My favorite comics from the Shortbox Comics Fair (2022) (Patreon)

Hey everyone! The Shortbox Comics Fair is going on for the month of October and it's so exciting to see so many new comics all in one place, it really gets me motivated and inspired to make new things. I ended up getting 31 comics (which hurts me but at least I can do a tax writeoff!) and I wanted to show off the comics that stood out to me the most that I recommend everyone checks out. 

I don't really know how much I should be talking about each work, because on one hand I want to get into the details and point out characters and moments that worked for me because I would love if someone got as into the weeds about something I made too, but out of respect for the creators trying to make money from this event I think it's best to not get spoiler-y. I'll also stick to using images that the authors have put up to avoid overexposing parts of the comic that they didn't decide they wanted to share for free.

I have to start with my favorite comic from the entire fair, Hourglass by Barbara Mazzi. It's a 100 page graphic novel that's sort of a cyberpunk dystopian scenario with a steampunk aesthetic. I generally avoid steampunk for how thrown together and nonsensical everything can feel but Mazzi really stylizes the machinery and turns it into something more purposeful and deliberate. Maybe like a workman's version of steampunk. The basic pitch provided on the store page says:

"The Hourglass is called many things: the perfect machine, the source of all life, the fountain of youth. It promises immortal comfort to the privileged, but it also looms over its creators, making them slaves to its tics and gears. Martel knows that there are other simple, inexplicable things that give life meaning, way more valuable than eternity. A system built on rejecting such principles is beyond fragile - it is a ticking time bomb."

What really grabbed me immediately was the incredible artwork! The characters all had distinct looks and there was so much intricate detail that wasn't too overwhelming because of the simplification of forms, just incredible control of line weight and contrast across its pages. The layouts turn into pieces of art when it suits the moment but otherwise are straightforward and get out of the way of the story.

Mazzi's focus on characters before building out any of the lore is what really sold me on this work. A good handful of characters are introduced before we start to understand what the hourglass is, sort of seeing the gears of the story before revealing the machine in a sense; taking the time to put these relationships up front really works for the best and I may not have been as willing to digest the world building otherwise. There's a lot of great emotional tension within these characters and its great to see the motivations and desires of the workers rubbing against each other! I personally was really fond of Twenty Two, and even realizing I was getting attached to a side character felt noteworthy to Mazzi's writing. Luckily, there was preview that had some Twenty Two in it, so I can share her:

This story was really fantastic and I feel like it really deserves some sort of animated adaption. Not to make a statement on animation being the pinnacle of story or something because I personally prefer comics anyways, BUT I feel like this work deserves to be seen by more people and animation is where the general public is most willing to spend that time. Plus, it is just nice to see a work you like get adapted and you can enjoy the spectacle of seeing it move and get a more sensory experience with sound too. Anyways, this was my favorite comic of the whole 31 I bought and if you could only get one, make Hourglass your purchase.

-----------------------------

Next was Influenca by Jade LFT Peters. The store page lays it out pretty clear:

"Two years ago, the apocalypse started. Again. As zombies ravage  society, Influencas- professional zombie hunters- ravage social media.  When Dodie and Beatriz- the accidental founders of the movement- are  stuck in their bunker after a horde settles over it, what else is there to do but take a vacation? Told thru the lens of interviews, insta posts, and nostalgic reminiscing, INFLUENCA is a glimpse into a day at the end of the world, past and present, and what life looks like when the apocalypse becomes predictable."

The change in delivery styles across the comic is really fun and builds out a wider and more complete picture of the state of the world and the proper context without drifting too far from our two main characters.

The art style feels like there's a kinship with Anatola Howard's ink-focused work with the playful shapes, be it from direct inspiration or maybe parallel influences (just my opinion, of course). I think what grabbed me personally was a note at the beginning where Peters' thanks friends for talking with her about the story and debating the question of "is it porn?", which I feel a SERIOUS "same" in regards to making my own graphic novel. Sex is actually a part of the story here and I don't think it gets in the way or detracts from the narrative. We get an unfiltered view of the relationship between main characters Dodie and Beatriz that isn't afraid to be sexy and indulgent but is in service of the story at large, showing off that we still have our needs and desires and can persevere even when the world has gone to shit several times over. The body diversity is very fun too, it's just an all around good time with this read!

-----------------------------

After talking about those two, I realize I don't have enough in me to gush for all of the ones I want people to check out (this post has taken me days to get through haha). For the rest of these, I want to just share the covers of the other ones I liked a lot and want to recommend.

I Am of Two Hearts by Val Wise was a really thoughtful read and maybe a bit beyond my reach to explain but I recommend it! The art is beautiful and minimal at first and starts to play with texture as we get deeper into the psyche and mental state of our main character. Maybe a few too many blank pages for pacing than I would have liked, but maybe that's just because I was viewing it digitally and kept thinking that my PDF was messed up (but that's such a nitpick, really).

After Hours by Bowen McCurdy (Bones) felt like it was over just as it was getting started! No spoilers here but when the concept of this story revealed itself, it was a surprise and I wanted to see more of what was going on in this world and with these characters. I'm always a sucker for romance in general, and the drawings/color work was exceptional.

Are You the Girl From the Olympics? by Aimee Pong was a really lovely read about her experience learning to ice skate way too late into the game. Very personal yet comes up for air with some goofs that keep the work feeling light in a pleasant way. Makes me want to go back to the ice skating rink!

Run Wolf Run by Jona Li doesn't hide what it's about with its outline, A werewolf girl gets broken out of prison by a classmate and the two are on the run. This is one of the "part 1's" of the Shortbox Fair that I felt gave me enough to get invested and I'm excited to see where this goes. The art here has a cinematic feel, maybe like storyboards, and makes me think about the cartoon Infinity Train a bit which I enjoyed. I could see this work adapted to a mini series like that (if the story were to fit into that length, of course).

Ear Rice by Summer Kim was a short and somber story about death that feels therapeutic and personal, a calming read for anyone who may have the topic in their minds often.

Help! I Can't Stop Making Autobiographical Comics... by Jana Ribkina was very free form, being a creation made after their original comic idea fell through. Despite this, the stream-of-consciousness structure felt like someone voicing their thoughts right at me and it still comes together nicely by the end.

Sea Urchin 2 by Laura Knetzger was something I picked up despite not having read the first Sea Urchin. I didn't even notice that it was a continuation off a previous autobio comic because all I saw was her name and I bought it, being a fan of hers from reading Bug Boys. Maybe pick up the first one so the actual sea urchin metaphor can click, but otherwise I felt like Knetzger really tapped into a lot of things about a mentality towards creating art that I think a lot of people nowadays can relate to and can struggle with, myself included. It really resonated with me and I'd hope to see her continue to make whatever type of work she wants to explore and I'll be reading.

Food School by Jade Armstrong was really compelling story about someone struggling with an eating disorder. The awkwardness and hesitation of opening up to change and also the ups and downs along the way felt believable and immersive, but with a topic that doesn't lend itself to a solid "You're done! You're all better now!", I felt like I wanted more of the main character's journey by the time the end came up. A lot of really fun expressions and I love the sketchy quality to the inks. It plays with layout and different levels of stylization a lot throughout the pages that feels like 90s/2000s anime, they FEEL effortless and breezy.

Give Her Back to Me by Hana Chatani was a work that was a little confusing at first to be completely honest, since I personally have issues parsing more metaphorical artwork/storytelling a lot (since I tend to overfocus on clarity with my own work). I had to reread it a few times to understand who was who but after getting my bearings, it's a very expertly crafted story. Beyond the writing, Chatani is just fantastic at comics, with beautiful art with great balanced ink work that turn full pages into wonderful works of art. I don't want to say too much about the story here because getting the information delivered to you at the specific moments Chatani wants it to is what this comic is all about.

-----------------------------

I do wish I had the energy to try to talk about these more but I think I don't have the writing chops to do any of these justice like I would hope. I just wanted to point out the works I thought excited me and made me want to push harder on improving my own work. I love the idea of the Shortbox Comics Fair and would love to be a part of it some day if I can get accepted, but for now I will appreciate these as a consumer and hope that some of the karma will bounce back for me in my pursuit of making comics that others will love.

Go read all of these and also make your own comics!! Comics are entirely under an individual's control and are the easiest point of access for people to tell whatever story they have in them. There really isn't any money here on the level of the animation industry, but I think this is where the most interesting and personal stuff is hiding.

That's all I got for you all, read comics and then read my comic when it's done, haha! See you next post!!