Midnight Fiction

Bob Vojtko's Low Budget Funnies presents Rocket Roach

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:03:00 EST

Continued next week.

Low Budget Funnies #5 was self-published by Bob Vojtko in June 1978.

At 32 pages LBF #5 was an unusually thick mini comic for its day. The size remained 7 x 4.25 inches and was packed with comics like Fishtales (cover and 2 pages), Rocket Roach (7 pages), Sgt. A-Wall (2 pages), Low Budget Laffs (1 page), Porno Frog (3 pages), Frita Spitz (5 pages) and Chile an' Beans (8 pages).

Although Bob expressed interest in continuing with 32-page issues in his introduction, unfortunately this was the only extra-thick issue.

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Review: Ghost Comics edited by Ed Choy Moorman

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 10:46:00 EST

Published as a fund raiser for RS Eden, this new anthology from Bare Bones Press was funded through a grant from the Xeric Foundation. Besides its intriguing title, the first thing that strikes you about Ghost Comics is the package. The beautiful title typography by Micah Lidberg, cover artwork by Allegra Lockstadt, graphic design, and top-notch printing and paper specs make for a very professional-looking production.

The volume's twenty-nine contributors include many big-name small press cartoonists, making it an excellent sampler of what's being done in today's indie comics scene. The ghost theme is the book's unifying factor, but sometimes its only seeming connection is ethereal. Here's a brief summary of each entry:

The Witness by Hob is a wordless, cosmic journey across evolution where those that came before never really pass away. (10 pages)

Great Ghosts by Jeffrey Brown is a funny slice-of-life comic about connections. (1 page)

Dear Dave by Ed Choy Moorman is a tribute to memories of his cousin. (3 pages)

In What Did You See? Aidan Koch experiments with storytelling and provides a ghostly impression of the final farewell. (7 pages)

Dorm-Ant Spirits by Corinne Mucha was one of my favorites from the collection. It's filled with gags and puns all centered around truth-or-fiction encounters with ghosts at college. (8 pages)

Maris Wicks describes her series of comic strip adventures in The Ghosts of 104 Prospect Street as stories inspired and informed by her childhood home. (3 pages)

Colin and Claire: House Hunting by Mike Lowery assesses property values at a spendy neighborhood haunt. (2 pages)

Sean Lynch navigates readers down a crooked path as three young boys search for the treasured truth or its ominous deception. All the while, the Japanese heavenly evil spirit, Amanojaku waits to influence the outcome. (22 pages)

Sarah Morean offers a few quips about a meeting with psychic Donna O'Dea. (1 page)

Madeline Queripel provides a counter-tutorial on dispersing a loved one's ashen remains. (5 pages)

I Can't Deal by Toby Jones is an hilarious, dark collection of comic strips in which an apathetic boyfriend tries to comfort his girlfriend during her mother's illness and death. (3 pages)

Jillian Schroeder explores a parallel universe from the other side. (8 pages)

Zak Sally's full page gag cartoon is short, but masterfully rendered. (1 page)

Another favorite, Unlearning Curve by Lucy Knisley finds the cartoonist swept backward in time during a trip to her old high school haunts. (5 pages)

In a more experimental bent, Homesick by Abby Mullen also explores the sweet and sour spirits of the past. (4 pages)

At Grandma's by Eileen Shaughnessy recalls strange sounds in a darkened, unfamiliar house. (1 page)

The Point by Allison Cole is a charming lesson in dispelling your own personal demons. (4 pages)

The Architecturons by Kevin Cannon was probably my favorite comic in the book. It's an over-the-top morality play with a nod to the Transformers. Cannon's cartooning is absolutely top notch. (4 pages)

Evan Palmer's The Trials of Sir Goodknight is also beautifully drawn. The good knight's queen keeps him busy with quests while she readies herself for what's next. (14 pages)

Ghost by Tuesday Bassen tries to lighten haunting memories. (1 page)

Like the title, With Grape Tomatoes Comes Great Responsibility, Jessica McLeod's contribution is loaded with clever quips. (6 pages)

In Milo by Sarah Louise Wahrhaftig, the cartoonist takes a wicked idea to extremes. (1 pages)

Jenny Tondera experiments with storytelling and gallows humor in her haunting pictographs. (10 pages)

John Hankiewicz takes readers on cryptic journey inside the Highway Church of Christ. (6 pages)

Mind-Mapping by Will Dinski presents a clerk with a photographic memory who is haunted by details he literally can't forget. (8 pages)

Mark Scott translates a Moslem prayer into a graphic narrative of abstract figures and spirits.(1 page)

Monica Anderson provides the collection's only pictureless entry. Her hand-lettered prose recounts the haunting memory of an abusive, alcoholic uncle. (3 pages)

Warren Craghead III pushes the boundaries of comics with a striking series of softly rendered images. Letters flow around them to form words and messages. It's about ghosts, but more than that, it feels ghostly.(14 pages)

Ghost Eyes by John Porcellino evokes feelings of deep introspection. (1 page)

The end pages include thanks to Moorman's supporters, a short bio of each contributor, and a page on The RS Eden Story. Ghost Comics offers a great collection of indie cartoonists. If you're a fan of anthologies, this one should be on your short list.

Ghost Comics is 176 b&w pages, plus color cover. 6" x 9", commercially printed and perfect bound in Canada. Assistant Editor, Abby Mullen. Graphic Design, Jenny Tondera. It's available for $10 from Bare Bones Press and select bookshops.

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Midnight Ramblings June 27, 2009 Edition

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 11:12:00 EST

Satyr #9 Preview
When I was growing up, my mother got me a couple of English Rupert the Bear books. Where she got them, I'll never know, but I loved them. Rupert's stories were like the perfect combination of comic and prose stories. Each page features four panels with captions and two paragraphs of text below.

Last year I was doing a lot of free write exercises. One of them developed into a flash fiction story about a detective working on a missing persons case. When it was finished I realized it would be ideal for a comic story. Inspired by I, I developed the story using three rows of panels on each page with narrative below. The story is called Une Fable Sombre. It's five pages long and will appear in the next issue of Satyr from Main Enterprises.

A regular Satyr contributor, Bebop, also has a story in issue nine. Production Manager Richard Sullivan has assembled all the pages and is readying the final package for print. The 40-page, magazine-size comic should be available in another week or two. The price is $5.70 (which includes $1.75 for shipping). Order directly from Main Enterprises.

And at print now from Main Enterprises is Zine of Bronze #6. It's 24-pages, plus a full color cover. Editor Jim Main is accepting advance orders for this magazine-size zine via email. The book is $5.00 (postage paid).

Main's also working on the second issues of his mini comics, WTF!?! and Halloween. He's looking for b&w cartoons, comics, and illustrations for both. Send email if you'd like to contribute.

New Sherlock Holmes Pulp
Airship 27 Productions and Cornerstone Books announced the release of their newest title, Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective. The master sleuth returns in five brand new mysterious by four of today’s finest writers.

A famous soccer player is found dead in the club house. An unidentified stowaway is murdered aboard a U.S. Navy warship, while another man is found asphyxiated in an empty, locked room. These are several of the twisted puzzles challenging the Baker Street sleuth as he once again takes up the hunt on the fog ridden streets of London accompanied, as always, by his faithful ally, Dr.Watson.

Writers Aaron Smith, Andrew Salmon, Van Allen Plexico and I.A. Watson have set forth exciting new mysteries done in the traditional style of the original Holmes stories by his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. There are no space aliens here nor howling werewolves, simply good old fashion whodunits. So arm yourself for danger and all manner of villainy as once again, the game is afoot!

This premier volume features a cover by artist Mark Maddox, with interior illustrations and design by Rob Davis. Edited by Airship 27 Prod. founder, Ron Fortier. “Sherlock Holmes is clearly the most beloved fictional character ever created,” Fortier offered in discussing the new book. “We’ve assembled a collection of five terrific stories we are sure will entertain Holmes fans around the world.” Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective #1 is $16.50 from Airship 27.

Poopsheet
Rick Bradford added several cool new features to his mini-comic community website. Members can now add any comic-related events to the new Events calendar.

Poopsheet is part of Twitter and posts mini comic-related news. You can follow PoopsheetComics on Twitter or read the latest Tweets on the Poopsheet Foundation homepage in the left sidebar.

Firefox users who want to banish the "Ads by Google" that appear on the right sidebar of Poopsheet can get the Adblock Plus add-on from Mozilla.

I encourage you to join the Poopsheet Foundation, sign-up for Bradford's eNewsletter, and take advantage the 20% off sale at the Poopsheet Shop before it ends on June 30th.

The Bottom Line on Self-Publishing
Hooray for Sean Azzopardi. He shared the cost, margin, and pricing details for his graphic novel 12 Hour Shift—and his general pricing strategy for his mini comics—on Phatcomics this week. (And thoughts on the impact of Longbox.) I'm always thrilled to see someone brave enough to share this sort of data for the benefit of other indie cartoonists. Kudos Sean!

Wildside Twofers
Wildside Press is making room in their warehouse for new titles by offering a free book from a select list of their back-catalog for every order of a newer title. A few of the selections include Edgar Rice Burroughs, Anne McCaffrey, and Spicy Adventures.

Total TV Tome
Cartoon Brew highlighted a new book coming from BearManor Media this week. Total Television Productions contains a comprehensive episode guide for series like Underdog, Tennessee Tuxedo, the King and Odie, and all their other productions, written by historian Mark Arnold. It's available for $29.95 from BearManor Media.

Tom Lechner's Summit
The amazing Mr. Lechner has posted a ten pager on TomLechner.com. He's been experimenting with color high in the mountains.

Munden's Bar
ComicMix has seven episodes of Munden's Bar online with work by John Ostrander, Skip Williamson, Marc Hempel, Joe Staton, John Workman, Matt Webb, William Messner-Loebs, Bob Pinaha, Joanna Estep, Martha Thomases, Hilary Barta, Jason Millet, and M.J. Butler. All episodes under the direction of Editor Mike Gold. If you enjoy funny noir, you'll love Munden's Bar.

Short Pants Summer
Shortpants Press reported this week plans for the release of a new issue of Shuteye by the end of summer. They're also hard at work on a collected edition of the Ouija Interviews and Bone Closet Comics.

2009 Reuben Awards
Hogan's Alley has a terrific photo report from the annual awards event of the National Cartoonists Society. All snapped by Hogan's director of artistic art, David Folkman.

More small press reviews from Midnight Fiction:
Shannon Smith's Addicted to Distraction on Poopsheet Foundation

Call for News Items
Got a small, pressing news item? Send your mini comic and small press comic and pulp news to me for next week's Midnight Ramblings.

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Bob Vojtko's Low Budget Funnies presents Fishtales

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:19:00 EST

In 1978 there were at least two important publications available to the discerning reader. The first was RN: The Memoirs of Richard Nixon published by Simon and Schuster and widely available at bookstores across the country. The second was Low Budget Funnies #5 available only from the artist.

Permalink Low Budget Funnies Page 1 Comix Index

Review: It's A Fanzine #50 edited by Gene Kehoe

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 10:07:00 EST

It's A Fanzine (IAF) is published "whenever we can manage to get the darn thing out." (Maybe that's why—even after fifty issues—I only heard about this zine recently.) As Kehoe states in his introduction, "This zine is by and for fans! Fans having fun with their love of comics in a whole variety of ways." That's exactly the reading experience it delivered.

This 72-page giant celebrates its fiftieth milestone with a tribute to—what else—the comics of the fifties. Here's a rundown of the contents:

A 1959 Lesson from Steve Ditko—Gene Kehoe explores a five-page story from Strange Worlds #5 called I Couldn't Stop the Runaway Comet.

Historama—John Wells' fascinating trivia column loaded with facts and industry truthiness.

Captain Marvel vs. Thor—isn't idle pontification. Instead, John G. Pierce provides the facts of the two idols' first and second encounters.

The Ultra-Kooky Chronology of Steel Sterling and The Monster Master—traces the herky-jerky path to print of an MLJ/Archie/Radio Comics' Steel Sterling story produced during the silver age superhero boom.

Great Moments in Super History—Gary D. Robinson compares an episode (Panic In the Sky) of television's The Adventures of Superman to the comic version of the same story (The Menace from the Stars).

Grumpy Old Fans Appreciation Room—If you're a Silver Age curmudgeon more interested in the good old days than what's on today's spinner rack, Rob Imes' GOFAR column attempts to cull the keepers from the creepers in today's packed marketplace.

Who Knew?—Gene Kehoe's fountain of free-flowing facts, backstories, and trivia that share nothing in common other than a single comical thread.

Scribbly and the Red Tornado—reprints the final appearance of Sheldon Mayer's popular filler comic from All American Comics.

Fifties' First Issue Face-Off—pits two debut issues from the burgeoning horror and science fiction genres of the fifties against each other. Gene Kehoe compares Avon's Eerie #1 to EC's Crypt of Terror #17 (which, due to title and content changes, is essentially Tales From the Crypt #1).

Comic Strip Circus—is another column of interesting trivia by John Wells. This one is centered on newspaper comic strips like Out Our Way, The Gumps, Steve Canyon, Mickey Mouse, Prince Valiant, Alley Oop, and plenty more.

Spotlight—Greg Robertson broke away from comics in his regular IAF column to speak out against smoking. His brother, Kim, had just passed away from smoking-related causes at the age of 54. Ironically, during the time between the column's submission and the issue's publishing date, the author himself passed away. Editor Kehoe provides a heart-felt farewell.

EC: The Old Pulpit—Gene Kehoe takes a look at a rare EC picto-fiction title: Confessions Illustrated #1.

Don't Quote Me on That—a collection of gaffes the writer or interviewee would likely prefer retracted.

Creator Cameos—Stan Lee's brief in-panel moments from Homer, the Happy Ghost and Mille the Model.

The Sapient Saga of Speed Carter, Spaceman!—Gary Cooper's hilarious analysis of Spaceman is so much fun it almost makes you want to search out the old issues. Then again, you just know this article is more entertaining than the stories themselves.

The Charlton Giants—Gene Kehoe provides a fascinating backstory of the second-tier publisher's bold plan to gain marketshare, and the reception it received.

Meet Chester Gould—reprints a couple of profiles about the cartoonist from Harvey's Dick Tracy comics circa 1950.

Not Fade Away—reprints an interview with many of fandom's earliest founders: Jerry Bails, Howard Keltner, Biljo White, and Rick Weingroff from Larry Henderson's Hero #4 (June 1964). It's like a podcast on paper, only without all the dead air time.

The Title, Numbering, and Editorial History of The Comic Reader—Gene Kehoe does a wonderful service by recording the history of this classic newszine. Good thing, without a program nobody would ever figure this out!

A Comics Fanzine Index—An impressive start (A through C) of every comic book or strip fanzine from the beginning to 1971. Even with 1971 as a cut off date this is a daunting challenge. Collaboration is imperative, so send your data, recollections, and help to Editor Kehoe if you collect or remember any of this stuff. (Next issue D through H.)

Showcasing the Early Jimmy Olsen—John G. Pierce fondly reflects on the early creative team and stories of Superman's pal.

My Brother Must Die—reprints a rare Stan Lee/Carmine Infantino story from Men's Adventures #21 published by Atlas/Marvel in 1953.

Silver Age Collecting—focuses on irritants, idiosyncrasies, and idiocies like double-covers, missing staples, and other production quality control anomalies.

Classic Page From the Golden Age—presents a page from Mr. Justice from Blue Ribbon Comics #16 from MLJ. circa 1941.

Bagels and LOCs—a two-page letters column.

Mr. Oswald—reprints a page of Russ Johnson's rare comic strip from the pages of the trade publication, The Hardware Retailer.

Hopefully, this notated contents list provides clear picture of this zine. It is very much a fan's zine about comics. The labor-of-love aspect is strongly in place, but the editorial direction and writing quality are well above many of the fan's zines to which IAF owes its roots. I should add, it's nicely illustrated, mostly with panels and covers from the comics discussed, but there are a few illos, by Mike Leuszler, LMS, and Kurt Schaffenberger (back cover), too.

It's a Fanzine #50 is 72 page pages, including the cover. 7" x 8.5", with saddle-stitch binding. It's available directly for $5 (postage paid) from:
Gene Kehoe
2265 Byron Ave
Waterloo, IA 50702

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Midnight Ramblings June 20, 2009 Edition

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 10:07:00 EST

Underground Comic
Underground is a new, five-issue series that goes on sale in September. Published by Image Comics, it's written by Jeff Parker, drawn by Steve Lieber, and colored by Ron Chan of Periscope Studios. As Lieber's Whiteout movie readies to hit theaters worldwide, the acclaimed artist returns to the adventure genre with a new thriller, pairing with acclaimed writer Jeff Parker (Agents of Atlas, Exiles) to create Underground.

Park Ranger and avid caver Wesley Fischer is on a one-woman mission to stop Stillwater Cave from being turned into a tourist trap, but public opinion is not on her side. When locals begin blasting in the cave, Wes and a fellow ranger investigate—and a confrontation spirals into a deadly chase deep under the Kentucky mountains. Underground preview.

20% Off Everything Sale
For the remainder of June, our partner site, Poopsheet Foundation, is having a 20% off everything in their shop sale. The Poopsheet Shop has nearly a thousand recent and back issue mini comics, art zines, fanzines, and underground comix in stock. During the sale orders for $100 and over include free shipping. Complete directions for the Poopsheet Shop sale. For timely news, sign up for their free newsletter. (Scroll down to the bottom of the left sidebar of the site's homepage.)

Apartment 307
Josh Blair, Pete Borrebach, and Noah Van Sciver all live in apartment 307. Not in the same apartment, but apart in 307s around the country. Eerie coincidence or convenient kismet? Whichever, it was enough to inspire a new 20-page, digest-size comic available for $3 through the Blair's Candy or Medicine blog.

Blair wrote a post called Why I Love Anthologies on his blog this week that I found very interesting. I agree with his point that anthologies are great samplers. I've also noticed a lot of different groups of comikers producing anthologies. These formal or informal collectives are driven by location (Good Minnesotan), schools (I Know Joe Kimpel), era (Time Warp Comix), or some other unifying factor. For cartoonists who are just starting out, these collective-based anthologies are ideal. Yes, the quality of the content has a wide range, but that's part of what makes them enticing—the chance to discover someone new.

Cute But Sad
Howard Hardiman announced his Badger character from his mini comic now has a new website. Hardiman plans to update the Cute But Sad website weekly (Tuesdays) with new episodes of Badger revealing where he grew up, where he lives now, and continuing his adventures where his Badger mini comic leaves off.

C2D4 News
Writer Martin Buxton and artist Tony Wicks announced the first graphic novel from C2D4 (Comics to Die For) this week. The idea that we are products of our environment will be put to the test by alien beings living beneath our feet. The 120-page Jack in the Box graphic novel tells the story of a young boy abducted by interdimensional beings as a baby and forced to take part in a bizarre sensory experiment. The novel will launch officially at British International Comics Show (BICS) in October. Jack in the Box preview (in the gallery).

Thrilling Adventures #3
The resurrection of the classic Pulp Magazine continues! Add some adventure to your summer reading with the latest quarterly issue of Thrilling Adventures featuring a look at the weapons and combat techniques of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Martian Tales by T.J. Glenn, an exciting new adventure with some familiar legendary heroes from days of yore by Barry Reese, a classic Suicide Squad story by Emile C. Tepperman, and fans of comics set in WW2 will get a thrill out of cover artists' Jay Piscopo's graphic feature starring his hero, Commander X!

Comic Storytelling Class
If you're in Stumptown, cartoonist Aron Nels Steinke is teaching a Comics: Storytelling class this summer at Portland Community College. Check out instructor Steinke's Top Shelf 2.0 webcomic and more about the PCC Comics: Storytelling class.

More small press comic reviews from Midnight Fiction:
Gary Fields' Dog Comix #6-1/2 on Poopsheet Foundation

Josh Blair's Lunarcy on Comic Related

Call for News Items
Got a small, pressing news item? Send your mini comic and small press comic and pulp news to me for next week's Midnight Ramblings.

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