SPX Haul 2025: Reviews Part 2
In this installment: two micro-reviews of some zines and a special treat!
Back in September, I traveled down to Bethesda, Maryland and picked up a whole host of comics. Some are long, some are short. Not sure if all are good as I haven't read most of them. That's what we're here to find out. As I read through my pile, I'll be typing up reviews and sending them out. Some installments might have a few, some may have one. All depends on how much I feel I need to write and how many I've read.
In this second installment, I read two zines I picked up. I didn't pick up as many of these as I usually do. I dunno if there were less, if I went for the bigger ticket items, or if I just have amassed enough of them over the years that I already had most of them from the many artists I revisit.
Release: A Collection of Little Liberations
What a wonderful zine this is. Each page is a comic about a different kind of (generally wholesome) release. What I appreciate most are the many ways Ith interprets the word. The stories have, in this order, exploding boba, busted pants after a big meal, liberated chips, the dance of the checked-bag liquids, the end of the commute home clench, and a love confession! Plus, it features cats and the cover’s an homage to Delacroix’s “Liberty Leading the People.”
Silly, cute, and endearing. Very happy I picked this one up.
A Thing That Hasn’t Happened (Yet)
I didn’t pick up too many zines this year. I’d chalk it up to a lack of them at the con but you and I both know that isn’t true. I guess I was more focused on slightly larger and lengthier works.
I’m glad I opted to get “A Thing That Hasn’t Happened (Yet)” as one of the few because it’s an excellent example of the power of the short form. It’s essentially a six-panel newspaper strip with one amazing page turn (and one perfectly functional one.)
An autobio comic, it’s a thought experiment about what would happen if Jeffery were to allow herself to “fall to pieces” in the middle of her job as a Security Guard at UMFA. Upshot? Maybe it would get patrons to stop fucking touching the art. Downside? Snot’s everywhere.
All joking aside, the comic resonated with me. I feel like this more and more, tears and self-doubt and all those awful thoughts are right there, a moment of release away. Let the mind wander and suddenly my cheeks are hot and there are wet spots on the desk in front of me.
Jeffrey’s art captures this with a small, self-deprecating laugh through clear and expressive art. The pages are full, even when it’s just the top third of Jeffrey. “A Thing” also has a great sense of place for being so short. I keep looking at that panel of the lady touching the modern art piece and cackling. I know Jeffrey is on the floor in the foreground but the look of button-eyed contentment on the museum patron’s face is just so precious and perfect. I can’t help it.
And as a bonus for this shorter than usual newsletter....
Miscellaneous Art Prints
These are a collection of prints and stickers and art books I got that I don't really know how to review (and also gave as gifts) but wanted to show off. I figured this was as good a time as any. Look at all these talented people! I, uh, did not write down who I got some of the stickers from unfortunately. If anyone recognizes the Meta Knight or Shinobu, I would be forever grateful. As for the rest:
- Mili St. John did the Frog holding a Bunny sticker. They're from her Ignatz nominated comic "The Edge of Autumn," Volume one of which I picked up and is how I got the sticker!
- Abigail Lee, who you'll be hearing about when I get to one of the anthologies I picked up, did the "Let's Get This Bread" sticker sheet. I'm still cackling at the pun.
- "Standing Cats" is by recently-graduated CCS student Iris Gudeon (probably will be briefly reviewing this one later, since it's a comic, so no )
- "Doodle Cats" is by Rachel Dukes, whom you may recognized from "Frankie Comics," and is an adorable collection of, well, doodled cats. They make my heart full. Definitely recommend having to look at when you need a pick me up.
- The illustration of Joleyne in the top left was an anonymous print on the freebie table. I wanna know whose it was!
- The screaming cat sticker and four of the postcards are by Qu (related to their upcoming comic "Slices of Life" from Bulgilhan Press.) Gorgeous. Gorgeous. Gorgeous.
- The giant yawning cat is one of a set of postcards by Ananth Hirsch and Yuko Ota - of "Johnny Wander" and "Barbarous" fame - of photos they took on various trips and vacations around the world with cats drawn into them. They are all amazing.
- The milk cat print is by V. Gagnon, who I was very excited to see as I loved their art on "The Roman Stars." I love everything about this and it's not just because I have a sweet tooth, a weakness for cats, and an affinity for that shade of pinkish-orange.
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Elias Rosner
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