I have a handful of new subscribers after re-promoting this substack on IG: welcome! I started this newsletter two years ago, when Twitter was bought and my virtual comics community started fleeing; now the same thing is happening on Instagram, with Meta mining all our images for AI training. Did you know Squarespace is doing the same thing? It’s all a scam, but until there’s a better way to keep in touch with far flung friends & readers, I’ll be keeping this free-forever substack as the best way to share news, new work, and intermittent diary comics. The archives are available to read at your leisure & pleasure, all my arts & farts & crafts. I used to make drawings: CAVE drawings, which is my way of saying we were cavemen. Etc etc. Alan Shemper out. -mg
If you’re in Chicago this weekend and looking for something fun to do, please stop by Zine Not Dead Fest! I’ll be tabling in the basement of Grace Church in Logan Square *this Saturday* June 15, noon to 6pm. I’ll have all my old comics, plus the debut of On Fire and Pensacola, and also two new minicomics by my kids, Lightning Bolt City and The Codpiece of Destiny: #1 and #2. (Speaking of On Fire and Pensacola: preorders are packaged and will go out tomorrow—thanks to everyone who preordered, books are coming to you shortly!)
If you can’t make it to ZNDF, I’ll also be tabling locally at CAKE on August 25-26, and at Chicago Zine Fest on October 5. I’m also thrilled to return to tabling at CXC in Columbus Ohio at the end of September, and I’ll be at SPX on Saturday Sept 14 with Radiator Comics and Silver Sprocket, celebrating the launch of Abortion Pills Zine. Hope to see y’all there!
I said I was going to slow my roll with diary comics and meant it with all my heart, but forgot that I was facing two weeks of mostly solo parenting again, which means evenings too frazzled to write productively but exactly the right amount of frazzled to draw quick comics while watching tv after the kids are asleep. I drew one page about a dream I had that I think is the most succinct and accurate page of comics I’ve ever made about what it feels like to be a parent.
Happy summer, beloveds.
xoxo marnie
Your comics are wonderful . They scooped me up and transported me into your world ! Thank you for sharing!
I really enjoyed this glimpse into your world! And it’s inspired me to do a haiku comic - thankyou for sharing your diaries 😊