Desert Island (comic shop)
40°42′50″N 73°57′03″W / 40.71389°N 73.95083°W
| File:Desert Island Logo.jpg Logo for Desert Island, created by Jim Woodring. | |
| Company type | Privately held |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | February 2008 |
| Founder | Gabriel Fowler |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Brooklyn, New York |
| Products | Comics |
| Website | http://www.desertislandbrooklyn.com |
Desert Island is a comic book retailer based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York. The shop specializes in underground and alternative comics, along with works from independent creators and self-published titles offered through a consignment model. Desert Island also organizes the yearly comic festival Comic Arts Brooklyn and produces Smoke Signal, a self-published comics anthology that has received an Eisner Award nomination.
History
Established by Gabriel Fowler in 2008, Desert Island emerged to fill the void of alternative comic retailers in New York.[1] The store occupies a space previously used by an Italian bakery, retaining a modified version of the original bakery’s signage.[2] Its inventory includes a broad range of underground and alternative comics, as well as zines, artist's books, graphic novels, art magazines, and screenprints,[3] sourced both from the store’s own collection and through consignment agreements with individual artists.[1] The shop’s open consignment policy was inspired by the diverse offerings at Chicago’s Quimby's Bookstore,[1] which later opened a second location next to Desert Island in New York in 2017.[4][5] The storefront regularly features rotating exhibits and artwork created by comic artists such as Lauren Weinstein and Marie Lorenz.[3]
Since 2013, Desert Island has been the organizer of Comic Arts Brooklyn, an annual event combining a comic book festival with an art book fair.[6] In addition, the store publishes Smoke Signal, a complimentary quarterly comics anthology newspaper.[1] This publication earned a nomination for an Eisner Award in the Best Anthology category in 2014.[7] A notable edition titled RESIST!, guest edited by Françoise Mouly, was distributed nationwide during the 2017 Women's March.[8] Desert Island also hosts numerous special events including author signings and talks.[9]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Sedacca, Matthew (7 June 2018). "The Comic Book Store with a 'Punk Rock' Vibe". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
- ↑ "Metropolitan Comic Booklets Feature". Forgotten New York. 1 January 2013. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Davis, Nicole (31 July 2008). "The Illustrated Oasis Feature Article". Brooklyn Based. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
- ↑ Disser, Nicole (3 February 2017). "A New Zine Hub in Williamsburg Joins Forces with a Comics Shop". New York Magazine. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
- ↑ Knutsen, Chris (4 October 2017). "The Resurgence of New York City's Indie Booksellers". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ↑ Hogan, Patrick (8 November 2013). "Skip Thor and Explore Some Sophisticated Comics This Weekend". New York Magazine. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
- ↑ Cavana, Michael (15 April 2014). "2014 Eisner Awards: Nominees from Aydin to Yang Highlight This Year's Selection". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
- ↑ Chafin, Chris (13 March 2017). "Gabe Fowler of Desert Island: Brooklyn 100 Influencer". Brooklyn Magazine. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
- ↑ "Desert Island Collection Overview". Artbook. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
<ref> tag with name "FANTA" defined in <references> is not used in prior text.