Bam Too! Press Release

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Read some history, the submission guidelines and deadlines of S.P.A.M’s Bam Too! Meet the crew too of Bam Too!

 

A Mini With Big Aspirations!

In 2006, the first volume of the Big Ass Mini-comic! (BAM!) was an anthology that collected over 70 mini-comics and other independent comics by over 60 artists into a 500 page trade paperback. It featured creators from all over the globe and from all walks of life. Every kind of style and genre of comics was there from comedy, satire/parody, gag, slice-of-life, journal, adventure/fantasy, manga inspired, and just plain artsy comics, all in one book. A new comic publisher, Super Powered Anthology Makers! (SPAM!) has announced they will be putting out the second volume entitled BAM Too!

SPAM! publisher J.M. Hunter was an uncredited member of the editorial team and contributing artist to the first volume. Now Editor-in-Chief of BAM Too!, Hunter is making a big push to get a new level of quality submissions. "Our first step was to make a short list of talented creators we wanted to approach before the open submissions call. Many artists have sent submissions, but we still have room!"

The deadline for submissions is fast approaching this June 1st, 2009. While the final selection for BAM Too! will not be made until after the deadline, there have been a number of quality submissions from the likes of 2003 winner of the Ignatz Award

 

 

Jeffrey Brown

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2004 Ignatz Award nominee Matt Bellisle

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mini-comic legend Matt Feazell

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2008 "Roddie" Best Cartoonist winner Wilbur Dawbarn

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as well as artists Jerry Stanford, David DeGrand, Matthew Reidsma, Joe Decie, Edward J Grug III, Mark Campos, Jonathan Baylis, EdQuinby, the creators of BludBlood and many more. BAM Too! is still taking submissions which means if you draw comics, your comic could be included too.

According to the submission guidelines, comics can be drawn in any style and in any genre and be about any topic. Submissions can be a new comic, or previously self-published. The artists will retain full rights and will be given ad space to where readers can find their comics. "We are looking for a broad range of submissions for anybody", explains SPAM! submissions editor, David Ano. "We are really looking for a diverse range of genres here, so the more unique your comic is, the better chance it will get in."

The idea of a large anthology of mini-comics was made to solve a problem with distribution. Most comic book stores go through Diamond Comic Distributors, who have tough standards for the level of sales a book needs to be listed. Many of the comic book shops have limited amount of shelf space that they save for the large publishers and do not usually risk on self published comics. Almost all mini-comics are sold directly from the artist. Ano explains, "we love mini-comics! The problem is the price of collecting them adds up. It is not the cover price of a mini-comic (which may only be anywhere from a quarter to three or four bucks), but it gets expensive when you add the cost of shipping from each of the artist. With BAM!, we try to have an affordable cover price and you only have to pay for shipping once. Furthermore, the idea of BAM! Is to give a chance for the artist to gain more exposure." Ano continues. "There are going to be a lot of comics in here. Some of them you will like, some that you may not like. But there will be something for everybody in this book. With such a diverse range of submissions we are broadening our audience. It will be a genuine chance for a reader to find out about an artist they never heard about before and for an artist to find new readers."

"Not only are the editors of BAM Too! putting this project together as a service to the self-publishing community, but also to make a book we too would want to read", adds Hunter "We want submissions from all genres, from all places that people are not only familiar with but not so familiar with," Hunter explains. "What does a Gothic Cowboy story look like? I don’t know, but you may find it in here. Contemporary Romance with a sci-fi twist, but with talking animals? Hey why not?!"

"There are no limits with web and mini-comics," explains Ano. "Mini-comic artists are usually in it for the sake of the art form and expect little return. It is a real outsider art found with these artists spending their nights at photocopiers, folding and stapling, or with their scanners and modems. There are no publishers or editors telling them what or what not to draw. By doing it themselves, their possibilities are endless."

Hunter estimates that BAM Too! should be in print by late summer/early fall.  New submissions can be sent by June 1st, 2009 by e-mail to bam2submissions@gmail.com or mailed to David Ano, 11977 Hall Rd., Whitmore Lake, MI 48189, USA. More information about BAM Too! can be found at www.barbedwaternoodle.com  The previous printing can be found Print-On-Demand at http://www.lulu.com/content/480428

 

Submission Guidelines

 

Print-On-Demand at HYPERLINK "http://www.lulu.com/content/480428"http://www.lulu.com/content/480428

In BAM Too! we have some new editors and new goals, however the vision stays the same. Our job that we are trying to do is to connect the independent comic creator to the readers. This time around we are making a stronger effort to provide a more diverse range of quality submissions. BAM Too! will be a smaller book to keep costs down, but will have a more regular publication schedule. Unlike the previous BAM, submissions sent to us will not automatically be collected in our book. However if we receive an enormous amount of high quality submissions, enough to fill two 300-page books, there is the possibility of us putting out a twin set of books for BAM TOO! (Think of them as The BAM TWO’s).

What does the artist get out of submitting their comics?
If chosen, all copyrights of the comic, art and story will be retained by the original creator(s). All of the conditions will be spelled out in a "Terms of Agreement," which every participant (including the editors) will adhere to. The editors of BAM Too! are putting this project together as a service to the self-publishing community. Your compensation will be in the form of increased exposure, at-cost wholesale access to as many copies of BAM Too! as you please, which you are free to sell, distribute, or just enjoy at your pleasure.

We will also provide a classified ad listing in the back of the book for contributors that have their comics selected for the book. This is a short text of what comics are available from the artist and contact information on where to order them.

What kind of comics are we looking for?
We are looking for a broad range of submissions, including action, art comix, comedy, crime, drama, heroics, historical, horror, romance, science fiction, suspense, westerns and more. We are really looking for a diverse range of genres here, so the more unique your comic is, the better chance it will get in. Your comic can be drawn in any style and be about any topic. Our target page count for each creator is 1-8 pages, but can be up to 24 pages by special request. Submissions can be a new comic, or can be something you have previously self-published. If your submission has been printed by somebody else before, please make note of the date, original venue it was published in and you must get permission from the publisher.

We are looking for black and white art. If you send color, we can print it in grayscale, although quality of image cannot be guaranteed. Our editors will do their best to work with you on how to present your comic the best. We will accept pages of all sizes, however the final print size will 6" x 9". (Live area is 5.75" x 8.75", while bleed extends to 6.25" x 9.25". Submissions may be scaled to fit.

Are any restrictions?
First and foremost, we will not accept any submission that may contain a copyright infringement (with exceptions for editorial or parodies within reason). The content restrictions will be taken on a case-by-case basis, however it is safe to say that we are not looking for hardcore pornography. We also ask that you remove any advertisements from your comics (besides those that advertise your own publications) before submitting, otherwise we will remove them for you.

How and what does a artist send to BAM Too!?
If you are sending us your comic digitally, a .PDF format is preferred. You can also send your files as a .TIF or .EPS, but please remember to make a .zip archive if you have multiple files. Other file formats will be accepted, but no guaranty can be made of the quality of the image. All art has to be sent at 300dpi. Send submissions to HYPERLINK "mailto:bam2submissions@gmail.com"bam2submissions@gmail.com If your file is too large for your e-mail limits, please e-mail us on how to access our ftp site.

For those without scanners (or if you wish to send you files on a CD or DVD), send your submissions to David Ano, 11977 Hall Rd., Whitmore Lake, MI 48189, USA. If you are sending originals, please include a self-addressed envelope with proper postage for safe return.

Due date for Submissions is June 1st, 2009

 

Bio’s

 

David Ano was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Throughout his days of school, Ano suffered from a learning disability that came from a slight dyslexia. Ano was drawn to comic books as its visual storytelling became a form of literature that he connected to without his learning disability to slow him down. In college, Ano pursued a career of graphic design. This included becoming the editor to various student publications. Ano spent a year as the publisher of the "Animania Magazine" and in March 1997 he published the comic book anthology, "Assorted Meats". In these publications, Ano wrote comics for other artists to illustrate, but in 2002 started drawing and publishing a web comic called "Losttoy". After the birth of his children, Ano did not have the time to update his site with new materials. To keep his site looking busy while inspiring other artists to create Ano created the web comic anthology "Your Comic Here". It was with "Your Comic Here", he published a comic by David Recine. To further his passion for creating comics, Ano helped found the Michigan Comic Network in 2004 to help build a stronger community spirit for the art form. Also in 2004, Ano wrote an eleven chapter story for Zwol.org with Greg Stephens and Eric F. Myers. In 2006, Recine created a little impromptu publishing company that printed the first "BAM!", but all of the other editorial staff bailed on him during production. In 2009, Recine has stayed on as creative consultant, but handed over the publishing duties of "BAM!" to a new editorial team including editor-in-chief J.M. Hunter, production editor Jude Terror and submissions editor David Ano.

Contact David Ano at david.ano@gmail.com or 734-418-3162

J.M. Hunter is the creator of Note 2 Self, which was once a semi-autobio comic turned genre hopping catharsis of every ill and stray thought brought to action on the comic page free from the Patriot Activism (hopefully). Hunter also is the head of S.P.A.M.! (Super. Powered. Anthology. Makers.!) which is the publisher of the new BAM! anthologies and other soon to be announced projects. J.M. Hunter has contributed to several other anthologies including the first volume of BAM! The Big Ass Mini-Comic, Ego Comics Presents, vol. 1-4, Doppleganger no. 4, and numerous others.

Contact J.M. Hunter at jmhunter03@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

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