Floor Map

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Vault of Midnight Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids, MI

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2019 GRZF Sponsor! VoM is an awesome local shop that sells comics, zines, board games, and everything inbetween. Their mission is "to provide our customers with a unique and remarkable shopping experience that confounds the expectations of what is typically associated with a comic shop; To act as ambassadors for all things geeky and to present our wares as the awesome, fun, and universally accessible pieces of entertainment that they are." Be sure to stop by their shop and check out what's new or see what events they have coming up!

spooky art girl

grand rapids

Perzines, Comics, Art, Informational, Fanzines

i am an illustrator that loves to explore the ideas of abandoned places, mental health struggles, and anything spooky!

@spookyartgirl on facebook and instagram

The Jade Plant Project

Chicago, IL

Poetry, Art, Political, Photography

The mission of the The Jade Plant Project is to create a space where survivors and victims of sexual trauma, regardless of artistic skill or identity, can submit something they’ve created, seen, or appreciate as an act of solidarity with the community. The result is a zine filled with the powerful contributions of survivors.

Contributors are free to share whatever they want, the topic left open. They can submit therapeutic art about their experience, or they can send in a piece of writing that is unrelated to their trauma-- they can even send in a doodle they made on a napkin that they particularly enjoy. Sometimes survivors feel they can’t be a part of the community because they aren’t seasoned or practiced artists; with this project, we hope to validate everyone and whatever form their expression takes.

Rosie Accola

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Perzines, Poetry, Art

I make per-zines and poetry zines! For awhile, I made collage comics but aspects of collage still show up in my work to this day. I incorporate themes of queerness and the intersection between cultural and physical bodies.

TheBettingBug

Jackson, Michigan

Comics, Art, Fanzines, All-ages

I create cute zines and comics that are usually filled with fantasy and Dungeons and Dragons stuff... or sometimes speedboat drag racing? And ocassional fanart? But its aways fun and cute, with a lot of LGBTQ positive themes!

Collective Collective Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo, MI

Comics, Poetry, Art, DIY, Political, Photography

Collective Collective Kalamazoo is a collective collective in Kalamazoo, MI. We're a loose group of folks who are passionate about art, creation, and community. We hold events, make art and zines, and challenges ourselves and others to take risks and push the boundaries of artistic practice.

Queen B Illustration

Novi, MI

Perzines, Comics, Art

She is primarily a digital artist, but in her zines she likes to be a little more loose and free. Her art zines feature some of her traditional art projects. They are a fun little way to challenge herself and allow herself to embrace the mistakes and roughness that comes with using traditional media.

queenb-illustration.com instagram.com/queenb.illustration

Marge Makes Comics

Dearborn, Mi

Perzines, Comics, Poetry, Art, Literary, Fanzines

Marge makes perzines, zines about cryptids chilling, and whatever comes in between.

@marjoriegaber on instagram

ringofbees

Grand Rapids

Comics, Poetry, Art, Fanzines

I'm an illustrative artist who focuses on story based comics or sketchbook collection style zines. Heavily inspired by cartoons and surrealism, my art tends to be fun, gross, and experimental. I like to make work thats heartfelt and a genuine expression of my human experience, but I also just like to draw things that are cool and weird. My content isn't necessarily explicit but my body of work does contain some nudity so it may be considered not safe for work.

jennakingman.com

Ty Dykema

Grand Rapids, MI

Art, Fanzines, Music

In March 2016, I started a series of zines called Skitchin' in which I interview and showcase local and regional music acts. Skitchin' is now on its 10th issue. I also make art zines, do art for musicians, and draw stylized portraits. All of it keeps me going.

Jessica Checkeroski

Chicago

Perzines, Comics, Art, DIY, Literary

Jessica uses bright colors and humor to explore the ongoings of daily life, her dog, dating as well as take jabs at pop-culture. She takes pride in delivering work that people can connect to and find delightful.

IG: @checkerosk ;

Gross and Colorful

Holland, MI

Perzines, Comics, Art, Horror

Gross and Colorful is a shop run by Shi Briggs, who specializes in the illustration and hand crafting of things with vibrant horror and strange mundanity.

Zine subjects include loveable cryptids, teeth, haunted terrariums and how to care for them, stories about living across from a graveyard, and how to cook when your brain and body don't want to cooperate.

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Thea Oatman

Grand Ledge, Mi

Comics, Art, Informational, Literary, Political, All-ages

My zines are typically collections of comics that deal with pointing out or creating some whimsy into the mundane. They often deal with contrast between the hectic parts of our lives and the calm parts, created by going outside and doing nothing.

wait for it

Grand Rapids, MI

Literary

Amy Phillips would never pretend she can draw, but her writing, already raw, becomes more personal and engaged when she takes pen to paper and doodles nearby. This is literary memoir meets a letter from your best pen pal, managing to remain a carefully-crafted, sometimes-researched essay that feels like a secret whispered in your ear or sometimes a punch in the gut. Amy makes use of highly personal experiences to explore themes of power and beauty with an elegance that smiles on her sometimes messy handwriting. You’ll finish her zines feeling that you know and understand her, and your inner world, a little better than before.

Boymonsta, "Clips"

Detroit, MI

Perzines, Comics, Art, pronoun enamel pins

Yhasmin writes perzines about their experience as a queer, nonbinary bipoc as well as creates enamel pins and other merchandise that aligns with their values of representation and style.

Party Table

Grand Rapids

Comics, Art

Party Table was chosen by the Party Gods to bring the PARTY to the people. They do this through on the spot quick commissions, coloring books, and manifestos. PARTY FOR THE PARTY GODS!

Issue Press

Grand Rapids

Comics, Art, DIY, Fanzines, Photography

2019 GRZF Sponsor! Issue Press is an independent publisher of artist publications and multiples and a Risograph printing service based in Grand Rapids, MI.

@issuepress

Anna Lisa Schneider

Chicago, IL

Comics, Art

Anna Lisa makes weird, sometimes uncomfortable but usually chuckle inducing art and comics. Her work tends to focus on mental health, friendship and observational humor.

Annalisaillustration.com inwardboundcomic.com @annalisaillo - instagram

Veresca

Grand Rapids

Perzines, Comics, Poetry, Art, Informational, Fanzines, Cut-out Sculpture Zine(s?), (Trash?)

After a long period of low productivity, I'm plunging into a new medium. Plans include: a series of six, rapid production, six-page-zines, a zine studying the tone and setting of Tabletop RPGs, and an interactive guided paper-craft story-sculpture zine.

I'm interested in stories half-told and the collaborative ambiguity of reader/viewer projection within these spaces.

@Verescathings on Instagram

bearbear

Milwaukee, WI

Comics

bearbear is a Risograph press run by Ben Grzenia & Diana Chu, an illustration & printmaking duo from Milwaukee, WI. We express our mixed heritage through poetry, surrealist narratives, and wordless (visual-heavy) comics. Nature and music are consistent themes in our zines. Our tenets are: experiment, be true, and welcome everybody! Thanks for sharing in this culture with us.

www.bearbear.co, @bearbear.co, @hoitay, @benpluspen, www.dianahchu.com,

Katie Schofield

Reedsburg, WI

Comics, Art

Katie is an artist living in rural Wisconsin. When she isn't drawing
comics about her daily life + thoughts, she works on an organic
vegetable farm and at a small public library.

@cocoonery on Instagram

thaikim

Grand Rapids

Perzines, Comics, Art

I am an illustrator/designer and I usually create zines about my experiences and interests--common themes being anxiety and FOOD!

instagram @thaikim /

El Malcriado de Cosecha

Grand Rapids, MI

Informational

El Malcriado GR is a quarterly self-published mini news magazine or “zine” (pronounced zeen) written, edited, printed and distributed by immigrant families, friends and allies of Movimiento Cosecha Grand Rapids, Michigan.

instagram.com/elmalcriadogr

Paloma Deerfield

Grand Rapids, MI

Perzines

Your local comic shop employee, debuting her first zine—vignettes from 6 weeks of travel around Chile and Peru.

IG: @paloma.deer

Bottling Sunshine

Grand Rapids

Art

I draw sad things and try to express in my work that it is perfectly okay to be sad.

Instagram.com/bottling_sunshine

stolenchapstick

grand rapids, mi

Comics, All-ages

stolenchapstick is the on-going project of grand rapids illustrator frankie. they enjoy drawing comics and other illustrations. their comics are all ages, auto-bio told in the form of several different characters.

Everything/Nothing

Grand Rapids

Art, Photography

My photo-based work encourages empathy and critical analysis of both art and personal experience. The work in my zines include digital and analog photography, digital manipulation, collage, and occasionally words.

FastBeans and Syd Kocsis

Grand Rapids

Perzines, Comics, Art, All-ages

Fastbeans is a drawer living and drawing about town. Comics about cultural identity, ramen, and video games. Plus art about robots, anime, and button up shirts, hopefully. Syd Kocsis is a drawer and designer currently based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She spends most of her free time exploring new techniques and styles in both traditional and digital art. Some of her favorite subject matter includes alternative cultures, indie gaming, anthropomorphic art, horror, and fantasy/science fiction creatures. Most of Syd’s work has been created for fun/practice, and she has collections of intricate line portraits, dragon designs, anthro characters, fan art, and pixel art.

Fastbeans: @fastbeans on Instagram Sydney: @sydneykocsis on Instagram, sydneykocsis.myportfolio.com

Small Small Witch

Grand Rapids

Comics, Art, DIY

Instructional Magick Zine kits and Comics made by non-binary artist Rayne Klar.

Arrimonogatari

Grand Rapids

Poetry, Art

Lamont Arrington makes Poetry and Art about Grand Rapids and other places he has been.

scare_o_line art

Grand Rapids

Comics, Art, Fanzines

Im interested in the moments where fantasy and whimsy come together to create a moment of introspection. The details of my work are to make the viewer stop and consider their surroundings. Reality is a focus on our perception, and that can change frequently. My work recalls those moments that are often overlooked, and emphasizes their importance to create a more fulfilling experience.

www.caroline-elsner.com,

Northside Comic Artists

Chicago, IL

Comics, Art, All-ages

Northside Comic Artists is a collective of comic artists in Chicago. We publish our artists' work as well as put on art events in the Chicago area. We sell group anthologies, zines, and individual members mini-comics.

northsidecomics.org

Queercook

Grand Rapids

Comics, Art

I like to write about queer love, cute animals, teaching and heartfelt memories.

The Bandit Zine

Grand Rapids

Poetry, Art, Political, Compzine

2019 GRZF Sponsor! The Bandit Zine is a submission-based compzine focused on social justice issues, like gender, reproductive justice, feminism, body image, etc. We have been making zines in Grand Rapids for over ten years and strive to be as inclusive as possible, incorporating art, poetry, and writing from across the world. We are dedicated to fighting racism, sexism, ableism, cissexism, transphobia, heteronormativity, homophobia, biphobia, classism, and so forth.

and @thebanditzine on Instagram

dog's breakfast

Pittsburgh, PA

Comics, Poetry, Art, DIY, Literary, Political, Photography

Dog's breakfast' is a collaborative zine that seeks to connect artists, activists, creators, cultivators regardless of experience, accolades, etc. compile their work and present it to whoever is watching. Everyone has a voice, a medium, a story, and we want to hear it. All art, poetry, opinions, stories, films, photography, etc. are welcome. Our aim is to stop elitism in the art world therefore we accept a minimum of one piece of work from everyone who submits to our issues.

SimpleDaydreamer

grand rapids, mi

Comics, Art

Zines about self-care, for the eco-conscious folks, and rad illustrations. Artwork and zines are created using mix media of natural dyes, watercolors, and ink.

instagram.com/simpledaydreamer__

Brenda Makes Things

Flint, currently in GR!

Comics, Fanzines

I have many hobbies and interests, including, crocheting, abandoned places, theme park attractions, shopping malls, and cats I am constantly creating new things, figuring out what I want to do on this great big earth. Petting cats, and making friends.

brenda-makes-things.tumblr.com

High Maintenance Machine

Grand Rapids, MI

Comics

In 2006, I turned 30 and as a birthday gift to myself, I started drawing a cartoon diary. I thought I would make it a month, but 13 years later I'm still going. From finding the sublime in the everyday moment to exploring what happened in my childhood when a fertile imagination was fed a steady dose of apocalyptic Christianity, my cartoon diary aims to inspire and delight.

Sean Dempsey

Chicago

Comics, Art, All-ages, Autobio Comics

Sean graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in Sequential Art. His independent comics focus on curiosity and adventure through traveling or misfit characters. Whether in a comic, illustration, or cartoon, Sean’s stories embrace a balance of innocent and cynical protagonists. He hopes to create diverse, relatable characters that the audience can witness their inner growth, discovery, and individuality.

FAKE Publications

New Jersey

Political, Satire

We go by many names but in the end all of them spell FAKE. In the current political climate, where it is difficult to know what sources of information can be trusted, the one thing you can be completely certain of is that you cannot trust us. Using our patented Synthformation™ System, we create facts that sound and smell just like real facts. We are the tofurkey of truth.

You can find examples of our work in the zines "Fracking Can Be Fun," "God Shall Flush It,” "We Make Truth,” and “Dress to Suppress.” Zines in the works include, “The PenceCo Fall Catalog” and “Don Jr. Und Erik: Das Arschlochs.”

FAKE Publications are analog only. We have no internet presence whatsoever. The only place to get our stuff is in person at zine fests or in brick and mortar stores (like the Wasted Ink Distro and Quimby’s in Brooklyn). Please stop by our table and find out what absolutely nobody on the internet is talking about!

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It Is Constantly Adventure Time!!!

Grand Rapids, MI

Comics, Art, DIY

"It's Constantly Adventure Time You Guys!!!" is a black & white, Xerox-and-fold, unedited comic that I used to sell out of my purse at my band's shows at bars in Grand Rapids, and I'm bringing it back for ZineFest 2019! It started out on LiveJournal and MySpace in the early 2000's and slowly evolved into the style of painting I do today - strange characters and creatures in love with 2 teeth and no nose, screaming because they're so happy.

Strange Flower by Daisy Drew

Grand Rapids

Art, All-ages

An illustrator of fantasy-esque, children's book-inspired works of art — creating zines filled with colorful illustrations and introspective writings. Bringing positivity, mindfulness, and a little bit of sparkle to each publication and creation.

Tuyetnhi P.

Grand Rapids, MI

Comics, Art, Fanzines

Vietnamese-American Illustrator and Zinester! I write and illustrate stories based from life during the day and fantastical experiences at night.

Shira Mario

Ann Arbor, MI / Washington, DC

Perzines, Informational, Fanzines

I make perzines about feelings 'n junk, Baby-Sitters Club fanzines, and informational zines about poop.

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Beanjam Draws

Grandville, MI

Comics, Art, Fanzines

Hi, hello, it’s me, ya boi: Ben Nguyen. I’m a Michigan based illustrator that just wants to make some cute stuff. I particularly like drawing cute outfits that I see around. That or just drawing random characters. When I’m not doing art, I’m either watching cartoons or obsessing over Street Fighter.

Miles Honey (Brain Garbage Comics)

Detroit/Ann Arbor

Comics, Art, DIY

Miles Honey is a cartoonist, illustrator and printmaker from Detroit, based in Ann Arbor at the Stamps School of Art & Design. Her work has been published in Silver Sprocket's 'As You Were' and Sweaty Palms: the anthology about anxiety. She edits and publishes Brain Garbage Comics, a surrealist anthology in its third year about the overlap of the strange and the everyday.

@amyfieldmouse (Instagram), amyfieldmouse.com, @braingarbagecomics (Instagram)

Andrea Pearson

Chicago, IL

Perzines, Comics, Art

Andrea is a comics artist from Chicago. She draws a series of autobiographical comic zines called “No Pants Revolution”. It started initially as a daily drawing exercise and turned into a series of journal comics, scribbles and stories from her life. “No Pants Revolution 4: Who Am I?” was released in May 2019.

Website: Instagram: Twitter:

gremlin law

Metro Detroit area

Perzines, Comics, Art, DIY

Elusive Michigan cryptid who makes zines and comics about being black, queer, and Feeling Things.

twitter and insta: @eager_eevee, website:

Jack Van Tuyle

Lenawee County

Comics, Art, DIY

I started making zines in the past two years helping fellow artist Miles Honey as a contributor and editor on her book "Brain Garbage". My recent zine work has been primarily based on collages, xerox distortions, and short form poetry about fear and sex.

Instagram: @jackvanwhatever

I Read Comic Books Podcast

Grand Rapids

Comics

The I Read Comic Books zine is produced by the 10 contributors of the I Read Comic Books Podcast. The zine features articles about patterns in comics, comic creators, and focused articles on certain works. Each issue features a "Like This? Try This!" cross-media recommendations section, a "Pets of IRCB," drink/comic pairings, and comic reviews. Certain issues also include doodles, popular tweets, an inside look at the contributor chat, themed cocktail recipes, and retellings of real RPG games played by the contributors.