The Complete Works of Fante Bukowski

By Noah Van Sciver. Published by Fantagraphics. 

Softcover, 464 pages, Colour, 2022 (originally published 2020)

Collects the entire multiple Eisner Award-nominated series, which skewers a self-important male literary poser.

Living in a beat-up motel, consorting with the downtrodden and mid-level literati, Fante Bukowski must overcome great obstacles: a love interest turned rival, ghostwriting a teen celebrity's memoirs, no actual talent — to gain the respect and adoration of critics and, more importantly, his father. Van Sciver has created a scathing, hilarious, and empathetic character study of a self-styled author determined to prove that he's just one more poem (or drink) away from success.

Originally published in hardcover in 2020, The Complete Works of Fante Bukowski quickly sold out and is nominated for a 2021 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album. This expanded paperback edition includes additional content, including a 2020 Slate interview with Fante himself and a cover gallery of Fante's previous books. Also: a foreword by novelist Ryan Boudinot (Blueprints of the Afterlife); a facsimile reproduction of Bukowski's literary debut, 6 Poems (thought lost to time in the wake of a motel fire that destroyed the entire original print run); a "Works Cited" section; and a selection of "visual tributes" by over two dozen cartoonists — including Nina Bunjevac, Simon Hanselmann, Jesse Jacobs, Ed Piskor, Leslie Stein, and others.

"As literary satires go, it's both gleefully malicious and unrepentantly stupid — a winning combination." — The New York Times

"At its deepest, Fante Bukowski stands as a commentary on hordes of recognition-hungry artists with nothing to say, but as a straight parody, Fante Bukowski is hilarious enough to summon tears." — Paste

"Van Sciver has established himself as a thoughtful cartoonist with a talent for exploring the complexities of the human condition with a pointed sense of humor, and Fante Bukowski highlights the combination of desperation and foolhardiness that makes this character an especially compelling trainwreck." — The AV Club

"[Van Sciver's] take-no-prisoners satire ends up being surprisingly sweet." — Publishers Weekly

"Readers may cringe at Fante's clueless self-delusion, but as irredeemable as he might be, they're also likely to root for him just a bit." — Booklist