2013 state of the blaag address

This blog has been around for four years now. A lot has changed since I started it and I just wanted to give you all a quick update on the state of things. So far it’s been a really wonderful experience. I get all kinds of great stuff in the mail and have made some awesome connections with artists from around the globe. My personal life, however, is very busy right now and I’m finding it increasingly more difficult to find time to do reviews. I’m not going to stop doing them, but just know that if you send stuff in, it might take a while for me to get to it. So many great reviews zines, blogs, and websites have disappeared over the years, and I always hate to see them go (so many great ones still around). I really believe in the importance of a healthy underground press, especially for artists, so I will keep reviewing in whatever capacity I am able. If you keep sending stuff in, I’ll keep paying the rent on the pob, and will get to it eventually. Thanks for all the supportive emails, letters, and visits.

Bad Breath Comics #5

Bad Breath Comics #5 $2 Joshjuresko.com /// This is my favorite comic going right now, and I’m not sure why, because frankly, it’s so disjointed and downright weird.

It’s not weird in a shocking or surrealist way, but more of a, “What the hell is the point of this story?” way, and for some reason, I love it. I really like his artistic style, so that kind of explains why I like the comic as a whole, but that’s not it. What I think really appeals to me is that there is also a kind of subversive feeling to this comic in that the stories don’t flow together in any traditional sense, but all of them have the same spook-house-in-the-daytime kind of feel to them; it seems like you are walking into something dangerous, but you know that just beyond the thin metal walls, it’s light outside and your mom is waiting for you with some cotton candy.

Unsinkable: How to Build Plywood Pontoons & Longtail Boat Motors Out of Scrap

By Robnoxious $8 Microcosm 636 SE 11th Portland, OR 97214 /// The first part of this book is a how to guide on building motors & pontoon boats. It details all the materials gathered and purchased and has illustrations and pictures to walk you through it all. They built the boat for less than $100, getting most of the materials for free from scrap piles, which was pretty impressive. That’s only the first 15 pages of the book. The next 49 pages consist of the story of their three month long, 843-mile adventure down the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. It’s comprised of Robnoxious’s first person accounts as well as entries from the vessel’s log book. It has great pictures throughout that really enhance the story, and the story is a good one. A good read for anyone who likes adventure/travel stories, a great resource for those thinking of building a boat, but don’t have a lot of money.

Dodo Comics #3

Dodo Comics #3 $3 http://blog.grantthomasonline.com /// The cover says it all, “Abstract Comics”. That’s what this is. The entire zine consists of various panels of different black and white brush strokes and lines. No writing, nothing recognizable. Minimalist, like this review.