Wednesday, December 27, 2023

Everything Sucks: All Cats Go To Hell! by Michael Sweater

While the world adores cats, Noah harbors a unique perspective: he believes they possess a deviously cunning intelligence, are inherently untrustworthy, and might even grasp the intricacies of deadbolts. 

Frankly, leaving him alone with these feline masterminds seems ill-advised. In his latest comic, Everything Sucks: All Cats Go To Hell!, Michael Sweater seamlessly blends '90s animation nostalgia, classic sitcom humor, and a dash of stoner comedy to deliver a side-splitting experience.

Buy Michael Sweater's Everything Sucks: All Cats Go To Hell! from the RoosterCow Store!

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

True Cat Confessions comic by Brandon Lehmann

True Cat Confessions comic by Brandon Lehmann illustrates a memorable day in the existence of an ordinary cat as it embarks on a mission to locate a suitable spot for its daily business. The narrative skillfully captures the spectrum of emotions experienced when entering unfamiliar territory, grappling with the emotional vulnerability of navigating unfamiliar surroundings, and mastering the art of social interaction. Buoyed by its triumph, the cat envisions grander aspirations, leaving readers with a highly relatable tale that is sure to elicit laughter, smiles, and a desire for a second read.

Buy Brandon Lehmann's True Cat Confessions comic from the RoosterCow Store!



Monday, December 18, 2023

PeePee PooPoo #420 by Caroline Cash

2022 Ignatz Award Winner for Outstanding Minicomic! Chicago comics creator Caroline Cash has become an influential figure in the indie comic scene for her comics that depict the everyday life of a twenty-something art school grad living in the Windy City. Explore Caroline Cash's contemporary, LGBTQ+ perspective on the '60s underground comic scene in this ongoing series! This edition features a cardstock foil cover and vibrant full-color comics. PeePee PooPoo #420 features the comics stories "Dinner Date," "I'm So Punk," "Tax Season," "Dyked and Confused," and more!

Buy Caroline Cash's Pee PooPoo #420 comic from the RoosterCow Store!

Friday, December 15, 2023

Everything Sucks #1 Comic by Michael Sweater

In Everything Sucks comic #1, Noah and Calla find themselves in an elevated state, craving munchies, and contemplating venturing outdoors. Regrettably, the outside world proves less than appealing – even grabbing a burger poses the risk of the entire place going up in flames! Michael Sweater weaves together '90s animation nostalgia, sitcom humor, and a touch of stoner comedy in this fresh series.

Buy Michael Sweater's Everything Sucks #1 Comic from the RoosterCow Store!

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

The Werewolf Expert comic by Brandon Lehmann

Envision your inaugural day at a prominent chain bookstore, and a customer strolls in, inquiring, "What do you know about werewolves?" Are you ready to assist them? You might discover that your knowledge goes beyond what you initially thought. Brandon Lehmann's concise yet impactful comic, The Wereworf Expert, is genuinely humorous, prompting audible laughter. Those who have experienced working in retail, encountered unforeseen customer service scenarios, or found themselves transforming into a werewolf without a clear explanation will find this tale incredibly relatable.

Buy Brandon Lehmann's The Werewolf Expert comic from the RoosterCow Store!



Monday, December 11, 2023

The Magic Sword comic by Brandon Lehmann


Have you ever embarked on a quest, stumbled upon a magical sword beside a rat-gnawed corpse, and pondered its potential benefits? Is it a sword +1 or a sword +5, and does it make a difference? This cautionary, plot-twisting, and amusing short comic, The Magic Sword, by artist Brandon Lehmann is a delight for those who have clashed with a dungeon master or pawnshop proprietor, contemplated the true essence of an item's magical attributes, or grappled with uncertainty about whether the adventurous lifestyle is the right fit for them.

By The Magic Sword from the Reglar Wiglar Store!







Friday, December 08, 2023

Home Alone zine by Billy McCall and Dave Hankins

Zinesters Billy McCall and Dave Hankins express their love for the Home Alone movies in zine form. Trading off short essays, the two compare and contrast the films in the franchise and review all the films, video games, and the first film's novelization. 

24 pages, half-letter size, B&W, with a hand-stamped red house on each cover.

Buy the Home Alone zine from the RoosterCow Store!

Thursday, December 07, 2023

Buzzcocks: The Lasting Influence of Pete Shelley zine

Within this concise and unauthorized zine biography of Pete Shelley and the Buzzcocks, Colin Burrowes employs a blend of personal anecdotes and documented history to acquaint the uninitiated with one of British punk's pivotal figures. Delving beyond the surface, Burrowes examines Shelley's past, notably delving into his queer identity and illustrating how it reverberates and resonates with a myriad of other musicians.

Buy Buzzcocks: The Lasting Influence of Pete Shelley from the RoosterCow Store!

Wednesday, December 06, 2023

Revenge of the Librarians by Tom Gauld

Tom Gauld is back with Revenge of the Librarians — his sharpest and most incisive assortment of literary cartoons to date. Impeccably crafted illustrations are interspersed with the artist's characteristic wit, targeting both high and low culture. Whether poking fun at Jane Eyre or Game of Thrones, Gauld navigates the literary landscape with ease. His satire takes aim at various figures, from the pompous procrastinating novelist to the commercially driven editor and the intentionally obscure poet. Witness the towering stack of bedside books, tremble at the relentless writer's elusive deadlines, and shrink before the critic's razor-sharp analysis of the manuscript. Most importantly, feel the pangs of envy in the face of the paragon of creative productivity! 

 Revenge of the Librarians surpasses even the levels of murder, drubbing, and castigation found in Gauld's previous works like "The Department of Mind-Blowing Theories" and "Baking with Kafka." This latest collection is a testament to Gauld's unmatched brilliance in delivering biting commentary through his distinctive illustrations.

Buy  Revenge of the Librarians from the RoosterCow Store!


Tuesday, December 05, 2023

The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin

Many renowned music producers are celebrated for a distinctive sound that defines an era. Rick Rubin, however, stands out for creating an environment where artists from diverse genres and traditions can delve into their true essence and authentic offerings. His approach involves guiding individuals to surpass their self-imposed limitations, allowing them to reconnect with a state of innocence from which unexpected brilliance naturally emerges. 

 Throughout the years, as Rubin has delved into the origins and limitations of creativity, he has come to realize that being an artist goes beyond the specific output; it revolves around one's relationship with the world. Creativity, he believes, is an integral part of everyone's life, and expanding that creative space is a profound responsibility. "The Creative Act" is an enlightening and generous course that unveils the artist's journey as a path accessible to all. Drawing wisdom from a lifetime of work, it transforms the accumulated insights into a radiant reading experience, bringing the power to create moments—and lifetimes—of exhilaration and transcendence within closer reach for each of us.

Buy The Creative Act: A Way of Living from the RoosterCow Store!

Monday, December 04, 2023

Boy on Fire: The Young Nick Cave

Boy on Fire is an intensely beautiful, profound, and poetic book exploring of the formative years of the dark prince of rock 'n' roll, Nick Cave. This biography serves as Cave's creation story, depicting the artist first as a boy and then as a young man. Offering deep insights into his family, friends, influences, environment, and, above all, his music, the book unveils the process through which a young Nick Cave molded himself into the extraordinary artist he would later become.

 

Beyond being a powerful account of a singular and uncompromising artist, Boy on Fire vividly captures a specific time and place. From the fast-running dark rivers and ghost gums of country-town Australia to the torn wallpaper, sticky carpet, and manic energy of the nascent punk scene that exploded onto the staid 1970s Melbourne like an atom bomb, the book provides a rich and evocative rendering of Cave's journey. Boy on Fire stands as a stunning biographical achievement.


Buy Boy on Fire from the RoosterCow Store!

Saturday, December 02, 2023

Forgotten Music Masters zine

Supplement rapper Lil Magneezy drawing

 If you’ve never heard of folk singer Seedy Jeffries, country music star Wilma Tilly, or blues singer Bertha Mae, Forgotten Music Masters zine is for you.


RoosterCow Press has published the first volume of the fictitious music encyclopedia zine Forgotten Music Masters. The lofty goal of this publication is to highlight the careers and contributions of the many bands, performers, and genres that have been lost to history, if only because they never existed in the first place.

Fans of This is Spinal Tap, Ken Burns documentaries, and music of all styles will appreciate Forgotten Music Masters. This 40-page digest book, written in the Wikipedia style, lampoons music history. Like any good satire, it relies heavily on stereotypes to draw connections to real-life music legends. For example, the zine highlights the repeatedly ripped-off African-American rock and blues pioneers Lil’ Mo Fiddle and Bertha Mae Mantis. The historical counterparts are many and include Little Richard, Luther Dixon, and Big Mama Thornton. The resemblance between country stars Joe John Buck and Johnny Cash and Seedy Jeffries and Woody Guthrie will also be apparent to obsessive music fans. Also included are the emo rapper Lil Magneezy (Lil Peep), Mambo King Tio Rodriguez (Tito Puente), and the Ted Nugent-inspired hard rock band Freedom Pelt, as well as the genres of Skaffle (ska meets skiffle) and Law Rock (so many rules).

Forgotten Music Masters Zine Researchers

The illustrated zine was the invention of writer and artist Chris Auman (@chris.auman), who also created album covers and headshots for the featured artists. Auman is no stranger to parody. He has a long history of making up bands and records. It started in 1993 with the publication of his zine satirical music zine Reglar Wiglar, a zine that featured fake band interviews and reviews of made-up albums by fictional bands.

To help with the “research,” Auman enlisted the help of Deron Grams, a Chicagoland native who lives and works in Los Angeles, is also a humorist and obsessive rock history buff who lampoons rock’s past as well as its future as Classic Rock DJ from the Future on Instagram @classicrockdjfromthefuture.

LIL MAGNEEZY

June 22,1999-September 13, 2017

Lil Magneezy was an American rapper who rose to fame as a part of a group of artists who released mixtapes on the popular SoundPuff streaming service. While many SoundPuff hip-hop artists rapped about codeine benzodiazepines, opiates, and “purple drank,” Lil Magneezy spit rhymes about magnesium, a mineral that helps keep blood pressure normal, bones strong, and the heart rhythm steady.

Early life and career

Born in rural western Pennsylvania in 1999, Lil Magneezy began his career as Lil Fenty before changing it to Lil Oxy. Lil Oxy made his rap debut at a junior high talent show then blew the fuck up thanks to a mixtape released on SoundPuff. After being diagnosed with a magnesium deficiency, Lil Oxy began taking vitamin and mineral supplements and changed his name to Lil Magneezy.

Dangers of magnesium deficiency

Experts say that a significant number of individuals in the US do not eat a diet of magnesium-rich foods thus putting themselves at a higher risk of inflammation. This inflammation, in subsequent stages, has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, and specific types of cancers. Insufficient magnesium levels also seem to contribute as a risk factor for osteoporosis.

SupplementBoiClique

In 2015, Lil Magneezy joined with like-minded artists to form the rap clique SupplementBoiClique which included fellow SoundPuff rappers Vitamin Deezy, Multi Vee, Vita-K, Bee12, and Fish Oyl.

Success

While Lil Magneezy failed to blow the fuck up among his age demographic, he found a receptive audience in the retirement communities of Florida. In 2016, he moved to the Sawgrass Grove area of The Villages with other members of the SupplementBoiClique. The “bois” held weekly concerts and in their leisure time enjoyed playing mahjong and shuffleboard and doing 500-piece jigsaw puzzles with their fans.

Overdose and death

Before a show in Gainsville, FL in 2016, Lil Magneezy complained of nausea, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea — all side effects of taking too many magnesium supplements. The cramping was so intense he canceled the remaining tour dates. In 2017, to show that he was true to the supplement game, Lil Magneezy shunned most solid foods except seeds and nuts, which are themselves high in magnesium. His body eventually shut down and he passed away peacefully at his villa. According to the Marion County medical examiner, the cause of death was starvation. — C. Auman

Friday, December 01, 2023

Chris Auman's "Cities" Published by RoosterCow Press

 Cities is a 28-page art book featuring the skylines of the most beautiful cities in the world, but not in this world.


RoosterCow Press has published Chris Auman’s art book Cities. The 28-page 4.1” x 5.8” publication features illustrations of a dozen imaginary cities. Cities is the companion book to Chris Auman's Maps published by RoosterCow Press in 2021.


Cities by Chris Auman will capture the imaginations of young and old as readers are encouraged to envision what these cities are like at ground level. Readers are invited to ask, What kind of people will I meet in this city? Where are the good bars and restaurants? Or the book and record stores?



About Chris Auman

Chris Auman is a Chicago artist, writer, and musician who has published zines and comics since 1993. His many titles include the long-running music and humor zine Reglar Wiglar. He releases music on his RoosterCow Records label. Cities is his follow-up book to Maps, published in 2021, this compact atlas is 4.9" x 6.9" 24 pages with a glossy 110 lb color cover, color throughout, stapled, 100 lb paper, and satin finish.


See more from Chris Auman on the web [chris-auman.com] and on Instagram [@chris.auman]



Introduction to "Cities" by Chris Auman


"Cities are living, breathing things. They expand and contract. Some cities are modern and new. Some are ancient and lie buried under layers of soil waiting to be discovered.


Cities start as settlements and grow into villages then into towns, and then into cities. Some grow into even larger metropolitan areas with dozens of suburbs. Neighborhoods and communities are all connected by complex systems of roads and railways. Within cities, other systems distribute energy and water, eliminate waste, provide food and medicine, and enforce laws. Cities are managed by mayors, councils, boards, and trustees.


Cities can sprout up anywhere. They’re often established near lakes and rivers. They are built on valley floors and atop mountain peaks. Getting the many tons of building materials up mountains and into valleys and gorges takes great feats of engineering. There are even cities built in trees and on the edges of cliffs.


It’s hard to tell from a skyline view what goes on within a city. Knowing that requires exploration. Only then could you more accurately gauge a city’s health, its vibrancy or decay, and its

attitude toward the rest of the world.

The cities in this book will be unfamiliar to most. They exist in worlds we don’t know much about. We can’t go there yet, so we have to imagine what they’re like.


Imagine walking down the streets of the cities depicted on these pages. What kind of people will you meet? What types of businesses will you visit? Where are the good bars and restaurants? Or the book and record stores? What neighborhoods should you explore? Which should you avoid? What problems plague

the city’s population?


Is it pollution, crime, and income inequality?

Rotting infrastructure and homelessness?

Bad drivers and losing sports teams?

If you find out,

let me

know."