Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Bound and Gagged


What happens when you as a bunch of cartoonists, 
artists and assorted weirdos to do one panel gag comics?
COMEDY! HORROR! NAVEL GAZING! ABSTRACTION! AND MORE!!!

72 pages of color and black & white comics by some of the best 
contemporary underground and alternative cartoonists:

Andrice Arp, Marc Bell, Elijah J. Brubaker, Shawn Cheng, Chris C. Cilla, Michael DeForge, Kim Deitch, J. T. Dockery, Theo Ellsworth, Austin English, Eamon Espey, Robert Goodin, Julia Gfrörer, Levon Jihanian, Juliacks, Kaz, David King, Tom Neely, Anders Nilsen, Scot Nobles, Jason Overby, John Porcellino, Jesse Reklaw, Tim Root, Zak Sally, Gabby Schulz, Josh Simmons, Ryan Standfest, Kaz Strzepek, Matthew Thurber, Noah Van Sciver, Dylan Williams, Chris Wright and MORE!?

72 pages
Perfect bound
5.5x6 inches
Color and Black&White
Cover art by Chris C. Cilla
Curated by Tom Neely
Published by I Will Destroy You Comics
$10 retail.
 

Friday, August 27, 2010

ALL THIS WEEKEND IN PORTLAND: PZS

The Portland Zine Symposium:
http://www.pdxzines.com/


What: The 10th Annual Portland Zine Symposium

Theme: "Zine Arcade!"

Where: Peter W. Stott Main Gym, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon

When: Saturday, August 28th, from 10:00am until 5:00pm and Sunday, August 29th, 10:00am until 4:00pm

Who: Presented by local zinesters, comic makers, artists, and writers. Attended by independent publishing enthusiasts from all over the world!

Why: To promote greater community between diverse creators of independent publications and art. This fun and free event helps people share their work while exchanging their skills and information related to zine culture. Through workshops, panels and discussions, Portland Zine Symposium explores the role and effect of all types of zines.


We also have a Zinester's Feud (http://pdxzines.com/events/zinestersfeud/)happening the evening of August 28th at Floating World Comics and a Zinester's Music Show (http://pdxzines.com/events/zinestersmusicshow) happening the evening of August 29th at Backspace.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

CONVENTIONS AND AWARDS!



The next four weeks are full of comix! I'll be traveling and Sparkplug will be at a bunch of shows:

The Minneapolis Indie Expo: This weekend (Saturday the 21st) in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
http://mplsindiexpo.com/

The Portland Zine Symposium: August 28th & 29th in Portland, Oregon.
I'm an organizer and we could use any volunteer help. Please sign up:
http://www.pdxzines.com/pr/volunteer/

San Francisco Zine Fest: September 3rd & 4th in San Francisco, CA.
http://blog.sfzinefest.com/

SPX: September 10th and 11th in Bethesda, Maryland. Sparkplug's most recent books will be at the Partyka table. Make sure to drop by and check out their amazing comics.
http://www.spxpo.com/
Also, the Ignatz Awards are given out at SPX and this year we are nominated for a bunch (vote, if you are going!), congratulations are in order for the artists:

Outstanding Anthology or Collection
Lemon Styles, David King

Promising New Talent
Rina Ayuyang, Whirlwind Wonderland (Sparkplug Comic Books & Tugboat Press)

Outstanding Comic
Eschew #2, Robert Sergel
Flesh and Bone, Julia Gfrörer
Outstanding Online Comic
Reliable Comics, David King (www.reliablecomics.com)


AND on September 25th we'll be at the Jet City Comics Show in Seattle along with Profanity Hill, Fantagraphics, Chris Cilla and more!

Our newest books will be at all shows:
The Heavy Hand by Chris Cilla
Lemon Styles by David King
Flesh and Bone by Julia Gfrörer

So much stuff. So many comix. Make sure to come by and say "hi".
Thanks,
Dylan

Monday, August 16, 2010

Send some help to SLG.

Slave Labor Graphics is in need of some legal help and could use some donations. "SLG Publishing has been embroiled in a trademark issue revolving around our comic book about a certain gun heiress." Please help them out if you can:
https://www.slgcomic.com/legaldfund_ep_80-1.html

Friday, August 13, 2010

Conventions

I don't normally do this but I'm linking to a discussion on another blog:
http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2010/08/quote-of-the-day-dustin-harbin-vs-small-press-comic-cons
It is particularly interesting for me because I'm not going to a bunch of shows for some of the exact reasons Dustin brings up but also, because I feel conflicted about supporting the pop-culture world of comics as entertainment and celebrity. Though that is also wrapped up in the price issue. Maybe I'll expand on this later but for right now you should read what Dustin and a few people who disagree with him have to say.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Homemade Komics reviews a bunch of Sparkplug Books



 Larned Justin gives a great write up to Reich, Department of Art,  Rock that Never Sleeps,  Neptune, Eschew and Sausage Hand at Homemade Komics:
http://homemadekomics.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Rina Ayuyang at Schulz Museum this Weekend

Second Saturday Cartoonist at Charles M. Schulz Museum
Rina Ayuyang
Saturday, August 14th, 2010
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM


Meet watch and talk to Rina Ayuyang, cartoonist and creator of 'Namby Pamby,' a mini-comic series that explores the humorous side of life's ordinary moments. Ayuyang's latest book, Whirlwind Wonderland, was recently published.

Cost: Free to members, adults:$10, youth/seniors:$5.00

Charles M. Schulz Museum
2301 Hardies Lane
Santa Rosa, CA USA 95403

Phone: 707-579-4452

Saturday, August 07, 2010

Monday, August 02, 2010

Zine Spelling Bee this Saturday, for serious.


Calling all word-heads, spelling specialists and zinesters! You're invited to the PZS Zinester's Spelling Bee at Mississippi Pizza Pub!
Who: *The Portland Zine Symposium*
What: *Zinester's Spelling Bee*
Where: *Mississippi Pizza Pub*, 3552 N Mississippi Ave
Why: To support PZS and show off your spelling skills!
When: *August 7th, 5:00-8:00pm*
 

*The 10th Annual Portland Zine Symposium is almost here! Help us celebrate and support the 10th Annual Portland Zine Symposium while showing off your talent for orthography.

How will this help support PZS? Well, we'll be passing around the donation jar, but we'll also be having a raffle (similar to the awesome raffles we have during the symposium every year), so be sure to bring some singles!

*Are you a local business?* The PZS Zinester's Spelling Bee is just another outreach event brought to the community by PZS that you can help out with. If you're interested in any way to PZS, we greatly appreciate it! 

Mississippi Pizza Pub has donated their space to host the Zinester's
Spelling Bee and we'll be raffling off a couple prizes that have already been donated to PZS, found here:
 
http://www.pdxzines.com/info/sponsors10/ Donate
to us and you could be added to our list!

Movies at Floating World TOMORROW!

This Tuesday (August 3rd) at Floating World Comics we'll be celebrating the IPRC comics program. Floating World and the IPRC will be showing Steel, Artists & Models and Hooked on Comix 2 (a short film). All comix related, really great and quite funny. The films should start at 6pm. This one is free and you can bring your own booze/food. Floating World: 20 Northwest 5th Avenue
For more info: http://www.iprc.org/calendar/comics-movie-night


Blaise Larmee has started Gaze Books

One of my favorite cartoonists at the moment has started a publishing company which will also be carrying work by other people and putting stuff on their website, including pages like the one above from Austin English's sketchbook. Really highest recommendations.

http://www.gazebooks.com/

Nurse Nurse review!

This great review of Nurse Nurse points out exactly why you should be reading Katie Skelly's wonderful series:
http://www.bros-czap.com/kevinczap/2010/07/colonists-be-safe/

and here is Katie's site:
http://www.calicocomics.com/
http://www.etsy.com/shop/calicocomics