From The Vault #1: Rocket Raccoon

I’ve decided to periodically pull a comic book from my personal collection and upload it to our blog.  So you dear reader, can enjoy the classics from cover to cover in all their glory, ads included!

First up, Rocket Raccoon!  (Thank you Rory Donahoe for unintentionally reminding me I had this issue boxed up in my collection.)  This first issue of a four part series was penciled by Hell Boy creater Mike Mignola!  Cool right?  If you dig Rocket Raccoon, you can catch him in the new Guardians of the Galaxy kicking butt along side Star-Lord, Adam Warlock, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, Phyla-Vell, Groot and Mantis.  And in the Second season of Avengers:  Earth’s Mightiest Heroes!  Can I get a “heyyy yeah!”

Click below to read Rocket Raccoon #1

-Strange

Brian Cronin’s “I Love Ya But You’re Strange”

If you haven’t had a chance to read Brian Cronin’s I Love Ya But You’re Strange, do yourself a favor.  Periodically Cronin digs up some forgotten old Silver Age comic and spotlights really weird story plots that make you wonder what the writers were thinking.  I still can’t stop laughing.  Batman loses his cape with his secret identity pinned to it?  Really smart Batman!  Wasp and She-Hulk play “Hot or Not” with the Avengers.  Also who rates highest in Captain America’s “Avengerability” Analysis?  Thank you again Cronin!

-Strange

Alt Press Fest 2012 Spotlight: Salt Lake City Weekly

“If we don’t print it, who will?”

We are very proud to have Utah’s only independent alternative newsweekly, the Salt Lake City Weekly involved with this year’s Alt Press Fest!  The Salt Lake City Weekly was founded in 1984 as Private Eye by John Saltas.  Since then the Salt Lake City Weekly, has printed some of the most courageous and relevant news stories to date, giving all other Utah papers a run for their money.  You can read the Salt Lake City Weekly online or pick up a free copy just about anywhere!

-Strange

Alt Press Fest 2012 Spotlight: The Mandate Press

“Everything looks better letterpressed.”

Salt Lake City’s modern day letterpress shop, The Mandate Press will be joining us this year for APF 2012!  Come and see how they combine traditional letterpress technique’s with modern technique’s of today!

For more info check out their website or facebook.

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-Strange

Stolen Sharpie Revolution

Need to know what’s going on in the zine world? Then check out Stolen Sharpie Revolution. They are wicked cool.  Check out their site here.

And you can also find the print version in our own SLCPL Zine Collection.

5 Books to Read Before Seeing the Avengers Movie

Shockingly enough, 1 of these comics will be the next Graphic Novel Club book.  Take a guess which one it will be.

These are available for check-out here.

Locke & Key

I can’t get enough of Joe Hill’s Locke & Key.  In fact, I’m going through major withdrawals waiting on the June 26th release of Locke & Key Volume 5:  Clockworks.  If you heart Lovecraft, then this series is for you!  Can you believe this comic was going to be made into a TV series?  Currently FOX is trying to sell the rights of the TV adaptation and MTV has their eyes on it.  Lets cross our fingers someone picks it up and releases it.  Personally I think it would do just as good, if not better then The Walking Dead.  Watch the pilot trailer below and let me know what you think.

If you haven’t read Locke & Key yet, we have the first four volumes available for check-out:  Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3, Vol. 4

-Strange

Alt Press Fest 2012 Spotlight: Community Writing Center

The Community Writing Center provides opportunities for SLC residents to enhance writing abilities through programs such as Writing Coaching, Writing Workshops, the DiverseCity Writing Series and Writing Partners.  These services are provided by the blood, sweat and tears of an amazing group of volunteers.   The CWC is located right next to the SLCPL Main Branch in Library Square.

-Strange

And this …

And this my pretties is the best thing that has happened in a long time:

Looks like it came out last fall, so don’t ask me why I’m just checking it out now…but I sure am happy I’m finally on the bandwagon. Chock full of amazing info on just about everything, this compendium won’t leave you without a new skip in your step and a sassy remark in your cheek. AND in case you were unaware, it’s from those lovely zinesters Debbie Stoller and Laurie Henzel who started Bust as their very own lowly xerox creation! So here’s to some cool chicks and a totally bad A DIY attitude.

Available for Check-out here.

Sewing Machine Zine

Long arm stapler gone missing again? Next time you want to bind your zine try this:

There are not many things I like better than the salty sweet taste of mixing alternative press with domestic kitsch-ery. So come on everybody you’re all invited to a sewing bee at my house, a zine sewing bee!

-Bonnie Kaye