FallCON12: Ablatio Penis, Prizon Food, Little Heart (on SALE), High Score

saturdaySATURDAYSATURDAY

At the State Fair Grounds in Minnesota, Will Dinski will have copies of his lastest comics masterpiece, Ablatio Penis, published by yours truly (2DC!) on hand for FALLCON, Minnesota's Comic Celebration!! SO, stop by his table and snag a copy, chat up the guy, will yah!?

copy of Ablatio Penis

Our pal, Ricky Schuster, of Prizon Food fame, will also be tabling at this weekend event. He'll have his usual 2DC published Prizon Food comics, PLUS some other 2DC titles like Little Heart, and High Score.

As a reminder, if you are new to Prizon Food -- buy 'em both together and you shave 2 bones off the asking price! Twice as nice!

Say, did I mention that Little Heart is 50% off leading up to the November election (also of note, this sale extends to retailers as well!)? Well, it is! It's a long-ish sale and a heck of a lot off the cover price -- we really want to continue the conversation as the elections draw near. In that line of thinking we also got a new web series for the book via our Little Heart tumblr that we are seeking submissions for. Please go check it out and submit something!

Lastly, we got this little antho, High-Score, about video games. Ties into Rusel DeMaria's big book of the same name (was a backer reward per his Kickstarter). Pretty rad!

They'll be plenty of friends and artists we adore at the show (Cannon Bros, Sam Hiti, Hannah Blumenreich, maybe Anna Bongiovanni -- heck, I don't KNOW!), so go there, wander around and see cool ship!

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!!

A Party with Prizon Food + Book Lunch

Criminy, criminy, criminy: CRIME does pay -- spend some of that extra time-crook-cash that you would waste otherwise and come on down to a free unique party performance book launch event type, uh, thing, featuring Party Food's latest live multimedia set. 

Slow down son, just what in the GIF is Party Food you ask?

Party Food is a multimedia project by MCAD grad Joe Gillette. Using puppets, video projections, and a symphony of chopped and screwed pop music, Party Food explores themes of love and loss, heritage and rebellion, production and consumption, [one big long fart noise] somethingsomething existentialism. 

Tell you MOAR?

http://prrtyfood.com has all the answers to life's hard blood filled questions.

But you only like comic books you say, well hey! YOU sir or ma'am are in luck! Also at this weirdo event we are launching Part 1 & Part 2 of the Prizon Food saga. The first booklet will be back in print and part 2 will see print for the first time! Whoop it up with Eric Schuster, Party Food, and the 2D Cloud gang (thus be us). Also of note, we will have on hand the usual gaggle of comic goodness. 

If the GIF is giving you guff, making your stomach ache and head churn, below are the specifics. 

WHERE//WHEN??

Doors at 7pm ///// LIVE PERFORMANCE begins at 7:30pm

Wednesday, April 18th @ The Regis Center

405 21st Avenue S Minneapolis, MN 55455

Room w130. First floor, west building.

And it's free??!

YES! Butt if you are in a giving mood, they will gladly take your suggested donation I am sure. 

Oh gee, you ask, can I make a reservation on the FB and invite all my friends!?

YES>PLEASE!! We WILL see you there.

2dc road hitting: part 1

With MIX firmly behind us and Raighne in the midst of getting Little Heart off the ground (look to your right), we thought we'd take a moment (or several) to give a little rundown of the whats, whoms, wheres, and whens for 2dc in the first half of twentytwelve.

First up will be Chicago Zine Fest, running March 9-10. Raighne and I will both be making the trek, where we'll be debuting a zine we pulled together in December 2011 and into January of 2012, Brothersister (cover at left). Our donators to the Motherlover Kickstarter are receiving advance copies, as this was made with that set in mind, but it was a fun little project to put together and it has a good sampling of work from both 2dc veterans as well as talents fresh to our pages. CZF was good to 2dc last year, so I suspect we'll see a repeat this year!

The next leg of our tour will see us out in Portland for Stumptown, running April 28-29. While Raighne, myself, and our better halves had one of our best out of town shows at Stumptown 2010, we're unfortunately going to have to miss this year's show. In our stead will be Vincent 'King Mini' Stall, who will be there to promote his new book published by 2dc back in November, Things You Carry, as well as make available the rest of the 2dc catalog.  If you're lucky, you may see some of Vincent's stellar mini's and prints hanging out with the old 2dc standby's as well. While we're bummed we won't be able to attend, we're very happy and fortunate to have Vincent representing us out there and know we're in good hands with him behind the table. 

May will see Raighne and I (Justin here, BTW), on the road again, but this time out to Toronto for TCAF (5/5-6)! We did this show back in 2009 and while we were still in the throes of some notable growing pains, the show itself and the city of Toronto were hard to top. If all goes to plan, we will be debuting Little Heart at the show:

Joining us at the 2dc table will be Ed Choy and Jeremy Sorese, both of which have lengthier contributions in Little Heart. Ed is one of the oldest 2dc artists outside of the original trifecta of Raighne/Meghan/Me that we still work with and we're glad to have him along. In addition to his 2dc work, Ed will have a couple of his own mini's at the show, one of which will be new! Jeremy was introduced to Raighne at MIX by the great Annie Koyama (who we're excited to see again!), and we were quickly impressed with his great color sense and dynamic compositions. Having him in Little Heart was definitely a boost and we welcome his presence at our table as well. A few other Canucks of note will be residing between the covers of Little Heart: Maurice Vellekoop, Michael Deforge, Kate Craig + Emily Carroll, and a foreword penned by Chris Butcher. All five bring various strengths to the book and we're very lucky to have them be a part of it. One side-note: Anna Bongiovanni will be found across the border this weekend as well, slinging her newest mini, The Offering, along with her other great prints and mini's, so track her down and help make her trip even more worthwhile!

*catching breath*...okay. A few weeks after returning home Raighne and I will be tag-teaming one of our old local favorites, Springcon! I'll be the guy to see on day one, while Raighne will be there with manic laughter and mustache in tow for day two. Nothing is set yet, but chances are this will be the first proper show you'll be able to pick up Prizon Food 2:

Details on a special release party for this guy are forthcoming, as Party Food has got something in the works. Check back here in April for more...

We've got about a month before we're back in Chi-town (6/16-17), this time for CAKE, otherwise known as the Chicago Alternative Komics/Komix/Komex Expo! Lots of people from our neck of the woods should be in attendance: Zak Sally, Nic Breutzman, Vincent Stall, Anna Bongiovanni all are confirmed, but I'm sure I'm forgetting more than a couple. 2dc OG Meghan Hogan will be there to debut the first in her new series of mini's titled Startled Maggie. Meghan always 'brings it' in ways we don't typically see in most comics, so I know both Raighne and I are looking forward to seeing what surfaces come June.

Alright, thanks for sticking it out if you're still reading, we have plenty of shows and books still in the pipeline for part 2 of twentytwelve, some which there have been murmurings of for a while now, others which only a select few are privy to. Trust me, you'll want to be checking in, more than a couple of surprises on the way...

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!