June 23 '07

Group show at Giant Robot NY- R. Kikuo Johnson, Jeffrey Brown, Allison Cole, Anders Nilsen, and Daria Tessler wil be exhibiting original drawing comics and prints June 23 - July 18. "Free Ice cream Day" is also viewable online at the GRNY site.

June 22 '07

Drawing reviews- Keep an eye out for Kikuo in the New York Times Sunday Book Review, where a handfull of his illustrations have been sporadically appearing.

June 22 '07

Keeping with the Theme- The Spring issue of Theme Magazine features 2 spreads and an interview with Johnson about his status as a card carrying nerd.

Feb 1 '07

Selection of original Works at the MOCCA- A small group of Kikuo's original drawings will be exhibited at New York's Museum Of Comic and Cartoon Art alongside paintings by fellow cartoonist and friend, Paolo Rivera. There will be an opening reception Sat, Feb 10th at 8pm. The show will hang through March concurrent with a Stan Lee Retrospective.

Feb 1 '07

Beasts! signing- Beasts!, a mythological menagerie depicted by about a hundred of the most acclaimed artists and cartoonists is out and beautiful! Kikuo will be on hand for the release party and signing Saturday, Feb 24th at New York's Giant Robot store.

Feb 1 '07

NY Comic Con 2007- Look for Kikuo at the fantagraphics booth Saturday, Feb 24th. He will also be participating in a panel discussion that morning. Details TBA.

Feb 1 '07

Johnson selected in Print's "New Visual Artists Competition"- For the last eight years, PRINT magazine has profiled 20 up-and-coming designers, animators, illustrators, photographers, typographers, and multidisciplinary creatives who are under 30 years old. Selected from nominations by leaders in the design field, the March/April 2007 issue features a spread and interview with Kikuo.

October 27 '06

Translated Hawaiian- Newly released foreign editions of Night Fisher include: Spanish (Ediciones La Cúpula), French (Seuil), and Italian (Coconino Press). Kikuo will be on hand all week at this year's Lucca Comics Festival (Nov 1st-Nov 5th) in northern Tuscany to promote his italian debut.

October 25 '06

Comics 101- Kikuo has been invited to participate in 2006's Comics Art Forum at the Savannah College of Art and Design (Nov 11-12). The schedule of events includes workshops, portfolio reviews, and panel discussions featuring a some of comics' preiminent creators.

Sept 25 '06-

Eisner and Harvey winner- Kikuo was honored this year at two of the the comic book industry's major award ceremonies. At the Eisner Awards, he accepted the "Russ Manning promising Newcomer award." In September he also won the Harvey Award for "Best new talent."

June 14th '06

Gallery Show L.A.- Johnson will be displaying a selection of original drawings at L.A.'s premiere comics boutique, Secret Headquarters from Aug 4th-Aug 27th. Kikuo will be on hand for the opening reception Friday evening, Aug 4th from 8-10pm.

3817 W. Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
323.666.2228

June 13th '06

San Diego or bust- Kikuo will be attending North America's largest Comic book convention, Comic-Con International 2006 (July 20-23). He will sketching and signing all week with Fantagraphics Books.

June 11th '06

Copying the masters - The 30th anniversary issue of The Comics Journal features a cover by Johnson along with a lengthy interview conducted by Gary Groth. The magazine goes on sale in July.

June 11th '06

Illustrations in the New York Times- Today's New York Times Magazine featured a three page comic strip drawn by Johnson. The strip illustrates the true story of a college student who successfully robs a bank in an attempt to payoff his online poker debts.

April 17th '06

Mome- Johnson joins the roster of Fantagraphics' anthology of "this decade's ascendant cartoon generation". Mome #3 features six episodes of Kikuo's original gag strip, "Cher Shimura" (which also appeared in March issues of the Seattle Stranger). Mome #4 reprints "John James Audubon In Pursuit of the Golden Eagle" from the Believer Magazine.

Read excerpts at the Fantagraphics website.

Mar 20 '06

Top 10 Graphic Novels: 2006- Booklist has named Night Fisher one the year's top 10 graphic Novels. This latest laudation follows a recent starred review in Library Journal, and enthusiatic words in Vice and the Vancouver Courier. Recent online reviews include Comics Worth Reading, and Gutter Geek,.

Mar 02 '06

Kikuo honored by the New York Public Library- Night Fisher has been selected for inclusion in the New York Public Library's Books for the Teen Age 2006. This list, now in its seventy-seventh year of publication, selects the best of the previous year's publishing for teenagers, 12 to 18 years old. All the titles chosen were read and reviewed by young adult librarians and recommended for this special publication.

Feb 09 '06

Kikuo story in the Believer- The February issue of McSweeny's the Believer magazine features an all new four page comic strip essay depicting an episode from the life of naturalist John James Audubon.

sample

Jan 20 '06

Kikuo to Speak at Pratt - Pratt Institute will host a brief slide lecture and Q&A with Johnson detailing Night Fisher and his creative process, Friday Jan 27th, 12-1:00pm.

Pratt Libraries (200 Willoughby Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11205) Alumni reading room (3rd floor).

Jan 18 '06

Kikuo in The New Yorker- A new 2-page illustration by Johnson accompanies an article about L.A. police chases in the Jan 23 & 30 issue of The New Yorker.

Kikuo has also contributed a handful of spot illustrations to recent issues of New York Magazine.

Dec 30 '05

Kikuo is one of 123 reasons to love New York- New York Magazine recently featured Johnson in an article about 27 notable New Yorkers under 26 entitled, "Famous by 2010." The article features a group photo (yup, that's Kikuo with his eyes closed) and a brief bio.

Dec 28 '05

Night Fisher named one of Time's best comics of 2005- Time.comix has ranked Night Fisher as one of the top 10 comic releases of 2005. This is the book's second appearence on a best of 2005 list, the first being Publisher's Weekly's.

Dec 10 '05

Illustrations in Men's Health- Kikuo shows you how to treat a woman In the January/Febuary issue of Men's Health magazine.

Dec 10 '05

Kikuo just won't shut-up- Most recent interviews with Johnson include The Book Standard, and Newsarama. Back in paradise, he affronted The Honolulu Star Bulletin, Maui Weekly, and Honolulu Weekly with his narcissism.

Dec 05 '05

Acclaim for Night Fisher continues to see print most recently in The Washington Examiner and the A.V Club (the Onion), and on the web from Bookslut, Comic Book Bin, the Comics Reporter, and Chris Tamarri.

Nov 02 '05

NYC Gallery Show- A selection of original drawings, prints, and a life-sized wall drawing will be on display in Johnson’s first major solo exhibition and Night Fisher release party. The opening reception is on Thursday, Nov. 10th from 6-9pm at the Christopher Henry Gallery in Chelsea NYC.

details.

Nov 01 '05

Hawaii and NYC Book Tour- Meet Johnson in person as he signs copies of his newly minted graphic novel, Night Fisher.

Nov 17- Honolulu. Barnes & Noble Kahala mall 7pm

Nov 18- Honolulu. Barnes & Noble Ala Moana Center 7pm

Nov 19- Maui. Borders 12:00 noon

Dec 10- NYC. Giant robot store 6-8pm

Nov 01 '05

More praise for Night Fisher- Night Fisher has most recently received acclaim in the pages of Giant Robot Magazine, and Bust Magazine, as well as a starred review in Booklist.

Nov 01 '05

Johnson Interviewed by Publishers Weekly- Johnson speaks to PW about the gestation of Night Fisher and why John James Audubon is the greatest.

Oct 25 '05

Night Fisher goes into a second printing before hitting stores- Fantagraphics Books is proud to announce that R. Kikuo Johnson’s Night Fisher, which officially hits stores on Nov. 9, is going back to press to accommodate heavy, last minute reorder activity resulting from the book’s advance critical praise. The spur of last-minute reorders has resulted in initial orders exceeding the initial print run. To accommodate additional orders, a second printing will ship the third week of November.

Sept 19 '05

Nightfisher reviewed- Acclaim for Night Fisher has begun to surface including a starred review from Kirkus and an enthusuiastic survey from Publishers weekly (now posted at amazon.com).

Sept 15 '05

Night Fisher to debut at the SPX'05- Night Fisher is fresh off the presses! Limited quantities will be available for sale at this year's Small Press Expo in Bethesda MD! Johnson will be at the convention both days (sept 23+24) signing books on Fri from 4-6 and on Sat from 12:30-2:30.

Sept 1 '05

Johnson interviewed- Kikuo recently sat down with Bookshelf Comics to briefly discuss his process and the themes that permeate Night Fisher.

Apr 16 '05

Johnson in the New York Post- In a recent article about artists in New York who work out of their apartments, R. shamelessly takes the opportunity to plug his upcoming Graphic Novel, Night Fisher. The article includes a photo of R. in his studio.

Feb 6 '05

Book signing in NYC- Meet R. Kikuo Johnson in person as he signs newly minted copies of the Project: Superior alongside other cartoonists from the anthology, Dean Haspiel, Mike Dawson, John Lucas, John Kerschbaum, and more. The signing is scheduled for Wednesday, March 2nd at New York's premier shop for comics literature, Jim Hanley's Universe.

Feb 1 '05

Night Fisher at Fantagraphics- After three years of anticipation and delays, Johnson's first full length graphic novel has finally found a home! B/W and 144 pages, Night Fisher will be released in November from Fantagraphics books. (Read excerpt)

Jan 1 '05

Thrustman, a new ten page, full color strip by Johnson will be included in Febuary's Project: Superior, from Adhouse books. Challenging many of today's top alternative cartoonists to rethink the theme of the "super hero, Thrustman tells the tail of a TV infomercial mascot and his "Lois Lane."

May 22 '03

SPX 2003- An 8-page strip by Johnson will be apearing in the 2003 SPX anthology. The strip, entitled, Shalhibahla: a modular epic, is a cross between a boardgame and a choose-your-own-adventure book. The anthology is slated to debut at the Small Press Expo on SEPT 6th. It will be available in better bookstores and comicshops shortly there after. All proceeds support the comic book legal defense fund.