Midnight Ramblings - August 2010

Capacity Renewed
The first edition of Theo Ellsworth's Capacity (6.5" x 8", 336 pages) has sold out, but will be back in print 'round about October with a new cover. Ellsworth previewed the cover on Thought Cloud Factory News this week.

Wildside Survey
Publisher John Betancourt, is taking steps to begin planning projects the next couple of years, including content for Weird Tales and Sherlock Holmes Mystery. To gather reader feedback he's running a short survey. Readers who complete the survey will be granted a 25% off coupon. Take the Wildside Press Survey here.

Clotfelter Exhibit
Who Brought the Alley Inside, the oozing illustrations of Max Clotfelter, will be on display at the Wall of Sound from Sept. 10 to Oct. 31, 2010, in Seattle. The show opens Sept. 10 at 7:00 PM. See Snake Meat for more information.

Poseur Ink Anthology Clearance
Rachel Dukes is holding a liquidation sale to clear out inventory that's filling a room in her house that's needed for a family member. She has about 300 remaining copies of Poseur Ink's Side A and Side B anthologies.

Side A (6.5" x 10.25" 136 pages) and Side B (6.5" x 10.25" 232 pages)

She cutting prices on nearly everything in the shop, so it's a great chance to pick-up some fine books and wearables for 50 to 70% off and help out s small press stalwart at the same time.

Bundles on sale during the clearance sale.

There's more detail behind the sale at Poseur Ink and the Poseur Ink Shop.

All Things Ordinary #3
Derek Neuland, who helped organize this year's Portland Zine Symposium, will be tabling his wares like issues of All Things Ordinary at the show this weekend. All Things Ordinary #3 is 5.5" x 4.25", and weighs in at 24 pages. Neuland was interviewed about zines, Overglued, and much more by Nick Kraftor in July on the Bombed Out Radio podcast episode #34.

History of Markham Street
The Torontoist posted a lovely article by Jamie Bradburn this week about the historic arts destination that Markham Street (in Toronto) became in the 60s. Markham Street was home to George Henderson's landmark Memory Lane Store at 594 Markham Street, among many other boutiques and galleries.

Friends of Reading Frenzy
Believe it or not Reading Frenzy will celebrate their 16th anniversary on Sept. 1! That also happens to be the date their recent fundraising project on Kickstarter expires. There are only a very few days remaining so if you can afford to support them, please make your pledge to contribute now. Reading Frenzy is a truly unique zine emporium that provides a rare retail presence for pacific northwest zinesters. It's a zine destination, worthy of the trip anytime you can make to 917 SW Oak Street (about a half block from Powell's).

Jamie Chase Paintings
Cartoonist and illustrator Jamie Chase (MYX) announced a showing of his paintings at the DNG Galleries in Santa Fe this week. The exhibit runs from August 27 to Sept. 9, so if you're in the area be sure to check it out. And for those of us who aren't, the extensive collection can be viewed on the DNG Galleries website.

Z-Blade XX #2 (32 pages), The Ghosts of Marko Darc #1 (28 pages), standard-size comic books

Two with LeMay
Guy LeMay's wonderful artwork is featured two recent comics from Atomic Basement Entertainment. Z-Blade XX #2 by Steve J. Palmer and LeMay and The Ghosts of Marko Darc #1, written by Palmer and featuring artwork by LeMay, Chris Dyer, and Christopher Booth. Both comics are available for $3.99.

A page from The Ghosts of Marko Darc #1

Psychiatric Tales US edition
Darryl Cunningham highlighted the cover of the US edition of his Psychiatric Tales on the Darryl Cunningham Investigates blog recently. According the Amazon, which is accepting pre-orders, the hardcover book will be out in February 2011.

Jesse Reklaw Interview
Derek Neuland posted an interview with Jesse Reklaw this week on Overglued. Their conversation touches on Ten Thousand Things To Do, Slowwave, and Rekaw's current WIP, Couch Tag for Fantagraphics.

Macedonio's New Blog
Newave cartoonist Macedonio Garcia began a new blog this week. His first post highlights his recent comix, Space Trucking #1 along with plans for issues #2 and #3. It's called simply Macedonio.

Frank Santoro Interview
Robin McConnell posted the transcript of an interview with Frank Santoro this week on the Inkstuds blog.

Dark Worlds #5
G.W. Thomas released Dark Worlds #5 this week. This issue is closer to classic pulp magazine size and sports a wraparound full color cover. The 102-page paperback includes stories by C.J. Burch, J.F. Gonzalez, Peter J. Welmerink, Jack Mackenzie, David A. Hardy, and Joel Jenkins; and a couple of other features. All for $14.59 from Lulu.com.

Memory Foam #1 (32 pages) and #2 (36 pages), digest-size comix

Memory Foam
Toby Jones, who's work has appeared in the Ghost Comics and Good Minnesotan #3 anthologies, also has published two issues of Memory Foam. The first issue includes autobiographical comics created from June 2008 to July 2009. Just out is issue #2 which contains work from August 2009 to August 2010. Madeline Queripel inked most of the comics in #2. The comic below is from issue #2. For more comics and musings Jones blogs at The Vale of Tears. Both issues of Memory Foam are available for $3 each (or $5 for both) from Memory Foam by Toby Jones on Etsy.

The Survey Says
Thanks very much to everyone who took the time to respond to the Midnight Fiction Survey. Special thanks to D. Blake Werts and Bram Meehan for their emails and to Joe Gordon for helping to promote the survey on Twitter.

The original survey announcement was buried in a paragraph of text, part of a Midnight Ramblings update. Perhaps that's why the early response was only about ten people. To increase awareness, I posted a notice on some forums and emailed several dozen people directly. Joe suggested I Tweet it and he did the same. After a week, there were 41 responses. During the second week, there were two more. The survey was closed yesterday (Aug. 27).

Less than 100 responses makes for less than statistically valid results, but I'm grateful for the any feedback about this endeavor. Here's the results along with my comments. (Note that not all participants answered every question.)

1) How often do you visit Midnight Fiction?
6 visit more than once a week
12 visit once a week
3 visit more than once a month
10 visit once a month
12 visit less than once a month

The survey results align with traffic patterns I track through my host's analytics.That data indicates there are about 1000 regular visitors to the site and another 1000 who visit once a month or less. Site visits continue to grow from one quarter to the next, but at a slow pace. Like small press print efforts, every increase is an incremental success.

2) Rate the importance of the site's features, in terms of why you visit:

Rating	5	4	3	2	1	Ave.
Reviews	13	20	9	0	1	4.02
Comix	13	14	13	0	2	3.86
News	8	15	14	3	1	3.63
History	5	11	16	7	2	3.24
Interviews	1	14	15	7	2	3.13
Shows	3	10	17	9	2	3.07

The popularity of Reviews (4.02) was no surprise. The ranking of News, History, and Interviews align with traffic patterns, with News ranking a little behind the importance of Reviews.

The importance of Comix (3.86) surprised me a bit. That makes me particularly glad to be hosting Joe Wehrle. Jr.'s Stovepipe comic story. In traffic reports, the Comix Index page gets a lot of clicks, so I've updated the page's content. It now serves as an index for all the comix on the site, but also features our previous comix series (which at the moment is Bob Vojtko's Samurai Nun.

The other result that surprised me was the ranking of Shows, at 3.07. In traffic stats, the Show pages receive a consistently high number of clicks. One way to interpret this is that visitors are not coming to the site with the expectation of show coverage, but when they arrive it is a subject of interest.

3) Rate the quality of the site's features:

Feature	5	4	3	2	1	Ave.
Reviews	13	17	8	4	0	3.93
Comix	12	15	11	2	0	3.93
News	12	12	13	4	0	3.78
History	8	17	11	4	0	3.73
Interviews	6	13	16	3	1	3.51
Shows	7	10	18	5	0	3.48

Overall, the content on the site was ranked Good or better. The Reviews and Comix just missed a rating of Great (4). I'm very pleased by these results and will make further comment on the suggestions for improvement as part of Question 6 below.

4) How would like the content delivered?
As a Website (current) 14
As a Blog 10
No strong preference for site or blog 19

Four people commented on this question. For two the gist was basically whatever was easier in terms of delivery as long as the reader's experience didn't change. Two requested an option to receive an email notification when the site has been updated.

If you'd like an email reminder just let me know. Another option is to subscribe to our RSS Feed. The schedule of feed content is:
Saturday: Midnight Ramblings
Sunday: A Review
Monday: A Review
Tuesday: A Comix

The reason I asked this question is that I've been thinking of switching the site to a Blog format. Currently I put the site together with DreamWeaver. A Blog would allow readers to comment on the content and automate the RSS feed. I may eventually switch to WordPress, but that would be a longer term proposition. For now the site will remain in its current design/format. If you have any further comments about this just let me know.

5) What update schedule do you prefer?
Weekly 13
About weekly 10
2 or 3 times a week 13
2 times a month 9
Once a month 3

Most respondents prefer weekly (or even more frequent) updates. For now I will continue with the weekly (Saturday) schedule. I assume WordPress would make postings a little easier than DreamWeaver, so it might be fun to post smaller updates more often. At the other end of the spectrum, if I moved to a less frequent schedule, I would likely spend less time on the site overall.

Some of the folks who took time to comment expressed conflicted feelings. They liked reading about new small press books every week, but found it challenging to keep up. Things that caught their interest one week, move "below the fold" the next week. They lose track of them too quickly. They suggested less frequent updates might help.

I agree, there's so much going on in self-publishing these days, it's hard to keep track of it all—and I'm only covering a sliver of it. Maybe a list of recently published books could serve as a reminder. I'll try to make some sort of reminder part of the Midnight Rambling pages.

6) What additional features would you like to see at MF.com?
I'll summarize responses and add my comments. Special thanks to the twelve readers who took the extra time to comment.

Add a Site Map. Great idea. As the site has grows, it's not always easy to see what's here. I will add this to my to do list.

I'd love an RSS Feed. Actually, there is one. But like all content on a busy site/page, not everything is easy to find. This tells me the RSS Feed needs to have a more prominent spot on the home page. I've moved it to the top of the homepage this week.

List the book's dimensions. In the reviews, the size has been listed at the end. Beginning this week I'm moving the specs to the top of the review. In Midnight Ramblings, often cover images are shown side-by-size. When they aren't scaled evenly it's hard to tell if the book is a mini comix or a digest, etc., so that's a good addition.

Ego shattering reviews that pull no punches. Not exactly my style, but I get the point. The reviews are intended to be informative, with enough information and sample artwork for readers to decide for themselves if they want to buy something. If I think one aspect or another is great, I make it a point to say so. I haven't given much ink to aspects that I think are not so great. It's fair to expect coverage of both. Still, it's very important to me that any criticism I give is constructive. I'll try to respond to this suggestion in a positive manner.

Directory of artists/creators, contact info for those actively selling minis. Here's another good idea. The Links Page is loaded with information, but chunking it would probably make it more useful. This is another project for my to do list.

Spotlight on new artist. I like this idea, but I can't promise I'll follow through on it. My time is fairly limited, but this is a great suggestion to keep in mind as a longer term goal.

Comic previews. The chance to browse small press books in person is rare, so previewing a page or two online would really help readers get a feel for a book before they decide if they want to buy it. I added a couple of pages to this week's Ramblings.

7) Rank the relative importance of Midnight Fiction as a small press resource.
Critical 11
Very Important 15
Important 13
Somewhat Important 3
Not Important at all 1

I've always loved publishing. And although I love print even more than web, the web provides easy access to a lot more readers. It's great knowing the majority of respondents (39 of 43) feel the site is contributing to the small press community. Thanks for everyone's support, feedback, and suggestions for improvement. The survey has already been helpful in driving positive changes and there will others to come.
-RK

Top July 2010 June 2010

August 21, 2010

MF.com Survey
Thank you to everyone who filled out the Midnight Fiction Survey this week. It will remain open until August 27. If you haven't yet taken a few minutes to complete the seven questions, please do so. Be sure to add comments on question six, if you have specific requests or ideas for improvement. I'll be sharing complete results in next week's update.

Zeroes! #1-C
Jim Main released the third issue of his mini comic series, Zeroes! this week. As in earlier editions, Zeroes #1-C features trading card facsimiles of would-be super heroes. This time out, the 12-page mini comic features work by Doc Boucher, Scott Shriver, Terry Pavlet, Michael Grassia, and Larned Justin. $1.50 postage paid from Main Enterprises.

Representing Yourself
Julie Sabatier's indie radio show Destination DIY explains the ins and outs of Representing Yourself in episode #32. Listen in via podcast or streamed from the Destination DIY website.

Super Crazy Cat Dance
Blue Apple Books hardcover edition of The Super Crazy Cat Dance is now in print and available at shops like Powell's Books. Creator Aron Nels Steinke will have copies at this year's Portland Zine Symposium.

Pulp Fiction Monthlies
A new trio of pulp fiction titles was introduced by Pro Se Productions this week. These are monthly magazines intended to harken back to the glory days of pulp fiction. Fantasy and Fear #1 features stories by Ron Fortier and James Palmer and several others. Masked Gun Mystery #1 includes crime fiction by Andrew Salmon and Aaron Smith, among others. Peculiar Adventures #1, the action-oriented title features stories by Van Allen Plexico, Derrick Ferguson, Tommy Hancock, and more. For all the details visit the Pro Se Productions website. You can also preview each of their titles at the Pro Se Productions Shop.

Hogan's Alley #17
Spongebob, the world's most popular sponge, is featured in the new issue of Hogan's Alley, making it instantly their most absorbing issue to date. Alongside the squarepantsed swellhead are articles on Gregor Duncan, Palmer Cox, Jack Cole, Jimmy Hatlo, cartoonists who took over their family franchise, and the usual burgeoning batch of regular columns and departments. This massive 144-page issue is a mere $6.95 from Hogan's Alley. Subscriptions are $24 for four issues, and for a limited time they're offering a sample issue (their choice) for $3! Go get 'em!

Rage Machine Books
G.W. Thomas's colleague Mike Jackson has produced a 31 second video featuring a collection of his sword and sorcery paintings. The video is a promotional piece for Rage Machine Books, which publishes titles like Masters of Adventure, Swords of Fire, Dark World Adventures, and many other pulp fiction titles.

Other-Ground Publications
Macedonio Garcia released two new comix this week. The second issue of his Obleo science fiction series and a new series, Space Trucking made its debut. For samples of his comix and various other works visit Garcia's Flickr photostreams.

Mallard #7
Tom England has released Mallard #7, a combination comics/prose zine. The new issue is available as a free PDF from Mallard Small Press. Simply request the PDF via the email listed on the site. A print version will be along shortly and I assume available via their catalogue.

SLG Legal Trouble
The popular alternative comics publisher Slave Labor Graphics has run into some legal troubles and is appealing to readers for donations to help.

Van Sciver on Tour
Noah Van Sciver is starting a big comix tour this week. He's posted his stops on The Little Blog. I'm ticked I'm going to miss his stop in Portland for the upcoming Zine Symposium. (Wave as you go by Noah!) Blammo #6 has been nominated for an Ignatz award—very nice!

Top July 2010 June 2010

August 14, 2010

Weird Muse Threesome
Tired of responsible, upstanding mini comics, Dan W. Taylor has released the inner hippie of newave's past and created Unleashed! It's raw, unrestrained Taylor as you remember him from The Book of Art, Babyfat, and the like. Get a good dose of Unleashed for $1.75 a copy, postage paid. Sorry kids, this one's adults only.

Taylor's also unleashed two new issues of his Babyfat-inspired mini comix Pork Belly. Taylor joins contributors Kel Crum (Cornelia Cartoons) and Macedonio Garcia (Tales from the Inside) for Pork Belly #3. Tom Brinkmann (Bad Mags) delivers an 8-page solo issue with Pork Belly #4. They're $1.75 each, postage paid.

Three #1
Curbside Comics, the new enterprise from comic strip artist Robert Kirby, has published the debut issue of Three. The full color comic book features three cartoonists known for their work in the alternative gay press. Editor Kirby, creator of the syndicated Curbside, Eric Orner (The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green), and Joey Alison Sayers (Thingpart) present three stories that travel from the streets of New York to a suburban front yard to the nightclubs of Israel. Three #1 is available for $6.25 from Rob Kirby Comics.

Cragmore Complete
Pat Lewis reports he's finished the Cragmore comic and is now shopping for a publisher. He'll have POD copies with him at SPX if you're lucky enough to connect with him there. Now that his big project is finished, he's been tweaking his website: Pat Lewis Illustration. Check it out, he's made some very nice design improvements. He also runs Lunchbreak Comics, where you can preview his comics work and purchase books like The Claws Come Out.

Blammo Originals
Indie cartoonist Noah Van Sciver looks to fund his upcoming road trip by selling original pages from his wonderful Blammo comix. Pick out a favorite page and pick it up for a mere $50. (If some other fan hasn't already beaten you to it!) See The Little Blog for details.

Good Minnesotan #4 goes to print
Raighne Hogan reports all the print is prepped on GM #4 and the presses are rolling. He plans to have the first copies ready for Minneapolis Indie Xpo (MIX) on August 21, with Kickstarter supporter copies shipping by the end of the month. The Good Minnesotan #4 should be a wonderful big, little package.

Stovepipe
Indie cartoonist and illustrator Joe Wehrle, Jr. wrote and drew a graphic novel in the early 1990s on spec. Stovepipe is the story of a tall, skinny kid who has a series of hair-raising adventures with his friend Zekey. When he approached Kitchen Sink with the project, the work was given high praise, but they passed on it. At the time they didn't foresee a profitable market for such a story, in spite of its "heart." Joe produced a small run of hand-built copies that were to be sold at the local bookstore of a larger chain. Unfortunately, most copies were lost in the Punxsutawney flood of 1996 and so only a handful of copies remain in existence—perhaps a dozen. Here is a wonderful, early, independent graphic novel that has remained virtually unknown for twenty years. Thankfully, Joe has agreed to allow Midnight Fiction present Stovepipe online. I'm grateful for the opportunity to bring the adventures of Stovey to a much wider audience. Be here next Saturday when the story begins!

What do you think?
I've been thinking about the future of Midnight Fiction a lot lately and I'd like to know what you think. Please take a couple of minutes to complete the Midnight Fiction Survey. There's only a few questions, so it should only take a few minutes of your time. There's also a spot to leave general comments, or feel free to send email to me directly with your thoughts. Basically, I'd like to know what you like about the site and what you'd like to see handled differently or added. The survey will remain open for the next two weeks, but I'll gather the initial feedback and report back on the results in the August 28th update. Thanks for your help, I look forward to your feedback!

Top July 2010 June 2010

August 7, 2010

Gary Fields
Cartoonist and illustrator Gary Fields has a long list of published work. One of his wonderful cartoons sits atop the month of August in the free 2010 Midnight Fiction Desk Calendar. Gary has worked for Nickelodeon Magazine, DC Comics, Cracked Magazine, Scholastic, Cartoon Network, Simon & Schuster, and many other publishers. He's currently the Art Manager for The Children's Place, where he designs graphics for T-shirts and other apparel for boys and girls and babies. His websites include: Gary Fields Studios and Gary Fields Studios Blog. Gary will have a table this year at the NYCC in the artist's alley!

Here's a partial list of Gary's work in comics:
Newave! The Underground Mini Comix of the 1980s (2010 Fantagraphics)

Cartoon Network Block Party #39, 44 (2008 DC)
Looney Tunes #166 (2008 DC)

Cartoon Network Block Party #32, 34 (2007 DC)
PopGun GN #2-4 (2007 Image)

Cartoon Network Block Party #17, 23, 24, 26 (2006 DC)
Cartoon Network Block Party TPB #4 (2006 DC)

Cartoon Network Block Party #4, 8, 14 (2005 DC)
Cartoon Network Block Party TPB #1 (2005 DC)

Cartoon Cartoons #24, 25, 28, 29 (2004 DC)
Cartoon Network Block Party #2 (2004 DC)
Hellboy Weird Tales #8 (2004 Darkhorse)

Cartoon Cartoons #19 (2003 DC)
Scooby Doo Dollar Comic (2003 DC)
Scooby Doo TPB #1 (2003 DC)
Sweatshop #3 (2003 DC)

9-11 #1 (2002 DC)
Dexter's Laboratory #28, 29, 32 (2002 DC)

Cartoon Cartoons #4 (2001 DC)

Cartoon Network Starring #10, 13 (2000 DC)

Cracked #340 (1999 Major Magazines)

SPA Spotlight #1 (Valiant Varmints) (1998 Shanda Fantasy Arts)

Shel-Tone Catalog #3 (1995 Larry Shell)

Duckman #2, 3 (1994 Topps Comics)
Ren & Stimpy Show Special: Powered Toast Man #1 (1994 Marvel)

Cracked #278. 281 (1993 Major Magazines)
Cracked Collector's Edition #94 (1993 Major Magazines)

Cracked #269-276 (1992 Major Magazines)
Cracked Collector's Edition #89, 91, 92 (1992 Major Magazines)
Cracked Monster Party #16, 18 (1992 Major Magazines)
Cracked Super Cracked #6 (1992 Major Magazines)

Cracked #260-265, 267 (1991 Major Magazines)
Superswine #1 & 2 (1991 Caliber)
Cracked Blockbuster #5 (1991 Major Magazines)
Cracked Collector's Edition #86 (1991 Major Magazines)
Cracked Super Cracked #5 (1991 Major Magazines)

Cracked #251, 254-259 (1990 Major Magazines)
Cracked Collector's Edition #83, 84 (1990 Major Magazines)
Grimjack #76 (1990 First Publishing)
What If #7, 9, 10, 17, 20 (1989 & 1990 Marvel)

Christmas with Superswine #1 (1989 Fantagraphics)
Cracked #242-245, 247-250 (1989 Major Magazines)
Grimjack #59 (1989 First Publishing)
Sable #1 & 2 (1989 First Publishing)
Stuff #18, 19 (1989 Jabberwocky Graphix)

Cracked #235-240 (1988 Major Magazines)
Cracked Collector's Edition #75 (1988 Major Magazines)
Fan'Toons #24 (1988 Edd Vick)
Outside In #29 (1988 Edd Vick/Hal Hargit)
Superswine Special #1 (1988 Fantagraphics)
What The ? #4 (1988 Marvel)

Anything Goes #4 (1987 Comics Journal)
Cracked #225, 227, 231 (1987 Major Magazines)
Eagle #1, 2 (1986 Crystal)
Kaptain Keen & Kompany #1-6 (1986-1987 Vortex Comics)
Threat! #1-10 (1986-1987 Fantagraphics)
Cracked Super #32 (1986 Major Magazines)

Gary's also self-published a wonderful mini, Dog Comix, which is a real treat. If you hurry you can still snag a copy of Dog Comix #6.5 from the Poopsheet Shop.

Karen Wehrle Update
Joe Wehrle, Jr. wrote this week with an update on Karen Wehrle's condition. She's at home now and recovering nicely. No sign of cancer in the lymph nodes removed during her operation. Still, her doctor wants her to have six chemotherapy treatments to ensure her system is entirely clear of danger. The Wehrle's are very grateful for those that have given them donations to help with their medical bills. They are uninsured, so their expenses will continue to make things extremely tight for them. If you can help them out, please do. See the Karen Wehrle Recovery Fund item in the right sidebar of the MF.com home page for PayPal or USPS. Any amount you can send will help. Thank you.

More on Callahan
Bram Meehan wrote this week with a link to a great article about cartoonist John Callahan from the Washington Post. The print version of Willamette Week also featured a very nice tribute to the cartoonist with some additional insight into his recent illness by Mark Zusman. Finally, WW also reported on his funeral.

More Main Minis
As noted a couple of weeks ago, more mini comics from Jim Main were in the works, and now they've arrived in his online shop. Sheesh...#1, the mini comic of questionable taste is available postage paid for $2.75. The 16-page issue features the work of Barry Southworth, Eric Goodell, Simon Mackie, Jack Bertram, Mike Pascale, Brad Foster, Floydman, BeBop, Dann Phillips and Jeff Austin.

The second issue of second-rate super heroes who never made it, is out. Zeroes! #1b features trading card-style pictures and stats on these miscreant creations by Doc Boucher, Joshua Hicks, Terry Pavlet, Barry Southworth & Scott Shriver, and Brad Foster. A 12 page mini comic that packs a $1.50 postage paid price tag.

J.T. Yost in Paws
Cartoonist and illustrator J.T. Yost is a contributor the 2010 Paws for Charity Art Book and was featured this week on the Paws for Charity blog. And speaking of J.T. Yost, he wrote about last week's review of Losers Weepers #1 & 2, advising the stories are actually interrelated. Closer readers than I would note the vagrant that closes out issue one is also the absentee father in issue two. Good to know both issues are part of a larger story.

Xerography Debt #27
The latest issue of Davida Breier's review zine with perzine tendencies is now available from her distributor Microcosm Publishing. At three dollars a copy for a 64-page, digest-sized zine, this book is a frickin' steal. Thanks to D. Blake Werts, who contributed ten pages of reviews to this issue, for sending a copy. Six issue subscriptions are $15.

Adventures in Self-Publishing
Murray Ewing provides a detailed account of his adventures in self-publishing in a two part series on his blog Mewsings. The Alice at R'lyeh Report, part one and part two. Thanks to Joe Gordon for the tip.

Denis Kitchen
Robin McConnell interviewed underground cartoonist and publisher Denis Kitchen on Inkstuds. They talk about his new book The Oddly Compelling Art of Denis Kitchen, among other topics.

Joe Harris
Todd Dolce interviewed Joe Harris about the Trix Rabbit, Underdog, and his animation work at Boing! the Podcast this week. Thanks to Sherm Cohen at Cartoon SNAP for the tip.

Desmond Reed Minis
Mini comiker Desmond Reed has published two new minis: Aloha and The Island. He's selling them as a set for just $2.00 (plus 50¢ postage) from his Etsy Shop. For a synopsis of each issue and preview pages, stop by his shop.

Pocket God #1
Jason Burns wrote this week with a preview of his new comic from Ape Entertainment, Pocket God #1. It's available in a digital edition now via iTunes and will arrive in print at comic shops in September. The creative team includes Burns, Rolando Mallada, Paul Little, Jim Hankins, and Lucas Ferrerya.

Anomaly #3
I was very happy to see the return of Ken Meyer Jr.'s excellent Ink Stains column this week. The column will now appear monthly, on the first. Episode 21 shines a spotlight on Jan Strnad's Anomaly #3. Meyer traded several emails with Strnad and provides wonderful background information behind one of the greatest zines of its day. Strnad also provides background on his writing career in comics, animation, TV, and a little about his novel, Risen.

Anomaly #3 featured a wraparound cover by Richard Corben; comics by Strnad and Herb Arnold, Kenneth Smith, and Corben; a profile of Robert Kline; portfolios by R.G. Krenkel and Herb Arnold; and an editorial by Strnad that examines the financial end of published small press zines. The PDF Meyer provides is a two-parter this time. It's big, but worth waiting for.

Inside Midnight Fiction
The Portland Zine Symposium is coming up later this month. Unfortunately I've got a schedule conflict so I'm not going to be able to make it this year. However, Mark Campos told me about another show in Seattle called the Jet City Comic Show. I'd never heard of it, but it seems to have an indie flavor, so it may be an option for me in September.

I've been thinking about taking a break from MF.com lately. I still enjoying putting the weekly updates together, but it doesn't leave me with much time to work on other projects. I'll revisit this topic next week.

Top July 2010 June 2010

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