2017/2018 YEAR IN P/REVIEW

2017 was a hell of a year, and we all know it. On the personal side I spent much of it dealing with family health issues, which was hard too. I was always an idealist, but never an optimist. I don't know what this new year will bring, but let's hope somehow it's better than the last one.

Comics-wise, it was busy for me. In the spring I published King-Cat 77 and Jenny Zervakis' Complete Strange Growths book in quick succession. Then in the fall I put out a new edition of Pascal Girard's sweet and funny Apartment Number Three. Additionally, the fine folks at Uncivilized Books published my South Beloit Journal. These can all be purchased online at the Spit and a Half distro site.

Speaking of the distro, it continues to grow not only in size, but in the time it requires of me. I'll turn 50 this year and at some point I will need to refocus my attention on my own comics. But the distro is also such a big part of who I am, and how I want to function in this world. It's tough to balance.

Balance may be my key word of 2018. Things are out of hand -- in the world, in my head -- and I'm looking to restore some steadiness. On my Patreon page I wrote recently about the three things that have never let me down in this life: Zines, Nature, and Zen. As the world outside rumbles off its axis, I'm finding myself in retreat towards these grounding forces in my life. I also have the feeling that I'm running out of time. Fifty is young in most terms, but not for Porcellinos. I'm hoping I have fifteen more years. Anything beyond that will be gravy. If I'm looking at the limits of life in the suddenly foreseeable future, I need to make some serious decisions about what that life is going to entail. I feel like I'm on the cusp of change again.

One of the changes I plan to make is to limit my time spent on social media. In many ways social media was made for me as an artist. I love to share, to communicate, and especially in the form of small tidbits and little asides. But the rise of anti-rationality, argumentativeness, and snark on social media is depressing to me. I'll still be online on Facebook, and Twitter, and Instagram, etc etc, but in a less interactive way. If I can swing it. Addictions are hard to kick.

Meanwhile, this blog has languished somewhat. I hope to come back to it again this year and begin posting more things here rather than on other more corporate platforms. Look for my "Fave Comics of 2016" (!) list shortly, and then my 2017 List soon after.

I have King-Cat 78 in its wrapping-up phase, and hope to publish it in February. After that, the next two issues are already conceived and I should be able to get a lot of work done on them quickly, with at least one of them also being published in 2018. And my next D+Q book, From Lone Mountain, will be published in March, collecting King-Cats no. 62-68, plus bonus material.

So, we'll see. Thanks for all your support this last year, and all these years. It means the world to me.

Talk soon,
John P.

SPX and BEYOND

Hi everyone,

I won't be able to make it down to SPX this year in person, but Spit and a Half will be staking out a corner of the Kilgore Books table (I 8-9) where Jenny Zervakis will be selling copies of her acclaimed* COMPLETE STRANGE GROWTHS collection, and there'll be recent issues of King-Cat for sale, including the new one, #77. Please drop by and check it out. Jenny would be happy to sign your book for you!

Since last year's debacle I've told myself I will only do one "long distance" show per year from here on out, and this year that show is CXC in Columbus, to be held Sept. 30 - Oct. 1. I'll be tabling with good ol' Zak Sally at that show.

Then a few weeks later I'll be at the Saint Louis Small Press Expo on October 14, followed by my annual final show of the year, Milwaukee Zine Fest (Date TBA).

See you there!
John P.

*"Book of the Year!" -- Frank Santoro, Comics Workbook
"Book of the Year!" --  Ron Regé, Jr., Author of The Cartoon Utopia

MORNING GLORY RESTAURANT PRINT (STRANGE GROWTHS FUNDRAISER #3)

Wow, after a whole lot of fits and starts, the COMPLETE STRANGE GROWTHS by Jenny Zervakis is at the printer! Barring any unforeseen difficulties, it will be debuting at CAKE in June in Chicago. Jenny will even be on hand at the Spit and a Half table to sign copies! (See below for info about the book...)

I'm still raising money to cover the printing expenses, and am offering the following prints for those who may be interested. This is a design I've had in the back of my mind since last year. I finally put it together for a benefit art show organized by Matt Davis of Chicago's Perfectly Acceptable Press.

Based on the complete drawing I made for the cover of King-Cat #76, this is a memorial print of the Morning Glory Family Restaurant of Machesney Park, Illinois, which recently closed after a great many years of service to the community.

The image s available in two editions, one is the limited (25 copies) risograph run printed by Mr. Davis himself. The print is in black and metallic gold on a nice soft off-white paper, with an OFFICIAL™ Stamp of Authenticity on the reverse, and signed and numbered (again, on the reverse) by yours truly. The print measures 11" x 16" and is Suitable for Framing®.

 Morning Glory Restaurant, Machesney Park, Illinois

Black and Gold Risograph, 11" x 16"

Edition of 25

Prices include Shipping:

USA: $38.00

CANADA: $40.00
REST OF WORLD: $45.00

Payment via PayPal to kingcat_paypal AT hotmail DOT com

Thank you!!!

The second version is a hi-res inkjet print in black ink, made at home by your humble narrator, 8.5" x 11", printed on this delightful gold-foil embossed paper I got at Walmart. Signed and dated on the reverse, this is an unlimited edition. I'll make as many as I need for those who want one. And it's Suitable for Framing®, natch.

Morning Glory Restaurant, Machesney Park, Illinois

Black ink on gold embossed paper, 8.5" x 11"

Unlimited edition

Prices include Shipping:

USA: $23.00

CANADA: $30.00
REST OF WORLD: $35.00

Payment via PayPal to kingcat_paypal AT hotmail DOT com
Thank you!!!

Questions: johnp_kingcat AT hotmail DOT com

Still some cool old King-Cats available from our previous fundraiser! Click here.
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ABOUT THE COMPLETE STRANGE GROWTHS

Jenny Zervakis is one of the great unsung creators of 1990's DIY comics. Her zine Strange Growths was gentle and sincere at a time when most alt-comics were loud and sarcastic. They were poetic and allusive, delving into the heart of the human experience, and they were one of my biggest influences as a cartoonist.

In 1997, as the Spit and a Half distro grew, I had plans to begin publishing a series of nice but simple book collections of my favorite underground cartoonists, and Jenny was at the top of that short list. Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, I fell seriously ill and had to spend the next 10 or 12 years focusing on my health issues. So this publishing venture was delayed... for twenty years!

The Complete Strange Growths, 1991-1997 will be approximately 240 pages, and collect the entirety of Strange Growths numbers1-13, plus an assortment of rare comics from anthologies, and a new interview with Jenny conducted by Robert Clough. It should debut this June at CAKE in Chicago.

OLD AND RARE KING-CATS (STRANGE GROWTHS FUNDRAISER #2)

Hi Everyone, I'm still in the process of collecting funds to cover the publication of Spit and a Half's first book form publication: The Complete Strange Growths, 1991-1997, by Jenny Zervakis. The AFFIRM print sale raised around $600, and I'll be conducting a few more fundraisers in the weeks to come.

Below, I'm offering for sale a number of Highly Collectable™ and Potentially Lucrative®* OLD KING-CATS from my office stash.

These are in very limited numbers, so if you are interested, please write to me first at johnp_kingcat AT hotmail DOT com to confirm availability.

Thank you for your support!
John P.

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ABOUT THE COMPLETE STRANGE GROWTHS

Jenny Zervakis is one of the great unsung creators of 1990's DIY comics. Her zine Strange Growths was gentle and sincere at a time when most alt-comics were loud and sarcastic. They were poetic and allusive, delving into the heart of the human experience, and they were one of my biggest influences as a cartoonist.

In 1997, as the Spit and a Half distro grew, I had plans to begin publishing a series of nice but simple book collections of my favorite underground cartoonists, and Jenny was at the top of that short list. Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, I fell seriously ill and had to spend the next 10 or 12 years focusing on my health issues. So this publishing venture was delayed... for twenty years!

The Complete Strange Growths, 1991-1997 will be approximately 240 pages, and collect the entirety of Strange Growths numbers1-13, plus an assortment of rare comics from anthologies, and a new interview with Jenny conducted by Robert Clough. It should debut this June at CAKE in Chicago.

---

I'm selling the following old issues of King-Cat to raise funds for publication.

(Add $5 shipping per order in the US) 

 International Customers: I'll figure the cheapest way to get the books to your location and let you know the cost. Please include your mailing address when writing.

These books are in good shape, but may have a few dings, dents and corner folds. Best copies go to the earliest purchasers! Many issues contain oddities that have never been collected, like letters pages, Snornose pages, ads, photos, and other ephemera. ("Uncensored" pages are those which I edited for the book collections, usually to remove potentially litigable content.)

KING-CAT #27

The Second Racky Raccoon Issue

June 1991

The funniest King-Cat ever features Racky Raccoon eating a radioactive sour grape gumball and growing to enormous size. My tribute to the Jack Kirby monster comics of the early 1960's. Contains six uncollected pages. 16 page digest. SOLD OUT!

KING-CAT #48

Nuts and Bolts

May 1995

Contains "Nuts and Bolts," "Barr Lake Story," "Hello Death/Goodbye New Wave," and many more. Includes four uncensored pages. 20 digest pages. SOLD OUT!

KING-CAT #53

Perfect Example Volume II

February 1998

The second half of the story later collected as Perfect Example, features "The Fourth of July" and "Celebrated Summer," and includes two uncollected/uncensored pages. 44 digest pages. ELEVEN SIX COPIES AVAILABLE! $15.00

KING-CAT #55

The Owl

June 1999

Contains "Prick Test," "Spring Signs" One and Two, "Eyeball Lesson," "Ryokan's Moon," "The Owl" (collected in Diary of a Mosquito Abatement Man TPB), and much more. One uncensored page. 28 page digest. SOLD OUT!

KING-CAT #56

Punt No Tell

December 1999

Contains the book length "Punt No Tell," plus "Busy Bee," and Letters to the Editor. 28 page digest, includes extended uncensored sequence. SOLD OUT!

KING-CAT #57

Psalm

August 2000

Includes "Psalm," "Spiritual Light," "Spotlight on Pill Bugs," and much more. 32 digest pages, two uncensored/uncollected pages. FOUR SOLD OUT!

KING-CAT #61

Shoppin' with Ma

September 2002

Includes "Shoppin' with Ma" parts One and Two, "Bird Story," "First Hot Night," and more, including the rare, easily lost The Kukoc Cat Named Maisie mini-zine. 24 digest pages, pus 24 page mini. FIVE TWO COPIES AVAILABLE. $35

KING-CAT #62

The Sound of the Birds

August 2003

Includes "The Sound of the Birds," "Long Day," "Fabyan Street Bridge," and more. 32 digest pages. SOLD OUT!

KING-CAT # 68

Cloud Mountain

October 1997

Includes "Cloud Mountain" parts One and Two, "7 Weeks of Snow," "Anthill," Breathe," multiple Diogenes Stories, Warm Light," and more. 36 digest pages. To be collected in From Lone Mountain, Fall 2017. ONLY THREE TWO AVAILABLE. SOLD OUT!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! John P.

*Not all King-Cats go up in value. Some go down. WAY down.

AFFIRM (STRANGE GROWTHS FUNDRAISER #1)

Dear Everyone,

Back in 2005 I did a nice letterpress print with Alvin Buenaventura. A few of these went out into the world, but for the most part the project was lost to time. With Alvin's passing last year I got in contact with his family to see about the fate of some of his Pigeon Press publications and pick them up for the Spit and a Half distro (Sir Alfred #3 by Tim Hensley, Worst Behaviour by Simon Hanselmann, Facility Integrity by Nick Maandag, etc). At the time it was also confirmed that the family had located a stash of my 2005 prints.

They generously donated these to me, and now I'd like to offer them to King-Cat fans as part of a fundraising drive to help with the publication of the Jenny Zervakis Strange Growths collection this summer.

Jenny Zervakis is one of the great unsung creators of 1990's DIY comics. Her zine Strange Growths was gentle and sincere at a time when most alt-comics were loud and sarcastic. They were poetic and allusive, delving into the heart of the human experience and they were one of my biggest influences as a cartoonist.

In 1997 as the original distro grew, I had plans to begin publishing a series of nice but simple book collections of some of my favorite underground cartoonists, and Jenny was at the top of that short list. Unfortunately, shortly thereafter I fell seriously ill and spent the next 10 or 12 years focusing on my health issues, and this publishing venture had to be delayed. For twenty years!

The Complete Strange Growths 1990-1997 will be approximately 224 pages, and collect the entirety of Strange Growths 1-13, plus bonus comics and a new interview with Jenny conducted by Robert Clough. The book will debut at CAKE in Chicago this June.

In the meantime we're beginning to raise funds for publication. If you buy one of these Buenaventura prints, proceeds will go directly to the Strange Growths fund. A bit further down the line I'll be offering a preorder book sale, which will include some premiums from Jenny (color prints, drawings etc).

Supplies of the print are very limited, so please email me at johnp_kingcat AT hotmail DOT com before sending money. Thank you!

John P.

AFFIRM letterpress print by John Porcellino and Buenaventura Press, 2005

Edition of 100 plus artist's proofs
Approx. 9 inches x 8 inches

SOLD OUT! THANKS EVERYONE!

Please write to confirm availability before sending payment!

COST, INCLUDING SHIPPING:
USA: $35.00
CANADA: $42.00 USD
REST OF WORLD: $46.00 USD

Payable via PayPal to kingcat_paypal AT hotmail DOT com

A WALK IN THE WOODS AND LIFE

It's been a rough, weird spring, with health problems knocking me out and dropping me behind on everything and always trying to catch up and feeling like I'm never getting anywhere. So lately, I've been trying to keep things in balance, and that means getting outside and working in our yard, or going for walks in the woods and fields around Beloit.

As always, whatever state of turmoil I may find myself in, a walk outdoors usually relieves it. Recently I've been out hiking in the Stateline Restoration Prairie, where the June blooms are rockin', or out at the J. Norman Jensen Forest Preserve, where I keep looking for Pileated Woodpeckers, but only find beautiful Orioles or Goldfinches or Red-headed Woodpeckers etc.

One of my favorite bends in the Rock River.

 

Path into the woods.

Ruins of old fireplace, out in the woods.

Sometimes the world is so beautiful, it almost seems like I'm hallucinating.

 

Can you find the Great Blue Heron in this picture?

Can you find the muskrat in this picture? 

Keep runnin' up that hill.

Just another day in Paradise.

Otherwise, I woke up the Sunday of CAKE with more hearing problems. Not as bad as following DINK, when I went wholly deaf in my right ear, but bad enough that it got me thinking. As you surely know, I went though about a decade of very serious illness, during which time I became somewhat of a recluse. My health was not good enough to travel, except in the most emergency type situations. Finally circa 2007 or so, I finally began to feel well enough to get out on the road again. At first it was difficult, but then in 2009 I turned into a road dawg. I hit every show, festival, signing and event I could reasonably or even not-so-reasonably attend. It felt great after 10 years of solitude to get out into the world, meet people again, visit new places, etc. But I'm now beginning to feel like the energy and health I'd saved up in those ten years has dissipated again. Like it's time for me to pull back once more.

I've canceled my table at SPX 2016, my one remaining long-distance show of the year. The Jenny Zervakis Strange Growths book, which we'd hoped to debut at SPX, will now debut at CAKE 2017. I'll still attend the remaining few very-local shows left (Madison Print and Resist and Milwaukee Zine Fest, both in the fall), but otherwise I'm staying put.

Clearing my slate like this is a huge relief.  Summer is here, and I'm looking forward to spending it outdoors, or drawing my own comics, or watching the Honeymooners, digging in the yard or painting the shed. Planting some real roots.

King-Cat #76 is at the printers, and #77 is partway drawn, with all the pages allotted for. I wanna have that out before the end of the year. I wanna dig down inside myself again. I promise to bring out whatever I find there.

LOVE YOU ALL,
John P.

2016: YEAR IN PREVIEW

Hi folks,

It's 2016, and things are set to really kick into gear... I have high hopes for a productive year. For a long time, the unpredictability of my living situations led to me getting less work done that I would have liked, but now I find myself in Domestic Bliss: two dogs, two cats, a backyard with lots of birdfeeders, a stable, loving relationship with a wonderful woman... it's been great! So I'm really hoping to get back to a two per year schedule with King-Cat. KC #76 is already well on its way to publication (likely in February sometime), and that will give me plenty of room to get #77 out in the fall. Additionally, I'm finally going to be publishing my South Beloit Journal, a three month span of daily diary strips from 2011 (a few were excerpted in King-Cat 72).

Even bigger news is that this summer will see the release of Spit and a Half's first book form publication, a 200+ page collection of Jenny Zervakis' seminal Strange Growths comics. This is something I've wanted to do since 1997, and the time is finally here!

I'll be travelling some in 2016 too, but truthfully, I'm hoping to wind down the amount of road time I've been putting in over the past seven years or so. As I get older, it's begun to really wear on me. With the upgraded Spit and a Half distro site, it's now easier than ever to get tons of great comics delivered to your doorstep, so I'm hoping that will pick up some of the slack from me not travelling as much.

And finally, after a lot of soul searching and hand wringing, I'd like to announce the debut of my Patreon page. Patreon is a web platform that allows fans of an artist's work to make small, regular, monthly donations to help support that work. Mine is set up with a number of levels, where contributors receive anything from a simple "thank you" to an ongoing subscription program. There will also be an exclusive monthly e-newsletter for Patreon supporters, The Boney Island Observer, featuring chit chat, comics, photos, samples of work in progress, and up to the minute Groundhog news, delivered straight to your inbox.

I realize times are tight, but if you find yourself in a situation where you can afford to donate something, it would be greatly appreciated. As you no doubt know, comics and underground publishing are still mostly labors of love. Your support goes a long way towards keeping all this going.

Thanks! I'll see you around...
LOVE John P.