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| Questor | Chris Cornwell | Self-published |
$2.00 ($2.00 list) |
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Premiering at SPX, this 40-page, horizontally-formatted, black and white piece is the debut full-length work by Pittsburgh-based artist, Chris Cornwell. Fans of Fort Thunder who are looking for an artist who understands the visual vocabulary of its artists and is capable of intelligently building on their legacy, who has the ability to create a coherent narrative entirely in carefully rendered, visually appealing images, who takes the time to think things through, and whose vision extends far beyond the borders of the comics world need look no further -- this is it! And, of course, one need not be a fan of the Fort Thunder crowd to appreciate this work, as it is, after all is said and done, quite an original piece. Questor is a work of pure comics. What you find here, can't be as fully expressed in any other form. | |||||
| Jinxremoving #11 | Arpad | Self-published |
$2.00 ($2.00 list) |
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"The Name Itself Is the Thing Itself." This is the latest in a series of graphic missives from Chicago by Pittsburgh ex-pat, Arpad (#10 and perhaps even a few earlier issues are also still squirrelled away somewhere in our self-published section). Jinxremoving, is, as the title suggests, an act of personal-salvation through self-publishing. Beginning five or so years ago (our memory is a bit foggy on this point) when Arpad yet remained comfortably ensconced within the warm embrace of our fair city -- that's Pittsburgh, to you out-of-towners -- Jinxremoving was, initially, a more typical zine, filled with writings, photos and drawings. It has, over the past half-decade, gradually evolved to its present form of pure comics. And not just any comics. These are comics that are, at their core, and in a fairly unique way, meta-comics: comics about comics; in this case, about the process of self-discovery and self-invention through comics. The trick here, is that, for those comics readers who share some of Arpad's interests and characteristics, Jinxremoving can function as a vehicle for self-discovery as well: the more common ground shared with Arpad, the more powerful the vehicle (by the same token, those who share nothing with Arpad will likely have trouble even pulling away from the curb). Arpad is clearly an omnivorous comics reader who wears his heart on his sleeve; but he has a tendancy to wear his shirt inside out so sometimes it's hard to see. It may take a few reads to figure out where he's coming from, but if you can recognize his emotional and psychological "home town" and find that it shares something with your own, then, if you work your way backwards, and unroll the riddles, you may find yourself discovering places in your "neighborhood" that you never knew existed. | |||||
| Redbird Comics & Stories #1 | Dan Zettwoch | Self-published |
$3.00 ($3.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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The first issue of Redbird shows that Dan Zettwoch is probably too smart for his own good. He is a skilled practitioner of the comic book form, who possesses an understanding of its many aspects: those that are abstract -- the elements of conception -- as well as those that are concrete -- the elements of production. "Still Life," the twenty-page lead story which takes up the bulk of the book, at first glance appears to be a catalogue of crude humor that was delineated with difficulty; and it is -- but only on the surface. To understand and appreciate what Zettwoch has unleashed here, closer examination is required. Once this extra investment of time and attention is made, the payoff is immediate. Right from the start -- with the visual pun of literally embodying the "table of contents" -- it becomes apparent that a sophisticated creativity is at work. Intellectual and visual syntheses are everywhere. Juxtaposition and montage provide an extra layer of meaning that is superimposed upon and yet still manages to combine and interact with the darkly satiric central narrative of the relationship of art to society in America today. We feel compelled to note, however, that this may not be the comic book for you: it's definitely a bit on the "guy" side; it's filled with cultural references that not everyone will appreciate; and some of the humor is sophomoric. Yet it is clearly a finely crafted labor of love that will provide returns well in excess of the meager investment required to purchase it to those readers who are willing to make the effort to tune in to the signal from which this comic book is broadcasting. Dan Zettwoch has an intuitive grasp of the innate idea of the comic book as an objective realization of the uniquely American character of mind that has been brought into being by the century long free reign of mass production driven market forces. In Redbird he has consummately constituted his highly idiosyncratic vision. | |||||
| Cold Heat Special #8 | Frank Santoro, Lane Milburn | Self-published | Cold Heat |
$10.00 ($10.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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No, we didn't make a mistake: Cold Heat Special #8, another SPX 2008 highlight, is already here, despite the fact that #6 & #7 have yet to see print. That's the world of Cold Heat: time is non-linear here; temporal warps, shifts and bounces are the norm, so hold on tight. This time around we have an amazing magazine size (8 1/2" x 11") special with a double silk-screen wrap printed in three colors on heavy duty stock by Pittsburgh's own ace printer, Budai. Castle travels through a dream-vision to a world of mythological archetypes that sheds an insightful light on our own. Santoro has found another fine collaborator in Milburn, as their respective strengths forge to create a swirling sense of the porous and shifting border between interior psychological states and the sensory experience of external reality. This special is a special value, so don't delay: these won't be around long as the print run has been limited to a mere 100 copies. | |||||
| Cold Heat Special #5 | Frank Santoro, Ryan Cecil Smith | Self-published | Cold Heat |
$8.00 ($8.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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A rare treat, this is a hand made edition, limited to a mere 100 copies, w/ hand silk-screened (on a nice heavy stock) two-color front and back covers that comes complete with endpapers, no less. As for the contents, this time out we witness a brief interlude in the life of Castle wherein she and her now diseased father are out in the woods, hungry and looking for food. Aesthetically speaking, this adventure takes place roughly half way between Storeyville and Black Hole on the comics spectrum. As with the first four Cold Heat Specials, this will NOT be collected with the forthcoming graphic novel. | |||||
| Cold Heat Special #3 | Frank Santoro, Dash Shaw | Self-published | Cold Heat |
$8.00 ($8.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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While Santoro burns the midnight oil finishing up the Cold Heat graphic novel, he knows Cold Heat fans are jonesing, and so has commisioned an ongoing series of specials. These specials are all limited editions with very low print runs that won't be reprinted in the graphic novel, so don't miss out! CHS #3 is a collaboration with up and coming comics experimentalist, Dash Shaw (see the latest issue of MOME) that is built around a combination of early Italian renaissance imagery and contemporary urban cityscape. This time out we have a saddle-stapled 16-page horizontally formatted comic book with a wraparound two-color cover that blurs the line between waking and sleeping, dream and reality, drugged and straight, and yesterday and today, as well as between classical fine art and contemporary popular art. Santoro & Shaw's cover image has been hand silk-screened by Pittsburgh's master poster maker, Budai! Limited to 100 copies. | |||||
| Always Somewhere Nearby | Theo Ellsworth |
$4.00 OUT OF STOCK! |
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Always Somewhere Nearby is a "narrative sketchbook experiment" by Theo Ellsworth. Possessed of a fantastic imagination combined with a strong technical rendering ability both of which are bonded to an obsessive need to draw, Ellsworth has been cranking out an ever growing stack of meticulously weird assemblages of drawings, writings and comics, in series and stand alone pieces. | |||||
| Minnow #1 | Theo Ellsworth | Self-published |
$7.00 ($7.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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Minnow is a new series to showcase the drawings of Theo Ellsworth. With two-color hand-silkscreened cover. | |||||
| Capacity #7 | Theo Ellsworth | Self-published |
$5.00 ($5.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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We featured a small selection of Ellsworth comics earlier this year and, being fans of his work ourselves, were happy when they went on to be quite well received. We are, therefore, pleased to announce the arrival of these two new works. Thought Cloud Shrines is a collection of drawings and is, in our opinion at least, his best yet -- and is easily his most inspired title. Capacity #7 is a collection of more narrative oriented work, ranging from single full-page panel works to the twelve-page "A Wizard's Tale", which makes excellent use of his drawing strengths. Both come wrapped in hand silk-screened covers and both are among the best self-published art-zines and comics being published today. Learn more at http://www.artcapacity.com. | |||||
| Paper Wasp #3 | Theo Ellsworth | Self-published |
$3.00 ($3.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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Paper Wasp is Theo Ellsworth's "ongoing art zine". | |||||
| Paper Wasp #2 | Theo Ellsworth | Self-published |
$3.00 ($3.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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Paper Wasp is Theo Ellsworth's "ongoing art zine". | |||||
| Thought Cloud Shrines | Theo Ellsworth | Self-published |
$5.00 ($5.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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We featured a small selection of Ellsworth comics earlier this year and, being fans of his work ourselves, were happy when they went on to be quite well received. We are, therefore, pleased to announce the arrival of these two new works. Thought Cloud Shrines is a collection of drawings and is, in our opinion at least, his best yet -- and is easily his most inspired title. Capacity #7 is a collection of more narrative oriented work, ranging from single full-page panel works to the twelve-page "A Wizard's Tale", which makes excellent use of his drawing strengths. Both come wrapped in hand silk-screened covers and both are among the best self-published art-zines and comics being published today. Learn more at http://www.artcapacity.com. | |||||
| Snake Oil #1 | Chuck Forsman | Self-published | Snake Oil |
$4.44 ($5.00 list) |
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Well, we hate to do this, but here goes: (Anders Nilsen's Big Questions + Sammy Harkham's Crickets) x Alex Robinson's Box Office Poison = Chuck Forsman's Snake Oil. Each self-published issue is 24 pages printed on flat, textured and, respectively, grey, blue and purple stocks and sports a swell hand-silk-screened 2- or 3-color cover. Definitely worth taking a look, which you can do without leaving the comfort of your current environs by visiting the Snake Oil site/blog. | |||||
| Snake Oil #2 | Chuck Forsman | Snake Oil |
$4.44 ($5.00 list) |
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Well, we hate to do this, but here goes: (Anders Nilsen's Big Questions + Sammy Harkham's Crickets) x Alex Robinson's Box Office Poison = Chuck Forsman's Snake Oil. Each self-published issue is 24 pages printed on flat, textured and, respectively, grey, blue and purple stocks and sports a swell hand-silk-screened 2- or 3-color cover. Definitely worth taking a look, which you can do without leaving the comfort of your current environs by visiting the Snake Oil site/blog. | |||||
| Snake Oil #3 | Chuck Forsman | Self-published | Snake Oil |
$4.44 ($5.00 list) |
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Well, we hate to do this, but here goes: (Anders Nilsen's Big Questions + Sammy Harkham's Crickets) x Alex Robinson's Box Office Poison = Chuck Forsman's Snake Oil. Each self-published issue is 24 pages printed on flat, textured and, respectively, grey, blue and purple stocks and sports a swell hand-silk-screened 2- or 3-color cover. Definitely worth taking a look, which you can do without leaving the comfort of your current environs by visiting the Snake Oil site/blog. | |||||
| King-Cat Comics and Stories #67 | John Porcellino | King-Cat | King-Cat Comics and Stories |
$3.00 ($3.00 list) |
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Just in time for Christmas, a stocking stuffer for all you mini-comics fans. Always a cause for a modest celebration, this issue features the ususal mix of comics, stories, lists and letters -- 40 pages in all. | |||||
| Paper Wasp #1 | Theo Ellsworth | Self-published |
$3.00 ($3.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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Paper Wasp is Theo Ellsworth's "ongoing art zine". | |||||
| Cold Heat Special #2 | Chris Cornwell | PictureBox | Cold Heat |
$3.00 ($3.00 list) |
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Cold Heat Special #2: Chunky Gnars is a digest-sized issue with cardstock cover that focuses on the music-as-spiritual-salvation aspect of the Cold Heat narrative, and does so with much graphic aplomb. Cornwell's digest is densely packed with metaphor, analogue and allegory all of which are related to each other and, tangentially at least, to the Cold Heat narrative thus far. Even if you're not a follwer of the Cold Heat series, you should consider checking this out as it can and does stand on its own merits, as well as providing a window onto one of the most innovative comics works currently being produced. | |||||
| Elktor | Chris Cornwell | Self-published |
$3.00 ($3.00 list) |
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This 12-page, hand-crafted, 5 1/2" square comic book that sports a four-pass, hand silk-screened cover, features the first appearance of Elktor, who goes on to greater glory in the pages of Cornwell's Cold Heat Special. Act now before this one vanishes in the mists of time... | |||||
| King-Cat Comics and Stories #70 | John Porcellino | Spit and a Half | King-Cat Comics and Stories |
$2.75 ($3.00 list) |
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The issue that marks the twentieth anniversary of King-Cat Comics and Stories. And it really is an extra special issue, one of the best ever. Twenty years. Amazing. Congratulations, Mr. P.! | |||||
| King-Cat Comics and Stories #69 | John Porcellino | Spit and a Half | King-Cat Comics and Stories |
$3.00 ($3.00 list) |
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Shame on us for neglecting to bring this to your attention earlier. Yes, it's another 32 page gem by the zen master of comics and self-publishing. In this issue we have comics on: late night driving, haircuts, heavy metal, cats and cat adoption, as well as those magic meditations on nature as only John P. can manage. Also, those hardy perennials, 'the King-Cat Top 40" and the "Catcalls" letters pages. Year after year, King-Cat remains one of the great pleasures of comics. Don't miss it! | |||||
| King-Cat Comics and Stories #68 | John Porcellino | Spit and a Half | King-Cat Comics and Stories |
$2.75 ($3.00 list) |
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36 pages of comics and stories -- along with a short history lesson and the usual lists -- by the one and only John P. What more do you need to know? Now in stock. | |||||
| Schematic Comics | Dan Zettwoch | Self-published |
$3.95 ($3.95 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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We'd be remiss if we didn't mention this unexpected treat. This is a new printing of one of the hits of SPX 2005 that has long been unavailable and highly sought after. It collects fifteen fabulous pieces by the talented and versatile Mr. Zettwoch. All we have to say is: If you missed this the first time around, then don't make the same mistake twice! Come one down and pick this one up before it's gone again. And this goes double for anyone who wasn't around for the first go round. This one's a classic of self-publishing. 48 pages under a hand-silk-screened cover. SORRY – THIS ONE SOLD OUT IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE. WE'LL TRY TO GET MORE... | |||||
| Funny Aminals | Joe Lambert, Bryan Stone, Colleen Frakes, Penina and more ... | Self-published |
$6.75 ($8.00 list) |
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Long suffering fans of the funny animal genre of comic books, one of the classic standard bearers of the comics tradition that has fallen by the wayside as of late, have much to rejoice with the release of this magical magazine size comic book that is clearly a labor of love. Full color front and back covers, printed on heavy stock, contain 68 pages of comics and stories by the likes of Joe Lambert, Bryan Stone, Colleen Frakes, Penina and more, all entirely devoted to animal fun, and includes a lengthy essay on the history of the genre by none other than Mr. Steve "Swamp Thing" Bissette! Learn more about the Funny Aminal gang, here. Recommended (and, on special)! | |||||
| Cold Heat Special #9 | Lane Milburn, Frank Santoro | PictureBox | Cold Heat |
$12.00 ($15.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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The latest Cold Heat Special takes the standard practice of many hand-made self-published comics (including several of the previous numbers in this very series) – that of the silk-screened cover encasing photocopied interior pages – and stands it on its head. Yes, that's right, you guessed it: this one has a photocopied cover enclosing 16 hand-silk-screened interior pages of pantomime comics which pictographically record the spiritual regeneration of Castle as she merges with both the biological and historical forces that power her quest for truth, justice and personal growth. Also from PictureBox. LIMITED TO 100 COPIES! | |||||
| Closed Caption Comics #8 | Lane Milburn, Mollie O'Connell, Ryan Cecil Smith, Conor Stechschulte and more ... | Closed Caption Comics | Closed Caption Comics |
$6.00 ($8.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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by the Closed Caption Posse We usually pick this up every year in the fall, at SPX, but CCC is way ahead of schedule this year and the Copacetic shelves have already been graced with this hand-embossed-cover-sporting 80-Page Giant packed with brand new comics the likes of which you won't be finding anywhere else. The gang's all here, including – among others – Lane Milburn, Mollie O'Connell, Ryan Cecil Smith, Conor Stechschulte, Molly Goldstrom, and cover artist Erin Womak. The comics from Closed Caption Comics that we pick up every year at SPX have pretty much all been hits here at Copacetic, most of all this, the flagship title. While we believe that it's fair to say that CCC is working with some of the tropes established by Fort Thunder, there is quite a bit of original work here, and anyone interested in deeply personal, artistically informed comics work should be checking this out. | |||||
| Cold Heat Print | Frank Santoro | PictureBox | Cold Heat |
$20.00 OUT OF STOCK! |
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We have in stock a very limited quantity of a signed and numbered Cold Heat print by Frank Santoro (in fact, we have only 2 copies remaining as of 17 November 2008). This print is standard comic book size -- 7" x 10" -- so it will fit right in with the Cold Heat comics if you would like to store it away as part of your collection, but we feel confident that you'll be putting this one on your wall. This is the image here on the right =>; you should know, however, that the colors -- at least on our copies -- are far more vibrant when viewed in person. | |||||
| Cold Heat Special #6 | Chris Cornwell | PictureBox | Cold Heat |
$10.00 ($12.00 list) |
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Yes, Cold Heat Special 8 and 9 have come (and gone) but without any sign of numbers 6 and 7... until now! Over a year in the making, Cold Heat Special number six is now in stock and it's a one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted work of art. Wrapped in fabulous front and back cover silkscreens – complete with inside front and back cover silk-screened "endpapers," which are overlaid with hand tipped full color "plates" (ink jet prints) – this magazine-size special is an aesthetic treat and feast for the eyes, yes, but most of all it is an experience for the mind. Extending and vastly expanding on the themes he introduced in his first Cold Heat Special (number two), Cornwell has here seamlessly merged his own artistic concerns with those of Cold Heat creators BJ and Santoro to forge a fantastic journey to the center of the mind that intimates at the nature of eternal recurrence and the simultaneity of historicity in a universe that has banished linear time and made way for cosmic consciousness. All while working firmly in the Cold Heat tradition of living off the grid and on the fringes – turned on to DIY culture and a new life of untested possibilities. Limited to 100 copies. Recommended! | |||||
| Solipsist's Doodles | Jason Overby | Self-published |
$3.00 ($3.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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Are you ready for 32 pages of unimpeded personal expression in comic book form? If so you might want to give these the once over. Original and unique, obscure yet satisfying, Overby's comics are leading us somewhere, but it's too soon to tell if it's going to be to a place where we'll want to stick around. Here are comics for risk takers. | |||||
| Exploding Head Man | Jason Overby | Self-published |
$6.00 ($6.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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Are you ready for 96 pages of unimpeded personal expression in comic book form? If so you might want to give these the once over. Original and unique, obscure yet satisfying, Overby's comics are leading us somewhere, but it's too soon to tell if it's going to be to a place where we'll want to stick around. Here are comics for risk takers. | |||||
| Rambo 3.5 | Jim Rugg | Self-published |
$2.00 ($2.00 list) |
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A near-perfect embodiment of the mini-comics aesthetic, by that ace Pittsburgh comics all-star, Jim Rugg. A 32-page comics meditation/investigation on/of the post-9/11 American nexus between power and violence, Washington and Hollywood, high culture and pop culture, toys and art, dream and reality, repression and oppression and, finally, the resultant confusion between signifier and signified. Featuring a former President of The United States of America along with you-know-who (or do you?). Heady stuff, and fun to boot! | |||||
| Andromeda #3 | Andy Scott, Jess Lavecchia, Nate McDonough | Self-published | Andromeda |
$2.00 ($2.00 list) |
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Edited by Andy Scott, Andromeda is a made-in-Pittsburgh monthly anthology of comics. And, while it might not yet be operating at quite the level of Diamond Comics (see below), these guys are nothing if not ambitious, and so far they have published the first three issues on schedule and the fourth is promised shortly, so Regular contributors include Nate "Grixly" McDonough and Jess Lavecchia, as well as editor Andy Scott himself, and there are plenty of others who have made their way into individual issues. In order to keep up with their monthly schedule, Andromeda is hungry for fresh contributions and is always on the lookout for new talent and is accepting unsolicited submissions, so any cartoonists reading this interested in having their work appear in the pages of Andromeda should get in touch with Mr. Scott at littletired@gmail.com. | |||||
| Grixly #11 | Nate McDonough | Self-published | Grixly |
$1.00 ($1.00 list) |
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While we're on the topic of monthly comic books made in Pittsburgh, the trend-setting example of Nate McDonough is of paramount importance, as he has managed the impressive feat of writing, penciling, inking, lettering and publishing no less than thirteen issues of Grixly within – roughly – the past year. Grixly will put you right smack dab in the middle of the Yinzer Zone™: not a dimension of sight or of sound, but of mind; a particular mind – that of a dedicated cartoonist living in Pittsburgh. So, as a result, while much of the work you will find in the pages of Grixly – the first twelve issues of which are filled with a hodge podge of short stories, vignettes, anecdotes and fantasias – are straight-up auto-bio, readers will also often confront work that is the depiction of an actual event that took place not on the streets or in rooms of tha 'Burgh, but rather in the imagination of the person whose life has been impacted and imprinted by these. Beginning with the thirteenth and latest issue, however, McDonough is down-shifting to a bi-monthly schedule, with the aim of producing longer issue-length works. It should be interesting... | |||||
| Goat Helper | Chris Cornwell | Self-published |
$1.00 ($1.00 list) |
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This 12-pager by Pittsburgh's foremost formalist and friends serves up a comics meditation on sacrifice, mortality and transformation. The main course consists of a pair of concise genre deconstructions that are simultaneously penetrating and ironic. These are interrupted by a bracing palette-cleanser of fulsome gross-out humor, and followed by a satiric pairing of propaganda and advertising that extends and concludes the theme. | |||||
| Looking for the Joke | Chris Cornwell | Self-published |
$8.00 ($8.00 list) |
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Looking for the Joke is Cornwell's follow-up to I Wanna Destroy You, released earlier this year at S.P.A.C.E. (see below). Following the same format as its predecessor, this 20-page, 8 1/2" x 11" comics magazine sports a hand silk-screened cover. While continuing to explore similar concerns, LftJ provides solid evidence that Cornwell's vision and skills are in the process of evolving and advancing. Where IWDY contained a churning osmosis of concepts, LftJ is obviously bipartate in structure, as it is split into two distinct, separate stories: "Herbman and/versus Dog-Dude," and "They Took It with Them." It appears that the artistic equivalent of cell-division has taken place. The question is whether the division was meiotic or mitotic, or, perhaps, at least in part, some novel sort of zygotic hybrid, in that "They Took It with Them" is a murky collaboration with Bill Boichel. It will have to suffice for now to say that the comics herein contained reach far down into the inner organic reaches of human being and bring up some interesting finds the likes of which you won't find elsewhere. So, if you like adventurous, challenging comics experiences, this might be the book for you. | |||||
| Spunj Baahb | Chris Cornwell | Self-published |
$6.00 ($6.00 list) |
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Are you looking for new, fun and smart, visually and intellectually stimulating, hand-made and independently published comics work that's created right here in Pittsburgh, PA? Well, if you are, you've come to the right place. Spunj Baahb is the latest comics conundrum by Copacetic customer Chris Cornwell. It's a 20-page, 8 1/2" x 11" black & white, saddle-stapled comics magazine printed on 28 lb. bright white stock with a two-color hand silk screened cover on sky blue cardstock. Except for two pages of exposition wherein the work's themes are explicitly stated, the narrative unfolds entirely in Cornwell's ever evolving pictograhic language. While cartoon characters such as Sponge-Bob Squarepants™ are commonly understood to represent the communal unconscious of the society that produced it, Spunj Baahb takes it a step further and posits the inner life of the cartoon character itself -- the dream within the dream, if you will -- and does so with much aplomb. | |||||
| I Wanna Destroy You | Chris Cornwell | Self-published |
$6.00 ($6.00 list) |
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Well, not you personally, but the "you" that is at the core of the illusion of a unified, independent self that we all have (had) to deal with in one form or another on the road to forging a workable identity amidst the tumultuous abundance of the post-modern cultural landscape. The key value to this work is the revelation of the critical role comics can play in coming to grips with the machinery of this omnipresent dilemma. This piece, the third by Copacetic customer Cornwell that we've offered for sale, shows the creator exhibiting his ambition as he works to synthesize a wide range of influences into an exploding montage of styles, narrative tropes and storylines. The dual 49-panel front and back covers set the stage which stroboscopically shifts through a dry-ice fog of R. Crumb self-consciousness, Charles Burns moodiness, some obvious (but clever!) "quotations" of Marc Bell, and the diegetic use of Fort Thunder tropes, in the process taking the reader on a 28-page journey that evokes a spirit of chaos reminiscent of Paper Rad and which concludes with the multiply referential meta-comics of the inside back cover "pin-up."I Wanna Destroy You reveals, when the dust settles, the looming question mark of consciousness, and delivers a confirmation of the illusion of self. Please note: This edition comes with an additional hand silk-screened cover wrap printed on yellow card stock that is not pictured here. | |||||
| Emberly Galaxy: A Tribute to Ed Emberly | Joe Kuth, Dan Zettwoch, Chris Cornwell, Dan Moynihan and more ... | Self-published |
$10.00 ($12.00 list) |
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edited by Joe Kuth Years in the making, this 60-page, horizontally formatted volume contains short pieces by a diverse group of independent comics artists including: Rina Ayuyang, Jeffrey Brown, Chris Cornwell, Warren Craghead, Sam Henderson, Alex Holden, Dan Moynihan, and Dan Zettwoch, as well as editor Kuth himself and a number of others. All pay tribute to the so-imitable Ed Emberly, whose simple how-to-draw books demonstrated how to make the world come alive with a few simple lines. | |||||
| Amazing Facts & Beyond #3: Back That Fact Up! | Kevin Huizenga, Dan Zettwoch | Self-published | Amazing Facts & Beyond |
$5.00 ($5.00 list) |
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Fun-filled factoids for our times from St. Louis's fighting fabulists. Frequently flying in the face of formality, these forty free-wheeling "fact"-filled fables fulfill the fundamentals. First two issues still available! Feel the frantic flaws in the fabric for free, here. | |||||
| Mixed Up | Jim Rugg | Self-published |
$3.00 ($3.00 list) |
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Here's a brand new mini comic that will be especially enjoyed by those who had a good time trying to figure out the identities of the character mash ups in the various posters executed for the just passed PIX. Mixed Up features 28 mash ups done in a similar fashion (a few of which are actually the ones which were used in the PIX promotions). For those perhaps not quite as well versed in the particulars of comics characters, the best part about it may be the "answer key" at the back of the book, revealing who's who in each. As a result, Mixed Up can double as an excellent parlour game for comics fans everywhere, making it quite the bargain! | |||||
| Untitled | Kevin Huizenga | Self-published |
$1.50 OUT OF STOCK! |
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Remaining true to his indy roots, Kevin H. has found the time and energy to produce a new mini despite his spate of successful forays into the world of publisher supported comics such as his contributions to Orchid, Kramers Ergot #5, D & Q Showcase #1 and the latest, his new ongoing series Or Else (see above). It is the agonizing over coming up with the title for this series -- and by doing so to get the project under way -- that is the subject of this 40-page mini. Untitled provides its readers with a creative look at the creative process, with a primary focus on the decision making at its core. Anyone who has tried his or her hand at self-publishing will find much to relate to here. This work is not a typical autobiographical reminiscence of creating a comic, however, but is instead a raw, stripped bare look at the guts of the process itself, albeit formally tidied up for publication. Having developed and come into the full possession of his creative powers almost entirely within the mini-comic milieu of self-publishing, Kevin Huizenga developed an understanding that there is an intimacy to work that takes this form that really can't be found anywhere else, and with Untitled he amply demonstrates that his understanding is undiminished by his recent successes elsewhere. | |||||
| Sermons #2 | Kevin Huizenga | Self-published |
$3.00 ($3.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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More comics, sketches, notes, etc. drawn in church. | |||||
| Study Group 12 #4 | Theo Ellsworth, Jim Rugg, Dan Zettwoch, Edward Bak and more ... | Study Group | Study Group 12 |
$20.00 ($20.00 list) |
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edited by Zack Soto After, what? five years? we have another issue of Study Group 12. This one is the grandest yet. 8 1/2" x 11 1/2" , with 72 pages printed in navy blue, eight extra pages with an additional layer of magenta, and then all wrapped up in a hand silk-screened cover in aqua and pink. This package holds quite a lot of talent. Creators included in this issue are Theo Ellsworth, Jim Rugg, Dan Zettwoch, T Edward Bak, Richard Hahn, John Vermilyea, Michael DeForge, Vanessa Davis, Farel Dalrymple, Aidan Koch, and plenty more. The front cover is by editor, Zack Soto; back cover by Mr. DeForge, and endpapers by the esteemed Steven Weissman. This is a hand-numbered edition of 500 copies. | |||||
| King-Cat Comics & Stories #71 | John Porcellino | Spit and a Half | King-Cat Comics and Stories |
$3.00 ($3.00 list) |
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Now's your chance to catch up with Mr. P! While this issue was drawn during his sojurn in the sunshine state – Gainesville, FL, to be exact – the events chronicled primarily predate this move and bring readers up to speed. As always, Porcellino delivers his trademarked style to bear on those key quotidian moments in life that prompt reflection and meditation on meaning and significance, as he moves through life accompanied by pen, ink and paper. | |||||
| Sidewalk Bump | Dave Kiersh, John Porcellino, Dan Moynihan |
$5.00 OUT OF STOCK! |
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This new anthology edited by the creator of Mreow Comics classics such as Why I Like Bugs and The Moon Catching is entirely devoted to stories about skateboarding!!! This hand-made mini featuring a full-color cover on textured stock ans B&W interior is a true small press edition and is limited supply. Contributors include John Porcellino, Dave Kiersh, Leslie Kleinberg and, of course, Moynihan himself. Get it before it's gone! | |||||
| Us In a Box | Spovatar W.B. Phlecender, Chester Brwo, Dave Lapp | Self-published |
$4.00 ($4.00 list) |
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Believe it or not, this is an all-new mini-comic collaboration between the one-and-only Chester Brown and fellow Canadian, Dave Lapp (whose combined names are anagrammed in the pseudonym). It's only 12 pages + cover, but it's a hand-signed (by Lapp) and numbered (by Brown) edition of 100 copies. Chester and Dave step out for a brief bit of goofy fun that, naturally, veers uncontrollably into the weird. | |||||
| Gort | Chris Cornwell | Self-published |
$2.00 ($2.00 list) |
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Format fans will get a kick out of this self-published, limited edition, 12 page, horizontally formatted mini comic that comes complete with its own double-sided, hand-screened, two-color cover and was created and produced right here in Pittsburgh, PA. The horizontal format endows each page with the pace and feel of a three-panel daily comic strip, which in turn gives this book a unique flavor. Read Gort and discover that the wages of self-absorption is... donuts. | |||||
| Stories #2 | Martin Cendreda | Self-published | Stories |
$3.00 ($3.00 list) |
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Copy • Matthew and Buster • Swimming • Free Hugs Let's keep going in the small press and self-publishing vein. It seems like we're on a roll here. Here we have three all-new minis, all produced, published, packed and shipped by that Angeleno mini-master, Martin Cendreda! The art and production here is top rate and very reasonable priced considering the effort and low print runs. By turns whimsical, satirical and insightful, these are musts for any and all adherents of the mini-comic form. Recommended! | |||||
| Andromeda #12 | Andy Scott, Nate McDonough | Self-published | Andromeda |
$5.00 ($5.00 list) |
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FULL COLOR! Yes, you read that right. 48 pages of cover to cover full color from the Andromeda gang right here in Pittsburgh, PA, brought to you through the editorial acumen of Mr. Andy Scott. Witness the inner turmoil of Pittsburgh youth in revolt, fully nuanced as never before. The centerpiece is editor Scott's own 11-page piece of pantone penwork. It is surrounded by contributions by fellow Andromedites, Nate McDonough, Lizzee Solomon, Dan McCloskey, Artnoose and more! | |||||
| Not My Small Diary #13 | Dave Kiersh, Dan Zettwoch | Self-published | Not My Small DIary |
$6.00 ($6.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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Not My Small Diary is a unique anthology title that has been running strong since its founding in 1996 by Delaine Derry Green, who continues as its editor and publisher. Each issue is composed of two 64-80 page volumes, and features approximately 50 different cartoonists – making for a lot of comics for your money! Beginning with #11, each issue has been dedicated to a specific theme (listed below). These issues feature a truly great variety of comics work, most of it by creators that will be unfamiliar to most readers, but much of it is nonetheless quite worthy. Each issue also features work by seasoned comics pros such as Dan Zettwoch and Dave Kiersh. #13: The Lucky/Unlucky Issue (158 pages) | |||||
| Not My Small Diary #14 | John Porcellino, Julia Wertz, Sarah Oleksyk, Alec Longstreth and more ... | Self-published | Not My Small DIary |
$6.00 ($6.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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Not My Small Diary is a unique anthology title that has been running strong since its founding in 1996 by Delaine Derry Green, who continues as its editor and publisher. Each issue is composed of two 64-80 page volumes, and features approximately 50 different cartoonists – making for a lot of comics for your money! Beginning with #11, each issue has been dedicated to a specific theme (listed below). These issues feature a truly great variety of comics work, most of it by creators that will be unfamiliar to most readers, but much of it is nonetheless quite worthy. Each issue also features work by seasoned comics pros such as Dave Kiersh, Alec Longstreth, Sarah Oleksyk, Julia Wertz and John Porcellino! #14: The Dating Issue (138 pages) | |||||
| Not My Small Diary #15 | John Porcellino, Dave Kiersh | Self-published | Not My Small DIary |
$6.00 ($6.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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Not My Small Diary is a unique anthology title that has been running strong since its founding in 1996 by Delaine Derry Green, who continues as its editor and publisher. Each issue is composed of two 64-80 page volumes, and features approximately 50 different cartoonists – making for a lot of comics for your money! Beginning with #11, each issue has been dedicated to a specific theme (listed below). These issues feature a truly great variety of comics work, most of it by creators that will be unfamiliar to most readers, but much of it is nonetheless quite worthy. Each issue also features work by seasoned comics pros such as Dave Kiersh and John Porcellino. #15: Brushes with Celebrity (140 pages) | |||||
| Weird Schmeird #2 | Ryan Cecil Smith | Self-published |
$8.00 ($8.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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Closed Caption Comics alumnus, Ryan Cecil Smith continues his sojourn in Japan and in Weird Schmeird #2 he has applied himself to incorporating all that he has absorbed into a single power-packed comics packag; and it shows – this is, in our opinion, his best work yet! Weird Schmeird #2 comes packed in a screen-printed (in pink!) resealable glassine envelope and comes complete with a set of six screen-printed, laser-die-cut-cardboard-punchout, transportation-themed, snap-together toys! Still not sold? Take a closer look, here. Collector's Please Take Note: this is a limited edition of a mere 130 handmade copies originating in Japan! In other words, you snooze, you lose on this one! | |||||
| Two Eyes of the Beautiful #1 | Ryan Cecil Smith | Self-published |
$4.00 ($4.00 list) |
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Based on Umezuo Kazuo's Blood Baptism, this self-billed "grotesque horror manga" comes to us from Nishinomiya, Japan, where RCS is currently hanging his hat and teaching English. Cognizant of the fact that the largest part of the market for this item lies across the Pacific Ocean, here in the USA, he has conscientiously jammed as much as humanly possible into the 28, 4 1/2" x 6" pages, which has now been reprinted due to popular demand with a new blue and pink risograph cover and lower price! All of which enables it to be sent half way around the world without breaking the bank for shipping costs. Another fine example of form following function. Hi-Energy, high quality comics & story-telling are in ample evidence here and are sure to be enjoyed by fans of fine hand-made comics wherever on this globe they may reside. | |||||
| SF | Ryan Cecil Smith | Self-published |
$5.50 ($6.00 list) |
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This is the latest and largest self-published work by Closed Caption Comics alumnus, Ryan Cecil Smith. It's an energetically rendered, fun-filled, tongue in cheek science fiction romp that we unreservedly recommend to die-hard comics fans everywhere. Printed in Japan, where Smith is currently residing. The image to the left shows the front and back covers as well the two colors of paper stock in which the cover was printed (although, to be clear, each individual cover – both front and back – is printed on one or the other color). | |||||
| Two Eyes of the Beautiful #2 | Ryan Cecil Smith | Self-published |
$5.00 ($5.00 list) |
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Described by its author as "a grotesque horror manga," this is the second installment of the series by Closed Caption Comics contributor, Ryan Cecil Smith. All the gruesome hallmarks of the body horror genre are present, but tempered by Smith's loose, cartoony drawing style. Dynamic page layouts and well-executed half-tones abound in this jam-packed mini-comic, which includes 3 color Goccu screen-printed covers. Edition of 250. | |||||
| Rumbling, Chapter 2 | Kevin Huizenga | Self-published |
$3.00 ($3.00 list) |
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This new self-published release marks the terminus of a round-trip of sorts. Customers of long-standing will recall that Huizenga burst into Copacetic consciousness with the startlingly original work contained in his self-published series, Super Monster, which climaxed with the 14th issue, the one-of-a-kind masterwork entitled Gloriana Comics (which was reprinted as Or Else #2, see below). It was not long after the publication of this issue that Huizenga was "signed" by Drawn & Quarterly, who went on to publish several new pieces in D & Q Showcase #1, a continuing series, Or Else - which combined material from Super Monster with newer material -- and then released a hardcover collection, Curses, which pulled this and other material together. Huizenga's work has/is also been/being published by Fantagraphics (Ganges) and Buenaventura (Kramers Ergot, Fight or Run) as well. Yet, while his star was rising over the field of contemporary comics, he continued to self publish smaller, more personal / less accessible works such as untitled, Sermons and New Construction. Now, a combination of market realities, personal preference and artistic aims has brought about the cessation of Or Else and the bringing forward of Huizenga's self-publishing efforts. Rumbling, Chapter 2 continues the "adaptation" (really, a massive inflation [reinflation?] of a work "from which all the air has been removed" – Manganelli's stated aim in creating one hundred novels each of forty lines) of Centuria: One Hundred Ouroboric Novels (#44) by Giorgio Manganelli that began in Or Else #5. Rumbling, as we stated in our review of the first part, imagines a United States embroiled in a sectarian struggle which has metastasized into armed military conflict that simultaneously harkens back to the religious wars of pre-Enlightenment Europe as well as the present armed struggles in Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. It works to imagine how these wars might come about and what they might look like if they occurred on US soil. This continuation is bracketed by a dense two-page lead-in that offers a different sort of speculation: that concerning a look back from the future brought about by the future imagined in Rumbling and the consequent technological evolutions that occur and how they in turn reformat consciousness; a sort of flash-forward within a flash-forward, or a speculation within a speculation... Intellectually digesting the contents of this issue involves a fairly advanced level of abstraction in order to successfully process. And a knowledge of the history of religious conflict certainly wouldn't hurt. That said, Rumbling furthers Huizenga's unique employment of the language of comics to craft a hueristic exposition on the centrality of process in the contemporary historical dialectic. In addition, by crafting narratives which delineate the steady erosion of our human being that is effected by the merciless march of history and so provide a cautionary tales by which to avoid the worst of it, while simultaneously trying to win back the heart of the matter by insinuating a morally guided reason inside the machine, Huizenga strives to remind us that there are many possible worlds and it's up to us which one we choose to live in. | |||||
| New Construction #2 | Ted May, Dan Zettwoch, Kevin Huizenga | Self-published |
$3.00 ($3.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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The St. Louis comics gang gets together to show us how it's done in this compendium that puts key aspects of their working processes on display. Of special interest to current comics practitioners. | |||||
| New Construction #1 | Kevin Huizenga | Self-published |
$2.00 ($2.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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The comics creative process examined, deconstructed and reconstituted; sort of. | |||||
| Sermons #1 | Kevin Huizenga | Self-published |
$1.00 ($1.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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Comics, sketches, notes, etc. drawn in church. | |||||
| Big Questions #6: Anoesia and the Matrideicidic Theophany #6 | Anders Nilsen | Self-published | Big Questions |
$5.00 ($5.95 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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C'mon, you gotta give it up for a comic with a title like this one's! If this title didn't stop and make you think, well then... you're not thinking. Go back and read it again, go get a dictionary (there's probably one on your computer, but it might not be deep enough to do the job) and suss it out. It might take you longer than you guess (hint: matrideicidic is a combination of matricide and deicide that may not technically be a legitimate word; but that shouldn't stop you from being able to figure out what it means). Well, while you're doing that, we'll continue... It's been over a year since Big Questions #5, so it's good to know that the Ingmar Bergman of self-published comics is still at it. Believe it or not, this issue continues the story from #4 & #5 (both now back in stock here at Copacetic, in case you missed them the first time around), so you'll probably want to dig them out and have them handy for maximum effect. 48 pages; saddle stitched; B & W with cardstock color cover | |||||
| The Body of Work | Kevin Huizenga | Self-published |
$4.00 ($4.00 list) |
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Fall 2011 is a good time to be a Kevin Huizenga fan. Not only do we have this brand spankin' new 32 page mini comic and two new issues of Amazing Facts and Beyond (co-produced with dazzlin' Dan Zettwoch; see below), but the long awaited fourth issue of Ganges is just over the horizon! There is no other cartoonist of equivalent stature – unless it's his pal, the aforementioned Dan Zettwoch – that we can think of that continues to self-publish their own mini-comics, but Huizenga's been at it so long it's in his blood. Lucky us! The four stories here range from the two, colloquial "Postcard from Fielder" tales, to the logical abstractions of "First Try." All are tied together by the title tale, which ponders the significance of a life spent in art and the meaning of the "Body of Work" that is produced. Added Bonus: each cover is uniquely (if modestly) hand colored! | |||||
| Amazing Facts & Beyond #4 | Kevin Huizenga, Dan Zettwoch | Self-published | Amazing Facts & Beyond |
$5.00 ($5.00 list) |
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Another big batch from beyond, Leon Beyond, that is (the first of two this month; see below!). This issue is titled Brain Dump and sports a sturdy Dan Z silk screened cover, binding together 33 strips worth of Amazing Facts for posterity. For those of you unfamiliar with Amazing Facts and Beyond, with Leon Beyond, it is, more or less, Ripley's Believe It or Not! for the Onion set, but with an index to boot! Funny, smart, well drawn, and extremely collectible, these collections are here today and gone tomorrow. | |||||
| Amazing Facts & Beyond #5 | Dan Zettwoch, Kevin Huizenga | Self-published | Amazing Facts & Beyond |
$5.00 ($5.00 list) |
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This one is titled Factual Healing and features another (see above) hand-colored cover by Kevin H, collecting 32 punctures of the over inflated super ego of our times. Special bonus feature: one strip is by guest artist Sammy Harkham. | |||||
| Sundays #4 | Lydia Conklin, Damien Jay, Max de Radigués, Mari Ahokoivu and more ... | Self-published | Sundays |
$12.75 ($15.00 list) |
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It looked for awhile that we weren't going to be able to lay our hands on any of these, but thanks to trusty Tony Shenton, we snagged a handful before they went the way of the Dodo. Limited to 300 copies, this horizontally formatted anthology of super indy comics was printed and bound at The Center for Cartoon Studies and sports a hand pulled silk screen cover drawn by Damien Jay and pulled by Alex Kim and Joseph Lambert. Here's its contributor list: Mickey Z, Jeff Lok, Ed Piskor, Warren Craghead III, Aaron Cockle, Melissa Mendes, Joseph Lambert, Mark Burrier, Alex Kim, David Libens, Ariyana Suvarnasuddhi, Dane Martin, Julie Delporte, Michael DeForge, Sean Ford, Samuel C. Gaskin, Scott Longo, Jose-Luis Olivares, Mari Ahokoivu, Max de Radigués, Damien Jay, Lydia Conklin. Whew! Grab it before it's gone! | |||||
| The Monologuist Paper Blog Update Supplemental Postcard Set Sticker Pack | Anders Nilsen | Self-published |
$10.00 OUT OF STOCK! |
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And here's a unique little something-or-other from the author of Big Questions. It's fairly limited and we only have a few left. | |||||
| The Game | Anders Nilsen | Self-published |
$8.25 ($9.00 list) |
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Here's a little handmade gift-edition of Mr. Nilsen's contribution to the now out of print Kramers Ergot #7 – plus one additional page available only here. It comes packaged in a 5" x 7", resealable glassine envelope, but once removed folds out to its full (and full color) 14" x 20" glory. Includes bonus trading card! | |||||
| Cartoon Picayune #2 | Josh Kramer, Bill Volk, James Sturm, Katherine Roy and more ... | Self-published | Cartoon Picayune |
$3.00 ($3.00 list) |
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edited by Josh Kramer 36 pages of feature news stories in comics form. This time around we have the second half of editor Kramer's story of high school ski jumpers, "Fly By Night"; Pittsburgher Bill Volk provides a tale of Pittsburgh (and post-Pittsburgh) brewing in "'Arn: A Brief History of Iron City Beer"; Josh Kramer is back again with "School's In for the Summer," a tale of – if you can believe it – a day camp school-of-rock; and then the issue closes out with a piece by Center for Cartoon Studies founder and director, James Sturm and Katherine Roy, "Honk and Wave," that follows Vermont gubernatorial candidate, Matt Dunne around for a day of his election campaign. A small press comics innovation! | |||||
| N.Y.D.I. #1 | Jesse Reklaw | Self-published | N.Y.D.I. |
$2.00 ($2.00 list) |
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This 16-page mini-comic by small press comics man-of-many-hats – writer, artist, editor, publisher and distributor – is part memoir of Reklaw's own personal experience in D.I.Y comics creating and part instructional guide / pocket-size mentoring program. Anyone involved in, or even interested in, any form of self-publishing – especially comics – should not hesitate to plunk down the two bucks for this pint-sized package of entertainment and edification. | |||||
| Tel-Tales #1 | Dan Zettwoch | Self-published | Tel-Tales |
$3.00 ($3.00 list) |
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Dan Z has done it again! The mega-master of industrial art comics has given us a perfect blend of form and content in Tel-Tales. This pint-sized wonder is based on a story by Dan's dad, Don "Toots" Zettwoch that tells the tale of the good ol' days of telephone call switching that involved actual human beings – as well as the "ancient & mysterious 8-Board" – that existed before the days of fully automated digital switching, not to mention cell phones, FOIP and Skype, which are putting the entire infrastructure of plain old telephone calling into the dumpster. And that's just where the Bell System punched cards that are used here as the cover were likely headed before rescued by the Zettwoch Comics Co. and put to such perfect use. Just take our word for it: THIS is a comic book. BACK IN STOCK! We now have received a stock of the second printing of this swell mini. Please note that the card stock cover of this second printing is off white, not the green that is pictured; it is the same in all other particulars. | |||||
| Stories #3 | Martin Cendreda | Self-published | Stories |
$3.00 ($3.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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Catch Me If You Can Let's keep going in the small press and self-publishing vein. It seems like we're on a roll here. Here we have three all-new minis, all produced, published, packed and shipped by that Angeleno mini-master, Martin Cendreda! The art and production here is top rate and very reasonable priced considering the effort and low print runs. By turns whimsical, satirical and insightful, these are musts for any and all adherents of the mini-comic form. Recommended! | |||||
| Stories #1 | Martin Cendreda | Self-published | Stories |
$3.00 ($3.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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The Green Umbrella Man in the Mirror & Expecting Let's keep going in the small press and self-publishing vein. It seems like we're on a roll here. Here we have three all-new minis, all produced, published, packed and shipped by that Angeleno mini-master, Martin Cendreda! The art and production here is top rate and very reasonable priced considering the effort and low print runs. By turns whimsical, satirical and insightful, these are musts for any and all adherents of the mini-comic form. Recommended! | |||||
| Diary | Gabrielle Bell | Uncivilized Books | Diary |
$4.00 ($4.00 list) |
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This trio of diary comics continues in the vein of Bell's Drawn and Quarterly collections, and present a series of great slice-of-life comics that are sure to appeal to all of her fans and are well worth checking out by anyone interested in diary comics. Each of these roughly digest size publications features a cardstock cover and is jam packed with 20-26 pages of comics. This time around, destination: Minneapolis. | |||||
| L.A. Diary | Gabrielle Bell | Uncivilized Books | Diary |
$4.00 ($4.00 list) |
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This trio of diary comics continues in the vein of Bell's Drawn and Quarterly collections, and present a series of great slice-of-life comics that are sure to appeal to all of her fans and are well worth checking out by anyone interested in diary comics. Each of these roughly digest size publications features a cardstock cover and is jam packed with 20-26 pages of comics. Experience L.A. through the pen of Ms. Bell. | |||||
| San Diego Diary | Gabrielle Bell | Uncivilized Books | Diary |
$4.00 ($4.00 list) |
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This trio of diary comics continues in the vein of Bell's Drawn and Quarterly collections, and present a series of great slice-of-life comics that are sure to appeal to all of her fans and are well worth checking out by anyone interested in diary comics. Each of these roughly digest size publications features a cardstock cover and is jam packed with 20-26 pages of comics. Behind the scenes at San Diego Con! | |||||
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| The Flying Destructicate: New Visual Language | Encyclopedia Destructica |
$20.00 ($20.00 list) |
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The Flying Destructicate: New Visual Language Devoted to the work of Pittsburgh artist, Josh Tonies and his a group of his cohorts who are working together to forge a "new visual language," this book, the latest production from the folks at Encyclopedia Destructica, is an impossibly complex hand made assemblage that defies description, but they've given it a try, here. You simply have to come in and see it for yourself! Once you see it, you'll understand just how labor intensive a production it is and why we can only get in five copies at a time. So, if you missed the book launch party at the Warhol Museum but you still want to get your hands on one, don't waste any time getting over here, as these aren't going to last long. copacetic price - $20.00 |
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| 2008 Flying Destructicate: Jonathan Brodsky - Make Your Own Truth | Jonathan Brodsky | Encyclopedia Destructica |
$25.00 ($25.00 list) OUT OF STOCK! |
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Limited to 200 handmade copies, this item pretty much has to be seen to be fully appreciated. Put together by Jonathan Brodsky and the folks at Encyclopedia Destructica, it's a hand assembled slipcase containing: a hand bound hardcover book containing work by Brodsky, Alberto Almarza, Josh Atlas, Juliacks, Rick Gribenas and Paus Akid; eight file-folder-art-zines (for lack of a better term) that are hard copy manifestations of power point presentations made by eight different Pittsburgh artists (among them Unicorn Mountain's Curt Gettman) on a wide variety of topics; and a DVD that contains several pieces by Brodsky along with pieces by Almarza and Gribenas. A limited edition, hand crafted work of multiple media art from Pittsburgh, PA. Need we say more? | |||||
| The Flying Destructicate #3: Secret Pockets | Mary Mack Tremonte | Encyclopedia Destructica |
$20.00 ($20.00 list) |
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A project of Pittsburgh based Encyclopedia Destructica, brain child of Christopher Kardambikis and Jasdeep Khaira, The Flying Destructicate is the project of a single artist. This time around The Flying Destructicate is piloted by Mary Mack Tremonte who has chosen as her theme the secrets we carry around with us in our pockets: hidden yet right there with us at all ties as we walk down the street. She and a dozen fellow artists have assembled – literally, and by hand – a very hands-on work that is easiliy the most tactilely engaging work currentlyon our shelves. Pick it up and open it, and you'll see what we mean. This is a hand made limited edition – once they're gone, they're gone. | |||||
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| Lydia and Her Friends | Self-published |
$2.00 ($2.00 list) |
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Lydia and Her Friendsby Gretchen Neidert Are you despondent and despairing? dragged down by dominating dodos, day to day drudgery and derelict dregs? The antidote is at hand: Lydia and Her Friends is a power-packed little wonder; a 10-minute burst of melodiously manic energy that situates the viewer in an endless loop at the edge of the galaxy from which vantage point it becomes clear that while time is passing all around us as we spin through space, life is lived in the moment, and that moment is NOW! An infinitely renewable pick-me-up for less than the price of a capuccino, packed in a hand-colored sleeve and made right here in tha 'burgh. copacetic price - $2.00 |
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| Encyclopdedia Destructica: Volume Bumba, Issue the Fourth | Gordon Nelson | Encyclopedia Destructica |
$15.00 ($15.00 list) |
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This, the final installment of "Volume Bumba," is the film and video issue. It comes with its own DVD containing a whopping 38 original film and video works running a mind-bending three and a half hours ensconced in a 118-page illustrated catalogue that is hand bound in a hand-silk-screened hardcover. Produced in a limited edition of only 500 copies, this is an excellent survey of the great variety of talent working in film and video in Pittsburgh, and an amazing value that you won't want to miss. While, yes, some of the works here are amateurish and some are obviously student films, others are totally amazing. We are still reeling from the experience of watching Gordon Nelson's 15-minute and 48-second "Sixties Teen Dance Party," which contains what is quite possibly The Greatest Found Footage of All Time, footage which has, in turn, been artfully optically printed by Mr. Nelson, who has also added an original soundtrack which itself was recorded live (although, you might find yourself unable to resist the temptation to turn down the volume on your TV and put some classic '60s dance music on the hi-fi and crank it up while you watch this amazing film). "Sixties Teen Dance Party" alone is, in our humble opinion, easily worth the price of the entire package. But there's so much more. Other highlights include Suzie Silver's "Peggy Love 101," in which the lyric "love" has been excised from the catalogue of Peggy Lee songs and rhythmically edited along with found footage (yes, we seem to have a predilection for this...) of her performances to create an abstraction of pop love. "Sports and Diversions" by Bum Lee, a series of black and white animations inspired by Eric Satie's Sports et Diveritissements, a series of short piano pieces that are performed (and quite well, too!) here by Pei Wei Lin, is quite a marvel and might very well be the single most original piece you'll see this year. Watching Jessica Fenlon's "Crossroads" provides a meditative three and a half minutes that will lower your blood pressure. And, we can't leave off without mentioning John Allen Gibel's "Pleromadromadhatu (trailer)" which is either a parody of or an homage to -- or both -- the films of Dusan Makavejev and Alejandro Jodorowsky. We could go on and on here as there are still over thirty pieces we haven't even mentioned yet, many of which we'd like to tell you about. Suffice it to say that this is something that you'll kick yourself (hard) if you miss out on it. So don't! | |||||