Dylan Willams does an Inkstud!

My good buddy Dylan Williams just got interviewed on Ink Studs.
He talks about his publishing empire, Sparkplug Comic Books, and other stuff he likes. Well worth the listen.

Tom Neely does an Inkstud

My good buddy Tom Neely just got interviewed on Ink Studs. He talks about his new and old books as well as a lot of art history and black metal. Well worth the listen.

Reich in the Works.

Elijah Brubaker draws Reich:
http://elijahbrubaker.com/blog/?p=742
Blogger is still giving us problems so I'm posting a link to his blog here.

Sparkplug at Heroes Con this Weekend

Sparkplug overlord Dylan Williams and LA ambassador Tom Neely will be manning Booth #522 at Heroes Con this weekend:

LOCATION:
Charlotte Convention Center
501 S. College St
Charlotte, NC 28202
704.339.6000

ADMISSION:
1-day Pass: $10 per person
3-day Pass: $20 per person
Kids 12 & Under get in FREE!

SHOW DATE & HOURS
Open to the Public:
Friday, June 20, 2008 : 11.00 am - 7.00 pm
Saturday, June 21, 2008 : 10.00 am - 6.00 pm
Sunday, June 22, 2008 : 11.00 am - 6.00 pm

And, in case you were wondering, NO, Dylan did not pose for that picture but, gads, if it isn't an uncanny likeness, no?

Yes.

Desert Island Comics Party Report from veritable eons ago a huge success!!!

We've been meaning to post a report of the awesome pre-Mocca party we co-hosted with fellow publishers Bodega Books and Secret Acres at Brooklyn's premiere comic shop, Desert Island, but, well, we've been super busy with the following items of import:

1) Mocca itself! We sold books! We sold mini comics! There was a fire drill!



Tom Neely and Dylan Williams (pictured above), while great cartoonists, publishers and men of distinction were, to my knowledge, largely unhelpful with local firefighting efforts.

2) We premiered two new books, including Austin English's Windy Corner #2, which features new chapters of Austin's graphic novels and work by a variety of established and up and coming and truly unique artists. The cover art is fantastic and there are a lot of really interesting artists involved in the book, which is currently available at our store.

3) We also premiered the totally amazing, Inkweed, by Chris Wright. This book is so good that I started reading it in the bathroom doing.. you know.. things you do in the bathroom.. and when I was done with #1, then #2 of those things, I kept on reading! I sat right there and finished every last poignantly, heartbreakingly odd word of one of Wright's stories. Man, it was good. Go to our store and buy it now.

So.. yeah, the party was by all accounts a huge success! Gabe, the super cool proprietor of Desert Island was completely stoked that no one spilled anything on any books or anything so he wasn't like mad at us at the end, the place was packed, books flew off the shelves (but didn't hit anyone). And it was really fun to team up with Secret Acres and Bodega who released books from Eamon Espey, Sam Gaskin and Dave Kiersch which are all pretty damn good and available at their websites. Here are some pictures of the event:



I totally love this picture because my comics hero, Nate Doyle (left of frame) is looking off into the middle of the street at nothing in particular, wheels spinning, butters churning, engines grinding towards the creation of what is sure to be a great new mini. Look out for this f*cker. Towards the back, you can see a lovely Gabrielle Bell and an equally lovely Austin English enjoying their complimentary PBR's.



Pictured above are aforementioned afore feted Sparkplug authors, Austin English and Chris Wright, fighting off the mobs of fans eager to sign their new books. Don't they look feteish? That's not supposed to sound filthy. It supposed to sound festive.



Look! Look up! It's Dave Kiersch, author of Neverland, also one of the featured artists answering a question or nodding affirmatively about something in that soothing manner of his. For serious, talking to Dave K. makes you feel like you're in a floatation device - and not in an evil 70's movie kind of way, in a totally relaxing, I can just be with this fellow way! To his left is a slightly open-mouthed talking with his hands Aaron Renier. And, with a pose striking stance worthy of Vogue, in the back is Gabriel Fowler, head honcho of Desert Island. You totally wish you could see his face. He's like not as cute as a button but definitely as cute as a bug.

And here's a final shot of Brian Heater of Daily Crosshatch fame looking hella auspicious and merciless about some comic he will no doubt mercilessly shred on the hatch sometime soon. Look out whoever you are!:



More updates to follow soon in the week about our location at this weekend's upcoming Heroes Con and more news about what we're up to all around (minis and books-wise) later still but soon enough!

Business For Shared Prosperity

A lot of what I'd like to blog about is business stuff. I'm a big fan of the small business ideal and wish I could find out more about it myself. I was writing about this on the Sparkplug Myspace page but I'm going to continue it here.

Last Friday Bill Moyers had an amazing show on the growing economic and thereby social gap between the rich and poor in the US's new "Gilded Age". His guest for most of the show was Holy Sklar the director of the Business for Shared Prosperity project. One of my favorite things she talked about was the idea that the higher ups in most corporations or big organizations provide none of the "value" of their business. It is actually the grunts that provide all the value. You could, of course, apply this to comics as well but for me it is interesting in that in is an essentially communist (or at least socialist) idea explained in capitalist terms. Of course, I don't know enough about either schools but hopefully I'm learning more.

She also explained, and they go over this on the website, the way healthcare and a higher minimum wage actually help the economy whereas a rich upper class does relatively little to help out their country's economy. All basic liberal economics but Holy Sklar says it really eloquently.

New Books!

Sorry, I'm still having some problems posting here.
I just put up 6 new books on the website, please take a look:
www.sparkplugcomicbooks.com
Let me know if there are any problems with the pages and please tell your friends. I'm going to be sending out an email a.s.a.p.
Thanks
Dylan

Mats!? Art in NYC and Portland

Mats!? is part of the Hot Wired art show opening this Saturday in NYC!
His work is currently up at the Floating World Gallery in Portland Oregon. It looks amazing, some awesome silk screening.
I'd go to the one in NYC if I was still there.
http://matstuff.blogspot.com/

Let the blogging begin.