The scofflaw gun-fetishists behind local funny book factory Fantagraphics Books pushed the avant-garde comics publishing envelope even further on Sunday, August 14th when they blew up a lawn mower (photo credit Eric Reynolds) in the Sultan river basin during their semi-annual summer shoot-out event, a tradition that goes back more than a decade and has even included the blowing up of cars with dynamite in years past, not to mention the senseless shooting of a perfectly functional fire extinguisher.

Of the many targets hauled out to the woods to be shot this year, the Fantagraphics photocopier bore the brunt of the shooters’ wrath, suffering more perforations from the 12 gauge shotgun than from any other weapon, whereas the vacuum cleaner (photo credit Reynolds again), baby carriage and aforementioned lawn mower suffered not much more than a half dozen shots each (Seattlest does not count the perforations in the lawn mower’s explosion in the official shooting tally). Various computer monitors, glass bottles and milk jugs filled with water couldn’t withstand much more than a single shot from the 9mm handguns, not to mention the AR-15 with its much-needed laser sighting. The arsenal at this year’s shoot out also included a 350 Win Mag rifle, a .44 and .357 Magnum, a .45 automatic, an FAL and a 20 gauge.

A Papa John’s car sign (origin unknown) took numerous hits from the 12 gauge before getting stuffed with fireworks, resulting in an anemic explosion that paled in comparison to the patriotism-inspiring lawn mower spectacle.

If there’s a lesson to be learned, it’s this: “Mess with Fantagraphics… kiss your lawn mower and/or photocopier goodbye... BITCH!”

[*UPDATE: Finally got around to posting the painting inspired by the lawn mower explosion. This is approximatley 38"x24" or so, oil paint over a stupid foam matte poster of some Marilyn Manson looking photo thing that hung in the Fanta art dept for ten years or so. This painting remains unfinished of course: