Reviews

Some summaries of reviews of Jury Rigged Comics and other publications.

Optical Sloth recently reviewed PANEL X and said what we’ve all been thinking: “Well, it's about damned time they got to sex.” About Jury Rigged Comics creators: “Sean McGurr & Tim McClurg have a short anecdote called Third Moon From Endor, only loosely related to sex but the punchline is worth the ride.

Find the full review and reviews of all ten PANEL anthologies on the Panel Anthologies page.

Also catch Optical Sloth’s reviews of Jury Rigged Comics #1 & 2, Class of 2007 books, and Mini Ring King here.

On November 23, Dave Sim reviewed Panel 9 from Outer Space and Mini Ring King. He seemed to like both, saying of the latter “Very nice package, stylish and (as a ring fan in recovery) it attracted my attention.”

A few days later, Sim said about PANEL: Travel, “Those wacky Columbus, Ohio Panel guys get me every time."

PANEL/SPACE Parties

PANEL is sponsoring two parties the weekend of SPACE. I'll probably miss the first but attend the second. Should be a good time. Image by Tom Williams, press release from Tony Goins.

To celebrate the 2-day Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo, Columbus’ own Panel Collective is planning two days of parties.

Friday, Feb. 29 – Monkey’s Retreat

Join us for an art show and mixer at Monkey’s Retreat in Columbus’ Short North area. Monkey’s Retreat has been Columbus's best source of underground comix, art books, martial arts supplies and more since 1975 – a perfect match for SPACE. We’ll have a keg, but once that’s cashed there are several cool bars and clubs within walking distance.

Monkey’s Retreat
1202 North High Street
Columbus, OH 43201
8 – 11 p.m.

Saturday, March 1 – Momo2

Panel is taking you back to Momo2 for this year’s SPACE party. Momo2 features bowling, billiards, karaoke, bubble tea and a fine collection of Asian gifts and novelties. Momo has easy access to highways and several restaurants and bars nearby.

Momo2
2885 Olentangy River Rd
Columbus, OH 43202
8 p.m. - ???

Panel is a Columbus-based group of writers and artists. It features several working comics professionals, and it will debut its 11th anthology, PANEL: Work at SPACE.

SPACE, the Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo, runs March 1-2 at the Aladdin Shrine Temple. It brings dozens of the best regional and national small press comics.

Pyramid Scheme

For the next PANEL project--Work, the 11th volume--rather than put together a single book, we are packaging a bunch of books in an interoffice envelope.

I am fortunate enough to be working with Brent Bowman on this project, an idea I had kicking around in my head for a while. It is a triangle shaped book. I hope it isn't just a gimmick; I think the story is served by the shape. Both Brent and I added some neat little things to add to the story.

The book debuts at SPACE in a couple of weeks, but I'll sneak a few pages between now and then.

Here's the cover:

PANEL: Work (Vol. 11) Preview

The 11th volume of the PANEL anthology will be premiering at SPACE the first weekend of March. This will be the eighth time I've contributed and the first time working with Brent Bowman, a talented artist who brought to life my story. More about it in a later post, but for now, treat yourself to the packaging of the next volume themed Work.



Each inter-office envelope will be custom made. I'm not looking forward to that; even split among the group, it will be a lot of work. Tom Williams put together the logo. Members of the group are putting together a wide variety of books/projects to stuff in there.

Unmasked - Mid Ohio Con party

For the second year, PANEL is hosting a pre-party before Mid-Ohio Con. The free party will take place on Friday, November 23, from 8 PM till midnight. The venue for this event will once again be the awesome Underground at Barley's Brewing Company Ale House No. 1.

• The free party is open to all comic fans, pros, exhibitors, attendees, and friends and family.


• New this year: Live Art Throwdown! Show off your art skills. All artwork will be auctioned at the con, with proceeds donated to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and The Hero Initiative.


• Barley's is directly across from the convention center at 467 North High St.


• Below is the show poster, featuring artwork by the insanely talented Tom Williams.

We're Still Here

Despite the absence of new posts, Jury Rigged Comics is still hard at work. Thanks to Dara Naraghi of Ferret Press, Jury Rigged Comics books were available at Comfest in June. Thanks to those of you who picked up books. We hope you are enjoying them.

Jury Rigged Comics also has a shop set up at Etsy, a fun site here on the Internet.

And don't think we've forgotten what has made us famous: great comic book stories. As Panel prepares for their tenth anthology available this fall, Sean has written ten pages worth of stories to be illustrated by Tim McClurg for the book.

Also, Steve Black and Sean are working out details for a new series now. We are both excited about the potential for this book and hope to have more information in the coming months. In the meantime, look for the Manuscript to come out of hiatus soon.

SPACE Recap

Whoops, I never got around to posting about the SPACE show in April. The two-day event was decent. While I didn't sell a ton of Jury Rigged Comics, the PANEL books flew off of our table and the tables of our fellow PANEListas. In fact, we sold out of the Plan 9 from PANEL anthology that we had at the show and I still don't have a copy. Here's a picture of me with my tablemate, Andy Bennett.


We are both messing around on our laptops instead of working.

The SPACE Launch Party sponsored by PANEL was also a load of fun, despite the video game tournament taking place simultaneously at Momo2. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the table and the party. It was great to meet you all.

I don't believe the Jury Rigged will be setting up at anymore conventions this year, but I am hoping to put together a few books and other surprises in the coming months. Look for more information soon.

SPACE Weekend

This weekend is the SPACE show, a weekend I look forward to every year. In addition to showing off my new books, PANEL debuts a new book (Plan 9 From PANEL), and I get to pick up all sorts of small press goodness. This year, PANEL is also sponsoring a convention party on Saturday night. It should be a good time; Momo2 is a fun place with kareoke, bubble tea, bowling, and pool tables.

I'll be at table 100 with Tim McClurg and Andy Bennett. The rest of the PANEL folks will be all around us. Stop by and say hi!

PANEL: Plan 9: Another Preview

In addition to the four page story for PANEL: Plan 9 that I'm doing with Tim McClurg (see post below), I'm writing a script for a story that Steve Black conceived and is illustrating. It should be a fun story. Here's one of my favorite pages and you can see more at his LiveJournal.

In the Works

For the next PANEL anthology, I'm working on a story with frequent collaborator Tim McClurg. Actually it is two, two-page pieces. Tim is publishing some of the panels on his journal and I'm finishing up the script this week. In the meantime, here are a couple of panels:
First we have Dwight Eisenhower taking an oath of office. I like Ike.

Next, we have Sputnik. Don't worry kids, it will all make sense when you read the story. And you haven't even seen the aliens yet. Look for the book in April.

PANEL: Myth Review and Updates

Last week, Optical Sloth reviewed PANEL: Myth. While I didn't have a story in that issue, I still recommend checking it out. The story I planned for that issue, Wan Hu, the First Astronaut, was eventually published in Jury Rigged Comics #2, available in the shop.

A new page of The Manuscript will be up soon, but in the meantime, here's what you can look forward to in the coming months:

• Jury Rigged Comics #3 is in the works with at least two new stories and maybe a few extras. Look for it in April.
• Also in April will be a fourth edition of Class of 2006. If you'd like to contribute a head shot, drop me a line.
• Tim McClurg, Steve Black, and I are working on Mini Ring King 2 which is planned for April if we can get it all together.
• Finally, if I sit down and write something, I should have a piece in the next Panel anthology, the ninth one.

Review of PANEL: Travel

The reviews are coming fast and furious. The latest review by Size Matters is of PANEL: Travel, the eighth collection of our anthology. Overall it is positive. Read the review here. And of course, the book is available in the Jury Rigged Comics Shop.