Tonight is the kickoff of City Lights' "Fantomas By the Bay" series, with absinthe-soaked readings (by Brian Lucas, Andrew Joron, and others) and performances (including a collaboration between Daniel Handler and Jill Tracy). In honor of the festivities, the time is right to link to the opening passage of Guardian contributor Erik Morse's intense and extensive 2008 rendering of the shape-shifting Fantomas phenomenon for Arthur magazine, and to present scene-stealing Maggie Cheung in a stealing scene from Olivier Assayas's 1996 Fantomas-influenced movie Irma Vep. Look for more here on "Fantomas by the Bay," and check out Cheung and info about tonight's festivities after the jump.

Maggie Cheung in Irma Vep (1996):

FANTOMAS STRIKES THE BAY!
Wed/6, 7 p.m.
City Lights Booksellers
261 Columbus, SF
(415) 393-0100
www.citylights.com