Blog - June 2008

Free Music
Indie cartoonist Jim Siergey wrote the lyrics and Chris Wiley put them to music. Wiley and Carl Pedigo then recorded the German Chocolate Cake polka and Beth & Eddie. You can download the MP3 files of both wacky songs here.

Solid Gold Site
Surfing the web is like having an unlimited number of channels on your remote control. You never know what you're going to find, but you keep surfing because you know that eventually you'll strike gold. Comicrazys is a new Blog that's pure gold. Blogmeister Chris is posting classic comics pages by the likes of Frazetta, Wolverton, Messmer, Kurtzman, Gross, and the list goes on.

Pulp Noir Online
Editors Dave Zeltserman and Ed Goorman announced that the latest issue of Hardluck Stories is online this week. It includes work by a dozen pulp noir writers. Check it out here.

Famous Monsters of Filmland
This may be old news, but it was new to me, so I was happy to learn this week that Famous Monsters is back from the dead as a blog. The archives go back to March 31st. Here's the link.

Poopsheet Updates
Mini comic maestro Rick Bradford has been busy adding features to his Poopsheet Foundation website, including a new Photo Album loaded with some choice cover images. He's also started an online newsletter and added more information to the History section. If you haven't surfed over lately, check it out. He's got lots more good stuff coming too!

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June 21, 2008 Blog Entry
Midnight Ramblings

Ack!
If today's humor comics make you Mad they aren't what they're Cracked up to be, just say Ack! That's the wacky thinking behind the new satire/parody/humor comic from Jim Main. The first monsterous issue of this small press comic is now available for $3.95 (postage paid) from Main Enterprises.

Demolition
The Spring 2008 issue of Demolition Magazine is online now. The new edition of the crime fiction website features stories by Justin Porter, Stephen Blackmore, William Dylan Powell, and John Kenyon. The new pulp on the web's Editor/Publisher is Bryon Quertermous, and the Assistant Editor is David White. Demolition Magazine

Cruse News
Howard Cruse issued the ninth fun-filled issue of his Cruse Art Newsletter. To subscribe send him your email address via the link on this page of his website.

Cavemen of New York
Pulpsters Ron Fortier and Rob Davis announced the fourth issue of the popular Captain Hazzard series published through their Airship 27 nameplate. This modern pulp magazine is available in print for $18.50 or digital download for $5.00 from Lulu.com

Online Comic Book &
Graphic Novel Writing
Mediabistro is offering an online class on comic book writing. The 4 week course costs $350. Check their website for more details. Thanks to PW Comics Week for the tip.

Color Classics
Hot on the heels of his their Golden Age comic reprint, Wayne Judge's Age of Adventure announced their second title, Color Classics, this week. The first issue features three full color classic stories from the sought after Frankenstein series originally published by Prize Comics. Check the Age of Adventure blog for the release date.

Billy's Back
Down under comiker Hayden Fryer reports indie publisher Siberian Productions has released Billy: Demon Slayer (series 2) #6 this week. The new book is available as a digital download from Drive Thru Comics and in print from Siberian Productions (AU), Small Zone (UK), and Dimestore (US).

New Indie Haunted Sci-Fi Comic
Colin Panetta announced his new comic Dead Man Holiday will be released in both print and as a free digital download in June. Check his website for details and previews.

The Helm
Reporter Peter Korn wrote this article on Thursday for the Portland Tribune about Jim Hardison's new title coming out from Dark Horse. The Helm is about a guy who gains a magical superpower that hates his guts.

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June 14, 2008 Blog Entry
Midnight Ramblings

Gnome #5 is Free
Jim Main is the most prolific small press publisher that I'm aware of. Seems like he's announcing something new every month. But this time it's not just his newest book that's news — it's the delivery of it. If you've been waiting to try one of Main Enterprises' zines, the wait is over. Main is making Gnome #5 available for free in PDF format. This is a 52-page zine is loaded with convention reports, reviews, news, and features. Main's trying out this new delivery format to gauge response — plus it allows him to use color on the interior pages without additional expense. If you'd like to see him continue with zines in this format, help spread the word about this free issue. To get yours (or to purchase the file on a CD) just clickthrough.

Noor's Swag Shop
Malaysian cartoonist Noor Hafizah, who created the comic The Cavaliers, has opened a Cafepress shop where you can order shirts, mugs, stickers, etc. featuring her artwork. Clickthrough.

Joe Wehrle Jr.'s Groundhog Files
One of my all-time favorite small press projects was Joe Wehrle Jr.'s wonderful Cauliflower Catnip Big LIttle Book, which he self-published in 1980. When I reconnected with him last year for an interview here on MF.com, I learned of several other projects he'd developed over the years. These are hard to find gems, so I'm excited to highlight his sale of a few remaining copies of his Groundhog Files comic on eBay. It's fantastic!

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June 7, 2008 Blog Entry
Midnight Ramblings

New Small Press Comics
After overcoming a few production delays, The Michael Roden Benefit Portfolio is now available through the Main Enterprises Shop. If you missed the previews and artist's statements from each of the contributors you can get the full story right here on MF.com. This limit-edition portfolio of Roden-inspired art prints is published by Jim Main.

Tim Corrigan's Comics & Stories #22 cover Main has also just released the new issue of Comic Fan. At 60 pages, #3 is the biggest issue yet. It's available for $7.25 (including postage) from the Main Entrerprises Shop.

Also this week, Tim Corrigan mailed out TC's Comics and Stories #22. This issue features Part 2 of western yarn Roy Ritter and the Red River Wranglers! Copies are $1.50 each (or a 12-issue subscription for $15.00) from:
Tim Corrigan
PO Box 25
Houghton, NY 14744

String #5
One my favorite things to see in small press is consistency. Creative endeavors are often an uphill climb. The urgency of life and our own personal economies are always competing with creative time—not to mention motivation and inspiration. So it's thrilling to see a title like String return consistently. This digest-size anthology is an ongoing free PDF publication featuring the comics jam sessions of the 7000 BC collective. Why not give it a try and post a few encouraging words about the work here.

Flickr Toons
Cartoonist JR Williams has a great Flickr page featuring his artwork. However, be forewarned nudity abounds, so clickthrough at your own discretion.

Felix's Friends
Indie cartoonist Howard Cruse wrote and drew a book called Felix's Friends on spec for an enthusiastic (and as it turned out disingenuous) book agent back in the day. The project languished over the years until Cruse was struck with the allure of print-on-demand over at Lulu.com. The result is a new 64-page trade paperback available for $9.87 here. Cruse's website provides a preview and the full backstory on his blog.

Cruse is also featured in a terrific interview with Patty Satalia on Penn State Public Broadcasting talking about his landmark book Stuck Rubber Baby. Watch here.

BlueRectangle
Richard from used bookseller BlueRectangle wrote this week to exchange links. I haven't tried the service yet, but it looks like a great resource to buy or sell textbooks and non-fiction books. The site also features a nice collection of short video book reviews of all genres.

Pyroman
Age of Adventure announced their first issue of Legendary Heroes featuring classic stories of Pyroman from the pages of Startling Comics and American's Best Comics. Publisher Wayne Judge reports his new 58-page title is available for $7.95 on Lulu.com.

Mark Anderson on Small Business Radio
Mark Anderson, Founder of Andertoons tells his story on Small Business Radio: how he took his love of drawing cartoons and turned it into a business, including: harnessing creativity; working on a schedule; growing a business online on a shoestring; business models for cartoonists and other creative people.

24 Hour Zine Thing
Syndicated Zine Reviews highlighted the 24 Hour Zine Thing event that's coming up in July. You can read all about it on their website.

Forbidden Planet Blog
Special thanks to Joe Gordon over at the Forbidden Planet Intl. blog this week for spotlighting Sean Azzopardi's June calendar contribution to this year's Midnight Fiction Calendar. I frequently use my own copy that sits beside my computer as I plan site updates and personal schedules. It gives me a great feeling to think of the many readers, friends, and contributors who also found it worthy of a spot on their desktops. Many thanks to the hundreds of MF.com readers who've downloaded their own copy of the calendar!