KRAMERS ERGOT #8: THE TRAILER from Dan Nadel on Vimeo.

Great news! Sammy Harkham, editor of the seminal art comix anthology KRAMERS ERGOT, has announced via Vimeo that the eighth issue of the anthology will be out this fall with a new publisher, PictureBox.

Kramers Ergot is the premier comics anthology of the 21st century. Since its inception in 2000, it has revolutionized the medium, introducing new talents, solidifying aesthetics, and standing as a state-of-the-medium book. It has always been a reflection of editor Sammy Harkham’s current interests in comics past and future. So it is in that spirit, with this new volume, the he severs Kramers Ergot from many of the formal and stylistic elements with which it made its name. Whereas past issues were oversized, colorful, and filled with a variety of artists all designed to overwhelm the reader with raw power, Kramers Ergot #8 is a complete shift both aesthetically and physically. The size of the book is smaller, to encourage a more intimate reading of the material, and the content reflects a focus on substantial works from a small group of no more than a dozen artists. Artists that, instead of being aesthetically varied, reflect a more specific and unified aesthetic space of discipline, sophistication, and quiet power.

Kramers Ergot 8
Edited by Sammy Harkham
6.5″ x 9″ Hardcover, 208 pages
$29.95

Contributors include: Gary Panter, Gabrielle Bell, C.F., Kevin Huizenga, Ben Jones, Jason T. Miles, Sammy Harkham, Leon Sadler, Johnny Ryan, Frank Santoro & Dash Shaw, Anya Davidson, Ron Rege Jr., Ron Embleton & Frederic Mullally


A cover image was released but it is not the final image.

kramers_ergot_8
You may recall that KRAMERS ERGOT #7 was a coffee-table-sized, $125 paper slab of a book, which both amazed and frightened those who beheld it. Much of the back stock of the book’s print run was ruined in an accident, making it even more legendary. Launched in 2000, KRAMERS exemplified the more “pure art” style of the Fort Thunder school; however, the new direction seems to reflect further developments in the comics landscape over the last 11 years.

1 COMMENT

  1. i find myself wondering if this change of direction will be amazing or a horrible disappointment.

    the last time Kramer’s made a tonal shift, it resulted in the legendary volume 4 (which i consider to be the greatest comic i own).

    just judging from the list of cartoonists showcased, it feels more like an “all star” collection and not the chance for the readers to discover new talent. something that i enjoyed the most about the series.
    that being said, they are all cartoonists that i enjoy and who fit comfortably into the aesthetic that Kramers has spent a decade defining, unlike volume 7 which seemed to aim for a broader appeal by adding well established megastars like Dan Clowes or Jaime Hernandez or Adrian Tomine who provided great pages but felt out of place in a Kramers collection.

    in the end, i suspect that the success of volume 8 will completely depend on the strength of the individual cartoonist’s contributions and not on Harkham’s brilliant and aggressive editorial skills, like the previous books.

    no matter what, it will be a solid collection by talented artists.
    i just worry that Harkham’s time as the young, wild eyed, upstart editor that blew us all away will his unique vision and eye for talent has matured into something more…respectable.

  2. i’m going to miss Tom Gauld’s usual contribution. his Kramers’ stuff was always his best work.

  3. 6.5″ x 9″ ?? Gakkk!!
    Such a drastic shift in format. This becomes a whole new animal at this size. Did the artists create their work for this size or was this decided after the work was done?

    Next may we expect a 2011-savvy digital version?