Launch party thanks!

The Paper Jam Comics Collective is a collective and no one is in charge, and whatever happens happens by virtue of enough of the collective deciding that it's happening. I've been part of Paper Jam since it started (in January 2007 - gosh, I feel old), and, due to that, have become The Guy Who Sends The Emails. I have had the  privilege of seeing Paper Jam do quite a lot of stuff (both directly and in adjacent projects like Canny Comic Con and Newcastle Science Comic), and though the exact constituent people vary over time - the stuff works on the basic principle of people getting stuck in and having a nice time.

Over the last year, Paper Jam has slowly got going again, new folk have got involved, and this culminated in making The Sea ...And That, our first anthology since 2019. Our launch party yesterday was A DELIGHT.

 

It's strange how much my sense of who I am is tied up with doing daft comics and arts stuff. The last few years have been tough for many people in many ways but one thing I'd missed more than anything is doing stuff like this. There have been points where I didn't think I'd' do them again. So it was genuinely moving to be at the launch yesterday and feeling the buzz of just people clarting about drawing and chatting and reading comics (and getting temporary tattoos of boats).

I'd like to thank everyone who attended, it was lovely to see so many folks getting along (travelling distance, amending other plans, dodging covid, dragging members of their family along, etc) to say hello, pick up our comics, draw some seamonsters. And huge respect to all fellow Paper Jammers who contributed to the anthology or helped with the running of yesterday, I am so proud of the comic and the event and you all. Apologies to anyone if I was flaky and didn't chat enough, I was a bit overwhelmed (and had had some beer), but I really do appreciate all of yous turning out, was wonderful to see everyone.

Anyone who came along or was involved in any way: it happened because you helped make it happen.

Anyway, some of the amazing results of the drawing games shenanigans:

SEAMONSTERS!

AQUARIUM!

BROKEN TELEPHONE!

(This is hard to represent, might do a video or something, come along to the meeting to see it!)

MEGA JAM!

Outstanding.

On the theme of things happening if people make them happen, here' a bit of info about us, and about places and groups we like:

Paper Jam meets monthly on the second Thursday of each month at the Split Chimp micropub in Newcastle (near the station). If you fancy getting involved, then just come along (or drop us a message if you have any queries). No artistic skill is required. Bring a pen. We generally chat, do a few drawing games and plan anthologies and events. No pressure to come every time - everyone's always free to be as involved as they feel like. More info about it all here.

You can buy anthologies at meetings or via our online shop https://paperjamcomics.bigcartel.com/ or (usually) from Travelling Man comic shop in Newcastle

Many of our older out-of-print anthologies can be read free online https://issuu.com/paperjamcc

Individual members generally have contact details in the anthologies, and their are links to current regulars on the right side of this blog.

Some local venues and events that we like and have been involved with at various points:

Laurels - our launch party hosts, they put on fantastic theatre, comedy, club nights in Whitley Bay https://www.laurelswhitley.co.uk/

Star & Shadow - cinema and arts venue in Shieldfield https://www.starandshadow.org.uk/

The Lubber Fiend - gigs and more in the west end of Newcastle https://www.thelubberfiend.com/

Split Chimp micropub - we meet here! good beer https://www.splitchimp.pub/contact

The Make & Mend Market - monthly craft and arts pop-up market in the Grainger Market https://makeandmendmarket.co.uk/

Readers of the Lost Art - Newcastle City Library graphic novels reading group https://readers-of-the-lost-art.org.uk/

North Tyneside Writers' Circle - monthly meetup for prose/poetry writers in North Shields Library https://www.facebook.com/NorthTynesideWritersCircle/

The Late Shows - annual Newcastle culture crawl https://thelateshows.org.uk/

Travelling Man (Newcastle) - comic shop (with a great small press section) - where Paper Jam started! https://travellingman.com/pages/our-shops


Finally, here's the aquatic-themed playlist we came up with, ideal listening for when you're reading the new anthology:

New anthology launch - The Sea ...And That at the seaside!

 

Paper Jam is back with a brand-new anthology - The Sea ...And That! 36 pages (well, including covers)! Loads of different creators interpreting the topic of the sea in loads of different ways!

And to celebrate, we'll be having a launch party at the fantastic Laurels arts venue in Whitley Bay (a mere few minutes walk from THE ACTUAL SEA).

It's Saturday 13th May (Eurovision day, for those that observe it), from 1pm to 6pm(ish).

It's free in! It'd be nice if you fancy buying the comic (four quid - or less if buying as part of a bargainous multi-buy deal with some of our older anthologies!) but honestly no pressure. Drop by, say hello, see what we're all about.

Comics will be for sale! Obviously The Sea ...And That, but our previous anthologies - covering a wide variety of topics, and many comics by many individual creators from within the collective.

Collaborative drawing games! No skill required! Various art jams, and stupid games, drawing sea-monsters or something! "Oh, I can't draw" - NO, I BET YOU CAN! YOU CAN! Let's go! (Though no pressure if you really don't want to, but honestly, our whole vibe is that everyone can get involved and drawing and comics are fun)

Sea-themed playlist! Only the most nautical of tracks!

Beverages!

Suitable for kids! While the anthology is aimed at adults, we do have kid-friendly comics and the drawing games and whatnot will be fine for bairns.

There will be other opportunities to pick up this fine publication, but this will be THE BEST and THE CLOSEST TO THE SEA (AND FISH AND CHIPS ETC).

Here's the full contents! Check out all this goodness!

My Dad, the sea and me by Ian Mayor [TW: @IanMayor]

Agnus Dei by Rafael Lima (illustrations) [IG: @rafalima831] & Gabriel Paredes (writing) [IG: @chimeracomics]

It’s not that the sea doesn’t like you… by Michael Dodsworth [deviantart.com/dodsy84]

Sea Story by Andy Houghton [IG: @snapped_lead]

Tynemouth Mermaids by Masked Emerald [maskedemerald.co.uk]

Fin by Coleslaw

Deep Sea Bubble-gum by Jack Waugh [ko-fi.com/jwaugh123]

The Plague by sidestep [IG: @_sidestep]

Sea Bloke by Ben Clark [magicbeanscomics.blogspot.com]

Eh, João! by Jon Sapsed [IG: @sapsedjonathan]

Cullercoats by Andy Law & Michael Duckett [IG: @mrmrduckett]

Golden City by Britt Coxon [britthub.co.uk]

Lost Cargo by Andrew 'Noggin' Gardner [IG: @shakeyournoggin]

There's plenty of fish (and sewage)…  by Grace L.

Der Einzug by Torgo Wells [linktr.ee/torgowells]

untitled by Sara Qaed [IG: @saraqaed]

Been Down by Oscillating Brow [oscillatingbrow.blogspot.com]

Cube of Sea by Paul Thompson [hollowearth.co.uk] & Robin Coxon

Quite Some Time Since We Last Spoke by Adam Fallows [adamfallows.com]

The Truth About Mermaids by Lauren Matthews [laurenjmatthews.com]

Miscellaneous jam by Team PJCC

Front cover & contents by Andy Houghton [IG: @snapped_lead], back cover by Torgo Wells [linktr.ee/torgowells], compiled and prepared by Britt Coxon [britthub.co.uk]

The Tide Turns

 It's been a weird few years, and things are hardly great again, but Paper Jam, as a comic-making entity is BACK. Believe it, fools!

Under The Restless Sea is a zine of sea-themed comics and art, made as a kind of warm-up to get back into the swing of making stuff, before we make a full 'And That' anthology in early 2023.

Featuring work by Torgo Wells, Jon Sapsed, Steven Flanagan, Jack Waugh, Michael Duckett, Grace L, sidestep, Oscillating Brow, Sara Qaed and Michael Dodsworth - it's awash with loads of lovely aquatic imagery with a dark surreal edge, and will be available for spectacularly cheap.

Paper Jam will be running stalls at a load of great this weekend, including:

Saturday 10th: Kendal zine fair (er, can't find details online, but it's in the clocktower during the day)

Saturday 10th: Lubber Fiend Market (Newcastle NE1 3PZ, from 12pm)

Sunday 11th: Star & Shadow Christmas Market (Newcastle Shieldfield NE2 1BB, 11am-3pm)

  

Where you'll be able to get all our gear, including Under The Restless Sea. We'll also hopefully get some copies in Travelling Man comic shop (in Newcastle) soon!

If you're based anywhere near Newcastle and are interested in getting involved with Paper Jam, we're open to all, meet monthly, and there's perhaps just time to get involved with the main sea anthology. Go! Go! Go!

People Are Doing Interesting Things

It's understandably been pretty quiet on this blog for some time, but it's worth highlighting a few things that members of Paper Jam have recently been up to!

Daniel has recently released his self-published novel on Amazon. It’s called Abigail and Caurinus: Plague’s Beginning. The story sees the young Abigail Winters alongside the Plague Doctor, Edgar Caurinus, as the two of them work together to stop a deadly plague that spawns terrible monsters. Check it out: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09Z7689RM

Sara has been working on an illustrations series with DerStandard: https://www.derstandard.at/story/2000134154222/sara-qaed-karikaturen-zur-pandemie

Britt has brought back Newcastle's finest craft market, the Make & Mend Market, on the first Saturday of each month in the Grainger Market: https://makeandmendmarket.co.uk/ (Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/makemendmarket)

Torgo Wells is working on several projects - an album cover for a local band, their own comic Stardozer, and a strip for the Comic Creatives UK anthology due out in August. https://www.instagram.com/torgowells/

Alex is also working on strips for the CCUK anthology. (CCUK is a friendly Discord server primarily for UK-based comic creators - of all levels of experience - to chat, share tips and collaborate: https://discord.gg/gyAHqaG5tB)

Mike has been making a comic about the Tyne and Wear Metro, and several other Paper Jammers have also contributed to the project. 10,000 (yes, repeat: TEN THOUSAND COPIES) will be out and available to pick up for free before June is out.

 

Paper Jam itself will be back touting its wares to the unsuspecting public at various events, the next of which are:

- Make & Mend Market, Saturday 4th June, Grainger Market 9am-5pm https://www.facebook.com/events/319936713539676/319936723539675/

- Handyside Market Pop-Up, Thursday 9th June, Split Chimp micropub, 6pm-10pm https://www.facebook.com/events/3250687495210407  (which also replaces our next monthly meeting)

Finally, whilst Paper Jam hasn't published an anthology since 2019's You Need A Holiday ...And That , loads of comics and drawings have been done by the group, many of which, you can see over on Paper Jams (the bit of our blog for comics, sketches etc). Hopefully, if we can sell a few comics, more physical anthologies will follow soon. 

If you don't already own our fine anthologies and would like to, you can get them (at bargainous prices) from us: at events where we have a stall or usually in the Travelling Man comic shop small press section or from our online shop   :)