Midnight Ramblings - May 2009

Graphic Classic #17
Eureka Productions recently announced the publication of Science Fiction Classics: Graphic Classics #17. It's the first full-color volume in the series. Science Fiction Classics presents comics adaptations of stories from the original creators of science fiction including The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells and A Martian Odyssey by Stanley G. Weinbaum. Also featured are In the Year 2889 a rare short story by Jules Verne, and The Disintegration Machine, starring Arthur Conan Doyle's Professor Challenger. Plus E.M. Forster's only SF tale, the poignant The Machine Stops, and shorts by Lord Dunsany and Hans Christian Anderson. Website

Yearbooks
Raighne Hogan of 2D Cloud announced the release of the imprint's first full color comic Yearbooks. The perfect bound softcover features a book-length story by Nicholas Breutzman and Shaun Feltz, that's colored by Hogan. Check out the Good Minnesotan Blog for more into and the 2D Cloud Store to order.

The Oubliette
Kenan Rubenstein has released the first two copies of his Oubliette series of mini comics. They begin as roughly 2" x 3" micro minis with the story literally unfolding along with the sheet of paper it's printed on. Very cool. Check out Rubenstein's Boy Blue Productions for more of his work and ordering details.

Saint Carrie
Brian Anderson and Michael Troy created a satire of the recent flap over Carrie Prejean and posted the six page comic online. He's also offering a chance to copy the files and post them to your website if you'd like.

Inconsequential Art
Alex Wilson has collected four issues of his micro mini comic Inconsequential Art and packaged them in wallet-sized sleeves for handy transport. He's offering them for only $5 for the whole bundle. Order and details here.

UFO's June Checklist
Rob Imes reports the June edition of the United Fanzine Organization's checklist is now available. It includes the UFO's newsletter Tetragrammaton Fragments #207, Marc Haines' Deadly World Man #1 & 2, J. Kevin Carrier's Fantasy Theater #19, Jason Bullock's Land of Zoa #1, and Jim Main's latest mini comic WTF!?! #1. For ordering information and details download the PDF. (Note: you will need an account on Yahoo and will be asked to join the UFO Group on Yahoo to access this file.)

Rastafari Funnies #2 and Side B covers

More small press reviews from Midnight Fiction:
Wayne Gibson's Rastafari Funnies #2 on Poopsheet Foundation

Rachel Dukes' Side B on Comic Related

Top

May 23, 2009

Newave Comix Anthology
Michael Dower is finishing up the editorial work for his massive Newave comix anthology scheduled for a December release from Fantagraphics. The hardcover book is now over 800 pages and includes comix from 58 newave cartoonists. The volume is available for pre-order on Amazon. Download a preview PDF for details.

Comic Related Comments
Eric Adams of Turnstyle Creative has added a new commenting feature to the News, Columns, Reviews, and other items on Chuck Moore's Comic Related site. Now readers can add their comments to any item as a guest or using their Facebook or Twitter profiles. Read more about it here.

Redeye and Fusion PDFs
Engine Comics is now publishing Redeye and Fusion in PDF format and offering back issues for download for £1/$1. Redeye features news, previews, interviews, and articles about the indie comics scene. Fusion is a comic anthology. The website includes previews and reviews of both titles and well as a few one-shot books.

Dog Days DVD
Plymptoons is now accepting pre-orders for Bill Plympton's latest DVD. Dog Days features his celebrated dog trilogy (Guard Dog, Guide Dog, and Hot Dog) and plus The Fan And The Flower, Shuteye Hotel, Santa, The Fascist Years, and a controversial experimental film Spiral. The animated films contain adult material. Pre-order at Plymptoons.

Two-Gun Raconteur
The definitive Robert E. Howard journal, REH: Two-Gun Raconteur, announced their thirteenth issue is now ready for pre-order. The issue will make its debut at Howard Days in Cross Plains, Texas on June 12. It includes front and back inside covers by Joe Wehrle. Check out the full story here.

Rough Stuff Back Issue Sale
TwoMorrows is having a short and sweet sale: Now through May 31, all 12 issues of Rough Stuff magazine are available for 50% off cover price! The offer is only good for online orders, so now's your chance to stock up on any issues you've missed at the best price ever offered. Keep an eye on their website for an exciting upcoming announcement about the future of this fan-favorite magazine.

Mugs and Escape from Alcatraz #1 covers

More small press reviews from Midnight Fiction:
Pat Moriarity's Mugs on Poopsheet Foundation

Steve Lieber and Sara Ryan's Escape From Alcatraz #1 on Comic Related
Steve Keeter and Tony Lorenz's Cosmic Man #2 on Comic Related

Top

May 16, 2009

With SPACE and Stumptown behind us, it seemed like a slow week for small press this time out. Only a few items to ramble on about in this week's installment.

Mr. Jigsaw #3
Writer Ron Fortier and artist Gary Kato have announced the third issue of Mr. Jigsaw. This issue collects the little seen webcomic and the cover story The Lobster That Ate Portland. $2.99 from IndyPlanet. Full press release here.

Friend to Zines
Zine World has posted a PDF listing the new postage rates that went into effect this week. The reader's guide to the underground press is also looking for writers, reviewers, and artists to help with the next issue of Zine World, scheduled for release this summer. Details here.

Danno Klonowski reports he's started a blog to post pages from his comic Manly Tales of Cowardice. It's called Staplegenius.com

Another small press review from
Midnight Fiction:

Carrie McNinch's
You Don't Get There From Here #9 on
Poopsheet Foundation

Top

May 9, 2009

FPI Blog
Congratulations to our friends at the Forbidden Planet International Blog. Earlier this week they were ranked #31 on Cision's list of the UK's "Top 50 Blogs." Well done!

Steiner Sketches
If you haven't been over to Steve Steiner's sketch blog lately, take a look. He's posted nearly 200 wonderful cartoons since January.

Fan-Atic Press
Allen Freeman and his Fan-Atic Press have released the fourth volume of Slam Bang. This issue of the popular comics anthology features over 200 pages of indie comics, an interview with Brad W. Foster, and a CD filled with indie music to complement the issue's music theme.

Fan-Atic Press recently partnered with New Voice Media to produce Tim Corrigan's Mightyguy comic: Out to Lunch! The comic features six stories with Mightyguy, Fred 'n' Marvin, and Betty.

Also available now are the third and fourth issues of Rock and Roll Death Wagon by Cat Noel and Edward Bolman. Noble Head Funnies #2, another Bolman creation is due out later this month.

In 2006 Freeman shot and produced a mockumentary at the San Diego Comic Con called Dean Lecrone vs. the Mutants of Comic-Con. You can still order the full length (two-hour) DVD from Mutant Movie, which includes lots of bonus features, but you just want to see the main event it's now available free from IMDB online.

Gabriel, Portland Noir, and Paul Rainey covers
Hard Case Crime's Charles Ardai recently discussed his new high adventure series Gabriel Hunt over at the Nerd World Blog.

In a city full of police controversies, hippie artist punk houses, and overzealous liberals, Portland, Oregon, is a place where even its fiction blurs with its bizarre realities. Portland Noir, edited by bookstore employee and writer, Kevin Sampsell features brand-new stories by: Gigi Little, Justin Hocking, Christopher Bolton, Jess Walter, Monica Drake, Jamie S. Rich (illustrated by Joelle Jones), Dan DeWeese, Zoe Trope, Luciana Lopez, Karen Karbo, Bill Cameron, Ariel Gore, Floyd Skloot, Megan Kruse, Kimberly Warner-Cohen, and Jonathan Selwood. 300 pages.

Paul Rainey recently released the ninth issue of his There's No Time Like the Present. Get it here.

The Illuminist Tarot and Ancient Tales of the Future #1 covers

More small press reviews from Midnight Fiction:
Michael Dowers' The Illuminist Tarot on Poopsheet Foundation

James Rubino's Ancient Tales from the Future #1 on Comic Related

Top

May 2, 2009

Welcome to May!
This month's desk calendar image is a cartoony version of a salamander inspired by the scorpio image from a medieval zodiac. Don't be fooled by those cute white gloves—inside are deadly pinchers! Free PDF Download

Free Comic Book Day—Online
To celebrate FCBD this year TwoMorrows Publishing is offering select issues of Alter Ego, Back Issue, Jack Kirby Collector, Draw, BrickJournal and more as free downloads. Be sure to visit their website during May 1-3 to sample their fine line of zines. Also, on May 2nd only, Tom Heintjes is offering a free copy of Hogan's Alley. Just send your request and mailing address to HA via email.

8-Bit Tarot Deck
Indigo Kelleigh completed his Tarot Deck. Each image was recreated as an 8-bit rendering from traditional tarot images. Check them out in the Lunar Bistro Shop.

Webcomics on
Comic Related
Four new webcomics make their debut on Comic Related on May 2nd. It's All Related by Jackie Hernandez,
Killer Robots Love You by Chuck Moore and Tony Meillo, D34D L4$T by Ringtail Cafe Productions, and I'm Not From Here by Kenn Minter. Link

Book Marketing
Sterling Editing recently ran a great interview with Janey Bennett who talks about her experiences marketing the first printing of her book The Pale Surface of Things that had a print run of 4000 copies. Link

Small Press Extra Annual #1 and Praetorian covers

Small Press Extra
Making it's debut at SPACE this year Small Press Extra is back with Annual #1. Featuring interviews with small press stars Larry Johnson and Matt Levin—and lots more! SPE is available from the new TruFan Productions online shop, where you'll also find back issues of SPE, Monster World minis, and Monster-A-Go-Go.

Outlaw Entertainment
Raven Venture Partners (RVP) announced the backing of a new publishing company called Outlaw Entertainment this week. The full service creative studio will focus on producing high concept/high quality graphic novels across a wide range of genres. Working with top talent in both the comic industry as well as Hollywood, Outlaw Entertainment will release up to fifteen titles a year. Their initial releases for June include Praetorian written by award-winner Jason M. Burns (A Dummy’s Guide to Danger, Curse of the Were-Woman) and drawn by Ramon Espinoza (How to be a Serial Killer).

Also scheduled for June are Imaginary Friends and Hat Trick, both scripted by Burns, with artwork by Dustin Evans and Armando Zanker, respectively. For more information, visit Outlaw Entertainment.

The ICBP Show
Dan (Attack Earth) Burke and Allen (Slam Bang) Freeman's monthly call-in radio show, Independent Comic Book Publishing Show debuts Sunday May 3, 2009, at 6:00 pm EDT. Listen live or check back later for the archive.

Untamed Highway #3 and Tim Corrigan #33 covers

Untamed Highway #3
The underground, self-published comic book that scratches the underbelly of vanished American pop culture is back with its third edition. Click onto the Untamed Highway—if you dare!

Elasticworm Saga Concludes
Tim Corrigan's Comics and Stories #33 is out. This issue wraps up the six part story The Coming of Elasticworm and includes another installment of Tyran's latest adventure. Link

Sam Henderson has a new Blog
Yes, the old magic whistler himself has jumped into the void again and started doodling online. Check out his new blog here.

Zinecore Radio
Show #8 features Mike Diana (Superfly and Boiled Angel) and Jenny "Devil Doll" Gonzalez (Too Negative). Link

Pure Insanity #16 and Portals #1 covers