Mini-comics, art zines, fanzines and other self-published items of curiosity.

New in the History Archive:
• Jane J. Oliver obituary by Steve Willis in "Articles"
• "Comix World / Wave by year" added to "Publisher Output"
• "Comix World / Wave by series / format" updated in "Publisher Output"

New in the Cover Gallery:
• five scans in "Bruce Chrislip"

New in the Poopsheet Shop:
• King-Cat Comics and Stories #68 by John Porcellino
• Curio Cabinet #3 by J.B.
• Guitars That Rock by Wayne Gibson

Back in Stock:
• King-Cat #67

Coming soon to the Shop: new T. Motley, Kevin Breslawski, Tommi Musturi and Boing Being.

Midnight Fiction 2008 Desk Calendar
(Midnight Fiction)

Not really comix but an interestingly-designed, monthly desk calendar featuring artwork by comix artists Hunt Emerson, Brad W. Foster, Bob Vojtko, Richard Krauss, DC McNamara, John Porcellino, Bill Shut, Jim Siergey, Dan W. Taylor, Steve Willis, Allen Freeman, Sean Azzopardi and Scott Ball. Produced by Richard Krauss (Funny Paper).

At the Midnight Fiction site you have the choice of ordering one of these ready for your desk or printing out the free PDF version.

I don't have a lot of details but Mike's wife Lin has informed me that Mike passed away yesterday.

Some of you know that Mike had been battling colon cancer for some time and I guess his body finally decided that he'd had enough.

For those unfamiliar with Mike's work, his website will give you a pretty good idea:
http://www.thrublackholescomix.com

The Michael Roden Benefit will continue. Please consider swinging by the Poopsheet Shop and supporting the cause. All proceeds from the categories Michael Roden - Thru Black Holes Comix and Michael Roden Benefit Listings will go straight to Mike's family to help pay for medical expenses, etc.

Thanks very much.

Here's a pile of interesting stuff that's made its way to Poopsheet HQ recently. Tell 'em Poopsheet sent you!



Jessica and the Jawbreakers CD and comic by Karl Wills

(ComicBook Factory; also available in the Poopsheet Shop) The latest release from Karl Wills' ComicBook Factory out of New Zealand. Gorgeous full-color comic + pop music CD to listen to while reading.




Tiki Comix

(Thru Black Holes Comix) A new comic from Michael Roden! In this one Roden collaborates with Jeff Gaither, Andy Nukes, Bob "X", Tom Brinkmann, Brad Foster, Mike Mitchell and Jim Thompson. Art brut madness!




Red Eye, Black Eye by K. Thor Jensen

(Alternative Comics) Thick, impressive graphic novel about a road trip.




7 Pages Digest by Anthony Woodward

(Anthony Woodward) You guys know there are a lot of good cartoonists out Australia way, right? I received issues 5 and 6 of 7 Pages Digest and they are tasty indeed.




Anxiety, Sleep Problems and Depression #3 by Josh Latta

(Cute Girl Demographics) Nicely drawn comics starring Rashy Rabbit as he looks for a job and eyeballs the ladies.




Symphony in Ink #2

(Weird Muse) Minicomix anthology with new work by Dan W. Taylor, Michael Roden, Brad Foster, Bill Shut, Tom Brinkmann, Thomas Ferranti and Lorena Caiazzo.




Ka-whump! #2

(Robert L. Sumner) Nicely designed magazine devoted to the small press. This issue's got a Q&A with Allen Freeman (Slam Bang), an article on print-on-demand publishers, news and lots of mini-comics reviews. Also: art/comics by Ross Tesoriero, Dan W. Taylor, Stan Yan, David DeGrand and others. The mag covers a broader spectrum than I'd imagined which is encouraging.




CornKits Dot Not by Nevada Hill and David Lee Price

(Nevada Hill) Collection of crazy art brut drawings and collage work. Nevada also sent along a mini called Mass which is full of more drawings. Both are definitely worth a look if you walk on the more unconventional side of the street.




Humpday by Adam Buechler

(Adam Buechler) Workaday comic about an average Joe whose job is ridding vacation hotspots of zombies.




How to Date a Girl in 10 Days by Tom Humberstone

(Vented Spleen) Received issues 1 and 2 of this one. 20-something angst and relationships courtesy of Tom Humberstone AKA Ventedspleen. Check the website for samples and more info. He also sent a copy of the collected Art School Scum, a subject close to (the deteriorated side of) my heart. Sorry about the crappy scan, I don't know what happened.




various minis by Tommy Reeves

(Tommy Reeves) Tommy sent several minis: The Good Spot, The World's Stupidest Cartoons... (collection of gag cartoons) and Shut Up, Carl! (the first non-Feazell stick-figure comics I've seen in a while; fun drawings).




Best Zine Ever! #5

(Tugboat Press) A really fun idea for a reviewzine. Readers submit reviews of what they consider to be their favorite zines and mini-comics of the year and Tugboat publishes them. Lots of good reading and an excerpt on every page. Be sure to check out Tugboat's website for some really interesting comics as well.




The Hungover Gourmet #10

(Dan Taylor) Dan Taylor's "Journal of Food, Drink, Travel & Fun." This issue covers pork rinds, a crabcake eating contest, giant hamburgers, In-N-Out Burger and more. Always a good read and excellent production values. (By the way, Hungover Gourmet Dan Taylor and Weird Muse's Dan W. Taylor are two different fellows. They should totally team up together on a comic. Or even in a comic.)




Bad Breath Comics #1 by Josh Juresko

($1.00 ppd to Bad Breath Comics / PO Box 770521 / Lakewood, OH / 44107) Collection of comics that looks to be fun – robots, zombies, that sort of thing. I really like the giant-monster pin-up on the inside front cover.




Brain Food #13 by Mike Toft

($1.00 to Mike Toft / PO Box 7246 / Minneapolis, MN / 55407) Mike's been publishing this one-man anthology of mostly politically-themed comics for a while now. Maybe it's my faulty memory but I think this is probably the best looking issue I've seen – the artwork has really improved.




Zine World #24

(Zine World) If you're interested in what's going on in the world of zines I can't recommend this one enough. Each issue is filled with tons of reviews plus a healthy selection of news items relevant to free speech and self-publishing and more. This one's also got spot illustrations by Derek Ballard, Alec Longstreth and Liz Baillie. Good stuff.




The Die #11 edited by Joe Smith

(Red Roach Press) Before The Die appeared on the scene I never would've guessed that I'd consistently enjoy a zine devoted solely to philosophy. But I do. It does get a bit over my head occasionally but is generally easily digestable by the average reader. And, hey, this one starts out with a quote from H.L. Mencken so you know they're on the right track.




Betty Paginated #30

(Betty Paginated) Do you like naked women? Betty Page? Wrestling? Comic books? Then you will love Betty Paginated as each of those things gets fairly hefty coverage in this zine. On the comics end of it, in addition to a number of articles, there's a cover by Gary Chaloner and other art/comics by Jason Yungbluth, Mister J, Brad Foster, T. Motley, Glenn Smith, Marcel Ruijters, Stu Helm and others. I've only scratched the surface of the contents here – lots and lots to read, ogle and enjoy.


The Fine Print AKA Disclaimer:
I'd love to see your latest comic but please be aware that these plugs are only posted when I have time to do so and I'm not likely to mention everything that comes in. But it helps me stay on top of the scene so I do my best.

My Time at SPACE 2007
By Bruce Chrislip


The low-key, laid-back atmosphere of SPACE is deceptive. It’s one of the major small press/alternative comix shows in the country but it always feels like nothing more than an annual relaxed gathering of comix people in Columbus, Ohio.

But don’t be fooled. While not as hectic an event as, say, APE or SPX – SPACE shares a lot in common with those other comix festivals. Big name comix stars do show up at SPACE, they just don’t make a large deal out of it. While I know that fame or stardom is a relative thing, people like Matt Feazell have been a major force in the minicomix field since the early 1980s – and he shows up at SPACE every year!! Matt has a wonderful body of work behind him and is still producing great minicomix. Plus, he is a personable guy, easily approachable.

Past years have seen the likes of Sean Bieri, Kevin Huizenga, John Porcellino, Jeff Smith (Bone), Carol Tyler (Weirdo, Late Bloomer, Drawn and Quarterly, etc.) and Joe Zabel (American Splendor) at SPACE – all important figures in alternative comix. This year Carol Tyler was back, along with William Messner-Loebs, Paul Hornschemeier, Ed Piskor, Dave Sim (also a yearly attendee) and, of course, many future comix stars.

For my own part, I got there Sunday afternoon and had a fine time chatting with the likes of Larry Blake, Tim Corrigan, Matt Feazell, Allen Freeman, the aforementioned William Messner-Loebs and a guy who I had last seen when we were together on a newave minicomix panel at a Cincinnati Creation Comicon back in 1981 – Dan Taylor (Book of Art, Weird Muse).

In addition to socializing, I bought a few comix and heard Carol Tyler’s presentation of her upcoming Fantagraphics graphic novel You’ll Never Know. It’s a riveting account of her father’s World War II experiences. Carol’s last book (Late Bloomer) received critical raves from the likes of Robert Crumb, Chris Ware and Jim Woodring. You’ll Never Know is likely to be equally well-received and the lucky attendees of SPACE had the chance to get a first look.

If you ever have a chance to go, SPACE is the place! 

SPACE website

I've been adding a ton of stuff to the Poopsheet Shop lately – both back issue stock and more recent stuff – with lots more to come.

I'd like to offer anyone reading this a discount on your next order:

-- 20% off if you pay via Google Checkout (coupon code: 20%discount)

Details:
• When going through checkout at the Shop, choose "Google Checkout" and type the coupon code (20%discount) into the appropriate field. The discount will be reflected in your total.
• This coupon code may only be used once.
• New to Google Checkout? Here's some info about how it works: http://checkout.google.com/buyer/tour.html
• Any questions, just ask!

Poopsheet Shop:
http://shop.poopsheetfoundation.com

cheers,
--Rb

____________________

What the heck is a Poopsheet Shop?

The Poopsheet Shop specializes in mini-comics, art zines, fanzines, alternative comics, underground comix and other curiosities from the '70s to the present.

If you don't see what you're looking for feel free to ask about it and if you're interested in selling your minicomics collection let me know!

Jay Kennedy died Thursday in a drowning accident while vacationing in Costa Rica. Kennedy was the Editor-in-Chief of King Features Syndicate and comix fans know him well for his Official Underground and Newave Comix Price Guide.

Further info may be found in this article at Editor & Publisher.

The STAPLE! Independent Media Expo took place in Austin, Texas on March 3rd. Guests and exhibitors included Dean Haspiel, Jim Mahfood, Top Shelf Productions, Dylan Williams' Sparkplug Comic Books, Toby Craig, FWDbooks and many others.

There are probably a bunch more out there but here's a list of some show reports and photo collections that I've come across:

Dean Haspiel
Freddie Avalos
Toby Craig
Dave Sherrill
Steven Goldman
Playground Ghosts
Marianne Ways
John Sitton
Will Rodriguez
Jason DeGroot
Alan Evans