Sparkplug at Brooklyn Comics Fest

Sparkplug had a blast at the Brooklyn Comics Fest! One of the most fun shows I've ever been to...

It made you feel good to be involved with comics. Sometimes it really hits you how vibrant and alive the comics community/movement is, and this was really one of those times. To be surrounded by a lot of fellow artists, all with really different artistic methods/aspirations/ideas who were all showing their comics that they worked hard on---what a great feeling. The space was so tiny and cozy that you really felt elbow to elbow with all these talented folks. And to have a hall packed with really enthusiastic READERS made you feel like all this work has a real audience, that it's really appreciated and enjoyed. Sometimes you will go to these things and the comics you sell will be met with a perplexed look. But this show, people really seemed to get it already and really wanted to meet their favorite comic creators. A bunch of people wanted to know when Jin and Jam #2 would be out! When IS it coming out, anyway?


Thanks to Gabe Fowler and Dan Nadel for setting up the event. I can't imagine it was easy. Here are some pictures of me and Nate running the booth, and the crowd.

Two Inspirations

We've just added two new self published books to the Sparkplug website store: I Still Live by Annie Murphy and Estrus #7 by Mari Naomi. Great stuff, take a look:

www.sparkplugcomicbooks.com

Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Phestival!

The Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival is this Saturday! Go check it out if you are in the New York City area. Sparkplug will be there, run by Austin English and Nate Doyle. Maria Sputnik may be showing up at our table too.

Saturday December 5th 2009
11 AM - 7 PM

184 Metropolitan Ave
Williamsburg, Brooklyn

www.comicsandgraphicsfest.com

The great Gary Arlington

May 10, 1972 in an interview with the amazing Patrick Rosenkranz, Gary Arlington had this to say when asked "What's new?"

Artlington: "Justin Green is coming out with the world's first underground comic books that's going to sell for seven cents. It's going to be pocket-sized. It's goint to have eight pages in black and white. It's one single piece of 8 1/2" x 11" paper and it's folded and stapled. I said to myself, man, I could do this, too. Anybody can put out a little comic book for seven cents. Only costs you $20 to $25, plus your time of stapling and folding. That would be a real underground comic. I think Justin has started something that's going to really catch on. You get these young aspiring artists. First of all, son, if you want to put your own comic, we got to get a lot of money together and do a full color cover. Then you've got to compete with Crumb. You've got to be really good. It's going to cost you several hundred to go down to the printer and have the insides printed. That's discouraged a lot of people. Now there's a little seven-cent comic, everybody can come out with their own comic."

As Rosenkranz points out in a foot note: this is the birth of the mini comic. Pretty amazing. I've heard complaints about how easy it is for everybody to make comics for years. For me that cheap and easy production has always been the thing that kept me interested in comix as an art form. The idea that with 20 bucks anyone can put their art out to the world. And with the internet, obviously all you need is access to the write tools (sometimes that can cost more than 20 bucks).

Anyway, that interview is from one of the best issues of the Comics Journal ever, the Ivan Brunetti one (#264). Rosenkranz interviewed Denis Kitchen, Arlington, Jack Jackson, Don Schenker, Jay Lynch, Ron Turner and Fred Todd. Fantagraphics still has copies.

Strange Bed Fellows!

Two new books added to our online store. Big Plans #4 Aron Nels Steinke and Crime World by David King! Both equally amazing.

A Resurrected Ken Kesey

The resurrected Ken Kesey is working the drive up window at Rita's Tacos, filling orders and dispensing cryptic advice.
I wouldn't usually post a link to my El Vocho comics blog here, but maybe some folks in the Portland comics community share my affection for the late, great Kesey. I thanks ya for your indulgence!

"Ya can't quit da mob!"
-Ken Kesey

1883/Crooked Teeth #5 party and fund raiser!

Please join us for a fund raiser benefiting cartoonists Mollie Goldstrom and Nate Doyle (easily two of Sparkplugs favorite people)!

Both cartoonists have major new comics in the works---Goldstrom with "1883" and Doyle with "Crooked Teeth #5."

This is a fund raiser for upstart publisher Sweetheart books to gather some start up funds to put out Mollie's work in the format and volume it deserves....and for Nate to self-publish the latest issue of his beloved comic.

And it'll also be a really fun party! Live music! Cheap drinks! Original art for sale! Supporting the local arts community! How could you miss something like this? Isn't this the reason you live in New York in the first place?? OK we will see you there right? OK cool!

Starts at 9pm on December 4th (that's right...the night before Desert Island/Picturebox's Brooklyn Comix Fest)! $5-10 suggested donation. Yeah, you can come for free but c'moonnnnnn....

take the L train to the jefferson stop. The party will be at:
538 Johnson Ave, Apt. #210

write to
austin.robertson.english@gmail.com
for more info/if you wanna help out

See you there!

Comics Town?

Oregon Business did an article about Portland, OR. Now known as Comic Town. I wonder if this is what it felt like to be in San Francisco during the improve stand up comedy boomtown of the early 80s?
www.oregonbusiness.com

I don't know how much I agree with it. I'd be interested in hearing what anybody thinks about it.

One of Sparkplug's Favorite Stores

Pilot Books in Seattle is an amazing store. The owner has been really supportive to Sparkplug and has a wonderfully unique approach to selling comix. I'm really looking forward to another trip to Seattle. There was an article Pilot in the Stranger about it that I just found. Take a look:
www.thestranger.com

1883/Crooked Teeth #5 party and fund raiser!

Please join us for a fund raiser benefiting cartoonists Mollie Goldstrom and Nate Doyle (easily two of Sparkplugs favorite people)!

Both cartoonists have major new comics in the works---Goldstrom with "1883" and Doyle with "Crooked Teeth #5."

This is a fund raiser for upstart publisher Sweetheart books to gather some start up funds to put out Mollie's work in the format and volume it deserves....and for Nate to self-publish the latest issue of his beloved comic.

And it'll also be a really fun party! Live music! Cheap drinks! Original art for sale! Supporting the local arts community! How could you miss something like this? Isn't this the reason you live in New York in the first place?? OK we will see you there right? OK cool!

Starts at 9pm on December 4th (that's right...the night before Desert Island/Picturebox's Brooklyn Comix Fest)! $5-10 suggested donation. Yeah, you can come for free but c'moonnnnnn....

take the L train to the jefferson stop. The party will be at:
538 Johnson Ave, Apt. #210

write to
austin.robertson.english@gmail.com
for more info/if you wanna help out

See you there!

Beyond the Valley of the Book Trade & Back

I've just updated my online "Steve Lafler" store front, in time for the Holidays. Featured items include my new prose title Self Employment for Bohemians, graphic novels 40 Hour Man and Tranny and the new El Vocho T Shirt.
I'm looking to slowly reissue my back catalog over the next few years on my Manx Media imprint and I'll post it all in the store as it happens.
I went after "book trade" distribution in 2005 and stuck with it for a couple years, working like a demon and investing like a nut. It was sort of fun, but financially it was Hell on Wheels! If I ever run into you I'll give you the sordid details on request.
Thus, grass roots stuff like my own store front and working with outfits like Sparkplug are on the frontburner for this cartoonist.

Rina Ayuyang and Lark Pien Signing This Weekend!

Rina Ayuyang (author of Sparkplug and Tugboat's new book Whirlwind Wonderland) and Lark Pien (author of Long Tail Kitty) at Comic Relief in Berkeley, CA.

Saturday, November 21st, 4pm - 7pm
open to the public, and kid friendly
this event is sponsored by family and friends

Comic Relief is located at
2026 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, CA
510 543 5002
www.comicrelief.net

Please help support your local artists and cottage industries this year!! these books are inexpensive, satisfying reads, and make good gifts for the holidays - so buy one drink less at the bar, and spend that money on some comics! we promise, your copies will be autographed with luv.

Fiona Logusch Show in Boston opens this Friday!

Fiona is one of my favorite artist (thanks to Austin English introducing me to her). Her stuff was in Windy Corner and is totally worth seeing in any form you can:

You are invited to "Tap Tap Tap... From The Inside"
an exhibition of recent paintings and drawings
by Fiona Logusch

OPENING RECEPTION: Friday, November 6th, 6-9pm
in participation with First Fridays in the South End of Boston

LOCATION: The Burning Bush Gallery
450 Harrison Ave. Suite 314
South End, Boston MA

ON VIEW: 11/6-11/29/09 by appointment

CONTACT: fionaoksana@hotmail.com

ARTIST WEBSITE: www.fionalogusch.com

DIRECTIONS: The Burning Bush Gallery is located on the 3rd floor of 450 Harrison. 450 Harrison Avenue, AKA "the SOWA building," is brick with a yellow SOWA banner on the front. It is at the corner of Harrison and Thayer Street, a pedestrian street with several galleries and artist studios (that will also be having opening receptions from 6-8pm). The lobby entrance is in the middle of the SOWA building which is about 100 yards off Harrison. Enter the lobby, take the elevator or stairs to the 3rd floor and make a left. The gallery, suite 314, is several doors down on your right.

Cosmic Monkey Comix

They can do more than sell comix it turns out:

Neptune

A great write up for Neptune on Read About Comics:
www.readaboutcomics.com
And even more, at the wonderful Poopsheet:
www.poopsheetfoundation.com

Original Austin English Art for Sale

Hey friends of Sparkplug-

Looks like I'm moving outta town for a little bit and I'm trying to raise some money. Pretty much everything from the first three Windy Corners I still have and I'll sell for pretty cheap. I have Christina and Charles stuff too but it would take me slightly longer to get to you.

Lemme know what you're interested in and we'll figure out a price. E-mail me:

austin.robertson.english@gmail.com

Thanks!

-Austin

Sparkplug at APE with Whirlwind Wonderland

Sparkplug Comic Books will be premiering our new publication
Whirlwind Wonderland by Rina Ayuyang, co-published
with Tugboat Press. The book is up for sale on our website.

Whirlwind Wonderland follows the life-altering exploits of a somewhat-normal Filipino American girl as she meanders through sleepy suburban sprawls, empty diners, fantasy-filled commuter traffic jams, misplaced football fanaticism, ethnic identity crash courses, and just good ole family hi-jinx. The book showcases new stories and old favorites written and drawn by Rina Ayuyang, cartoonist and creator of “Namby Pamby”, a mini-comic series that explores the humorous side of life's ordinary moments.

Sparkplug and Tugboat will be sitting next to each other at the Alternative Press Expo this weekend in San Francisco, California. Saturday and Sunday at table numbers 359-362.

We'll be tabling with Tom Neely, Teenage Dinosaur, Jesse Reklaw, Willow Dawson, Chris Cilla, Rina Ayuyang, David King, Renee French, and Andrice Arp. Sparkplug will also be representing Bodega Distribution, Jason Martin, La Mano and Secret Acres at the show.

Come by and say Hi.

Dylan

I'm selling some art...

I've got several pieces of art for sale on my blog right now. Check 'em out if you're interested.

Buy my art or Dylan will send David King over to break my knee caps!

Wordstock this weekend!

I'll be running the Sparkplug table at Wordstock this weekend in Portland. I'll be selling tons of arty mini comics, come by and say "hi".

The Stumptown Comics Foundation is proud to take part in one of the countries largest festivals dedicated to the written word, Wordstock. Once again fostering imagination and wonder in the minds of the young and old; Stumptown Comics Foundation shares the love of Sequential Art within the Stumptown Graphic Novel Garden. Joining the Stumptown Comics Graphic Novel Garden are Portland publishers Oni Press (Scott Pilgrim, Whiteout, & Stephen Colbert’s Tek Jansen) as well as Top Shelf Productions (The Surrogates, Essex County, & Swallow Me Whole). Come and experience all the world of comics has to offer with the graphic novel collection from Cosmic Monkey Comics. All that, and special events provided by Portland comic book artists and writers.

F#@%ing J.T. Dockery!

So, I'm walkin' through SPX in one of my far too infrequent and much too short breaks looking at all the comics on the tables hoping to find something interesting... something special... something new... And I see this dude who looks like a young R. Crumb and talks like Tom Waits if Tom Waits was from Kentucky... And this dude is from Kentucky... And he's got this huge book that looks really crazy called In Tongues Illustrated... and the artwork is mezmerizing like it's the backwoods basterd child of a psychedlic Richard Sala and a countrified Rory Hayes*... and he's got a c.d. of his band The Smacks and I'm listening to that now as I'm writing this and they kick ass like a hillbilly punk rawk band should... AND he tells me that he used to play with Hasil Adkins (and he kindly corrects my mispronunciation of Hasil's name - sounds like "hassle" not "hay-zel") and it doesn't get much cooler/weirder than that... And then there's the first paragraph of "About The Smacks" on their myspace page:

An immortal psychic werewolf and an ethylene huffin' Old Testament prophet walk into a bar...and they play a giltter-billy rock and roll show. We are the Smacks! We are from Kentucky. And what we really wanna know, 'cause we're so tired of saying it, does cross-dressing count as lycanthropy?

SOLD!

So, anyways... I guess what I'm saying is J.T. Dockery is rad, and his book and music are among the best things I found at S.P.X. 2009!

* I apologize for using too many references because it doesn't do justice to Dockery's originality.

SPX round ups.

Two great round-ups of the Small Press Expo I spent the weekend at:
From Chris Mautner: www.comicbookresources.com
and from the one and only Rob Clough: highlowcomics.blogspot.com
Both are pretty insightful.

Portland Zine Symposium Planning

Fist planning meeting for the 10th annual Portland Zine Symposium!

Have you ever wanted to help organizing the Portland Zine Symposium? Well now's your chance! This will be the first meeting for the 2010 Portland Zine Symposium. We'll discuss dates, themes and lots of big ideas about how to celebrate such a monumental achievement to reach 10 years!

Sunday October 4, 2009
6:00 PM
IPRC (917 SW Oak #218)

SPX this weekend in Bethesda!

Sparkplug Comic Books will be at the Small Press Expo in Bethesda Maryland, this weekend (Sept. 26-27)

We'll be sitting with Tom Neely and Zak Sally's La Mano at tables W37/W38. Come by and say "hi".

This will be the east coat premiere of Sausage Hand by Andrew Smith, Neptune by Aron Nels Steinke and the Shortest Interval by Ignatz nominated artist David King.

We're proud to be publishing books by three artists that are up for multiple Ignatz Awards this Saturday night at SPX.
Promising New Talent Hellen Jo, Jin & Jam #1 (Sparkplug), “Diamond Heights,” Papercutter #9 (Tugboat)
Outstanding Series Danny Dutch, David King (Sparkplug)
Outstanding Series Reich, Elijah Brubaker (Sparkplug)
Outstanding Comic Danny Dutch #1, David King (Sparkplug)
Outstanding Comic Reich #6, Elijah Brubaker (Sparkplug)
Outstanding Online Comic Danny Dutch, David King

AND we'll be carrying a few books by good friends, including the amazing Ignatz nominated Wuvable Oaf by Ed Luce.

On SUNDAY at the show I'll be hosting a panel at 3pm

Comics and Community:

Dylan Williams (Sparkplug Books) leads an open and audience-inclusive discussion about the role independent comic creators, publishers, and distributors play in the comics community and how they can work together using principles of community organizing and resistance. Sally Bloodbath, Robyn Chapman, Benn Ray and Frank Santoro will talk about the internet, drawing nights, DIY networks, stores, distributors, publishers, friends, fans, clients, media outlets, tours, pooled resources, conventions and convention. Audience members are encouraged to bring their ideas.

2:30 in the Brookside Conference Room

For more info on the Small Press Expo: http://www.spxpo.com/
For more info on the 2009 Ignatz Award: http://www.spxpo.com/?page_id=22
For more info on Sparkplug Comics: http://www.sparkplugcomicbooks.com/

(the photo is of Sparkplug friends Ed Piskor and Rob Ullman at last years SPX)

KATY ELLIS O'BRIEN Show up this Weekend!!!

The Bad Apple (the store Tim Goodyear and I run) is going to be having our first official art opening this weekend (Sept. 26th) for Fun On Foster from 11-7. Come by and check out amazing art by Katy Ellis O'Brien!
www.trumpetflower.net

Publish Post

Happy Birthday Pete Poplaski!

Thanks to Tom Spurgeon for sharing the news. Today is the birthday of a favorite artist of mine, Pete Poplaski. Thanks to him for all the great art and inspiration.

And to Zorro too!
and here is another visit with PP!

A bunch of Sparkplug books reviewed by Rob Clough!

Extraordinary comics critic Rob Clough has given his time over to a thorough critique of five Sparkplug books: the Shortest Interval, Rock That Never Sleeps, Reich #6, Bird Hurdler and the Department of Art #1. Great insights as always:
highlowcomics.blogspot.com

SPX-bound

I'm headed off to SPX in a couple weeks (Sept. 26-27). I'll have more info on that soon. But in the mean time, get a load of this panel we are doing on Sunday the 27th (middle of the day), it should be reason enough to make the trek to Bethesda Maryland:

Comics and Community
Dylan Williams (Sparkplug Books) leads an open and audience-inclusive discussion about the role independent comic creators, publishers, and distributors play in the comics community and how they can work together using principles of community organizing and resistance. Sally Bloodbath, Robyn Chapman, Benn Ray and Frank Santoro will talk about the internet, drawing nights, DIY networks, stores, distributors, publishers, friends, fans, clients, media outlets, tours, pooled resources, conventions and convention. Audience members are encouraged to bring their ideas.

Reviews by Rob Clough

Two of the new books Sparkplug Co-Published with Teenage Dinosaur and Tugboat Press have Received the usually astute critical view from Rob Clough, check 'em out. Neptune by Aron Steinke and Sausage Hand, both available from our online store:
highlowcomics.blogspot.com/2009/09/mainstreamunderground-neptune-and.html


Rob also checked out a couple of the new Teenage Dinosaur books and Jesse Reklaw's 10,000 Things To Do here:
highlowcomics.blogspot.com/2009/08/minicomics-round-up-reklaw-nelson-frank.html

JULIACKS at Helsinki Comics Festival

Heyheyhey,
JULIACKS will be at the Helsinki Comics Festival September 12th and 13th in the Small Press Heaven section representing Sparkplug Comics!

If'n you are around, please stop by!

Shannon O'Leary!

One and only Sparkplug PR/Marketing leader Shannon O'Leary has been interviewed by Bitch Magazine. It focuses on the new feminist comics anthology she is co-editing. It already sounds like something that everyone is going to need a copy of, including me and you.

bitchmagazine.org/post/six-questions-on-comics-for-the-big-feminist-but

Shipping Rates had to go up.

After years of those cheap shipping rates, I've had to raise them as things have gotten more expensive. Only a slight increase but sorry about the hassle. They are still pretty cheap and it is a flat rate so the more you get, it doesn't cost more.
The new rates are calculated by paypal and are listed on the bookstore:

$3 standard and $7 expedited.

Canada is $5
United Kingdom is $12
International is $15

Sparkplug Artists Get Nominated for Ignatz Awards!

Danny Dutch by David King
Reich by Elijah Brubaker
and Hellen Jo (author of Jin & Jam)

All three have all been nominated for 2009 Ignatz Awards! Congratulations to all the artists and now I have to figure out who to pay off.

Here is a great confused review of Danny Dutch in regards to this.

Tonight at 7:30 at Powell's Downtown!

August 31st at 7:30 PM
At Powell's books on Burnside in Portland.
Theo Ellsworth and Aron Nels Steinke!

We're not a band who makes money.

One of our good friends and one of the wisest people I know, Julia Wertz, has an interview up on Inkstuds right now that I am about to listen to, and she took part in this great series of interviews about money in small-press comics:
osmosis-online.com/2009/08/22/indie-comics-artists/

"'If I’m just sitting in my studio drawing all day, where’s the story? Also, sitting in a studio drawing day after day makes my brain turn to mush. The stress and inconvenience of a day job keep me motivated,' she said. 'I think that most artists — but definitely not all — should keep some kind of part-time day job, just so they can stay grounded. Oh yeah, and pay rent and stuff.'"

An article about the SF Zine Fest.

San Francisco Chronicle/ SF Gate has a great article about the San Francisco Zine Fest this weekend:

www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/19/NSTH197OEJ.DTL

San Francisco Zine Fest Next Weekend

Next weekend Sparkplug is going to be at the San Francisco Zine Fest. One of my two favorite shows of the year. Please come by and check out all the amazing zines and comics.

Saturday, August 22 from 11:00am – 6:00pm
Sunday, August 23 from 11:00am – 6:00pm

SF County Fair Building (formerly Hall of Flowers)
9th Ave. at Lincoln Way (in Golden Gate Park) map

I'm going to be doing a workshop with John Isaacson and Matt Leunig:

Comics and Commuinty
• 12:15pm - 1:15pm Sunday August 23rd
An open and audience inclusive discussion about the role independent comic creators, publishers, and distributors play in the comics community and how we can work together using principles of community organizing and resistance.We're going to talk about the internet, drawing nights, DIY networks, stores, distributors, publishers, friends, fans, clients, media outlets, tours, pooled resources and convention. Bring your ideas.
-Dylan Williams, Matt Leunig, John Isaacson

Austin English at Union Pool in Brooklyn, NY this Saturday!

Austin English (Windy Corner, Christina and Charles), Lisa Hanawalt (Stay Away From Other People, I Want You), and Dash Shaw (Bottomless Belly Button, BodyWorld) will discuss the relationship between image-making and drawing for comics. How do pictures work differently in comics than they do on gallery walls? At Union Pool - 484 Union Ave. - Brooklyn, NY

Then stick around to get a book signed, hit the taco truck, and sip a summer drink with our featured cartoonists.

This panel discussion will be moderated by series curator Bill Kartalopoulos (The New School, Print Magazine).

$5 suggested donation. All proceeds go to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Aron Nels Steinke at Ristretto Roasters in Portland

For the month of August Aron Steinke is having a solo show at Ristretto Roasters. over in the Beaumont neighborhood in NE Portland to promote his new Sparkplug/Tugboat book Neptune. Ristretto is at 3520 NE 42nd Ave @Fremont, Portland, Oregon 97213 hours: 6:00 to 6:00.

They have about twenty pages of original artwork from NEPTUNE on display but not for sale. Plenty of copies of Neptune are, however, available for sale at the store and available online here.

Theo Ellsworth and Aron Nels Steinke reading at Powells

You are going to need to save this day, for sure: Monday August 31st at 7:30 PM
At Powell's books on Burnside in Portland.

Art Shows in Portland!

Check it out, Portland has four crazy art shows this week, First Thursday and First Friday.


Thursday:
Nuts & Bolts is an art show curated by two smaller Portland publishers that are deserving of more recognition. Robopocalypse is a collective of zine makers that have been self publishing and collaborating on anthologies since 2007. Teenage Dinosaur is an independent publisher run by Tim Goodyear. For this show he is curating work by Ian Sundahl and Dylan Williams, who also runs Sparkplug Comics. Plus: Jamie Rich & Joelle Jones will be present to sign copies of their new graphic novel from Oni Press: YOU HAVE KILLED ME WHO: BT Livermore, Terry Blas, Bryan Fleming, Nathalie Heizenrader, Matt Grigsby, Kevin M. Arnold, Matthew Seely, Agnes Hamilton, Andrew Keller, Ian Sundahl, Dylan Williams, Joelle Jones, Jamie Rich
WHAT: Group art show curated by two local indy publishers
WHEN: Thursday, August 6th, 6-10pm
WHERE: Floating World Comics, 20 NW 5th Ave #101


Thursday:

Night Poems

MULTIMEDIA INSTALLATION
AIDAN KOCH AND PAUL WAGENBLAST
PONY CLUB
625 NW EVERETT #105

FIRST THURSDAY OPENING
AUGUST 6TH
6PM-10PM

Friday:
The Inkwads show with Sparkplug Artists and Friends at the Grass Hut Gallery. Tom is coming up for the weekend so now is your chance to meet the mad genius behind the Blot and see art by him and Hellen Jo too.

Hellen Jo
Brent Wick
Kiyoshi Nakazawa
John Black
Tom Neely

811 East Burnside, Portland OR 97214
503-445-9924
The opening is August 7th 6-9pm
Through August 30th

Friday:

JULIA GFRÖRER is part of a show at Zhu Lin Gallery. The show is called "Three Muses", and will feature figure drawings and paintings by Lindsay de Armond, Elena Cronin and Julia. The opening reception will take place Friday August 7th, 6 - 9 pm at the Bamboo Grove Salon Gallery 134 SE Taylor (entrance on 2nd).