BOOK FOUR: MAPS PUBLISHED BY Solipsistic Pop Books
CONTRIBUTORS
Takayo Akiyama / Kristyna Baczynski / Dan Berry / Joe Blann / Stephen Collins / Paul Harrison Davis / Joe Decie / John Cei Douglas / Oliver East / Nick Edwards / Marc Ellerby / Paul Francis, Katie Green / Isabel Greenberg / Howard Hardiman / Ste Hitchen / Anne Holiday /Tom Humberstone / Joe List / Lizz Lunney / John Miers / Kathryn Newman / Luke Pearson / Philippa Rice / Jenny Robins / Edward Ross / Alison Sampson / Anna Saunders / Matthew Sheret
EDITED BY Tom Humberstone 80pp (plus interactive postcards, wraparound cover, screenprinted folder,
and fold out poster/dustjacket)
ISBN 978-0-9570519-0-4
£10 RELEASE DATE 08/11/11
Available from selected stores in the UK and www.solipsisticpop.com
SOLIPSISTIC POP 4: MAPS
Solipsistic Pop 4 is the largest and most ambitious volume yet – with 80 pages, 30 artists, a larger print-run of 1,000 and extensive interactive material that makes full use of the joy of the printed artefact. The theme for the volume is Maps.
The brief was to create a book that enthusiastically embraced the idea of cartography and infuse the anthology with depth, breadth and scope large enough that the idea of reading it on a computer screen would be unimaginable. These comics have been created to be re-read, the piece before last adding context to the next. Reading the comic panel by panel or zooming into sections of the screen would not do these comics justice – these comics must be absorbed. The bigger picture observed.
Three postcards accompany the volume which involve the concept of interactivity and travel. One has been printed with glow-in-the-dark ink – asking the reader to find a dark place in order to read the rest of the comic. Another is printed on seeded paper – suggesting the reader find an appropriate place to plant the comic after reading. The third is a bingo checklist – requiring the reader to interact and engage with their local environment in a way that other comics rarely do.
The book is housed in a screenprinted folder designed by John Miers which provides further information and a key to his own interior comic within the book. A dustjacket designed by Katie Green folds out into a detailed map of her life and influences. A comic that is best viewed blu-tacked to a wall and used as decoration. This comic wants you to play with it. To make it your own.
ABOUT SOLIPSISTIC POP
Solipsistic Pop is a regular anthology designed to spotlight the best in alternative comic art from the UK. The anthology was created in November 2009 by Tom Humberstone who edits and publishes the series. There have been three volumes in the last two years.
It features diverse, beautiful, twisted and peculiar comics that are rarely seen outside of alternative press fairs and boutique comic shows. Giving equal exposure to established comic artists, up-and-comers, and artists who have never drawn a comic before – Solipsistic Pop is a comic anthology unlike any other and has already become something of an institution within the comics community in the UK.
Described by The Independent as “a British version of Dave Egger’s McSweeneys Quarterly Concern to showcase our best comic artists”, the book provides a support structure and platform for UK artists whose work demands the very best paperstock and printing.
Each book of Solipsistic Pop is a beautiful, tactile product with a specific theme. A bespoke, unique artefact designed to suit the content of each edition with a limited printrun.
