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‘The Seas’ Comics Anthology Kickstarter!
I’ll get to the goodies first and write click here to check out the Kickstarter page because the digital copies of this anthology are ready to send out when you pick a reward tier that includes a digital version!
Zine friends! Oh, zine friends, I am so, so, so (yep, three ‘so’ level happening here) excited to share this Kickstarter with you.
It’s a comics anthology – and I’m in it! Of course it’s not all about me, but if you had told me earlier this year that I’d be part of an anthology like this, I would have told you that I’m not skilled enough for that. Lo and behold!
This cover, all put together by the amazing and wonderful mind behind Zine Love – iestyn pettigrew – features my painting!
But that’s just the cover. There are so many awesome artists to be found inside as well!
THE SEAS: THE CREATORS
Ian Miller – The cult fantasy illustrator returns to comics for the first time since 1994’s The City, with a style familiar to those fans of his current illustration, but new to those who know his work from 25 years ago.
Web: www.ian-miller.org/ Instagram @edwindorf (www.instagram.com/edwindorf/)
Dave Crane – UK small press creator Dave Crane produces lush illustrations that immerse the viewer in a new way of seeing. Dave’s work presents the experience, so that you feel like you’re there in the page.
Web: improvisedcomics.co.uk/ Twitter @davethecrane (twitter.com/davethecrane)
Mister Zinester – Working out of Singapore, Mister Zinester produces all manner of carefully crafted zines and comics; all with a great sense of wit and joy.
Instagram (two accounts) @misterzinester (www.instagram.com/misterzinester/)
@shuffleplaycomics (www.instagram.com/shuffleplaycomics/)
Gareth Hopkins – A mainstay of the UK small press scene, Gareth Hopkins creates abstract and confessional comics that touch the heart of being human. As well as his own comics, his work has featured in several anthologies, including Douglas Noble’s award-winning ‘Jazz Creepers’.
Web: www.grthink.com/ Twitter @grthink (twitter.com/search?q=grthink&src=typd)
Instagram @grthink (www.instagram.com/grthink/)
Facebook Gareth A Hopkins (www.facebook.com/garethahopkins)
iestyn – Editor of “The Seas” anthology, iestyn is a maker of zines focusing on mental health or illustration, his approach to each project is as mercurial, as fluid as the seas themselves. Or you could just call him fickle.
Twitter @iestynpettigrew (twitter.com/iestynpettigrew) Instagram @iesorno (www.instagram.com/iesorno) Facebook (www.facebook.com/iesorno.zines)
Miranda Smart – A UK small press creator and recent contributor to Heavy Metal magazine, Miranda Smart uses an abstract, colour saturated approach to story-telling that is strongly reminiscent of 1960’s psychedelic and paperback cover art. Her stories tell personal stories as abstract metaphors.
Twitter: @ Mir_And_Or (twitter.com/Mir_And_Or) Instagram @mir.and.or (www.instagram.com/mir.and.or/)
Sophie Ell – A US resident and citizen of the world, Sophie Ell, who is currently at work on her debut graphic novel, draws from her heart and experiences to make beautiful illustrations and tell fascinating stories.
Instagram: @pip_odyssey (www.instagram.com/pip_odyssey/)
Vacuum Books – A US small press creator, Vacuum Books normally bring their singular style to small run, handmade books. Beautifully succinct illustrations belie the emotional heft that these stories manage to deliver.
Instagram: @vacuumbooks (www.instagram.com/vacuumbooks/)
Jaime Nyx – A US ex-pat now living in Australia, Jaime Nyx is more well known as Seagreen Zines; writing, distro’ing and even running a review channel all about zines. Her writing is always personal and heartfelt.
Web: www.seagreenzines.com/ Twitter @zineninja (twitter.com/zineninja) Instagram @seagreenzines (www.instagram.com/seagreenzines/) Facebook Jaime Nyx (www.facebook.com/jaime.nyx.7)
Zeno the Cartoonist – Mysterious and enigmatic, all you need to know is there in the line and the story. With such excellence, who needs more.
Motobus – Living and working in the US, Motobus produces zines and illustrations, both professionally and personally. Imaginative, kind-hearted and elegantly simple her world is beautiful to the heart as well as to the eye.
Web: www.motobus.etsy.com Twitter @motobus_draws (twitter.com/motobus_draws) Instagram @motobus_draws (www.instagram.com/motobus_draws/) Facebook @motobusillustration (www.facebook.com/motobusillustration/)
Simon Russell – A UK comic professional and small press grandee, as well as being at the heart of many things UK comics, Simon is an incredibly talented creator, producing vibrant experimental work that remains accessible to all.
Web: boinggraphics.co.uk/ Twitter @Simon_at_Boing (twitter.com/Simon_at_Boing) Instagram @simon_boing (www.instagram.com/simon_boing/) Facebook Simon Russell (www.facebook.com/simon.russell.779)
How amazing is that?!
If you’d like to share the love and let people know about this lovely anthology, there’s even a press release you can share (along with the info above). I’ll put it below the more tag!
Call for Submissions: Paper Currency
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Zine Review: Cui Shirts Vol 1
Cui Shirts Vol 1
The Syncsters
https://www.instagram.com/cuishirts/
Cui Shirts Vol 1 is a (roughly) 14cm x 14cm full colour photography zine taking a funny look at so-called fashion. In this volume, we have Cringe Shirts.
I review zines based on the zines alone, but I do love creative packaging. Cui Shirts arrived on a small clothes hanger. A clothes hanger! I love it so much. (Not to mention that it’s a green hanger, too.)
Spelling mistakes, strange sayings, random tassels… The shirts pictured in Cui Shirts will leave you shaking your head or having a good chuckle as you wonder what went through the mind of the people who dreamt them up. For someone like me who doesn’t know the first thing about fashion, I appreciated the ‘poke’ and laugh at current ‘fashion’.
I can’t write this review without mentioning the physical aspects of the zine, too. Nice smooth pages with rainbow backgrounds somehow just fit the feel of the zine, and the cover is printed on really cool, sort of holographic shiny cardstock.
All up, Cui Shirts is a zine with a creative presentation and enjoyable format. It’s as quick or as long a look through as you like and is a bit of fun that may leave you taking a closer look at what you have in your closet.
Zine Review: Chips Please
Chips Please
Siobhan
https://www.instagram.com/wigglymittens/
https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/sluginkpress
Chips Please is an A7 black and white zine about a lifetime love of chips.
This is going to be a very short and sweet review, but I can’t resist because chips done well are little golden pieces of happiness. (Fries for the US readers.)
In Chips Please, Siobhan briefly writes about a long-held love of simple chips in text and a few drawings. Not impressed by the fancier chips out there, they just want a bit of hot sauce.
I can’t agree with the hot sauce, but sometimes a bowl of hot chips really is all it takes to make everything better.
No Mail Monday
Hello, zine friends!
Alas, no zine mail has arrived in the zine cave post box over this past week, so we’ll have to wait until next week for the next happy mail video.
Until next time!
Call for Submissions: From Cradle to Grave
‘The Seas’ Comics Anthology Kickstarter!
I’ll get to the goodies first and write click here to check out the Kickstarter page because the digital copies of this anthology are ready to send out when you pick a reward tier that includes a digital version!
Zine friends! Oh, zine friends, I am so, so, so (yep, three ‘so’ level happening here) excited to share this Kickstarter with you.
It’s a comics anthology – and I’m in it! Of course it’s not all about me, but if you had told me earlier this year that I’d be part of an anthology like this, I would have told you that I’m not skilled enough for that. Lo and behold!
This cover, all put together by the amazing and wonderful mind behind Zine Love – iestyn pettigrew – features my painting!
But that’s just the cover. There are so many awesome artists to be found inside as well!
THE SEAS: THE CREATORS
Ian Miller – The cult fantasy illustrator returns to comics for the first time since 1994’s The City, with a style familiar to those fans of his current illustration, but new to those who know his work from 25 years ago.
Web: www.ian-miller.org/ Instagram @edwindorf (www.instagram.com/edwindorf/)
Dave Crane – UK small press creator Dave Crane produces lush illustrations that immerse the viewer in a new way of seeing. Dave’s work presents the experience, so that you feel like you’re there in the page.
Web: improvisedcomics.co.uk/ Twitter @davethecrane (twitter.com/davethecrane)
Mister Zinester – Working out of Singapore, Mister Zinester produces all manner of carefully crafted zines and comics; all with a great sense of wit and joy.
Instagram (two accounts) @misterzinester (www.instagram.com/misterzinester/)
@shuffleplaycomics (www.instagram.com/shuffleplaycomics/)
Gareth Hopkins – A mainstay of the UK small press scene, Gareth Hopkins creates abstract and confessional comics that touch the heart of being human. As well as his own comics, his work has featured in several anthologies, including Douglas Noble’s award-winning ‘Jazz Creepers’.
Web: www.grthink.com/ Twitter @grthink (twitter.com/search?q=grthink&src=typd)
Instagram @grthink (www.instagram.com/grthink/)
Facebook Gareth A Hopkins (www.facebook.com/garethahopkins)
iestyn – Editor of “The Seas” anthology, iestyn is a maker of zines focusing on mental health or illustration, his approach to each project is as mercurial, as fluid as the seas themselves. Or you could just call him fickle.
Twitter @iestynpettigrew (twitter.com/iestynpettigrew) Instagram @iesorno (www.instagram.com/iesorno) Facebook (www.facebook.com/iesorno.zines)
Miranda Smart – A UK small press creator and recent contributor to Heavy Metal magazine, Miranda Smart uses an abstract, colour saturated approach to story-telling that is strongly reminiscent of 1960’s psychedelic and paperback cover art. Her stories tell personal stories as abstract metaphors.
Twitter: @ Mir_And_Or (twitter.com/Mir_And_Or) Instagram @mir.and.or (www.instagram.com/mir.and.or/)
Sophie Ell – A US resident and citizen of the world, Sophie Ell, who is currently at work on her debut graphic novel, draws from her heart and experiences to make beautiful illustrations and tell fascinating stories.
Instagram: @pip_odyssey (www.instagram.com/pip_odyssey/)
Vacuum Books – A US small press creator, Vacuum Books normally bring their singular style to small run, handmade books. Beautifully succinct illustrations belie the emotional heft that these stories manage to deliver.
Instagram: @vacuumbooks (www.instagram.com/vacuumbooks/)
Jaime Nyx – A US ex-pat now living in Australia, Jaime Nyx is more well known as Seagreen Zines; writing, distro’ing and even running a review channel all about zines. Her writing is always personal and heartfelt.
Web: www.seagreenzines.com/ Twitter @zineninja (twitter.com/zineninja) Instagram @seagreenzines (www.instagram.com/seagreenzines/) Facebook Jaime Nyx (www.facebook.com/jaime.nyx.7)
Zeno the Cartoonist – Mysterious and enigmatic, all you need to know is there in the line and the story. With such excellence, who needs more.
Motobus – Living and working in the US, Motobus produces zines and illustrations, both professionally and personally. Imaginative, kind-hearted and elegantly simple her world is beautiful to the heart as well as to the eye.
Web: www.motobus.etsy.com Twitter @motobus_draws (twitter.com/motobus_draws) Instagram @motobus_draws (www.instagram.com/motobus_draws/) Facebook @motobusillustration (www.facebook.com/motobusillustration/)
Simon Russell – A UK comic professional and small press grandee, as well as being at the heart of many things UK comics, Simon is an incredibly talented creator, producing vibrant experimental work that remains accessible to all.
Web: boinggraphics.co.uk/ Twitter @Simon_at_Boing (twitter.com/Simon_at_Boing) Instagram @simon_boing (www.instagram.com/simon_boing/) Facebook Simon Russell (www.facebook.com/simon.russell.779)
How amazing is that?!
If you’d like to share the love and let people know about this lovely anthology, there’s even a press release you can share (along with the info above). I’ll put it below the more tag!
World Zine Events Calendar – Get Your Event Listed!
The World Zine Events Calendar is your index for zine events happening around the world! Zine clubs, fests, and other events are all listed here.
Even better, if you don’t see your event, you can let Fanzines know on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Check it out and have some zine fun!
Zine Review: The Android: Chronicle of the Human Resistance Issue 1
The Android: Chronicle of the Human Resistance Issue 1
Phil Schrader
Contact me for post box
The Android: Chronicle of the Human Resistance Issue 1 is a full-colour, US sized zine newsletter from 2189 about things happening around the territory formerly known as ‘the United State’ after the Great Cataclysm.
Wow! Just wow. Okay, not ‘just’ wow because those aren’t the kind of reviews I write, but I’m really impressed with this zine.
As I stated in the synopsis, this zine is about the state of life in 2189 after a Great Cataclysm that had something to do with waves of the Machines has decimated what we know of life now. It’s written like a good mystery novel – tossing you right in and leaving you to piece together the details. The Android is written completely in the voice of someone from the time, merely alluding to the events in Earth’s history that have led to the articles found within.
The articles cover a variety of things like notifying the people that a new territory has opened up, how the ‘cricket children’ are not to be feared, plague warnings, and how to build sustainable communities. This only really covers a small part of it. At first glance, this zine looks like it could be a fairly fast read, but I found myself going through it nice and slow, taking in all of the little details as well as thoroughly examining the photos and art included.
I absolutely love this idea of writing from a future time as well as the idea that zines would keep information circulating during dystopian times. (It also makes me want to read ‘The Postman’ again.) The Android is 100% in its world, and I love feeling like a detective trying to put together the pieces of what happened. And while it was a little cheeky, I loved the small touches like the ‘cricket children’ that clearly reference some of the repercussions of nuclear fallout but puts it in a way that makes it just another part of their world. (Welcome to Nightvale is also coming to mind.)
At first I was a little disappointed to see no social links or anything other than a post box address (I don’t really like putting any addresses online), but now I’m left wondering if that’s intentional. The internet and social media certainly don’t exist in the world of 2189. If that’s actually the case, then colour me all the more impressed.
I am a fan of sci-fi and dystopian fiction, so I don’t know how this would go with non-fans. Still, this is definitely worth checking out. There is a lot to enjoy in this zine for what it is and how it’s written.