aspalaxcomix

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Children experiencing malnutrition

a program for caregivers of children experiencing malnutrition. 

The drawings are used to help caregivers through a basic cognitive behavioural therapy process. The drawings made for International Rescue Committee. See more here: https://childprotectionpractitioners.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Caregivers-Matter-Final-English.pdf

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Jazz in Frames

In this short comic book I tried to incorporate the rhythm of a Miles Davis’ song to the construction of the frames. Rhythm, gaps, blanks, frames and their sizes, the information depicted inside the frames, are all elements in order to visualise the song.

Of course, listening to Miles Davis while reading this comic book would be the best combo for your brain.

#oubapo

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Mickey Mouse is not here

In this comic book the narrator is a poet who tries to make a poem from a classic Walt Disney Comic book. Narration fills the gap between the frames in a poetic, let's say, way. All the characters have been deleted from the scene. Only words and space is present. The poem is inspired by the New York school of poetry.

New York school of poetry was an innovative group of poets made up principally by Frank o'hara, John ashbery, Barbara guest, James schuyler, and Kenneth koch. Their poetry was experimental, philosophical, staunchly antiestablishment, and antiacademic. The group began writing in the 1950s and is closely associated with a similarly named movement in painting alternatively called abstract expressionism or action painting.

✖︎ See more images HERE

#oubapo

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Joliet Jake, VOL 3. Jake meets Thomas Pynchon...or not?

A comic book series inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s book “Against the Day”. I used some texts randomly from various chapters of the book and made a comic out of it. 

In this chapter Jake gets away from a riot becomes a "respectable" citizen packs his explosives in a suitcase and meet his creator, Thomas Pynchon in a jazz club...

✖︎ See more images HERE

#joliet jake

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Counter Stories

The Language Project in collaboration with Shaghaf for Digital Expression, Athens, Palestine (Greece, Palestine). A cultural collaborative project created with the support of Tandem for Culture, aiming to highlight the problems faced by female adherents in Greece and Palestine.

Stories from refugees in Palestine and Greece have been collected since 2018 and illustrated in a comic form. These short comics are presented in “Comics and migration. Belonging, narration, activism” website, a project, funded by the Kone foundation, that will be actualized between 2018–2020. In this project, researchers and comics artists together examine how comics represent migration. 

✖︎ Check here: https://www.migrationcomics.fi/index.php/comics

The comics have also published in Dinamo Press, the independent Italian website and magazine. You can download the first issue here:

✖︎ Check here: https://www.dinamopress.it/dinamoprint/

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Vanishing Acts

A series of one page comic book story. Based on OUBAPO experimental restrictions. George Perec is the main character (one of the main founders of OULIP, experimental literature movement)

Ouvroir de bande dessinée potentielle; roughly translated: "workshop of potential comic book art") is a comics movement which believes in the use of formal constraints to push the boundaries of the medium. OuBaPo is styled after the French literary movement Oulipo (Ouvroir de Littérature Potentielle), founded by Raymond Queneau and Georges Perec. Oubapo was founded in November 1992 in the Ou-X-Po and announced in L'Association's French comics edition.

✖︎ See more images HERE

#oubapo

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A Black Map of Athens

The campaign “X them out! A Black Map of Athens” is designed to pinpoint and highlight the unseen criminality related to racist attacks in the public space. The Golden Dawn trial has brought to light dozens of racist crimes, mostly against migrants and refugees. However, the full extent of its criminal, racist activity is not adequately known. With this campaign, we attempt to establish a topography of racist violence. We seek to make its dark dimensions and its deadly nature more familiar to the general public. To this end, we want to create, with the valuable support of 25 visual artists, an antiracist map of our city. 

Racist violence is invisible only when we do not wish to see it, when we avoid confronting it. This year, 2019, is the crucial, final year of the most important and biggest trials of our time. We have tried to visualise just a small part of this “topography of violence” that has its origins in Golden Dawn and fascism, in order to contribute to acquainting the general public with their crimes and in punishing their murderous activity.

✖︎ More at https://valtousx.gr/en/ 

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Summer Vacations

An abstract comic book with no text. I used Bic ballpoint pen, Blanco and some Letrasets. In this short story the architectural forms combined with words are the main characters in a sunny day of a hot summer.

✖︎ See more images HERE

#oubapo

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Dark Poets, Poètes Maudits

A series of some Greek poets that commit suicide in various ways. Aπαισιοδοξία, μελαγχολία, αίσθηση του ανικανοποίητου του αδιεξόδου, απουσία ιδανικών, θρήνος για την απώλειά τους, στροφή στο άτομο, καταφύγιο στην ονειροπόληση και τη φυγή, περιφρόνηση της κοινωνίας, επίδραση από τον γαλλικό συμβολισμό, προσπάθειες ανανέωσης της παραδοσιακής ποίησης τόσο σε στιχουργικό επίπεδο ("παραβίαση" της αυστηρής μορφής του παραδοσιακού στίχου), όσο και σε επίπεδο περιεχομένου (σταδιακή χαλάρωση της λογικής, εμφάνιση του συνειρμού στη σύνθεση των ποιημάτων).

✖︎ See more images HERE

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Bolzano Theorem

A comic book about two anti-facsts bicyclists in North Italy. Bolzano's theorem was proven for the first time in 1817 by the Czech mathematician Bernard Bolzano. For about fifty years it was not considered important enough. However, the German mathematician Karl Weienstrass discovered it and proved it again. Here we have the graphic representation of the theorem.

Bolzano is also the main town of South Tyrol in Italy. It is considered as the connecting link between North and South Tyrol, as there are three languages spoken there; namely, Italian, German, and Landin. Italian and German are both official languages. Local authorities estimate that 75% of the population of the Greater Alto Adige region speaks German. Many of the Italian citizens in Bolzano though do not realize this, since their relations with Austria are more intense. Bolzano's theorem, however, has nothing to do with the city of Bolzano, at least historically. Moreover, in the city of Bolzano there are two monuments that have been erected under Mussolini's command. One of these is The Victory Monument.

The fascist government reported that the Victory Monument (still in place) was erected in order to honor the Italian'army victory against the Austro-Hungarian empire during the WWI. Many fascist symbolic elements are srill visible in its decoration. In a prominent place one can see the inscription “HIC PATRIAE FINES SISTE SIGNA aHINC CETEROS EXCOLVIMVS LINGVA LEGIBVS ARTIBVS” which means “Here at the borders of the country we set the limits. Henceforth, we trained others with language, law and culture.”

The inscription is quite offensive to some of today's inhabitants of the city, especially to those who speak German. In general, the monument has often been the point of theoretical conflicts between the two communities (Italian and German) living in the city, but also in the wider region. Around the late 1970s, there were attempts by several groups to blow up the monument. It's time for the next one...

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May 1936. the bloody events of May 9th at Thessaloniki. 

Thessaloniki of 1963 holds a special place in the history of bloody labor Mays. Thessaloniki (thereafter referred by the author as ‘Salonika’—a name traditionally preferred by working class residents) was a city which had undergone big changes within only a few decades, especially after the establishment of Greek sovereignty, the ‘Great Idea’ which forced large populations to move and live in degrading conditions, the Great Depression of 1929 and the economic breakdown which followed in 1932. These dire conditions were once again exploited by the corporate world and major landowners who sought to increase their profit by dropping the wages and intensifying labor.

✖︎ This comic is also online at this website, 

http://graphichistorycollective.com/comics/may1936 

by Graphic History Collective, (Founded in 2008, the Graphic History Collective (GHC) is a group of activists, artists, writers, and researchers passionate about comics, history and social change. We produce alternative histories - people's histories - in an accessible format to help people understand the historical roots of contemporary social issues).

✖︎ The comic has been published by the Red n’ Noir publishing house in Athens. You can ordered it online: https://rednnoir.gr/product/mais-1936/ 

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The Last Day of Mr Letraman.

A comic book about a vanishing act based on letrasets...

Letraset was the brand name for the original dry-transfer lettering product that revolutionised graphic design in the 1960s. Until the advent of computers this was cutting edge technology for visualising as a graphic designer. These letraset set of figures were combined to visualise a character who wanted to dissapear his identity deciding to commit suicide one sunny day in a way a Samurai used to do in the past.

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Α cuttlefish did not know what to do with its life 

Inspired by the poems of Vladimir Mayakovsky, illustrated by El Lissitzky in 1923, “Dlia golosa (For the Voice)”. Made in some parts, with Cuttlefish Ink. Unfortunately we had to eat the poor cuttlefish shortly afterwards...

 Lissitzky's innovations in graphic and book design are strikingly visible in his landmark project For the Voice, a collection of thirteen of the best-known poems by Russian Futurist poet Vladimir Mayakovsky. The poems were intended to be read aloud, and Lissitzky designed a thumb index with titles to help the reader quickly locate a desired verse. He also designed title pages for each of the poems, constructing images by combining typefaces of various sizes printed in red and black.

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Joliet Jake. Life of a guy who lost his head. VOL 2.

In this issue Jake makes explosives at Chicago and turns addicted. Texts and story based on “Against the day” by Thomas Ruggles Pynchon Jr. ( I have already sent a copy to the writer but of course I didnt get any response so far as he is known not to appear in any public activity. However you could listen to the real voice of the author in some episodes of tv series “The Simpsons).

He first appeared in "Diatribe of a Mad Housewife" wearing a bag over his head in homage of his sensitivity of showing his face in public. He reappears in "All's Fair in Oven War" wearing the same bag over his face eating one of Marge's wings. He also makes a background appearance at the Gore Vidal meeting in "Moe'N'a Lisa" wearing the same bag. Πρόκειται για ένα κόμικ για μια σχέση ενός τύπου με το ξερό του το κεφάλι. Σε αυτό το τεύχος ο Jake φτιάχνει εκρηκτικά στο Τσικάγο... (τα κείμενα είναι βασισμένα στο βιβλίο “Ενάντια στη μέρα” του Thomas Ruggles Pynchon, Jr).

#Joliet Jake

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Freedom Fighter’s Manual

In 1988, C.I.A issued a manual of instructions in the Nicaraguan war between the left-wing government of Sandinista and Contra Contra.This is an illustrated guide with clear instructions and instructions that Nicaraguan citizens could apply against their government.

Το 1988 η C.I.A εξέδωσε ένα εγχειρίδιο οδηγιών στα πλαίσια του πολέμου στην Νικαράγουα, μεταξύ της αριστερής κυβέρνησης των Σαντινίστα και των επαναστατών της Contra (The Contra war). Πρόκειται για ένα εικονογραφημένο οδηγό με σαφείς εντολές και οδηγίες που θα μπορούσαν να εφαρμόσουν οι πολίτες της Νικαράγουα εναντίον της κυβέρνησής τους. Το περίεργο είναι που επιλέχτηκε ένα τέτοιο μέσο, ένα κόμικ στην ουσία, ως μέσο προπαγάνδας. Με λίγο ψάξιμο, ωστόσο, μπορεί κανείς να βρει μια μακρά παράδοση αυτού του μέσου από τον Α’ Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο ακόμη, για παράδειγμα το κόμικ The Nightmares of Lieutenant Ichi: Or Juan Posong Gives Ichi the Midnight Jitters καθώς και άλλα τα οποία μπορεί να περιέχουν ακόμη και αφήγηση ή ολόκληρο στόρι. Δεν θα σταθούμε στην πολιτική χροιά του μέσου της προπαγάνδας ούτε και στις εν λόγω πολεμικές συγκρούσεις στα πλαίσια τις οποίες τυπώθηκε και μοιράστηκε το εγχειρίδιο. Εμείς το χρησιμοποιούμε εδώ ως μια κομική έμπνευση για μια σύγχρονη προσαρμογή. Δεν βρίσκουμε κανένα λόγο να μην υιοθετηθούν αυτές οι πρακτικές ακόμη και σήμερα από οποιονδήποτε θέλει να αντιδράσει εναντίον του συστήματος, της κυβέρνησης, των εσώψυχων του, του εαυτού του ή σε τελική απλά να ξεγκαυλώσει εναντίον όλων.

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Joliet Jake. Life of a guy who lost his head. VOL 1

A comic book about a guy who does not like books, philosophy and hates language. He only cares about finding the right underground BAR...

#Joliet Jake

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Pinchon and the working class

Πίντσο, ένα κόμικ για την εργατιά, την κάπνα και τη μανούρα, τ.1/2/3/4

#Pintso