For Immediate Release

FILTHY FIFTIES ‘FRISCO: THE ART OF FOGTOWN BY BRADLEY C. RADER

Emmy award winning animation artist/director Brad Rader appears at Meltdown Comics to celebrate his art and the release of his new 171 page graphic novel, FOGTOWN (DC/Vertigo, 8/10/2010) written by Andersen Gabrych. Brad appears at Meltdown after a successful six-week solo show of the artwork from the novel at a gallery in San Pedro, CA.

Paraphrasing the author, FOGTOWN is a raw, ugly, and explicitly human pulp/noir detective series, set in the ferociously filthy underworld of ‘50’s San Francisco. It follows the seamy temptations, damnations, and redemptions of Frank Grissel, P.I., an aging, hard-living, and morally ambiguous detective in the Mike Hammer/Sam Spade tradition…who “just happens” to be a pier-trawling, deeply closeted homosexual.

Stylistically, the Alaska born artist emulates the comic book artwork of the 1950’s with influence of Russ Heath and E.C. Comics artists Jack Davis and Wally Wood.

An Emmy Award winning animation artist and director, Brad Rader has served as storyboard artist on many animated series including, The Real Ghostbusters, Alf, Batman, Gargoyles, Stripperella, and most recently, King of the Hill. He has directed several series, including HBO’s Spawn, for which he won an Emmy award (1999). He has illustrated the comic books Batman Adventures, and Catwoman (DC Comics); The Mark (Dark Horse Comics); and Tex: The Fine Art of Character Assassination (Atomic Basement).  A graduate of Art Center College of Design (illustration), Mr. Rader returned to his alma mater and to Otis/Parsons to teach storyboarding. His art has been exhibited in galleries in the United States as well as internationally.

Brad will be signing FOGTOWN on Saturday, October 23, 2010 from 12 noon – 2 pm at Meltdown Comics, 7522 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046, 323/851-7223.  At the book signing, Brad also draws original art in each purchased book along with his signature making it a special event.

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