Number 3, September 2003

* The end of Lambiek???
* New editions
* Recommended
* Photo gallery
* The studio wall

Hold on to your head, we have good news. Regardless of the confusing news in the previous Reporter, the foreseeable future of Lambiek is assurred. Due to dire circumstances, this defunct press release was sent out on 27 September 2003:

Galerie Lambiek, the most prominent comicstore in the Netherlands and beyond since 1968, may someday disappear. An inevitable renovation forces owner Kees Kousemaker to leave the building at Kerkstraat 78, which means the end of Lambiek's old art gallery as comic fans worldwide have known it for the last 35 years.

Lambiek is unique for its great assortment of antique comics, as well as for being a meeting place for comic artists and fans during the frequent exhibitions that have been held here. The store will continue for now on a much smaller scale at Kerkstraat 119, on the other side of the street. This space is so small, however, that it is impossible to maintain all of the usual stock on the premises, and insufficient for hosting exhibitions...

Update - December 2004: We found a great new location! Many people came to our ephemeral store at Kerkstraat 119 during 2004. Since it was unlikely we would return to the previous building, it is quite amazing that we found a new and better location on the same street for the coming years. We have a nice art gallery again, so come by the new Lambiek store at Kerkstraat 132 in the heart of Amsterdam!

The Lambiek.Net website, featuring the Comiclopedia of comic artists and the illustrated history of Dutch Comics, had over 7000 visitors a day (in 2003), and will likely stay online for a few more years.

The clearance sale is currently over...

See our list of recent editions of comic books.

Recommended

Four recommendations for your pleasure

1) Gutsman comics - Erik Kriek
Currently one of Holland's most popular comicbooks. Inspired by E.C. comics and the art of Mike (Madman) Allred, Erik Kriek tells the misadventures of Gutsman, his girlfriend Tigra, the little robot Andy Royd and….Erik Kriek himself! 7 of the 8 issues are available through our store, where you can also see his artwork. And don't worry, folks! Kriek uses imageballoons instead of textballoons, so you won't miss the story.
Prices vary from € 4.06 (EURO) to € 4.99 (EURO)

2) Eiland - Stefan van Dinther & Tobias Schalken
Experimental comics in a delightful way. Schalken & van Dinther survey the possibilities in graphic sequence. And all in English language! Available through our store (look for 'Eiland'). You can also see their art work at their expo.
Price: € 13.95 (EURO) and € 16.50 (EURO)

3) Review 5 - Pop Art - Peter Pontiac
This issue of the complete Peter Pontiac collection is in jive-talk spoken English and overviews of 25 years of his Rock & Roll illustations. All your favorite musicians are there: From Elvis to Jimi Hendrix. For more by Pontiac you can browse our store, or visit the Pontiac expo.
Price: € 12.50 (EURO)

4) Panther versus Beyer - Mark Beyer & Gary Panter
Two prominent artists of the legendary magazine Raw have teamed up to create this completely silkscreened portfolio, published by CBO Editions in Paris. 20 pages in large format (47 x 32 cm).
Price: € 80.00 (EURO)

Photo gallery

This is your last chance to experience the unique atmosphere of the old Lambiek comics store: its smell of old books, the dust gathering on rare collections of comics paraphernalia... Soon nothing will remain but memories and photographs of this nostalgic gallery.

The Studio Wall

Above the store, Lambiek housed its website studio and artist guest room. For many years this cozy room served as the guest quarters for visiting comic artists, and provided a convenient place where the site was created and maintained for four years. Several of the artists have left a signature drawing on the wall, but with the impending renovation, this wall has also been removed.

From left to right, top to bottom:
Eric Braün, Al Flag, Carlos Santos (?), Jim Woodring, Pete Poplaski, Michael T. Gilbert, Willem (barely visible), unknown, Lian Ong, unknown, Bob Fingerman, Eric Reynolds, unknown ("Ei..."), Hélène Brosseau, Dan Schiff, Roberta Gregory, Sophie Crumb (in green), James Sturm.

The Reporter is made by:
Margreet de Heer, André Buhrs, Klaas Knol, Boris and Kees Kousemaker.
Photos by Rick Webb.