This is the photo account of Myfanwy Tristram (a cartoonist in normal life) where she captures a photo along a run she has done on that day.
It has a personal significance to me, the site of it en masse inspired me to create comic pages that got me back into drawing and making after many years of not making anything regularly.
What I like is that there’s always an engagingly open approach to interviews, it’s not focussed on just hearing about the work, it’s about talking about the person and drawing that out through shared experience or empathy
Nick is such a big part of UK comics history and how the small press bred such an amazing amount of talent. Starting off self publishing and all the creative freedom that allowed opened up opportunities to make truly great stories and it’s a path he’s followed with great success ever since
Star Jaws is not only a parody comic, it’s a parody comic with depth. Taking the Star Wars and other comics from the 70’s and 80’s as inspiration and remixing them for fun and commentary, it’s just great looking and fun reading
I have been anticipating the release of Coma for a long time. If you’re on instagram just go and dive into Zara’s stream and see how amazing his book is going to be.
I have a different version of this, with lots of yellows and it’s a beautiful looking comic and has a great sense of timing and humour to the writing as well.
'Coma' a graphic memoir documenting sudden illness and the power of universal stories is now available for pre-order with the marvelous @MyriadEditions Pub. May 2021. Huzzah!https://t.co/rfJjJOQK1D
Livor Mortis Zine is a DIY zine maker fascinated by decay and urban landscapes. He’s not just an individual maker, he’s a frequent collaborator so there’s a wide range of works to be found. His lo-fi approach and obvious sense of humour come through in his work.
NOTE – I have collaborated with Livor Mortis Zine on a zine
A part of UK comics for decades, Kev has settled into a groove of doing modern takes on Shakespeare whilst continuing his normal strips and kid classes. He’s a force for sure! He’s got his shop set up on there as well and the Prince of Denmark Street comes with my personal recommendation.
Coin Operated Press feel like they’ve really hit a stride during Covid, which is impressive when you think about it. Their Quaranzine and Vacczine publications have bottled that lightening on a fair few feeds that I follow.
(fully funded) finishes Friday, May 7 2021 11:34 PM BST
That art! You can see the influence of Jose Munoz, but it’s sort of like Paul Grist meets Munoz and I never knew how well that would work out until I saw this. The story seems intriguingly OTT as well.
(still funding) finishes Friday, April 16 2021 9:00 PM BST
I like the concept for the story and the backstory of how this came about
‘I am an English teacher in South Korea. I teach a class called the English Graphic Novel Project. The students in our wonderful class spent 16 weeks writing and drawing a complete graphic novel. The finished book was their FINAL EXAM.’
(still funding) finishes Sunday, April 18 2021 6:00 AM BST
10 stories of immigrating to the US. I particularly like that the organisation have paired illustrators from the same linguistic, cultural and regional backgrounds. There are some strong artists here as well.
(still funding) finishes Saturday, April 24 2021 3:55 PM BST
The tagline says exactly why it’s interesting – ‘A photographic book documenting the European techno-traveller free party scene from 1992-1996.’ – interesting photos looking at a scene that was quite mythical in my youth – something i really wanted to be a part of secretly (despite hating the music)
(fully funded) finishes Thursday, April 29 2021 12:05 PM BST
An interesting photographer, but also an interesting look at an under discussed part of the AIDS epidemic, those with haemophilia that received infected blood products.
(still funding) finishes Fri, April 30 2021 10:37 PM BST
I like reading people personal stories about something much bigger that is happening in society, so a journal of a trans woman’s transition is definitely of interest and this has some strong photography to go with it
(fully funded) finishes Friday, April 30 2021 11:00 PM BST
I think this explains why I’m interested
‘Beyond work establishing the Village Voice, John also co-founded The East Village Other. And during the peak of the 1960s, he spent a summer editing The Los Angeles Free Press. He then produced his masterpiece, Other Scenes, “The International Paper”, which Wilcock published from any city or part of the world he was presently visiting (and as a travel reporter for the NY Times, this was many places, often)’
(fully funded) finishes Saturday, May 1 2021 10:58 AM BST
An erotic comics anthology by 13 female and non-binary artists who are part of the Greek indie comics scene, that sounds like a great opportunity to find new work and different voices
This one particularly matches home for my own experiences. I’ve never attempted suicide but when I was a kid my then best friend did and I found them and it was horrible, for exactly this reason.
ZL – Let’s start with a bit of an introduction, can you tell us your name, where you live and what site(s) we can find you on and how long you have been reviewing?
RC – My name’s Ryan Carey, I’m from Minneapolis, and I’ve been cranking out reviews for about a decade now, first doing primarily grindhouse and low-budget movies, and gradually transitioning into reviewing more and more comics and art ‘zines as time went on. These days I’m more or less done with the film review game, although a lot of my stuff is still up at my old blog, Trash Film Guru, but my current ongoing concern, so to speak, is Four Color Apocalypse where I try to post two or three new reviews of things I find interesting every week, and I’m also one of the co-founders of comic arts non-profit Fieldmouse Press, where I both serve on the board and function as the “lead” critic of our website, Solrad, so you can find a new column from me on there every Friday, as well.
ZL – When and where did you publish your first review?
RC – I deleted my first review ages ago, and can no longer stand to look at my early stuff. I was a rank amateur and probably feel the same way about it that a cartoonist does about their early work. I was having fun putting my thoughts out into the world because I’m an opinionated bastard by nature, but at the time that’s ALL I really was. Today I flatter myself that I actually know what I’m talking about and am a better writer as a result, but hey — I’m sure there are plenty who would disagree with that assessment!
ZL – What kind of work do you review and what would you say are your two or three biggest comfort spots for work when reviewing?
RC – My favorite things to review are avant-garde and experimental comics, mainly of the self-published variety, that literally no one else reviews and that very few people are even aware of. I like to think that I’m helping good artists expand their reach and maybe even sell a few more books. I don’t know that I have any “comfort spots” — I prefer to read and review things that either make me actively UNcomfortable, or that at least force me to consider the ideas they are presenting, and the methodology they are using to present it WITH, in new and unconventional ways.
Mike Shea-Wright’s Beach
ZL – Describe your approach to a review.
RC – I don’t really have an approach, I just start typing. Really. One thing I HATE both as a reader and as a writer are belabored plot recaps, I think they’re a total drag and don’t prove that you UNDERSTOOD anything, only that you read it, so I tend to focus more on what the IDEAS behind a work are and an artist’s methodology. Anyone can write a story synopsis, but it takes something approaching actual skill to let someone know why that story is worth their time and money. I also like to review a lot of non-narrative work, so the idea of a story recap in that context is a complete non-starter. So yeah, I guess I’m more about “pulling things apart” and examining whether or not an artist has achieved what I feel they set out to do.
ZL – What would you say are the key things a creator should do or think about when asking for reviews of their work?
RC – Look at the work of the critic you are reaching out to first and decide if they’re the person you really want to be writing about your stuff. I get that there are so many homemade works out there these days that many creators are hungry for any kind of attention they can muster up for theirs, but seriously — I get inundated with stuff in the mail that just isn’t in my wheelhouse at all, and while much of it is probably quite good for what it is, I’m just not the guy to be sending your super-hero or magical girl comics to. Just as there are comics for every taste these days, there are critics for every type of comic, so focus your outreach on critics that you KNOW love to read, and subsequently write about, the kind of stuff that you make. This is advice that applies to my situation specifically AND to everybody out there in general, creators and critics alike.
ZL – Can you tell us about the review you’re most proud of and why that is?
RC – I’m exceptionally proud of my review of Alex Graham’s Dog Biscuits because it’s a comic that tons of people read but that a lot of people also imposed their own agendas onto as it was serialized rather than allowing the work to speak for itself. I like to think I cut through the extraneous bullshit and noise and really analyzed what Graham was communicating with the story. But hey, judge for yourself.
ZL – Lastly, can you tell us where to find your reviews please!
RC – As mentioned earlier, my own blog is Four Color Apocalypse, and you can find a bunch of my stuff at Solrad. I also maintain a Patreon, which I update three times per week and you can join for as little as a buck a month, so help a guy out with a little beer money if you feel so inclined by going over there.
not a full read, but some snippets from their photobooks. The images are mostly double page spreads and simple seeming, but evocative of a sense of alienation or the prosaic.
(still funding) finishes Fri, April 30 2021 10:37 PM BST
I like reading people personal stories about something much bigger that is happening in society, so a journal of a trans woman’s transition is definitely of interest and this has some strong photography to go with it
(fully funded) finishes Friday, April 30 2021 11:00 PM BST
I think this explains why I’m interested
‘Beyond work establishing the Village Voice, John also co-founded The East Village Other. And during the peak of the 1960s, he spent a summer editing The Los Angeles Free Press. He then produced his masterpiece, Other Scenes, “The International Paper”, which Wilcock published from any city or part of the world he was presently visiting (and as a travel reporter for the NY Times, this was many places, often)’
(fully funded) finishes Saturday, May 1 2021 10:58 AM BST
An erotic comics anthology by 13 female and non-binary artists who are part of the Greek indie comics scene, that sounds like a great opportunity to find new work and different voices
(fully funded) finishes Sunday, April 11 2021 1:06 AM BST
interesting creators and anything made over the funding target gets split evenly between the creators, always a fair bonus, I like the look of this one, it made me smile
(still funding) finishes Friday, April 16 2021 9:00 PM BST
I like the concept for the story and the backstory of how this came about
‘I am an English teacher in South Korea. I teach a class called the English Graphic Novel Project. The students in our wonderful class spent 16 weeks writing and drawing a complete graphic novel. The finished book was their FINAL EXAM.’
(still funding) finishes Sunday, April 18 2021 6:00 AM BST
10 stories of immigrating to the US. I particularly like that the organisation have paired illustrators from the same linguistic, cultural and regional backgrounds. There are some strong artists here as well.
(still funding) finishes Saturday, April 24 2021 3:55 PM BST
The tagline says exactly why it’s interesting – ‘A photographic book documenting the European techno-traveller free party scene from 1992-1996.’ – interesting photos looking at a scene that was quite mythical in my youth – something i really wanted to be a part of secretly (despite hating the music)
(still funding) finishes Thursday, April 29 2021 12:05 PM BST
An interesting photographer, but also an interesting look at an under discussed part of the AIDS epidemic, those with haemophilia that received infected blood products.
Here's the full rundown of all of our events this month. If something you wanted to attend is sold out remember you can join the waitlist! Be sure to check out our online zine fair which is OPEN‼️
Here’s a cover repro I enjoyed doing (tho it look longer than I expected) – the cover of MODELING WITH MILLIE no.54, June 1967 – after OGDEN WHITNEY & JOHN ROMITA SR 🙂 pic.twitter.com/9GWMmFQ7NF
Nyx – Hello! Thanks so much for inviting me to chat.
ZL – Let’s start with a bit of an introduction, can you tell us your name, where you live and what site(s) and how long you have been reviewing?
Nyx – I’m Nyx or Silver Nyx. I’m a zine reviewer living in regional Australia and have been reviewing for something like eight years now.
ZL – When and where did you publish your first review?
Nyx – I started and have always published my reviews on SeaGreenZines.com – though I don’t think I even had the domain when I first got started. I actually looked back and found my very, very first reviews – which are a far cry from the structure I have now (haha). Zines! Glorious Zine (Reviews)! – Sea Green Zines I still remember being so happy and excited about the world of zines and absolutely loving that blogging provided a way to share those passions.
ZL – What kind of work do you review and what would you say are your two or three biggest comfort spots for work when reviewing?
Nyx – I pretty much review anything except perhaps heavy political or religious things… but I haven’t had anything like that come in yet. I try to approach everything with an open mind. My comfort zones are definitely perzines, mental health/illness zines, and gaming zines. Of course there is variety in each genre, but I feel like I resonate the most with those.
Nyx – I think I started to touch on this with the previous answer in that I try to approach every zine I read with an open mind. There’s always something to learn, a perspective to understand (even if I don’t agree with it), a life experience I will have never otherwise known.
Structurally, I try to give an impression of the physical and artistic qualities of a work and the ways it resonated with me. Obviously my tastes aren’t always going to match with other people, so I try to give not only my perspective of why it worked for me but also why it might work for others.
I’m by no means any kind of professional or expert when it comes to zines or reviewing them. Sometimes I have one thousand words to share about a zine, and sometimes I only have ten. But if I’m excited about a zine, I’ll share those ten words just as passionately as I will share the one thousand.
ZL – What would you say are the key things a creator should do or think about when asking for reviews of their work?
Nyx – I have thought about writing a blog post on this particular subject a few times, but I always feel a little strange about writing how I’d like to receive something. That said, contacting me in advance isn’t a requirement by any means but is definitely appreciated. It gives me the chance to talk about things like my lacking knowledge regarding poetry or how long it might take for me to get to review a zine.
Whether I’ve been contacted in advance or not, I greatly, greatly appreciate a note. If you look at my reviews, you can see that I like to have a title, creator name, and one or two links (be they social, websites, shop URLs, etc). When someone saves me time finding this information by either having it in their zine already or including it on a note, it’s so nice. I received one zine that came with a note that had all that information along with price, a synopsis, and other details. That blew me away. But I just as often receive zines with no note, no contacts in the zine, and no mention of having contacted me previously. I like a mystery as much as the next person, but…
In general, I think it’s another case of putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. If you received something for review, how would you like it? Would you like any additional information not included in the zine? Those sorts of things.
ZL – Can you tell us about the review you’re most proud of and why that is?
Nyx – Oh, that is a tough one! I’ve reviewed quite a few zines at this point. There have been so much that has made me laugh, made me cry… There are times I’ve told myself I really needed to calm down or I’d end up writing a zine-length review of a zine.
I think, however, I will go with Pieces #13 on being a romantic asexual. Even though I’m not a romantic asexual, that particular zine opened up so much understanding of myself and my experiences thanks to Nichole sharing her experiences. I think that’s the review for me that felt the most raw… the most like I was sharing a part of myself and not simply reviewing a zine.
Etsy shop is shut at the moment, but you can sign up to get notification when they reopen
ZL – Lastly, can you tell us where to find your reviews please!
Nyx – www.seagreenzines.com is the hub for pretty much everything I do – especially posting my zine reviews. If you’d like to check out the zines I have reviewed in the past, I have the handy dandy zine review index here: Zine Review Index – Sea Green Zines
I’ve loved J Edwards work for a long time’ one of the first reviews I did was for his Blade of Arozone issue 1, which is a funny read with great looking art.