Kickstarter Successful

I am pumped! My kickstarter fundraiser for the El Vocho graphic novel is a success. I raised $1,255 to help fund production and shipping of the book. It's a tough market for the indie graphic novel right now, to say the least, but with a hybrid sales picture including various and sundry distributors, retailers and events, this book is in the black and garnering interest.

The fundraiser runs through December 26 if anyone still wants to order El Vocho, or get some cool art from me.

Classic Dog Boy comics, Cat-Head Imprint

I've added a complete seven issue run of my classic Dog Boy comics as a reward to my Kickstarter fundraiser.
I was fresh off the truck and ready to take over the multiverse with this title! These first Dog Boy comics (there were ten more later from Fantagraphics) helped define the cutting edge of 80s alternative comics.
All seven issues are available for a $55 pledge, a real steal no matter how ya slice it.

I have four sets available, then I'll take Dog Boy off of my Kickstarter page.


Click here to go to my Kickstarter campaign.

I Wanna Be a Tough Guy Like Emil Zatopek

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

I ran cross country in high school, and there was a lyrical freedom to the sport--running distance races over hill and dale in the brisk fall air. But inevitably, every distance race has a painful moment of truth. Running fast over distance starts to hurt, a lot.
What to do? Stop running? Slow down? No, the runner searches for a rhythm and focus that allows them to continue to the finish.
So I gotta admit that right now, my Kickstarter fundraiser has hit the painful part of the race. Off to a fast start, adrenaline carried me halfway without consequence. Now in the middle stretch, I'm searching for the rhythm to carry me successfully to the end. The mind plays tricks on you, it doesn't seem possible. But, I know from experience that it is, so I collect my focus, impose a rhythm on my effort, and continue.
My favorite distance runner ever, Emil Zatopek, won the 5000, 10000 and marathon in the 1952 Olympics, the only runner ever to achieve this feat. He managed his pain in competition with an array of horrible grimaces that diverted attention from his perfect stride. The effect, comic, inspiring, riveting.

I note that the title above is a link to my Kickstarter fundraiser, and that you can order my new graphic novel El Vocho there. Also available are acrylic paintings and original comic art by me.

Facing Hard Time in Oaxaca

Why did I write a graphic novel where the main character is a VW Bug?

Part of the story is here.

Photo of my 'n my Vocho in Mitla, Oaxaca by Carrie McNinch

El Vocho Kickstarter Campaign

I'm doing a Kickstarter fundraiser to help offset printing and shipping costs for my El Vocho book. You can check out the project by clicking through the icon posted below. Basically, the book is available for a $15.00 pledge, and you can go hog wild and pledge more for other cool stuff like T-shirts, acrylic paintings and the like.
There's a video in there too, with me coming on like one of them NPR geeks, begging for cash. This is publishing in the cyber age, I guess!

Here's a link to the El Vocho Kickstarter page.

Mexico Painting

Painted this fall for my old friend George MacDonald. Acrylic, about 39" x 56".

My Weekend Read: 99 Problems

Been reading 99 Problems: A Book About Running and Writing by Ben Tanzer over the weekend. Ben is the author of a couple novels and a stack of short stories. 99 Problems, available online, is comprised of ten essays on the subjects of running and writing. Tanzer describes the setting and experience of runs in ten different places. He ruminates on the cathartic benefits of the running life, but duly notes his sense of mission and compulsive focus on getting his run in. Once the endorphins kick in, the author moves onto his other obsession: His career as a writer. Ideas come to him, and problems solve themselves as he ticks off the miles.

I can relate to this book, both as a creative person, and as a fellow runner. I'm the target audience here! Plus, Ben and I have the same high school PR in the 880 yard run of 2:01, knocking on the door of the two minute barrier, always a worthy goal for a high school kid.

More Dia De Muertos 2010

Here's a few more photos taken over the past weekend in Oaxaca. The previous post has some description of the festivities.

Dia De Muertos 2010

Having lived in Oaxaca for more than three years, I'm starting to get a handle on Dia De Muertos.
It all starts with slightly officious, yet gratifyingly down to earth celebrations at schools and places like the Biblioteca Infantil, the Children's Library, where we saw a kid's movie workshop project that my son acted in, and a tight brass band playing Oaxacan classics and some smooth, upbeat jazz.



By October 31, it was on to the Panteon Xoxochitlan for the annual parade of revelers through the graveyard, with an outstanding selection of artisan wares available outside, and best of all, street food from well stocked puestos.
We had mushroom embanadas, adorned with everything from squash flowers to quesillo. Super fresh, piping hot with insanely great hot salsa and tomatillo salsa, your choice. Um, the graveyard is interesting too.



After these few years, I've come to understand that November 1 is the night to indulge in Comparsas, a combo costume parade, neighborhood outdoor movable feast, dance party and more with brass bands. Think Fellini movie come to life, and your getting close.



My family was invited to the Comparsa in Nazareno Etla, a town about ten miles northwest of Oaxaca. These folks organize the best Comparsa I've been too, with residents setting up a route that winds through town, stopping here and there for music, food and revelry. The costumes, amazing. There are groups of 3 to 10 people in the same superb home made costumes who have clearly been working and thinking all year about it. They surely have little costume clubs! Lots of the macabre, but really anything goes. Peacock boys to Wild Man warriors in feathered head dresses and gold body paint, you name it. Of course, lots of attempts at being sexy, some successful, some outlandish and hilarious.



Just got back from a visit to the Panteon San Felipe on the last night of the holiday. A warm, intimate scene of families camping at the gravesites of their loved ones, adorned with orange marigolds and red Flores de Muertos. Candles, picnics and mezcal in abundance, with roving musicians. Folks inviting their dear departed to come and sit with them for the night, it's that simple, and that deep just the same.



Here's just a few pics. I'll try to remember to post more!

Have You Seen the Dog Lately

Serena Makofsky is doing a new "print edition" of her humor and culture zine, Have You Seen the Dog Lately. Serena and her sister Jenny began the zine while attending Mills College in the late 80s, helped by friend Megan Tucker who had access to unauthorized nocturnal (free) copying.
After a brief hiatus, they jump started the zine again in '93 and had a splendid run until 2004 when Jenny died in an auto accident.
Serena is doing a kickstarter fundraiser to get the project rolling, here is a link to her kickstarter page. There are lots of cool things you can get if you support the project, including a copy of the zine of course.
I really like the video on her project page, because she's really cute in it. Did I mention that I'm married to her???

Ripe Pineapple Drunk live - the Dick Nixon Experience

July 22, 2010, the Mercury Cafe, San Francisco.



We rocked this one half decent, maybe because it finally got dark!

Brazen Marketing Overkill

Dick Nixon Experience Redux

More Dick Nixon Experience from the El Vocho party last July at the Mercury Cafe in San Francisco. Bean Song, Six Days on the Road, and You Got That Hair. Our drummer Jeff reports that his mom helped Dave Dudley write Six Days on the Road, no kidding!



Video by Norm Rosenberger

El Vocho Party, July 2010, with The Dick Nixon Experience

I held a publishing event last July 22 in San Francisco at the Mercury Cafe for my El Vocho graphic novel. My pal Scotty Hoover helped put together a pick up band, the Dick Nixon Experience, for the party. Another friend, Norm Rosenberger, shot this video of us playing the blue grass standard John Hardy. Thanks for the video clip, Norm!



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My new graphic novel El Vocho is currently in the Diamond Comics catalog: Page 290 of October Previews, order code OCT101061 EL VOCHO GN (MR). Diamond has listed El Vocho as “Certified Cool”.

Queens of the Underground

Here are a few more pics from the San Diego Comics Con of old. The spirit of the original Underground comics played forward and blossomed in some great indie/alt comics in the 80s and 90s. Other rich veins of comics history dove tailed with them as new forms and styles emerged.
As mentioned before, the parties were pretty good too. No, they were spectacular!


The Queens of the Underground, Dori Seda and Krystine Kryttre, 1987.


Bad Boy J.R. Williams laying it down on Dan O'Neill's banjo, 1987.


The brilliant original, J. Bradley Johnson in '95. I know it looks like he's about to shop for art supplies, but actually he is on his way to the Comic Con wedding of Rebecka Wright and Mario Hernandez!


Mary Fleener, the other Queen of the Underground, and Dave Scroggy. Look out Scroggy, she's about to play that old Beer/Portfolio trick on you! 1991?


Steve Lafler and J.R. Williams in 1989. Based on our poses, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say I'm two beers ahead of J.R.



Reed Waller and writer Ricard Von Busack, either '89 or '91.

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I'm reposting this at my FB page in May, 2020. It's great to look at these old photos again. Needless to say, back in the late 80s, early 90s, us Alt/UG types went to San Diego looking for a VERY GOOD TIME! Yes, we'd be on the con floor by day hawking our books and making deals, but the NIGHT TIME WAS THE RIGHT TIME! Ha ha.

San Diego Comic Con '91

Here's a few pics from San Diego in '91

Jamie Alder, Dennis Worden, Mary Fleener and Wayno. Mary posted stacks of great con photos a couple years back, at this link.


Leslie Sternberg ready to party


J.R. Williams and his friend the Liquor Store man


Kate Worley exhorts Gary Groth: With that pony tail, you can move mountains!


Reed Waller and Kate Worley

Hmmmm... I realize I left out a lot of over the top party shots. Probably for the best! I don't want to piss anyone off, or in my case, make a fool of myself!

Return of the Son of San Diego

More pics from the San Diego of old.


J.R. Williams, Carol Lay, Stephen Beaupre, David Wilson in '91


Steve Lafler and Stephen Beaupre in 1990, somehow alive on Sunday


Kate Kane and Jackie Estrada, maybe '89


Jim Valentino, Lisa, Steve Lafler, Larry Mardur in '89.


Carol Lay and Dan O'Neill in '87

I think I have a few more to post kickin around...

Son of San Diego

Back in the dawn of pre-history (in this case, 1987), the San Diego Comic Con was different. First of all, the long-gone Hotel San Diego was haunted, thus providing a perfect setting for late late night parties. I rooted through a few old photos and came up with these gems.



J.R. Williams, Dan O'Neill and Larry Welz jammin' late.



Ron Turner and Gary Groth on the floor of the old Convention Center



Art Spiegelman and Don Donahue signing stuff



Dori Seda all dolled up



Paul Mavrides and Bob Crabb are still awake!

I'm gonna post more, this is fun. A little bit of comix history.

Comics Journal Steve Lafler interview parts 2 & 3

Part two of the Comics Journal interview with me.

Part three of the Comics Journal interview with me.

El Vocho, my new graphic novel, is in the next Diamond Comics Previews (their monthly catalog). The order code is OCT101061  EL VOCHO GN (MR)
The listing is on page 290 of Previews.

So there you go!

Here we are, fine with me.

Comics Journal Interview

The Comics Journal has posted a career retrospective interview with me at this link.

I was interviewed by Robert Clough.

It's part one of three.