Little Teeth coming from Czap Books
Preorder Nov 1 – Nov 20
We are so excited to kick off our 2019 Spring season with Little Teeth, the new graphic novel from the Seattle-based team of artist Rory Frances and writer Jae Bearhat. Little Teeth tracks the relationships and struggles of a group of young queers living in the fictional Pacific Northwest city of Woodlands. Told as a string of vignettes and anecdotes, the reader follows the various subgroups of friends and lovers as they interact with each other and do their best to grow. As serious as that may sound, their vulnerabilities are covered up with humor, and it’s very easy to laugh even as we relate to their struggles.
Little Teeth will be released generally in April 2019 in time for convention season, with plans to be sold at MoCCAFest, TCAF, CAKE, and more. In anticipation of the release, Little Teeth will be available to pre-order online beginning November 1st through November 20th, 2018 at czapbooks.com/product/little-teeth. Pre-ordered copies are expected to ship as early as December 2018.
Little Teeth was first published online in installments on Hazlitt from Fall 2015 to Summer 2016. According to Czap Books publisher Kevin Czap, the comic was noteworthy for the “humor, inventiveness, and humanity” in its depiction of the ensemble cast. Bearhat explains, “Little Teeth has been a labor of love, but specifically a collaborative one, a work born intentionally through the back-and-forth between us. I feel like the process is essential to the stories we wanted to tell, stories that are told at the intersection of multiple narratives.” “Little Teeth is our baby,” says Frances. “We put a lot of ourselves into it and we wanted to create a world with queer characters that feels really lived in.”
On choosing to publish with Czap Books, Frances cites “they really care about their artists and what they’re trying to put out into the world,” while Bearhat adds “I’m glad that we are working with a publisher who understands the joy of communal creation, joining a library of other works that celebrate inter-dependency, community, cooperation.” The Czap Books edition includes the entirety of these installments, retouched and reformatted for print, as well as an additional 80 pages of story.
Preorder Now!Praise for Little Teeth
“Little Teeth is a total feast. It’s warm, biting, devastating in both hilarity and realness, raucous and sweet like a hard-partying old friend. Jae Bearhat and Rory Frances have brought to life a lush and lovingly rendered world of gay antics that is as comical as it is compassionate.” – Sophia Foster-Dimino, author of Sex Fantasy
“Little Teeth pulls you in with its impeccable grasp on how different personalities work and banter that never feels contrived. The ongoing glimpses of the lives (both outward and inner) of these critters will have you feeling their embarrassments, yearnings, and knowing all their inside jokes.” – Jen Lee, author of Garbage Night, Thunderpaw
“Some of the juiciest, messiest, realest gay animals that I’ve ever seen.” – Robert Yang, author of The Tearoom
About the Artists
Rory Frances is a Seattle-based cartoonist and illustrator, and is the author of the critically acclaimed webcomic Boys Are Slapstick. roryfrances.com
Jae Bearhat is a Seattle-based writer and is Editor-in-Chief of the video game and culture website ZEAL. jbearhat.itch.io
About Czap Books
Czap Books is dedicated to publishing comics that celebrate the poetic, the personal, and the weird. Their goal is to support and nurture a growing family of artists who pull from a wide net of influence and explore what the comics medium is capable of. They’ve published a collection of the Ignatz-nominated Bug Boys, work by Liz Suburbia and Jessi Zabarsky, as well as co-publishing the Ignatz-nominated Ley Lines series with Grindstone Comics.
1st November 2018
Notes: 6
Come See CZAP BOOKS at TCAF 2018, Table 111
It’s been a few months, huh? Ready to dive into convention season once again with the Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF) this coming weekend, on May 12th and 13th. What can we say, we love this show!
For the first time in the many years we’ve exhibited, Czap Books has finally migrated to the first floor! We hope it’ll still be easy to find us in the forest of people, because we are debuting the first half of 2018’s Ley Lines, with both authors exhibiting at the show. That would be “Skin to Skin” by Jia Sung and “Langeweile” by Oliver East. We also have a new mini-comic from Comics Mom Kevin Czap called Four Years, part 1. Other Czap Books and Ley Lines artists will be scattered throughout the show, like Jessi Zabarsky, Kelly K, Whit Taylor, and Tommi Parrish. Our dear friends at Silver Sprocket will be nearby as well, rolling deep as ever.
We’ll be holding it down on panels all weekend, with highlights including both Jia and Oliver on the Truth Comes Out panel on Saturday at 2:45pm, 21st Century Queer Romance, Saturday at 11am, with Tommi Parrish, the From Personal to Political panel with Whit Taylor bright and early at 10am on Saturday, and finally the More Life coming-of-age panel that Kevin will be on, Sunday at 3:30pm. (More of our artists’ panels can be seen in the graphic, and more information can be found on the TCAF website!)
Every year there’s far more to do than we can list, so please follow our twitter and instagram for on-the-minute updates. Jessi will also be signing copies of Witchlight on Saturday at 2:30pm and Sunday at 3:30pm, so be don’t miss out! ♥
Ley Lines: Langeweile
by Oliver East
Published by Czap Books x Grindstone ComicsFind time
Kill time
Repeat.The theme of “Langweile” is Martin Heidegger’s concept of profound boredom (Langweile is German for boredom. Literally ‘a long passing of time) and the structure of each page is based on the three stages of perception: retention, immediate present and protention.
The comic records a cyclical walk around the borderscape of an airport and ponders how one might better spend that time.
Oliver East has been making comics about walking and place for over ten years. He is the recipient of numerus Arts Council of England funding awards due to his unique take on illustrative reportage. As part of a visual artist/illustrator practice, he also creates comics and projects for the heritage sector, working with museums and social interest groups, and at various art galleries in North West England.
24 pages, Orange ink, Risographed, Saddle-stitched
5” x 7.5”
ISBN 9780997203295
May 2018
$6
ORDER HERE
Debuting May 12th at Toronto Comic Arts Festival
Reblogged From smallpresspreviews
Ley Lines 2018 Subscriptions
*** We’re proud to announce that subscriptions are now available for the 2018 lineup of our acclaimed comics series Ley Lines. ***
Called “gorgeous… flawlessly curated” (- Nick Francis Potter), Ley Lines titles have been included among the Notable Comics in Best American Comics 2016 and 2017.
Our slate for 2018 will continue to push comics’ boundaries and include new work from the following artists:
- Jia Sung on Madame White Snake and Belkis Ayón (February 2018)
- Oliver East on “Langweile” (Boredom) (May 2018)
- L Nichols on Ludwig van Beethoven (August 2018)
- Whit Taylor on the Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa (November 2018)
From March 1st until the 31st, the 2018 subscription bundle will be on sale for $20 at leylines.storenvy.com*.
SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
The subscription begins immediately with Jia Sung’s “Skin to Skin”, and include a 2” vinyl sticker featuring art from the issue. Each issue will ship when it becomes available.
Brooklyn-based artist Jia Sung is the art director of Guernica, and teaches at the Museum of Chinese in America and the Children’s Museum of the Arts. Oliver East, based in Manchester UK, is an innovator in comics known for work like Swear Down and Rolling Stock. L Nichols is a cartoonist, designer, mixed-media artist, and co-publisher of the Ley Lines series. Whit Taylor is the author of the recent Ghost Stories, co-editor of Comics for Choice, and has contributed to Critical Chips.
Ley Lines is co-published by Grindstone Comics and Czap Books, printed by Issue Press and will have a run of 500 copies per book thanks to assistance from Koyama Press. Subscriptions are available now throughout the year on leylines.storenvy.com.
*after March, the regular price is $28
Ley Lines 2018 Subscriptions
*** We’re proud to announce that subscriptions are now available for the 2018 lineup of our acclaimed comics series Ley Lines. ***
Called “gorgeous… flawlessly curated” (- Nick Francis Potter), Ley Lines titles have been included among the Notable Comics in Best American Comics 2016 and 2017.
Our slate for 2018 will continue to push comics’ boundaries and include new work from the following artists:
- Jia Sung on Madame White Snake and Belkis Ayón (February 2018)
- Oliver East on “Langweile” (Boredom) (May 2018)
- L Nichols on Ludwig van Beethoven (August 2018)
- Whit Taylor on the Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa (November 2018)
From March 1st until the 31st, the 2018 subscription bundle will be on sale for $20 at leylines.storenvy.com*.
SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
The subscription begins immediately with Jia Sung’s “Skin to Skin”, and include a 2” vinyl sticker featuring art from the issue. Each issue will ship when it becomes available.
Brooklyn-based artist Jia Sung is the art director of Guernica, and teaches at the Museum of Chinese in America and the Children’s Museum of the Arts. Oliver East, based in Manchester UK, is an innovator in comics known for work like Swear Down and Rolling Stock. L Nichols is a cartoonist, designer, mixed-media artist, and co-publisher of the Ley Lines series. Whit Taylor is the author of the recent Ghost Stories, co-editor of Comics for Choice, and has contributed to Critical Chips.
Ley Lines is co-published by Grindstone Comics and Czap Books, printed by Issue Press and will have a run of 500 copies per book thanks to assistance from Koyama Press. Subscriptions are available now throughout the year on leylines.storenvy.com.
*after March, the regular price is $28
Ley Lines: Skin to Skin
by Jia Sung
Published by Czap Books x Grindstone Comics“Do not recall in your sleep
Any of your siblings
Who cry over your shoulder”Inspired by the legend Madame White Snake and the work of Cuban artist Belkis Ayón.
Jia Sung was born in Minnesota, bred in Singapore, now based in Brooklyn. She likes dumplings and the subversive potential of retellings. In her spare time, she is a monkey. She is currently an art director at Guernica, Teaching Artist in Residence at the Museum of Chinese in America, and Teaching Artist at the Children’s Museum of the Arts.
24 pages, Teal ink on Insulation Pink (Kelly Green on Whip Cream cover), Risographed, Saddle-stitched.
5” x 7.5”
ISBN 9780997203288
February 2018
$6
ORDER HERE
Czap Books at CALA! Table 43B
And so we’ve come to the end of the road! We’re packing up for our final convention of the year, the fabulous Comic Arts Los Angeles (CALA). CALA has quickly become one of our favorite shows, and so we’re super excited to be tabling at 43B this weekend, 12/9 & 12/10 from 10am – 5pm. Like CAB, the show has a new venue this year, Homenetmen Ararat (Elevate Fitness Center) at 3000 Dolores St. LA 90065.
We’ll be in town a little earlier in the week, though, for the Fütchi Perf Release Party at Other Books on Thursday 12/7 starting at 7pm! This will be the last stop on my (Kevin Czap) mini-tour for the new Uncivilized Books edition and it’s going to be great!
We’re particularly blessed on the floor this year, sharing elbow room with Czap authors Jessi Zabarsky and Laura Knetzger, Cathy G. Johnson and E Jackson from Drawing a Dialogue, and Beatrix Urkowitz. We won’t be too far away from Evan Dahm, and we’ll have copies of his issue of Ley Lines. “Weird Territory” is a walk through the strange, inspired by the work of the Surrealists. Find it next to the rest of the 2017 schedule at our table!
(Hot tip - Rory Frances is going to have a print edition of Little Teeth, his comic with Jae Bearhat and it’s one of our favorites!! Find Rory near us at 39B - shhh)
As the days get darker and darker, events like this that are organized so lovingly and attract so many heart-powerful people provide a saving light. Really excited to see you there soon, and to help usher in a joyous new year to come ♥
We’re going back to Brooklyn! Very excited to be rounding out the convention season with another trip to Comic Arts Brooklyn on Saturday, November 11th at Table K3 (right next to Cathy G. Johnson)! This year, instead of the beloved sweat lodge in Williamsburg, we’ll be set up in the Lecture Hall at Pratt!
We’re very excited about this year because we’ll be debuting the 13th issue of Ley Lines, this one by longtime favorite of ours Evan Dahm. “Weird Territory” is a walk through the strange, inspired by the work of the Surrealists. This will be the first time you’ll be able to get the full 2017 schedule all together! This is also the fourth year we’ve debuted an issue of Ley Lines at this show - in fact, the line debuted back in 2014 with Annie Mok’s beautiful “Unholy Shapes.” Though that book is now out-of-print, there are plenty of ways to support Annie, so please do.
For once we’ll all be in one big room together, so come check us out at K3, towards the middle. L Nichols will be nearby at J2, and Uncivilized Books will be along the wall at B7. There’s going to be so much to check out at this show, we’re looking forward to seeing you there! ♥
New England!! We’re touching down this weekend, October 21 & 22, at the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo at University Hall at Lesley University, 1815 Massachusetts Ave (Porter Sq.). We’ll be selling some comics in the Eisner Level (aka the Basement) at table E116. Not only will we be surrounded by a bunch of our new CCS family, but we’ll be bumping shoulders with our original fam Jessi Zabarsky, author of the stunning Witchlight. You can find that at Jessi’s table, whereas we’ll have Ley Lines, Bug Boys, Úlcera, and Fütchi Perf from Uncivilized Books.
This is a super fun show, and as much as the midwest/rust belt defined our landscape for years, now that we’re soaking into being New Englanders, this feels a bit more like home.
Be sure to check out upcoming Ley Lines author Evan Dahm (“Weird Territory” dropping next month!) moderating the Worldbuilding in Comics panel on Saturday at 5pm.
See you soon ♥
I’m going on a little tour to share my joy over the Uncivilized Books release of Fütchi Perf!
Things kick off on Wednesday, September 27th at the fabled Bluestockings Bookstore in NYC for the book release event. I’m very very excited to be hosted there, and I really hope I see a lot of familiar and unfamiliar faces there.
Then I’ll be doing a reading at Copacetic Comics in Pittsburgh the next day, September 28th. Pittsburgh plays large in my first moments of being a part of this comics community, so it feels great to go back.
Over the weekend, I’ll be camped out in Columbus for Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC), returning to the show that helped begin this current chapter.
On the way back home, I’ll have a reading at Gutter Pop Comics in Buffalo on 10/3 - the great shop owned and operated by good friend and publisher Stephen Floyd.
After a little break, I’ll get to go home and read at Ada Books in Providence on Friday the 13th (in October, no less). Rumor has it this will be a double bill, shared with Mickey Z.
Again, I’m so excited about this trip, and I’m looking forward to seeing you all ♥
Here are the dates for the search engines:
- 9/27 - Bluestockings Books, NYC
- 9/28 - Copacetic Comics, Pittsburgh
- 9/30 & 10/1 - CXC, Columbus
- 10/3 - Gutter Pop Comics, Buffalo
- 10/13 - Ada Books, Providence
There will be a few more things to talk about down the road, so stay tuned!