BW zine
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"In BW, cartoonist and comics archivist Jim Rugg curates a collection of brilliant, weird, oddball and otherwise graphically intense artwork from the
black and white comics boom of the 80’s and 90’s.
A master course in questionable taste."
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-- John Porcellino, King-Cat Comics
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The 80s
Black-and-White explosion blew
my mind.
In 1984, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird self-published the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Their success inspired thousands of others to enter the low-stakes world of black-and-white comic book publishing.
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These comic books came from towns all over America and featured some of the weirdest, wildest, best, and worst comics I've ever seen. I find them in basements, attics, online, at conventions and flea markets, and through a network of fellow collectors.
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The BW zine is a collage of panels, words, ads, logos, and art celebrating this distinct style and era of comics. These comics exposed me to concepts of creator-ownership, self-publishing, and alternative media that continue to inspire my comics and art.
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Here is a review from tcj.com.
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80 pages
black and white
8 1/2 x 11 inches
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BELOW is a documentary about a comics warehouse (New Dimension Comics, Ellwood City, PA) where I find some of these forgotten gems. The video is by Julie Sokolow and features comics artists - Jim Rugg, Ed Piskor, Tom Scioli, and Jasen Lex.