HOBART

HO9 contributors in elimae

New issue of elimae is live, as it is the 15th of every month, and this month features stories by Hobart 9 contributors Kim Chinquee and Jennifer Pieroni. The stories are great, of course, as has come to be expected from elimae. 

HO9 contributor: Lilli Carré

A couple years ago, a new addition to the Best American series started: Best American Comics. It seems like, in the last few years, the number of cool and exciting things happening in comics has been growing exponentially, or at least my exposure to such has. The first BAC collected a number of artists I was already familiar with and loving (Anders Nilsen, Chris Ware, John Porcellino, and, of course, Lynda Barry and R. Crumb) but also had a bunch of great stuff that I wasn't familiar with (always the best facet of any kind of "best of" compilation). Possibly my favorite comic in the whole collection was "Adventures of Paul Bunyan & His Ox, Babe" by Lilli Carré. It is a simple story, and drawn in equally simple style -- all really clean lines, black only. Both the story and the art are deceptively simple in that it almost seems there isn't that much to it, but then you find yourself completely immersed, and then reading it again, and then still thinking about it days later and recommending it to everyone you can.

Of course, maybe it only had that effect on me, but this comic seems to almost be drawn specifically for me. Granted, it isn't about buffalo or magic tricks or video games, but Paul Bunyan should belong right up there in that category (as should all bearded, oversized personalities), and the way Carré draws is how I would want to draw comics, if I could draw. 

Lilli has a great homepage here, including a sneak peek of a couple panels from her work-in-progress, The Lagoon. 

Looks amazing, no?

The Paul Bunyan comic is part of her Tales of Woodsman Pete which, like I did after reading it in BAC, everyone should get a copy of right now! Seriously. If you are reading this blog, I all but guarantee you'll love it!

-aaron

HO9 contributor: Joe Wenderoth

I know very little about the poet Joe Wenderoth. I know that he went to Warren Wilson College to get his MFA. I know this because I did as well, and I took a photograph of his third semester essay. (I'll post it later.)

I know he's written multiple books of which I approve. I approve of them whole-heartedly, in fact. Mightily, I approve of them.

I know that he looks like, or once looked like this.

I know that he enjoys karaoke. Or that he feels compelled to participate in karaoke.

And a month or so ago, I found out that he has a Youtube account. Behold, the Youtube account of American poet Joe Wenderoth.

Behold, an embedded video from Joe Wenderoth's Youtube account:

-matthew-

HO9 contributor: Jeffrey Brown auction

If you've talked to me at any length in the last year or two, you've probably already heard me rave about Jeffrey Brown. In that time, I think I've bought every new book he's put out (including Clumsy, Unlikely, Bighead, Any Easy Intimacy, Be A Man (quite possibly a favorite), Minisulk, Every Girl is the End of the World for Me (in contention for best title ever), Feeble Attempts, Little Things, and The Incredible Change-Bots (a must for any guy who grew up on the Transformers, Go-Bots, etc.).

(I was going to link to all those title individually, but then I remembered that I am lazy. Here is probably a good place to start.)

Every time I go to the local comic book store, I feel the pull to buy another book even though I already own them all. I always figure, worst case I am supporting something good (the comic store, the publisher, Brown) and I can try to give away another book and make another fan. Also, every time I take one of Brown's books to the register, the sales guy says something about how awesome and great the book is, and I'd be lying if I said that getting the comic guy's approval doesn't make me feel proud. 

Anyway, Jeffrey has two one-page comics in Hobart #9 (about D&D and Warhammer 40,000), one panel of each being represented on the cover. With the titles "I Was a Level 15 Jerk" and "Reasons I Did Not Have Sex in High School" aren't you dying to see more than just the one teaser panel of each?

And, speaking of Warhammer 40,000, one page of original comic art by Jeffrey Brown is now being auctioned on eBay, the money from which is being raised for a good cause. Taken from the auction page, this is "the first item for auction in support of David Pirkola, the owner of Apparitions Comics and Books in Grand Rapids, Michigan, who's comic book store was robbed in April 2008.  During the robbery, David Pirkola was shot and critically wounded.  He has been getting better since the robbery, but still needs the help of the comic book industry."

-aaron

HOBART 9

Dear faithful Hobart blog reader(s),

In case there is one reader of this blog that hasn't actually seen the web update, HOBART #9: Games! is at the printer now and will be in the mail to subscribers by the end of the month. Also, for the next week, we are offering a discounted one year subscription (2 issues) for only $12.50! Here's the cover:

In the coming weeks leading up to the release, we are largely going to use this blog to feature the contributors to the issue, hopefully both building excitement for the issue as well as highlighting some great writers and artists. 

-aaron