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Zero Zero (comic)
Encyclopedia
Zero Zero is an alternative
comics anthology
that was published by Fantagraphics Books
from 1995 to 2000. It was notable among comics anthologies for the number of serial
ized works that appeared in its pages, including Richard Sala
's "The Chuckling Whatsit", Dave Cooper
's "Crumple", Mack White
's "Homunculus", Kaz
and Timothy Georgarakis's "Meat Box", and Kim Deitch
's "The Strange Secret of Molly O'Dare" and "The Search for Smilin' Ed".
Zero Zero was published in a typical 6½″ × 9¾″ comic book format. Issues ranged between 40 and 64 pages in length, printed mostly in black-and-white
with a color cover but occasionally including sections printed in one or two colors, notably a series of stories by Al Columbia
. Zero Zeros release schedule was irregular, fluctuating between bimonthly and quarterly intervals over the course of its run. A total of 27 issues were released.
Early issues of Zero Zero were not conventionally numbered; however, the back cover of each issue featured a captioned illustration depicting an ordinal "Sign of the Impending Apocalypse
" which also served as an ad hoc numbering system. For the final issue (published in the year 2000) this feature was replaced with an Al Columbia strip depicting the demise of an experimental subject named "Cheapy the Guinea Pig," which can be taken as a metaphor for the end of Zero Zero itself.
Alternative comics
Alternative comics defines a range of American comics that have appeared since the 1980s, following the underground comix movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Alternative comics present an alternative to "mainstream" superhero comics which in the past have dominated the US comic book industry...
comics anthology
Comics anthology
Comics anthologies collect works in the medium of comics that are too short for standalone publication.- U.S. :- UK :British comics have a long tradition publishing comics anthologies, often weekly...
that was published by Fantagraphics Books
Fantagraphics Books
Fantagraphics Books is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, magazines, graphic novels, and the adult-oriented Eros Comix imprint...
from 1995 to 2000. It was notable among comics anthologies for the number of serial
Serial (literature)
In literature, a serial is a publishing format by which a single large work, most often a work of narrative fiction, is presented in contiguous installments—also known as numbers, parts, or fascicles—either issued as separate publications or appearing in sequential issues of a single periodical...
ized works that appeared in its pages, including Richard Sala
Richard Sala
Richard Sala is an American cartoonist, illustrator, and comic book creator with a unique expressionistic style whose books often combine elements of mystery, horror and whimsy.-Biography:...
's "The Chuckling Whatsit", Dave Cooper
Dave Cooper
David Charles Cooper is a cartoonist, commercial illustrator and a graphic designer who lives in Ottawa, Canada. In addition to comics, Cooper has worked extensively as a designer, producer, and creator in the field of animation...
's "Crumple", Mack White
Mack White
For the Louisiana politician, see Mack "Bodi" White.Mack White is a comics writer and artist who lives in Austin, Texas.-Biography:...
's "Homunculus", Kaz
Kaz
Kazimieras G. Prapuolenis, or Kaz, is an American cartoonist and illustrator, and one of the most renown living "underground" cartoonists in the world. In the 1980s, after attending New York City's School of the Visual Arts, he was a frequent contributor to the influential comics anthologies RAW...
and Timothy Georgarakis's "Meat Box", and Kim Deitch
Kim Deitch
-Sources:* at Lambiek's Comiclopedia-External links:* Ford, Jeffrey. *Heller, Steven. **...
's "The Strange Secret of Molly O'Dare" and "The Search for Smilin' Ed".
Zero Zero was published in a typical 6½″ × 9¾″ comic book format. Issues ranged between 40 and 64 pages in length, printed mostly in black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
with a color cover but occasionally including sections printed in one or two colors, notably a series of stories by Al Columbia
Al Columbia
Al Columbia is an American cartoonist, illustrator, writer, photographer, musician, and filmmaker.-Big Numbers controversy:At the age of 19 Columbia was hired to work as an assistant to Bill Sienkiewicz on Alan Moore's Big Numbers series...
. Zero Zeros release schedule was irregular, fluctuating between bimonthly and quarterly intervals over the course of its run. A total of 27 issues were released.
Early issues of Zero Zero were not conventionally numbered; however, the back cover of each issue featured a captioned illustration depicting an ordinal "Sign of the Impending Apocalypse
Apocalypse
An Apocalypse is a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, i.e. the veil to be lifted. The Apocalypse of John is the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament...
" which also served as an ad hoc numbering system. For the final issue (published in the year 2000) this feature was replaced with an Al Columbia strip depicting the demise of an experimental subject named "Cheapy the Guinea Pig," which can be taken as a metaphor for the end of Zero Zero itself.
Partial list of contributors
- Doug AllenDoug AllenDoug Allen is an American underground cartoonist, illustrator, and musician. Best known for his long-running comic strip Steven, Allen has over the years collaborated with long-time friend Gary Leib on music, animation, fine art, and comics, including the two-man Fantagraphics anthology...
- Rick AltergottRick AltergottRick Altergott is a professional illustrator and cartoonist, residing in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, with his wife, fellow cartoonist Ariel Bordeaux. Their collaborative comic book Raisin Pie is published by Fantagraphics....
- Max AnderssonMax AnderssonMax Andersson is a Swedish comic creator and film maker, mostly doing "underground style" and "artistic" comics. His comics have mainly been published in Swedish albums, and in the Swedish art magazine Galago....
- Marc Arsenault
- Jim Blanchard
- Stephane Blanquet
- David CollierDavid Collier (cartoonist)David Collier is a Canadian alternative cartoonist best known for his fact-based "comic strip essays."- Biography :As a child, Collier was introduced to the work of Robert Crumb, whose work has been a significant influence...
- Al ColumbiaAl ColumbiaAl Columbia is an American cartoonist, illustrator, writer, photographer, musician, and filmmaker.-Big Numbers controversy:At the age of 19 Columbia was hired to work as an assistant to Bill Sienkiewicz on Alan Moore's Big Numbers series...
- Dave CooperDave CooperDavid Charles Cooper is a cartoonist, commercial illustrator and a graphic designer who lives in Ottawa, Canada. In addition to comics, Cooper has worked extensively as a designer, producer, and creator in the field of animation...
- Kim DeitchKim Deitch-Sources:* at Lambiek's Comiclopedia-External links:* Ford, Jeffrey. *Heller, Steven. **...
- Mike DianaMike DianaMichael Christopher "Mike" Diana is an underground cartoonist who became the first artist ever to receive a criminal conviction for obscenity for artwork in the United States.-Early life:...
- Michael Dougan
- Joyce FarmerJoyce FarmerJoyce Farmer is an American cartoonist. She was a participant in the underground comix movement. With Lyn Chevely, she created the feminist anthology comic book series Tits & Clits Comix in 1972....
- Bill Griffith
- Glenn Head
- Sam HendersonSam HendersonSam Henderson is an American cartoonist, writer and expert on American comedy history.Henderson attended Boiceville, New York's Onteora High School, graduating in 1987, and the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where he graduated in 1991.Henderson has been self-publishing xeroxed minicomics...
- Kaz
- Michael KuppermanMichael KuppermanMichael Kupperman, also known by the pseudonym P. Revess, is an American cartoonist and illustrator. He created the comic strips Up All Night and Found in the Street, and has written scripts for DC Comics...
(as P. Revess) - David MazzucchelliDavid MazzucchelliDavid Mazzucchelli is an American comic book artist and writer. His latest work is the award-winning graphic novel, Asterios Polyp.-Career:...
- Mark NewgardenMark NewgardenMark Newgarden is an American underground cartoonist. His work has appeared widely, and his influential shape-shifting weekly feature Newgarden, which appeared in alternative weekly newspapers like New York Press, created a cult following for the artist.Newgarden's work has appeared in a diverse...
- Ethan Persoff
- Archer PrewittArcher PrewittArcher Prewitt is an American musician and cartoonist associated with the independent music scene in Chicago, Illinois.- Music :...
- Spain RodriguezSpain RodriguezManuel Rodriguez , better known as Spain or Spain Rodriguez, is an American underground cartoonist who created the character Trashman. His experiences on the road with the biker gang, the Road Vultures, provided inspiration for his work, as did his left-wing politics.-Biography:Born in Buffalo, New...
- Joe SaccoJoe SaccoJoe Sacco is a Maltese-American comics artist and journalist. He achieved international fame through the 1996 American Book Award-winning Palestine, and his graphic novel on the Bosnian War, Safe Area Goražde.- Biography :...
- Richard SalaRichard SalaRichard Sala is an American cartoonist, illustrator, and comic book creator with a unique expressionistic style whose books often combine elements of mystery, horror and whimsy.-Biography:...
- Ted Stearn
- Henriette ValiumHenriette ValiumHenriette Valium , whose real name is Patrick Henley, is a comic book artist and painter based in Montreal, Quebec. Although Valium did gain substantial recognition from the underground comics scene in Europe and North-America since his beginnings in the early eighties, his provocative and...
- Penny Van Horn
- Mack WhiteMack WhiteFor the Louisiana politician, see Mack "Bodi" White.Mack White is a comics writer and artist who lives in Austin, Texas.-Biography:...
- Skip WilliamsonSkip WilliamsonSkip Williamson is an American underground cartoonist and central figure in the underground comix movement.Williamson is known for being the most political and satirical cartoonist of the underground comix movement.- Childhood :...
- Aleksandar ZografAleksandar ZografSasa Rakezic is a Serbian cartoonist, author of such works as Life Under Sanctions, Psychonaut, Dream Watcher, and Bulletins from Serbia....