Minor Leagues #7 - 'Where?' Part Two

Minor Leagues #7: 'Where?' Part Two

By Simon Moreton

120 pages, B&W, cardboard cover with French flaps. Stapled. 22.8 cm x 21cm. 

£6 (or pay what you feel you can afford) + p&p

Minor Leagues #7 is part two of a four part series of publications in which Simon excavates and sifts layers of personal and social histories. (If you missed it, you should read my review of 'Where?' Part One). 

In short, Where? is a genre bending memoir - combining text, comics, collage, historical documents, and contemporary photographs. But it's much more than the sum of those elements - it's a brave work, richly evocative, and full of honest emotion. 

If you've experienced Simon's previous work you'll need no convincing to get hold of a copy, Simon's trademark art really works in this format, adding dimension to leaps in time. And if you're new to Minor Leagues I urge you to subscribe to all issues of 'Where?' as your starting point - it is a weighty, witty work that that genuinely pushes the boundaries of the factual graphic novel.

There has been a trend in zines over the last few years for high prices, Simon takes the opposite approach - offering a lower cost price for those who can't afford the full price. (Details of his pricing can be found here).  https://smoo.bigcartel.com/faq

Order info for Minor Leagues #7 here:  https://smoo.bigcartel.com/product/minor-leagues-7-where-part-two

All four issues of Where? can be found here:  https://smoo.bigcartel.com/category/where

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Review by Nathan Penlington

Previous issues of Minor Leagues are reviewed here.

Tappavat Kädet #1

Written and drawn By Leo Kuikka 

23cm x 17cm, black and white, colour covers.

32 pages, with A4 translation sheet. 

What happens when you're up to date with the epic Finnish comic book saga Läskimooses? How do you manage the transition back to reality while you wait for the latest issue? With a spin off series of course. 

Tappavat Kädet (roughly Lethal Hands) is set in the same universe, but separated from it as a self contained story. The narrative centres around the thoroughly dislikable Pasi Lihavisto. We follow the trudge of his daily grind - sleeping at his office desk, drinking too much, escalating arguments with his wife, guilt ridden efforts with his children. His real life xenophobic tendencies lead to daily dreams of being a violent Chinese emperor, taken with enacting barbaric punishment to anyone that crosses him. 

The fantasy soon crosses over to real life as a mysterious heat takes over his hands - the best way to describe it is a kind of Kung Fu energy - a powerful weapon against those unlucky enough to get in the way. 

The frameless sketch book style of art gives a lot of fluidity and space to the narrative. It's a welcome expansion to the Läskimooses magaverse, although it's one that is only four parts long. 

Buy a copy here: http://www.kreegah.net/leo-kuikka-tappavat-k%C3%A4det-1.html

And don't forget to check out Läskimooses while you're there. 

Art School - Adam Void

Art School

by Adam Void

Approx 21cm x 27cm, zine fold into 7cm x 10.5cm.

One page double sided b&w on orchid stock

$1

A visual mash-up, collage, cut & paste mini zine from prolific artist and zine maker Adam Void. It's a kind of cool little zine, and a perfect example of Adam's seemingly ceaseless creation and his view on art - specifically art school. 

In Adam's own words: 

"Well, not just any art school. It's a remix of illustrations from the 2018 School of the Alternative handbook. So more like art school in the woods with spraypaint, bears, and a bunch of weirdos."

I've reviewed a few of Adam's other zines in the past - which you can find here. I've always valued his work, so I'm excited to see Adam's new venture, a partnership with Chelsea Ragan, called Cut in the Fence. 

Cut in the Fence is a zine producer and distro with a focus on graffiti, underground, and folk art. Go visit the website and you'll see some great looking stuff - I've been sent a few more things for review, which will be posted soon. I also really think the pricing is set at a level that is accessible. For that reason, be aware that lot of Cut in the Fence publications are limited edition, so if you see something you like, don't hang around. 

Buy the Art School mini zine here: cutinthefence.com/product/art-school-adamvoid

www.cutinthefence.com



Review by Nathan Penlington

Läskimooses - issue 43

Läskimooses - issue 43 

by Matti Hagelberg

23cm x 17cm, black and white, colour covers.

32 pages, with A4 English translation sheets.

****Läskimooses is an ongoing series. I've read and reviewed all of the previous issues - if you haven't read those reviews, I recommend at least talking a look at the first couple of posts to get a sense of the scope of this epic alternative comic.***

What happens after the end of the world?

What is the psychological aftermath of preparing for the end of the world that doesn't come? 

Close up detail of Matti's trademark scratch style.

At this point in Läskimooses these are the questions our protagonist and antagonist have to face. 

For centuries cults and religions have prepared for the end that never arrives, an enlightenment for a chosen few that is postponed indefinitely. Issue 43 also explores the absurdity of the idea that religious truth comes to those who sacrifice their sensory input to obtain a high level clarity of thought - chastity, starvation, isolation, light and sound proof rooms - all of which are also used as forms of punishment or torture. As history has shown us, sensory deprivation leads to madness unseen by those in the midst of the madness. 

There are flashes of the wider Läskimooses reality amongst the confusion and darkness, the detailed drawings standing out in contrast to the dark abstractions, before we're once again we're left with an uneasy cliffhanger. This is the dark underbelly of Läskimooses.

There is now an updated shop for international orders, where you can buy back issues by year. The sold-out issues have just been reprinted, so it's a rare occasion that all issues are available - so get in quickly! 

http://www.kreegah.net/l-skimooses.html

Or ask your local independent comics dealer to get Läskimooses  in stock.

You can also check out some samples online here. 

Review by Nathan Penlington

Läskimooses - year #7, numbers 41-42 (2018)

Läskimooses - year #7 (2018 - numbers 41-42)

by Matti Hagelberg 



23cm x 17cm, black and white, colour covers.

Page count approx 24, with A4 English translation sheets.

If you've been following my previous reviews you'll be pleased to know we've finally caught up with the entirety of Läskimooses back issues, that's all 42 issues read! If you haven't read those reviews, I recommend at least talking a look at the first couple of posts to get a sense of the scope of this epic alternative comic. 

For me the strength of Läskimooses is in its ability to spin multiple stories simultaneously, contained within an overarching narrative. All of those stories have been teased out slowly, the threads forming knots, moments overlapping, subplots mirroring and supporting, but all a kind of mirage of air and deceit. Just when you begin to think everything that has to be said has been said, and you think you can see the general direction, there is a sudden surprise turn in the narrative. 


For example, you can't help but side with our conversationalist when he says: 

"I have a hard time taking that...[word redacted to minimise spoilers]...seriously...but if you say it went like that, so then it is like that". 

And in 2018, that is the cultural climate we're in, when the verifiable is secondary to hearsay and spin. During the seven years of its development it seems Läskimooses has come to contain more truth than contemporary politics (Hi there America, oh hello Russia. Sorry Brexit, I forgot about you). 


Fiction Vs Fact in 2018 - if you say it went like that, so then it is like that. 

Although my box of review copies is now empty, Läskimooses is still not finished (in fact issue 43 has just been published). If you've yet to pick up a copy get on board Läskimooses soon - hopefully this series of reviews has proved it's not too late to catch up. It's been an absolute pleasure to plough through them all. 


At this point I'm left with a dilemma. I would like Läskimooses to end soon, I have questions that are demanding answers, but I would also like the pleasure to continue for quite a while longer. Thankfully, we're looking at two more years longer. 




There is now an updated shop for international orders, where you can buy back issues by year. The sold-out issues have just been reprinted, so it's a rare occasion that all issues are available - so get in quickly! 

http://www.kreegah.net/l-skimooses.html

Or ask your local independent comics dealer to get Läskimooses  in stock.

You can also check out some samples online here. 

Review by Nathan Penlington

Forever And Everything #3

Forever And Everything #3

By Kyle Bravo

14cm x 21.5cm, 46 pages, 

$10 (plus shipping)

Forever and Everything chronicles fragments of everyday life with a young family, the struggles and joys of creating a new life and new art. We join Kyle and his family when their first child is a toddler, with another child on the way. As a dad of a two year old, there is a lot in Forever and Everything that speaks directly to my personal experience: the difficulties of explaining the world, and having to psychologically accept a psychotic range of emotional outbursts at any given moment. But there is a lot here for anyone, parent or not, who is a fan of the Chris Ware end of the comic spectrum. 

The stories are full of emotion and humour, wry observation, and an honestly that is beguiling. The simplicity of the drawing style contributes to the tone - going on one of the fragments in this issue they seem to be drawn with a ball pen, which is also part of the charm. 

It's hard to believe that Kyle only started making comics when his first child was born, Forever and Everything #3 is a confident and considered comic worthy of your time and attention. 

Buy a copy via Etsy: etsy.com/listing/640787451/forever-and-everything-3

You can also check out some of Kyle's stories on Tumblr - most of the comics in Forever and Everything #3 are brand new, and have not been published elsewhere, but this will give you a great introduction to his work.  foreverandeverything.tumblr.com

Review by Nathan Penlington

Wastes of Ink

Wastes of Ink

by Will Conway / tastes of ink

A7 zine fold from A4. B&W print on coloured paper. 

£1.50

Wastes of Ink is a hand-drawn and hand-written pocket sized zine, each page containing a witty play on words with a related illustration. Out of Will's work I've reviewed of previously, this zine is closest in style to More Snippets - as this too contains witty aphorisms with a poetic sensibility, think smart one-liners. 

Once again its difficult to give details of the content without giving anything away, but hopefully it'll suffice to say its pithy, irreverent, funny, smart, and well illustrated. 


Wastes of Ink is available to buy from Etsy: etsy.com/uk/listing/647353561/wastes-of-ink-will-conway

While you are there check out Will's other pocket money priced zines, more of Will's work is reviewed here.



Review by Nathan Penlington

Läskimooses - year #6 (2017)

Läskimooses - year #6 (2017 - numbers 35-40)

by Matti Hagelberg 



23cm x 17cm, black and white, colour covers.

6 issues, variable page count (approx 24-38 pages), with A4 English translation sheets.

If you haven't read my previous reviews of Läskimooses here's a quick recap from my review of year #5:

Läskimooses straddles experimental comics, diy culture, punk aesthetics, and graphic art. It's already the longest single comic book story ever produced in Finland, with about two years left to run. Läskimooses is written entirely in Finnish but thankfully, for the non-Finnish speakers, each issue comes complete with an A4 sheet containing English translations.

My reviews are taking the series year by year, until we catch up with the latest issue #42 - the full set of reviews will be found here, and like the the series itself it's probably best to read them in order. 

Year six of Läskimooses opens with the continuing story of Agner Mang - what unfolds is a story of a race with the dream of total planetary dominance, one that mirrors Earth's history of colonialism, with an additional secret society - a golden age conspiracy theory trope - at its core. 

But it's the last two issues of year six, particularly the bumper issue 40, that brings the larger narrative into focus and starts to tease at who is telling these stories, where we are, why we are here, and what our relationship is with the only other person in the 'now' of the narrative.

It's smartly plotted, edging the conspiracy theory satire into the formation of cults - the object of devotion being Läskimooses of course. The last issue of year six ends with six black squares, the final square just contains the words: "And Läskimooses didn't come". Another cliffhanger in pure Läskimooses style.

If you're reading the English translations you'll find a couple of small errors - a misplaced word, ie 'if' for an 'it', and once or twice you might find the page numbers don't correlate. But they are tiny, easily overlooked mistakes in an epic work. Certainly not enough to mar your engagement with the narrative. 

There is now an updated shop for international orders, where you can buy back issues by year. The sold-out issues have just been reprinted, so it's a rare occasion that all issues are available - so get in quickly! 

http://www.kreegah.net/l-skimooses.html

Or ask your local independent comics dealer to get Läskimooses  in stock.

You can also check out some samples online here. 


Review by Nathan Penlington

What Cubehead Thinks

What Cubehead thinks (souls)

by Will Conway / tastes of ink

A7 zine fold from A4. B&W print on coloured paper. 

£1.50

The third issue of What Cubehead Thinks tackles the shadowy spectre of souls. 

I know, you're thinking that perhaps you don't need to listen to what a man with a cube for a head has to say about a topic religious scholars have been arguing about for centuries. But, within just eight pages, Cubehead pulls apart whole belief systems with a robust, smart, witty logic.

I can honestly say that even after only three issues Cubehead is becoming one of my favourite alternative comic characters, one that's perfectly suited to a pocket sized zine format. I look forward to more. 



You can pick up a copy on etsy: etsy.com/uk/listing/647357237/what-cubehead-thinks-will-conway-first

While you are there check out Will's other Cubehead zines - both of which (and more) are reviewed here.


Review by Nathan Penlington

What Cubehead Thinks

What Cubehead thinks (chickens & eggs)

by Will Conway / tastes of ink

A7 zine fold from A4. B&W print on coloured paper. 

£1.50

Another outing for the enigmatic philosophiser Cubehead. This time he turns the age old conundrum of chicken and egg on its head. If you think you've heard all the smart answers already, trust me, you haven't. 

Don't let the size of this little comic deceive you, it is smart, witty, and irreverent - its a must buy. 



You can pick up a copy on Etsy etsy.com/uk/listing/633526996/what-cubehead-thinks-will-conway

While you are there check out Will's other pocket money priced zines, more of Will's work is reviewed here.

Review by Nathan Penlington

Läskimooses - year #5 (2016)

Läskimooses - year #5 (2016 - numbers 30-34)

by Matti Hagelberg 

23cm x 17cm, black and white, colour covers.

5 issues, variable page count (24-38 pages), with A4 English translation sheets.

A few months ago Matti Hagelberg sent me a huge parcel containing 42 issues of his epic experimental comic Läskimooses, and as with everything else sent to me for review, I'm reading every word.  My reviews are taking the series year by year, until we catch up with the latest issue #42 - the full set of reviews will be found here, and like the the series itself it's probably best to read them in order. If you've read my previous Läskimooses reviews feel free to skip to the text below the next photo, otherwise here is a quick primer. 

Läskimooses straddles experimental comics, diy culture, punk aesthetics, and graphic art. It's already the longest single comic book story ever produced in Finland, with about two years left to run. Läskimooses is written entirely in Finnish but thankfully, for the non-Finnish speakers, each issue comes complete with an A4 sheet containing English translations.

Läskimooses contains elements of pulp sci-fi & pop culture, and the history of the universe. But in essence Läskimooses is a parody of conspiracy theory, you know the kind that underpins TV shows like Ancient Aliens - theories that begin at the fringes of reality and quickly veer off into unhinged absurdity. 

Again, it's hard to describe the content without spoilers, so I'll keep it brief. The first of this set of issues contains a disconcerting moment, and with a tangible backdrop of underlying tension, the diverging narrative is continued. 

The art incorporates elements and styles from a diverse range of sources from The Flintstones to pulp gangster thrillers, via Planet of the Apes and children's illustrated history books. Every issue of Läskimooses also contains a photo-montage on the first page, as well as a detailed, and obsessively drawn image on the back page. It's an additional puzzle to try and fit each of them with the ongoing narrative, more often than not there is no direct correlation - but that obscure/d connection is part of the fun of Läskimooses. 

The back page illustrations for year five range from a couple in fancy dress as Jessica & Roger Rabbit, Hitler sleeping in a deckchair, the pyramids of Egypt, and cos-players dressed as He-Man and Skeletor. Maybe that search for connection is part of the satire on conspiracy theory - the willingness to find connection and causality where there is none.

I can confidentiality state that if you're this far into Läskimooses you'll be hooked. So, get yourself a subscription, ration your reading, and you'll be caught up as the final issue goes to print.

There is now an updated shop for international orders, where you can buy back issues by year. The sold-out issues have just been reprinted, so it's a rare occasion that all issues are available - so get in quickly! 


http://www.kreegah.net/l-skimooses.html

Or ask your local independent comics dealer to get Läskimooses  in stock.

You can also check out some samples online here. 


Review by Nathan Penlington

Keep Playing

Keep Playing
by Will Conway

A7 zine fold from A4. Coloured print. 

£1.50

Do you remember the advert for that awful board game called The Game of Life?

"Be a winner at the game of life, 

 Get a job - have money maybe

 Get married - have a baby..."

(You can find the advert on YouTube)

If anyone is compiling a Top 5 Pieces of Propaganda list, that game has to make it in surely. 

Thankfully, Will Conway has corrected the board game mechanism for real life, the result is the pocket sized satire Keep Playing. I can't say too much more without revealing the content, except to say it's funny and nicely produced - complete with hand drawn illustrations. A perfect zine to gift to fellow struggling game of lifers. 

You can pick up a copy on Etsy: etsy.com/uk/listing/607352139/keep-playing-a-board-game-booklet-will

While you are there check out Will's other pocket money priced zines, more of Will's work is reviewed here.

Review by Nathan Penlington