Northeast, the Clayton Brothers, New York Times art director Steven Guarnaccia, Zap artist Spain Rodriguez, Richard Sala, Jonathon Rosen, Peter Kuper, Doug Allen, Drew Friedman, and many others. Vol. 11 and also include a feature on the popular Krampus devil cards that comprise the accompanying Fantagraphics title The Devil In Design (also edited by Beauchamp).
120 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2000
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 30, 2021
Wow! That Mark Ryden cover is gorgeous. I could stare at it for hours.
For me, this volume of Blab will always be the Krampus issue. Monte Beauchamp’s article and spread of vintage postcards, “Gruss vom Krampus,” was my first exposure to this character from European folklore. It’s definitely the feature that stands out most in my mind when thinking about this issue.
Anthologies are always such a mixed bag. Other standouts from this one include:
“The Peculiar Milieu of Percival C. Wolcott,” by Greg Clarke. It’s sort of a cross between Edward Gorey and William Steig, if that makes any sense.
“Spine” by Peter Kuper.
“50 Times Brighter Than the Brightest Star” by Peter and Maria Hoey. It was actually the reading of a recent collection of the Hoeys’ work that prompted this rereading of my Blab collection. I literally didn’t remember having read these stories before, despite having devoured each issue of Blab as soon as I got my hands on it.
“E.Manifesto!” by Lloyd Dangle. It’s interesting to see how little some aspects of online behavior have changed over the years.
And of course, “Confessions” by Spain, whose work is always worth reading.
Overall, a very high quality anthology. If you like comics, especially the artsy variety, definitely give Blab a look. Recommended!
For me, this volume of Blab will always be the Krampus issue. Monte Beauchamp’s article and spread of vintage postcards, “Gruss vom Krampus,” was my first exposure to this character from European folklore. It’s definitely the feature that stands out most in my mind when thinking about this issue.
Anthologies are always such a mixed bag. Other standouts from this one include:
“The Peculiar Milieu of Percival C. Wolcott,” by Greg Clarke. It’s sort of a cross between Edward Gorey and William Steig, if that makes any sense.
“Spine” by Peter Kuper.
“50 Times Brighter Than the Brightest Star” by Peter and Maria Hoey. It was actually the reading of a recent collection of the Hoeys’ work that prompted this rereading of my Blab collection. I literally didn’t remember having read these stories before, despite having devoured each issue of Blab as soon as I got my hands on it.
“E.Manifesto!” by Lloyd Dangle. It’s interesting to see how little some aspects of online behavior have changed over the years.
And of course, “Confessions” by Spain, whose work is always worth reading.
Overall, a very high quality anthology. If you like comics, especially the artsy variety, definitely give Blab a look. Recommended!
August 5, 2025
Really more of a 4.5 but I'm rounding up because of how high quality an anthology this is. Very few misses for a comix anthology, although leans a little into the alternative artworld and has some "illustrated prose" that some may not even consider comics. Personally though I loved the variety here with lowbrow paintings, collage art, and both traditional and experimental comics.
Picked this up on a whim given how much I'd heard of Blab! and gobbled it up in an evening. Will gladly chase down more of this series, especially from this period.
Picked this up on a whim given how much I'd heard of Blab! and gobbled it up in an evening. Will gladly chase down more of this series, especially from this period.
September 20, 2021
The theme of this issue is horror- nearly everybody turned in something grim.
Too much non-story illustration for my reading needs but I don't hold it against Monte Beauchamp (what a sonorous name!) because that's his prerogative.
The illustrations didn't impress me and neither did the stories. I do not understand why this "Krampus" interests anybody beyond mild amusement and Sala put in basically no effort on his submission.
Too much non-story illustration for my reading needs but I don't hold it against Monte Beauchamp (what a sonorous name!) because that's his prerogative.
The illustrations didn't impress me and neither did the stories. I do not understand why this "Krampus" interests anybody beyond mild amusement and Sala put in basically no effort on his submission.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews