FrameUps/Capstone Gallery Event + Little Heart & Arthur Turnkey reviews!

FrameUps/Capstone Gallery is hosting an event to support the efforts of Minnesotans United For All Families (www.mnunited.org). MNUnited is a coalition set up to support the freedom of marriage for committed couples. Their goal is to help defeat the proposed ammendment to the MN state constitution being voted on in the November 2012 election. 

Please join us for an evening to celebrate art and equality. Bid on a variety of work contributed by regional artists in our silent auction. Proceeds will go to MNUnited. Appetizers & refreshments will be provided courtesy of The LowBrow restaurant (www.thelowbrowmpls.com) and Anodyne Coffeehouse. 

Auction bidding starts at 6:00 and ends promptly at 8:30. Winners must be present at end of auction to pay for items won. 


Thursday July 19th
6pm - 9pmCapstone Gallery4325 Nicollet Ave SMinneapolis, MN 55409

Unfortunately, we won't be able to be on hand personally (day jobs), but we have donated 24 copies of Little Heart to this evenings event. Please consider checking it out and bringing some friends to the event!

Per the heading -- we've gotten our first 2 reviews of Little Heart recently! Below are 2 excerpts taken from the reviews. Both worth checking out the links.

"One of the great things about the book is its diversity; some pieces are in color, some in black and white, some are short and some are long, some offer traditional comics panels, some are more collage-y or use free-floating prose, some use straight text as a narrative tool, while some are much more open to interpretation. They’re all comics that show the great versatility of the medium, perhaps like the dynamic nature of human sexuality and relationships themselves. There isn’t a right or wrong way to do comics, they’re all valid. Maybe that’s too obvious an analogy for the comic book literati, but I think it works very effectively and is the underlying message in this project. It’s a great batch of comics, with an even greater mission. Grade A" 

--Justin Giampaoli of 13 Minutes and Poopsheet Foundation

"There's no question that it's a beautifully designed book, as all 2D Cloud projects tend to be, and I hope that it makes a difference." 

-- Rob Clough of High-Low and The Comics Journal

Over at Clogged, Jordan Kamin wrote up a nice review for the first issue of Arthur Turnkey! He says, "The art is crisp and fun and displays a visibly practiced hand, showcasing an effective yet playful feel." 

Noice!

Here is that trailer for the book again in case you somehow missed it. 

mini review madness and linkage quickie

"2d Cloud really is the rising star publisher..."

Justin Giampaoli of 13 Minutes and senior reviewer at Poopsheet Foundation.

Praise Jesus -- we got some very nice regards pointed our way! Head over to the Poopsheet for the latest scat spat of mini reviews by Justin Giampaoli. And I should add, we are in great company with this latest batch of reviews including 2 titles published by Sparkplug Comic Books; Nurse Nurse by Katie Skelly, Passage by Tessa Brunton (!)

Justin Giampaoli’s praise binge’r continues(!!): 

Arthur Turnkey part 1

“...one of the most gorgeous wraparound covers I’ve seen in a while, and it’s emblematic of the outstanding production quality I’m seeing on the latest batch of books from 2D Cloud.” “Grade A”.

Prizon Food part 1

“There’s something about the subdued humor and fantastical creations of Prizon Food that reminds me of the great Achewood by Chris Onstad.”

“The pages feel silky and I want to rub them all over my body, err, something.”

Prizon Food part 2

“You can’t help but appreciate the incredibly strong singular vision of Prizon Food.” “Grade A+”.

And if you missed these guys reviewed at Optical Sloth, here they are once again:

Arthur Turnkey part 1 

“this strange world and [its] sheer inventiveness... all are either nicely done or brilliant.”

Prizon Food part 1

“...a funny, intriguing and delightfully warped comic...”

Prizon Food part 2

“...this is one of those series that reads like a fever dream that should have been on paper ages ago.”

Alright, take a bow Toby Jones, Madeline Queripel, Alex Horab (Arthur Turnkey team) and Eric Schuster, Joe Gillette (Prizon Food team)!!

Come next week, we’ll be posting an interview with Vincent Stall on our brothersister site, the long in the works half-baked relaunch of Itchy Keen. We’ll be mostly covering last year’s release Things You Carry. Hope to see you there!


** ps // update :: big thanks to Justin Giampaoli and Kevin Bramer, glad and thankful that you dig the work!!

Things You Carry @ BCGF + New Books in 'da Shop!

If you're headed to the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Fest (and really why would you not be? unless of course you live thousands of miles away...), Santa comes early. Instead of cookies, bring cash-money's for gorgeous comic goodness. While we at 2DC will not be there, our compatriots at La Mano 21 and Uncivilized Books will be there representin'. Swag.

And speaking of Uncivilized, Tom K. will have Vincent "King Mini" Stall's latest and longest comic narrative at the show -- you know that awesome book pictured that we published last month, yep, that's the one! So please stop on by the table with Tom K, Zak Sally, and Gabrielle Bell behind it -- buy their books and Things You Carry!!

Oh and a small note on the snappily dressed chap -- (yep, that's a-me) Tom K, over at Uncivilized has some cool tee's featuring the 'caveman' logo and the one for True Swamp -- very metal! That's what I am modeling. I was going for that sexy underpants look as seen in those american apparel ads. Yeah, maybe not so sexy. Sorry Tom!

Using sex as a jumping off point -- we have 6 new items in the shop! The list includes the aforementioned Things You Carry, Motherlover, Arthur Turnkey Vol. 1, Prizon Food Vol.1 and two books of which have Pornhounds in the title. Those latter two are self published by Sharon Lintz -- who is awesome! They are all top notch books, so go check 'em out! 

A couple more quick notes: the two mini's, Prizon Food and Arthur Turnkey are in very limited supply but they will be getting re-printed very very soon! And for all the awesome folks that are waiting on their copy of Motherlover and other thank you gifts for throwing down the green during our kickstarter -- it's on the way. We are putting together some very cool extra special items! I think y'all will be pleased!

Things You Carry & MIX 2011

Thursday, yes this Thursday we will be releasing Vincent Stall's Things You Carry, a silent comic novella, into the willing wildness of your eager mitts for a mere 10 spot. As a part of the closing of his solo show at CO Exhibitions, there will be an artist talk, vessels in-which to whet your gullet with some of that liquid courage should you find yourself so in awe of the works at hand. Or maybe you are just a fellow awkward creative? Do not worry, Vincent has you covered -- have a drink, buy a gorgeous King Mini screen print, a comic book, mingle. It's going to be a fun opener to this years MIX festivities.

Oh, address:
CO Exhibitions
1101 Stinson Blvd NE #2
MPLS MN

+ FB event page

Speaking of MIX, why yes, yes you can catch the book and Vincent at MIX this weekend. (And remember, it's at the SOAP FACTORY!) However, not catching them at this specific event and you will miss the man's show; screen prints galore, installations, an artist talk -- the whole shebang. Things You Carry the show acts as a perfect companion piece to Things You Carry the comic book. Just check out the vid above already to help you make your decision.

Pretty neat, right? So come ON!




While this vid is not for MIX (and is 5 years old) BUT it does feature Luke and John Holden gearing up for a comic show. We got both of these lovely dudes at the 2DC tables alongside Nic Breutzman pimping their new comic, Motherlover. I've been blabbing pretty hard about this book due to the kickstarter we held for it just a scant week ago or so. If you somehow missed said blabbing, please by all means check out a preview of it here.

These 2 mini's are premiering at MIX this weekend as well. Today I biked over to Saint Paul to see how things are looking at the printer. Pretty good I would have to say.

Arthur Turnkey is an all-ages ongoing adventure serial by Toby Jones, Alex Horab, Madeline Queripel, Amanda Thomas. It's 32 pages and in color on quality paper.

Prizon Food is decidedly cut from another cloth -- I mean, it's not not an all ages book, but then again it might not be an all ages book either. It's also in color and while a smidgen smaller dimensionally, it's a bit longer at 48 pages and it shares the same quality paper stock. So maybe it is cut from the same cloth after all? Anyways, it's a Party Food off-shoot by Joe Gillette & Eric Schuster.

I will also be moderating two panels at MIX this weekend. Anthologies Anthologies Everywhere is the first one and it's on Saturday morning at 11:30am and will run for 50 minutes. Editors and cartoonists discuss the meaning of anthologies for readers and the industry. Cartoonists talking at the panel include Noah Van Sciver, Jordan Shively, Anna Bongiovanni, Tom Neely.

On Sunday, How Not To Succeed: Stories From When Things Went Wrong , get an earful of sweet comic wisdom from comic creatives as they discuss failure, success, and everything in between in a humorous and often self deprecating manner. Cartoonists involved include Julia Wertz, Nicholas Breutzman, John Porcellino, Zak Sally.

A fair amount going on this weekend at MIX. I do hope you all can make it to the show proper. It's going to be quite fun I think. There is some awesome events going on after the show as well. Check the MIX Parties pages for more info. Here is the poster for the after party that Nic Breutzman illustrated. Our own John & Luke Holden will be performing as a part of that after party. Hope to see yah there!