This August, Fantagraphics Books is publishing 20th Century Eightball, a collection of the best of Dan Clowes Eightball strips written between 1988 and 1996. The collection includes one of Clowes' most popular strips, 'Art School Confidential,' which has been optioned by actress Drew Barrymore. Clowes and Terry Zwigoff, who wrote the screenplay for Ghost World, are scripting 'Art School Confidential' which Zwigoff (Crumb, Ghost World) has signed to direct. The timing of the publication of 20th Century Eightball is fortuitous since August should also see the release of the Ghost World film. Fantagraphics is preparing both a 'movie edition' of the Ghost World graphic novel as well as a Ghost World Screenplay, which includes 30 pages of material that was cut from the final film plus a new Ghost World comic story from Clowes and lots of other cool features (see 'Ghost World Film Bows').
Having 20th Century Eightball in addition to the two Ghost World books will provide retailers with an important additional product to recommend to anyone who is attracted by the Ghost World film. The Hollywood buzz on the Ghost World film is strong (the Barrymore deal for 'Art School Confidential' is evidence of that), and the film should have a strong appeal to critics due to its realistic, intelligent, off-beat characters. In a summer season filled with over-blown, action-packed blockbusters, Ghost World should come as welcome relief. Certainly Dan Clowes, who Fantagraphics says is the best-selling alternative comics creator in the world, is due for greater media exposure, which Ghost World should provide. If Ghost World does click with alternative audience, 20th Century Eightball will give retailers a chance to recommend the source material for the next Clowes/Zwigoff collaboration to customers who might be attracted by the Ghost World movie. 
