Tag Archives: slg publishing

Chip in and Help Save Slave Labor Graphics

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slave-labor-graphics-300Established in 1986, Slave Labor Graphics (SLG Publishing) has put out some of the most iconic comics of the past 30 years like Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, Squee, Milk & Cheese and more. Much of my reading list in high school was filled with their comics.

Times have changed and owner Dan Vado has turned to GoFundMe in hopes of raising $85,000 to help get the company back on it’s feet. He writes honestly as to where it’s at, and what lead to the situation:

Having weathered through three recessions and market downturns too numerous to count, SLG has long maintained an even keel through turbulent times. However the past few years a perfect storm of bad luck, bad economy and, yes, bad decisions have left the company on a terrible financial footing.

For a small business with a small staff, SLG maintains a fairly large footprint in the physical sense. Warehousing and storage account for a pretty large portion of the company’s budget.

Recently we were forced to relocate because our old building was being torn down. At the time I had a couple of choices, close up altogether or try and make a go of it somewhere else.
Not wanting to turn my back on a 28 year old business (which was struggling to begin with) I decided to try and keep going, adding a retail component to our storefront that we did not have before and add some other revenue streams to our gallery store as well as our publishing company like doing contract t-shirt printing and hosting live music. Sure, the smart thing to do was to just quit, but then publishing comics was never a really smart thing either, so go figure.

We had a line of credit, a couple of them, which I used to relocate with (this after a couple of different crowd-funding initiatives did not fund).

After running up our credit line during the move our bank decided to review our account and decided that the balance on the credit line was too high and, in their infinite wisdom, demanded immediate repayment in the form of a high-interest loan. This created a domino effect where, when reporting the change in my credit status to the various credit bureaus caused them all to cut my credit and in a couple of cases close my accounts.

Because of the nature of my businesses all of our debt was secured through personal guarantees and now I am in a spot where not only am I unable to get my business righted, but I have blown through all of my personal assets other than the home I live in to keep things going.

A simple bankruptcy for me is not an option as everything comes back to me anyway, so as much as this pains me to go this route I am asking for people’s assistance in helping me and my company get back on our feet. We are still in business right now, still trying to put out comics and are still running our gallery store and I am trying to keep both of these things running. However the revenue from comics publishing is not enough to keep us open AND pay down our debt.

We have exhausted all of the typical means of raising money, crowd-funding and sales eith pretty decent discounts being a couple of them. I am taking the GoFundMe approach because this is going to be an ongoing thing for the next couple of years. This isn’t something Kickstarter would touch anyway.

So, thanks for reading this and thanks for donating if you donate.

You can chip in now to help out, even $5 gets them to their goal.

SLG Announces a New comic from Gerry Alanguilan, creator of Elmer

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boldstarcover.1

I missed her, without even knowing her. Was that even possible?

SLG Publishing has announced a new comic novel Where Bold Stars Go To Die, written by Gerry Alanguilan, creator of the acclaimed Elmer: A Story About Chickens, and illustrated by Arlanzandro C. Esmena. The exquisitely drawn tale plumbs the depths of human dreams and desire, as the main character Daniel develops an all-consuming obsession with a long-forgotten sex starlet, a ‘Bold Star’, who were soft-core actresses – not porn stars or prostitutes – that had a  profound influence on Philippine culture and bled into the underground pulp Bomba Komiks of the 60s and 70s

Alanguilan’s affection for these maligned Bomba Komiks inspired him to create a Bomba-styled story with ‘depth, intelligence and substance’; which was also a  reaction against the 2009 Anti-Obscenity Bill, which attempted to censor all nudity in any Philippine media, regardless of the artist’s intentions. The artist, Arlan Esmena, a successful architect, vlogging partner and close friend of Alanguilan’s, passed away from cancer shortly after finishing the book, drew in a style reminiscent of classic pin-up art, Esmena’s ‘Bold Stars’ are alluring creatures who embody the earthy and ethereal qualities found in the most luminous of sexpots, paying homage to this distinctly Philippine phenomenon.

Together, Alanguilan and Esmera weave a tenderly-told story that casts a light on the uncharted territories of human longing for larger-than-life erotic icons, some of whom continue to ignite the most intimate of acts long past their prime; able to eclipse the finality of old age or death.   Where Bold Stars Go To Die is a lyrical exploration of nostalgia, impotent longing, and the power of fantasy to transcend the boundary between dream and reality.

Where Bold Stars Go To Die is a 72 page graphic novel coming in December 2013 from SLG Publishing, which also published Alanguilan’s acclaimed Elmer graphic novel. Going against policy, Bold Stars is being released as a print comic first before a digital release.

Where Bold Stars Go To Die is priced at $7.95 and has an isbn of 978-1-59362-281-7 and is set for a December 2013 release.

Review: Rebel Angels #1

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turner-rebel-angels-1Did you ever wonder what Milton’s Paradise Lost, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Children, and Monsters, Inc. would be like if it were set during a revolutionary war in Hell? No, you probably haven’t, because why on earth would you?! If, however, that mash-up sounds appealing, then you might think about checking out James Turner‘s Rebel Angels #1 from Slave Labor Graphics.

Rebel Angels #1 is a 70-page comic that is, as best I can put it, quite singular. Although it’s advertised as a Paradise Lost and Monsters, Inc. mash-up, it’s more of a vulgar and absurd story about hellions and their personal lives than it is anything inspired by Paradise Lost. The only Milton inspiration in the comic is the rare quotes, and the fact that it’s set in Hell…as far as I can tell, it could just as easily (and wrongly) be called an Inferno adaptation.

I didn’t particularly enjoy Rebel Angels, except for the art. Turner’s script is charmingly fun to read, but not really captivating; I wasn’t incredibly engaged in the story. As such, it would work well as a comic for youngins, if not for references to anilingus and violent beheading and the like, so it occupies an awkward position between readerships. At least in my opinion, though I know plenty of adults who appreciate TV shows like Adventure Time, and I do like DC’s animated shows, but I couldn’t really jive to the script.

Turner’s art, however, is fantastic, a beautiful and strange blend of cartoonish animation a la Craig McCracken (Foster’s Home, Powerpuff Girls) and an intense focus on architecture and background detail. Though I was not a huge fan of the story (in fact, I had a hard time being interested enough to follow the story), I would easily plaster a wall with the art from Rebel Angels #1.

James Turner’s Rebel Angels #1 is certainly a comic worth reading, if not to oogle at the art, and who knows, maybe you’ll be a fan of the story as well. It can’t hurt to pick up 70 pages of great, fun art for a solid price. It should be available soon on the SLG website, so check things out there if you’re interested.

Story and Art: James Turner
Story: 4 Art: 8 Overall: 6 Recommendation: Read

Slave Labor Graphics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Around the Tubes

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Tomorrow is new comic book day! What’s everyone getting?

Around the Tubes

MTV Geek – Op-Ed: Why The Archaia/Boom Merger Might Work Out Well For Everyone – It’s a good thing folks.

CBR – Dan Vado Discusses the Future of SLG Publishing – A good read and great company to support.

Spinoff Online – Deadpool is ‘Like the Worst Relationship I’ve Ever Had,’ Says Ryan Reynolds – I want this movie with Reynolds!!!

Stash My Comics – Geek Cinema: Confessions of a Terrible Critic – An interesting a funny read.

Deadline – Lakeshore Acquires Movie Rights To Graphic Novel ‘The Sword’ – I’m waiting for the complete bottom of the barrel to be optioned.

The Beat – Dragon*Con officially splits with accused molester Ed Kramer — UPDATED – About time.

 

Around the Tubes Reviews

CBR – Earth 2 #14

SLG Has Been Doing it For Years….

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Earlier today we began to report on Image Comics‘ decision to go DRM free and the hyperbolic and factually incorrect reporting that went along with it. From the original Wired piece.

It has also essentially prevented the comic book readership (or at least, the legal comic book readership) from truly owning any of the books they buy. At least until this morning, when comic book publisher Image Comics announced at its Image Expo convention that it will now sell all of its digital comics as downloadable via its website for both desktop and mobile users, making it the first major U.S. publisher to offer DRM-free digital versions of comics.

Except that isn’t true and Dan Vado, owner of SLG Publishing spoke out about that on Facebook.

Dan Vado SLG Publishing DRMThat’s on top of DriveThru Comics which is a DRM free digital platform (though they do mark the bottom of PDFs with a unique identifier), 215 Ink, Archaia, Top Cow (an Image imprint) and the numerous other creators who have been doing this exact same thing for years.

Graphic Policy Radio This Monday with Guest Charles Soule

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GP Radio pic MondayThis Monday is the latest episode of Graphic Policy Radio airing live at 10pm EDT. This episode we feature guest, writer Charles Soule. There are few hotter writers than Soule who seems to be popping out new projects like they’re PEZ.

You might know the writer from his cult indie comic Strongman by SLG, or his two volume series 27 by Shadowline/Image Comics. He was so good with that he’s recently taken over writing duties for DC‘s Swamp Thing, will be writing Marvel‘s Thunderbolts and DC”s Red Lanterns and this week saw the release of his Archaia series Strange Attractors in print. That’s on top of the series he has coming down the pipeline Letter 44 which you better believe we’ll be digging to get some scoops.

So join us this Monday to chat with one of the hottest comic book writers in the business as we chart his rise and figure out how he balances all of that with his music and more!

So call in with your questions, (619) 768-2952 or chat with us on Twitter @graphicpolicy

We’re also taking questions on Formspring!

SLG Publishing Releases Grubby Little Pieces of Filth!

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SLG Publishing‘s comic book series Grubby Little Smudges of Filth by Daniel Reed is a fantastic tale of one man’s art and how it is perceived. Grubby Little Smudges of Filth begins when a peasant farmer who is locked away in a prison cell creates  a work of art, quite possibly the most beautiful work of art ever seen,  from his own dried nasal mucus (boogers). A prison guard named Borrick and his wife discover the beautiful work and desperately to keep their little artist to themselves in order to profit from his talent. This proves to be no easy feet as the king, upon hearing of the artist and his creation, wants   t o keep the prisoner for himself.

Creator Daniel Reed spent three years working on the graphic novel which chronicles the epic adventure of an artist from his prison cell to the Kings’ Palace, as he travels across a land vast in scope and peopled by strange but very human characters.

I was trying to capture some of the feel of the movies and books that I loved as a kid in the eighties. Movies like the fantastic puppet driven Jim Henson titles and illustrations like those of the ‘pencil and dice’ gamebooks that were so popular back then.

Grubby Little Smudges of Filth is being released digitally as part of SLG Publishing’s digital first publishing program. Reed appreciates the new wave of digital work, whether because of it’s affordability for readers or the diversity of work available with only a click of a mouse. Reed said:

Because of this greater range, I find myself often stumbling across an artist or writer that I will then follow further through their career. Those who I really like I will spend the extra cash on a printed copy when that becomes available. Conversely, as a comic creator I feel that I have exposure to an larger audience.

Grubby Little Smudges of Filth is currently available as a digital download and in hard copy form. Grubby Little Smudges of Filth can be downloaded to a variety of devices from Comixology and from SLG’s own website at www.slgcomic.com/eyemelt in various DRM free formats. Issue #1 is free and each subsequent issue is 99¢

SLG Goes Robot with new series Model A

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ROBOTS HAVE HEART TOO
Model A Comic Book  Brings 1920’s Feel to 21st Century Comics

San Jose, CA – 6/18/2012 – Robots come in all shapes, sizes  and models and are becoming more and more a part of our daily lives. SLG Publishing’s new series Model A by  Jef Bambas’  everything we know about robots goes topsy-turvy when a machine built to serve is snapped out of his dull and uniform existence and discovers a world outside the confines of the one he was built to live in.

SLG Logo BannerModel A, gets a nasty bump on the head, he is released from his drone-like state and able to explore a brand new existence he never knew. But along the way, he comes across trials to test his own strength and trust in this strange life he has stumbled into. “Model A is about a robot that finds himself alone in a strange world that is seemingly out to get him, ” said creator Jef Bambas “and has to discover not only where he is and who he can trust, but who he is and what he stands for.”Model A

Despite the serious tone, Model A possesses a sense of humor that is not often associated with comics about robots. Using zero dialogue, Bambas gives a vintage, silent film feel to the otherwise futuristic comic. Model A is a labor of love for creator  Bambas who crafted the characters in the series years ago and played with ideas on how to create a world for them.  Combining with the hilarity of slap-stick comedy usually seen on shows like The Three Stooges, Model A creates a comfortable home for both dramatic and humorous situations. SLG publisher Dan Vado, has been pleased with the results. “Slap-stick! Robots! That’s the proverbial two great tastes. You can’t go wrong with that,”

Model A is an ongoing comic book series currently available as a digital download and in mini-comic form. Model A can be downloaded to a variety of devices from the iTunes store, Comixology and from SLG’s own website at www.slgcomic.com/eyemelt in DRM free formats (from the SLG site only). Issue #1 is a free download from the SLG website as well as from Comixology. The print mini-comic version is currently available only through the SLG webstore and select retail locations.

SLG Publishing Assists with Silicon Valley Benefit Music Collection

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MANY VOICES, ONE VISION 
SLG Publishing Assists With Charity Music Compilation for Silicon Valley Charity

SAN JOSE, CA – June 13th 2012 –  RadioActiveSJ, a group of San Jose, Ca.,-based music-related businesses, is releasing a benefit album titled The Sound of Her Voice, a compilation of original music by Northern California bands and artists that features female vocalists. Profits from the compilation will be donated to InnVision, a nonprofit organization  that is the leading providers of housing and services for homeless and at-risk families and individuals in Silicon Valley.

Sound of Her voice cover by Terry Fan

Ed Maxwell, of Local Bay Area Music, brought together this diverse group of business owners and individuals working to benefit both the Bay Area music scene and the community as a whole to form RadioActiveSJ. “RadioActiveSJ started from the desire to combine promotion of the local music scene with community events and charities,” said Maxwell, who donates his time to Bay Area musicians by running Local Bay Area Music, a Facebook page that serves as a clearinghouse for bands and venues alike. “The Sound of Her Voice not only provides support to one of the Bay Area’s best charities (InnVision), but it also showcases the incredible and diverse talents of many of the bands that make up the local music ecosystem.”

Dan Vado, whose’s art gallery in downtown San Jose serves as a part-time music venue for local bands, felt that the current times demand action on the part of businesses and artists. “Sometimes it feels like everyone is waiting for big brother to come and take care of all of society’s ills,” said Vado, who teams up with the San Jose Downtown Association every year to produce Zombie-O-Rama, a zombie walk that doubles as a food drive for local food banks. “Things only get better when the average person gets motivated and makes things happen in whatever way they can, and The Sound of Her Voice is just one small way some very motivated people can contribute to a great charity.”

InnVision CEO Christine Burroughs welcomes an alliance with RadioActiveSJ. “We are thrilled to partner with this amazing group of local artists and RadioActiveSJ,” Burroughs said.  “Local support is critical for the work InnVision does for homeless and at-risk families and individuals, and when our community comes together in such a creative and exciting way, our staff, volunteers, and clients are re-energized to end homelessness in Silicon Valley.”

The Sound of Her Voice features twenty songs by twenty different bands who all feature female vocalists. They are:

Girl Named T – This is All I’ll Ever Be
k.flay – So Fast, So Maybe
Kiwi Time – Believe Me
Cartoon Bar Fight – The Valley
Trash*Pop Icons – Baby It’s You
Ghost Town Jenny – Twin Heart
The SHE’s – Before It’s Gone
Sugar Water Purple – Bring Change
Loquat – Spiral Stairs or Escalators
Brooke D.- Drifter
Seeking Empire – Fairytale
The Corner Laughers – Transamerica Pyramid
Lia Rose – The Last Mountain
Cadent – What You’ve Created
The Wild Reeds – Dewdrops
Survival Guide – One To One
Doe Eye – I  Hate You
goodbye Gadget – Some Of This
Vida Killz – Untitled
Ash Reiter – Ishi

“What’s impressive isn’t just how many great Bay Area bands there are that have female leads in them,” said Lia Datla, who hosts Blacklight Findings on San Jose State’s student radio. “But that it was so easy to find these talented women; we could probably have gotten twenty more!”

The Sound of Her Voice will be initially released digitally via Bandcamp and can be downloaded at  http://radioactivesj.bandcamp.com. The cost of the download is $10 for the entire collection or 50¢ per track, and the profits will be donated to InnVision. The Sound of Her Voice will be released as a CD in the fall and debuted at several concerts and festivals throughout the Bay Area.

About Radioactive SJ

RadioActiveSJ is a group of locally-based music industry professionals who are donating their time to enhance both the quality of the music industry and life in the Bay Area.

RadioActiveSJ is composed of:
Ed Maxwell (Local Bay Area Music),
Barbara Wahli (Barb Rocks),
Kendall Sallay (Cartoon Bar Fight),
Amulya Datla (Blacklight Findings)
Dan Vado (SLG Publishing Art Boutiki & Gallery)

——
About InnVision:
InnVision the Way Home is the leading provider of housing and services for homeless and at-risk families and individuals in Silicon Valley, serving more than 25,000 men, women, children, veterans, and the mentally ill each year. InnVision has 39 years of demonstrated experience in successfully helping clients break the cycle of homelessness, operating 25 sites and providing 190,000 nights of housing and 425,000 meals each year. By empowering homeless people to gain the stability and skills necessary to reach independent living, InnVision meets both the emergency and longer-term needs of the homeless and at-risk in our community.

Disclaimer: The content, lyrics and ideas of each song on The Sound of Her Voice are those of the song’s authors and do not reflect the views of InnVision or RadioActiveSJ. InnVision is this album’s beneficiary and recipient of all profits, but did not participate in the selection of artists or tracks.

# # #

SLG Publishing Announces Meal Deal with the Devil

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SLG Logo Banner

SLG PUBLISHING TO SERVE UP MEAL DEAL WITH THE DEVIL 
SLG Publishing, Slabyard Sound, Horrible Comics and Bobby Joe Ebola and the Children MacNuggits team up for Meal Deal with the Devil EP and read-along storybook!

San Jose, CA – 4/26/2012 – SLG Publishing, known for it’s unique brand of comic books and graphic novels, has announced a new partnership to bring the comic book world and the music world closer together.

LG Publishing along with with Horrible Comics and underground comedy-rock legends Bobby Joe Ebola and the Children MacNuggits will release their first ever comic and record set Meal Deal with the Devil.

Meal Deal With The Devil combines a five-song CD EP (including two story-songs) from the devious San Francisco Bay Area musical satirists Bobby Joe Ebola and the Children MacNuggits with an accompanying read-along storybook,  illustrated by Jason Chandler of Horrible Comics.

Just like all those childrens books with records that let you know when to turn the page, Meal Deal with the Devil is the real deal, featuring three brand new & exclusive Bobby Joe Ebola tracks for bratty little monsters of all ages, as well as a two story songs tracks that you can read-along with! Chandlers detailed full-color art brings the MacNuggits wry, twisted humor to the page, an epic matchup that creates a hilarious carnival ride for the eyes and ears. This mutant offspring of comics and rock from the heroes of the underground is destined to be the kind of collectors item that wont stay on the shelf! The band is planning a summer tour to support the CD/Comic release and is planning on doing an acoustic set in some comic shops.

First formed in 1995, Bobby Joe Ebola and the Children MacNuggits have become legend in the musical underground of the Bay Area and beyond, with their infamously unpredictable mix of searing social satire, soaring harmonies, outlandish and shocking truths, and poop jokes. With a nod to social satirists like Lenny Bruce and George Carlin, and musical influences ranging from They Might Be Giants to DeBarge, Bobby Joe Ebola is the vaudeville routine for your personal apocalypse. The band is planning a summer tour to support the new book and record release.

Artist Jason Chandler is the mastermind behind Horrible Comics.  He also moonlights as lead singer for The Frustrators, a bi-coastal punk band featuring Green Days Mike Dirnt on bass.

Meal Deal with the Devil will be available July 2012 and will be sold in select comic book stores, record stores and on Amazon.com as well as through the bands website and the publishers website at www.slgcomic.com. Copies will also be available during the bands US tour at all of their tour stops.

Founded in 1986, SLG Publishing is the San Jose, CA based comic book and graphic novel publisher of such well known comics as Johnny the Homicidal Maniac (by Jhonen Vasquez) Pinocchio Vampire Slayer (by Higgins and Jensen) and The Ware at Ellsmere (by Faith Erin Hicks).

Slab Yard Sound is the SLG Publishing music label which provides music production and distribution services to bands seeking to start their own lables.

www.slgcomic.com
www.slabyardsound.com

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