Buenaventura Press was a publisher and distributor for comics, prints, anthologies and
graphic novel
A graphic novel is a long-form, fictional work of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comic scholars and industry ...
s based in
Oakland, California
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast of the United States, West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third ...
Buenaventura Press originally specialized in handcrafted fine press prints, producing works for
Gary Panter
Gary Panter (born December 1, 1950) is an American cartoonist, illustrator, painter, designer and part-time musician. Panter's work is representative of the post-Underground comix, underground, new wave comics movement that began with the end of ...
,
Daniel Clowes
Daniel Gillespie Clowes (; born April 14, 1961) is an American cartoonist, graphic novelist, illustrator, and screenwriter. Most of Clowes's work first appeared in '' Eightball'', a solo anthology comic book series. An ''Eightball'' issue typical ...
,
Julie Doucet
Julie Doucet (born December 31, 1965) is a Canadian
Chris Ware
Franklin Christenson "Chris" Ware (born December 28, 1967) is an American cartoonist known for his ''Acme Novelty Library'' series (begun 1994) and the graphic novels ''Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth'' (2000), ''Building Stories'' (2012 ...
and others, before it extended its operations to publishing works in various book formats.
The company closed in January 2010, in many ways because of the costs involved in publishing ''
Kramers Ergot
''Kramers Ergot'' is a series of anthology-style books of comic art edited by Sammy Harkham.
Publication history
''Kramers Ergot'' started as a mini-comic self-published by Sammy Harkham under the imprint Avodah Books. Issues 4 and 5 were publishe ...
'' #7 (which appeared in 2008 at a retail price of $125).
In September 2010, Alvin Buenaventura launched a new company, Pigeon Press, publishing books & prints and dealing in original art.
Buenaventura committed suicide in February 2016.
Titles published
Comic books
* ''Boy’s Club'' 2 and 3 by
Matt Furie
Pepe the Frog () is an Internet meme consisting of a green anthropomorphic frog with a humanoid body. Pepe originated in a 2005 comic by Matt Furie called ''Boy's Club''. It became an Internet meme when its popularity steadily grew across My ...
(''Boy's Club'' #1 was published by
Tim Goodyear
Timothy "Tim" Patrick Goodyear (born August 1977) is an American minicomics publisher, distributor, and comics artist from San Jose, California. He has been a contributor to Tim Root's ''Crappy Comics'', Sean Aaberg's ''PORK'', and has compiled ...
's Teenage Dinosaur)
* ''Comic Book Holocaust'' and ''Klassic Komix Klub'' by
Johnny Ryan
John F. Ryan IV (born November 30, 1970 in Boston, Massachusetts)"The Real Johnny Ryan" , Johnny Ryan of ...
* ''Elvis Road by Elvis Studio'' by
Helge Reumann
Helge or Helgi is a Scandinavian, German, and Dutch mostly male name.
The name is derived from Proto-Norse ''Hailaga'' with its original meaning being ''dedicated to the gods''. For its Slavic version, see Oleg. Its feminine equivalent is Olga. ...
&
Xavier Robel
Xavier or Xabier may refer to:
Place
* Xavier, Spain
People
* Xavier (surname)
* Xavier (given name)
* Francis Xavier (1506–1552), Catholic saint
** St. Francis Xavier (disambiguation)
* St. Xavier (disambiguation)
* Xavier (footballer, born ...
* ''Hunter and Painter'' by
Tom Gauld
Tom Gauld (born 1976) is a Scottish cartoonist and illustrator. His style reflects his self-professed fondness of "deadpan comedy, flat dialogue, things happening offstage and impressive characters". Others note that his work "combines pathos ...
* ''Destined for Dizziness'' and ''The Neighborhood'' by Souther Salazar
* ''Yeast Hoist #12: Stop Thinking Start Sleeping Stop Sleeping Start Living'' by Ron Rege Jr.
* ''Spaniel Rage'' by Vanessa Davis
* ''Injury'' #1, #2 and #3 by
Ted May
Ted May (1949–2020) was an American television director.
Career
Positions held include:
* Director on '' Sesame Street Visits the Firehouse'' (1990), '' Sesame Songs Home Video: Rock and Roll'' (1990), ''Between the Lions'' (2000), '' TV Funhou ...
,
Jason Robards
Jason Nelson Robards Jr. (July 26, 1922 – December 26, 2000) was an American actor. Known as an interpreter of the works of playwright Eugene O'Neill, Robards received two Academy Awards, a Tony Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and the Cannes ...
* ''Comic Art Magazine issues 8'' and ''9'' edited by
Todd Hignite
Todd Hignite is the author of the books ''In the Studio: Visits with Contemporary Cartoonists'' (Yale University Press, 2006) and ''The Art of Jaime Hernandez/The Secrets of Life and Death'' (Abrams ComicArts, 2010). He is also the founder and edi ...
(2006, 2007)
* ''
Kramers Ergot
''Kramers Ergot'' is a series of anthology-style books of comic art edited by Sammy Harkham.
Publication history
''Kramers Ergot'' started as a mini-comic self-published by Sammy Harkham under the imprint Avodah Books. Issues 4 and 5 were publishe ...
6'' edited by
Sammy Harkham
Sammy Harkham (born May 21, 1980) is an American cartoonist and editor, best known for editing the ''Kramers Ergot'' alternative comics anthology.
His current work can be found in the comic ''Crickets'', which was published by Drawn & Quarterly f ...
(2006)
* ''
Kramers Ergot
''Kramers Ergot'' is a series of anthology-style books of comic art edited by Sammy Harkham.
Publication history
''Kramers Ergot'' started as a mini-comic self-published by Sammy Harkham under the imprint Avodah Books. Issues 4 and 5 were publishe ...
7'' edited by
Sammy Harkham
Sammy Harkham (born May 21, 1980) is an American cartoonist and editor, best known for editing the ''Kramers Ergot'' alternative comics anthology.
His current work can be found in the comic ''Crickets'', which was published by Drawn & Quarterly f ...
(2008)
* ''New York Sketches; a portfolio of drawings'' by
Adrian Tomine
Adrian Tomine (; born May 31, 1974) is an American cartoonist. He is best known for his ongoing comic book series ''Optic Nerve'' and his illustrations in ''The New Yorker''.
Early life
Adrian Tomine was born May 31, 1974, in Sacramento, Calif ...
(2004)
* ''Private Stash: A Pinup-Girl Portfolio by 20 Cartoonists'' by
Robert Crumb
Robert Dennis Crumb (; born August 30, 1943) is an American cartoonist and musician who often signs his work R. Crumb. His work displays a nostalgia for American folk culture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and satire of contem ...
,
Adrian Tomine
Adrian Tomine (; born May 31, 1974) is an American cartoonist. He is best known for his ongoing comic book series ''Optic Nerve'' and his illustrations in ''The New Yorker''.
Early life
Adrian Tomine was born May 31, 1974, in Sacramento, Calif ...
,
Jaime Hernandez
Jaime (sometimes spelled Xaime) Hernandez (born 1959) is the co-creator of the alternative comic book '' Love and Rockets'' with his brothers Gilbert and Mario.
Early life
Jaime Hernandez grew up in Oxnard, California.Aldama, p. 119. He is the y ...
et al. (2006)
* ''Dawn'' by
Phil Elverum
Philip Whitman Elverum (; born May 23, 1978) is an American musician, songwriter, record producer and visual artist, best known for his musical projects The Microphones and Mount Eerie. Based in Anacortes, Washington, in the mid-2000s he began ...
(2008)
* ''The Complete Jack Survives'' by
Jerry Moriarty
Jerry Moriarty (born January 15, 1938, in Binghamton, New York) is an American artist and teacher at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in Manhattan. He describes himself as a "paintoonist".
Education and career
Moriarty entered the Pratt Instit ...
(2009)
Award nominations
* 2008
Ignatz Award
The Ignatz Awards recognize outstanding achievements in comics and cartooning by small press creators or creator-owned projects published by larger publishers. They have been awarded each year at the Small Press Expo since 1997, only skipping a ...
nominee for Outstanding Series: ''Injury #2'' by Ted May, Jason Robards, Jeff Wilson
* 2007
Ignatz Award
The Ignatz Awards recognize outstanding achievements in comics and cartooning by small press creators or creator-owned projects published by larger publishers. They have been awarded each year at the Small Press Expo since 1997, only skipping a ...
nominee for Outstanding Artist: Vanessa Davis ''Spaniel Rage''
* 2007
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books, sometimes referred to as the comics industry's equivalent of the Academy Awards. They are named in ...