Thursday, October 28, 2010

Austin English Art Sale!

Austin English's new book "the Disgusting Room" is done (Sparkplug'll have a preview of it at the Brooklyn Comics Fest in December) and he is selling artwork. The book itself will be out in early 2011. If you are interested in buying art or checking out more about Austin's work, take a look at his blog:
windycornermag-austin.blogspot.com

Austin says:
  • "Almost everything I've posted from the book I'm willing to sell for about half of what I would normally charge for the pages. So right now I'd let the work go for around 100 to 150 dollars per page. Some of the pages I've posted have already been bought in advance but most of them are available. Let me know if you're interested in any of the stuff that's up. I also have high quality scans of the enitre book, if you wanna see more.

    Write to me at: austin.robertson.english@gmail.com"

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Twin Peaks Art Show in Portland this Friday!

Sean Christenson has orchestrated a wonderful art show in Portland this Friday!

SUBJECT: Ghostwood Forest: a Twin Peaks themed Art Show 
WHERE: Guapo Comics & Coffee 6350 SE Foster Rd, Portland OR
WHEN: Friday, October 29th. Opening reception at 7pm. There will be a screen projection of the  feature length Twin Peaks Pilot Episode at 9pm.
 
October--that magic month of costumes and candy, uneasy walks, and late night fear is upon us. The oncoming cold and colorful fall leaves blowing through the air evoke thoughts of death and rebirth, of the layers of the world, and the secrets behind everything, how the world has many disguises as do the people in it. The spreading darkness and growing damp is part of the soul of the Northwest. Nothing better evokes this sense of thrilling mystery, eerie magic, and melancholy abandon than that great, iconic TV show of the Pacific Northwest, David Lynch and Mark Frost's Twin Peaks; Agent Dale Cooper and his need for a "damn fine cup o' coffee," sultry Audrey Horne, the Log Lady, and a murdered homecoming queen. It's a TV series that exudes all of the colors, smells, mythos and wondrous alien forests of our little corner of the world.
 
Guapo Comics has gathered together some of the Northwest's best and brightest cartoonists and artists to celebrate Twin Peaks and its intensity, fear, joy, and humor in an art show.
 
The Ghostwood Forest show features new pieces by Sean Christenson, Chris Cilla, Jason Fischer, Julia Gfrorer, John Isaacson, Amy Kuttab, Aron Nels Steinke,  Emily Nilsson, Daria Tessler, Dylan Williams, and many more amazing artists. Ghostwood Forest debuts Friday, October 29th at 7pm. Free themed snacks and drinks will be available. At 9pm, the feature length Twin Peaks Pilot Episode will be screened.

New today! Rum Lad #4, The Wall #1 and more!



Today we added four comics by British artists! Rum Lad #4 by Steve Larder, Morgenmuffel #17 by Isy, and The Death of a Salesman and The Wall #1 by Edd Baldry. All excellent, all punk/activist/politically themed. Rum Lad has some seriously beautiful drawing in it - both landscapes and people seem to move. It's worth checking out for the art alone. Morgenmuffel #17 brings Isy into familiar territory - the Pacific Northwest - and includes a cameo from Shawn Granton of Ten Foot Rule. The Death of a Salesman is a moving account and analysis of police brutality against activists, particularly during the G20 summit. And finally, we have an allegory set in the land of the Wind in the Willows: The Wall #1.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Gay Genius is going on Kickstarter

The anthology Gay Genius (to be co-published with Sparkplug) has a kickstarter. Please think about donating if you haven't yet. It is about half way with 32 days to go.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

New in the Store: Gazeta Anthology and Crime World #2



Today in the store we added Gazeta: Comics from Bangkok to Belgrade, a beautiful anthology of world comics; and David E. King's brand new Crime World #2. Also the Danny Dutch Gocco-printed luggage tags are back!

Read About Flesh and Bone

Greg McElhatton has given Flesh and Bone a good review at Read About Comics.
http://www.readaboutcomics.com/2010/10/06/flesh-and-bone/
Read on.

The Whale by Aidan Koch is released.

AIDAN KOCH & GAZE BOOKS PRESENTE
THE WHALE RELEASE PARTY

10/21/10
6-9PM


SKETCHES + EMAILS
FOOD + DRINK

1137 SE 16TH AVE
PORTLAND, OR

You can look at the book and purchase it here:
http://www.gazebooks.com/

It is great, I read it in the airport. A spooky sort of story with an emotional weight not often found in comics. Beautiful drawing and story.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

New in the Store!



Fresh in the Store today: Carrie McNinch's You Don't Get There From Here #16, Vanessa Davis' Kitchen Conniption and my very own The Warehouse on Poplar.

Also check out the revamped pages for Mats?!'s Asiaddict, Ted May's It Lives #1 and Trevor Alixopulos' Mine Tonight.

Side note: I read Asiaddict the last time I took a trip and it really made me wish I was going to Southeast Asia instead of boring old Wisconsin. It is excellent!
Sparkplug Comic Books will be at APE this weekend. Saturday and Sunday October 16th & 17th. There will be a group of us:  Julia Wertz, David King, Virginia Paine, Tim Goodyear, Rina Ayuyang, Tim Root, Sophie Yanow, Renee French and Chris Cilla will be in attendance at the table or around it. We will be at table 118 next to Tom Neely's I Will Destroy You at 119 and Pigeon Press at 120.


At APE:
  • Renee French will be premiering her new book H-Day at the Picture Box booth at APE table 226. Renee will also have an artists spotlight interview at 6pm on Saturday.
  • I'll be on a panel at 1pm on Saturday with Susie Cagle, Thien Pham and Gene Yang talking about Bay Area comics over the years: http://www.comic-con.org/ape/ape_prog.php
  • Sparkplug will have a ton of new distro comix at the Sparkplug booth including Crime World 2 by David King, Anais in Paris by Mardou, You Don't Get There From Here #16 by Carrie McNinch, Act Five by Steve Ditko, Benol the Huckster by Max Mose, El Vocho by Steve Lafler and Gazeta edited by Lisa Mangum & Maria Sputnik


In addition to APE, I'd like to bring a new project to your attention. Sparkplug will be co-publishing a book called Gay Genius, edited/published by Annie Murphy who is currently doing a Kickstarter to get the funds together. Please take a look and consider this extremely worthwhile project and pass the word on:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2030444721/gay-genius-comics-anthology
I'm really looking forward to it this book.

AND
Next month Chris Cilla will be having an official premiere release party for his book the Heavy Hand in conjunction with the Facemelterz show curated by Tim Goodyear of Teenage Dinosaur. It will be on First Thursday 6PM, November 4th at Floating World Comics in Portland, OR: www.floatingworldcomics.com this will be a must attend event if you are in town.

Wednesday, October 06, 2010

Gay Genius is on Kick Starter

Annie Murphy's visionary anthology Gay Genius is up on Kickstarter. Sparkplug will be co-publishing the book so please take a look and think about helping to cover the other half. The book looks amazing:


http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2030444721/gay-genius-comics-anthology

New in the store: Mardou's Anais in Paris!



This is a great mini-comic about the life of Anais Nin, told in a darkly factual style and beautifully illustrated. Only three bucks in the store!

David King Media Blitz

The illustrious Comics Reporter has launched a great review of David Kings newest masterpiece: Lemon Styles. Check it out here:

http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/index/cr_review_lemon_styles/

and there is a sexy Facebook page for David's Comics as well:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reliable-Comics/132818886765091

Tuesday, October 05, 2010

Tell me about Mini-comix David King.

The Fork Frenzy show interviews David King. The host, Levon Jihanian, is an amazing artist himself so this webisode is like some kind of meeting of the minds. Serious pod-casting going on.


http://blog.forkfrenzy.com/

Disgusting Room Preview

Hey Sparkplug faithfull!



I posted some preview images of the book I just finished, The Disgusting Room, over on my blog. Check it out here:


http://windycornermag-austin.blogspot.com/2010/10/disgusting-room-preview.html

Enjoy.

Austin

Saturday, October 02, 2010

Ask on. Julia Gfrörer in interview with Jason Leivian

The aged Comics Journal presents a fresh new interview with Julia Gfrörer about her methods, Flesh & Bone and metaphysics. A great interview with two of my favorite people:

Friday, October 01, 2010

Comix Claptrap is crazy. Happy Birthday!!!!

Comix Claptrap is totally in to Lemon Styles though so check out this episode:
http://comixclaptrap.podomatic.com/entry/2010-09-30T22_42_52-07_00

Fin totally makes up for Thien.

Ruskoff on small publishers!

Tom Neely sent me this link. The article made me love Douglas Rushkoff and I don't even know anything about the guy:

http://www.arthurmag.com/2010/09/29/rushkoff-why-i-left-my-publisher-in-order-to-publish-a-book/

Anyone read the book? Is it good?