~SMOKE SIGNALS FROM DESERT ISLAND !!

smoke signal logo

SMOKE SIGNAL . . . . is a FREE ALL-COMICS OPEN SUBMISSION NEWSPAPER published by Brooklyn’s DESERT ISLAND.
the 11 x 14-1/2 in. 24-page publication “aims for a mix of established independent artists and up-and-coming unknowns.”
It depends on community support for realization. Issues are produced in a limited run of 1000. Copies are available for FREE at the shop, through the mail and at a few other select BROOKLYN locations. They are “trying to publish quarterly” !!

smoke signal # 1

SMOKE SIGNAL #1 – above – has a wonderful cover illustration by the fantastic TRAVIS MILLARD !!
sure to become a collector’s item – it is now out-of-print. Among its approx 46 contributors – are:
CAT CHOW, TAYLOR McKIMENS, GIL GENTILE, JEN GRIMS, SHOBOSHOBO, NOAH LYON, UNINHABITABLE MANSIONS, FAMOUS CLASS and RON REGE Jr. It was published in JUNE 2009.
here’s a little sampling:

smoke # 1
‘HOW TO DRAW CARTOONS’ – by LEAH HAYES.

smoke # 2
. . . ‘STEP #1: MAKE A FACE’ – LEAH HAYES

smoke # 3
. . . ‘STEP #2: GIVE IT A HAT’ – LEAH HAYES

smoke # 4
‘CARTOON CEMETERY’ – by LUKE RAMSEY.

smoke # 4A lucky
detail – LUKE RAMSEY.
(hey !! my cat’s name is .. LUCKY !!)

smoke # 5
‘SOPH PUNK #1’ – by CAT CHOW

smoke # 6
‘THE DRIPS – WRECK WRECK’ – by TAYLOR McKIMENS !!

smoke # 7
iconic calligraphy by Taylor McKIMENS.

Smoke # 8
iconic – DRIP !! – TAYLOR McKIMENS.
(Jackson Pollock – look out !! we’re about to up-date the art definition of: drip !!)

smoke # 9
‘I LOVE YOU – GABRIELLE BELL’ – by JASON KEIFFER.

smoke # 10
SHOBOSHOBO !!

SMOKE # 11
detail – SHOBOSHOBO.

Smoke # 12
NOAH LYON !!

Smoke # 13
“I HAVE A QUESTION” – NOAH LYON.

smoke # 14
“ENOUGH STUFF ?” – NOAH LYON.

smoke # 15
‘THE HEALING POWER OF ENERGY CURRENTS – FROM A SPIRITUAL WORLD THAT PARELELLS OUR OWN ?’ – by RON REGE Jr.

Smoke # 16
detail, RON REGE Jr.

smoke # 17
detail, RON REGE, Jr.

SMOKE SIGNAL #2 – put out in SEPT 2009 – features a front cover by DASH SHAW and a back cover by BECCA KACANDA !! It’s many talented contributors include: GABRIELLE BELL, FRANK SANTORO, TRAVIS MILLARD, RON REGE Jr, TAYLOR McKIMENS, JULIEN LANGENDORFF, VICTOR KERLOW, and NOAH LYON.
It is still available, but better go get one – quick !!

Smoke # 2  - front cover
SMOKE SIGNAL #2 – FRONT COVER – by DASH SHAW.

smoke # 2  - back cover by BECCA
SMOKE SIGNAL #2 – BACK COVER – by BECCA KACANDA !!

smoke # 20
“BEHIND THE WALL OF SLEEP . . . ” – by JULIEN LANGENDORFF.

smoke # 22
“behind the wall of sleep . . . ” – JULIEN LANGENDORFF.

smoke # 23
“the stairs were cold the sky was unseen” . . . – JULIEN LANGENDORFF.

smoke # 24
JOHN BRODOWSKI

Smoke # 25
detail, JOHN BRODOWSKI.

smoke # 26
‘BIG CITY BLUES’ – by AVI SPIVAK.

smoke avi close-up
detail – ‘BIG CITY BLUES’ – AVI SPIVAK.

smoke # 27
DANIEL LOCKE.

smoke # 28
“FOR TEN YEARS I LIVED IN THE WILDERNESS OF NORTHERN ALASKA.” – DANIEL LOCKE.

Smoke # 29
“I WAS TOTALLY WILD! I WOULD EAT MY FOOD WITH ANIMALS FOR CHRIST’S SAKE!” – DANIEL LOCKE.

smoke # 30
‘A TRUE STORY’ – by BUCKY COX

smoke # 31
“VICTORIA, MEXICO – In the 1950’s my father-in-law was a teenage art student . . .” – BUCKY COX

smoke # 32
center spread – by FRANK SANTORO.

smoke # 33
“RED HAIRED / MAN YELLOW SKIN / BLUE EYES / BLACK HORSE” – FRANK SANTORO.

smoke # 34
‘CRYPTO-ZOOLOGICAL’ – by MAX EVRY & NICK ROSE

smoke # 35
“Ain’t ya gonna try to get away, l’il fella?” – MAX EVRY & NICK ROSE

smoke # 36
‘STREET BROS.’ – – by TRAVIS MILLARD.

smoke # 37
“STREET BROS.” – TRAVIS MILLARD.

smoke # 38
“COME WITH US” – TRAVIS MILLARD.

smoke # 39
“OVER THE FENCE …” / “THROUGH THE HEDGE …” – TRAVIS MILLARD.

smoke # 40
“TOLD YA IT’D BE THERE” – TRAVIS MILLARD.

smoke # 41
‘THE DRIPS VS.’ – by TAYLOR McKIMENS.

smoke # 42
detail – ‘THE DRIPS VS.’ . . .”FIGHT” – TAYLOR McKIMENS

smoke # 43
‘FRANK IS DEAD’ – by VICTOR KERLOW.

smoke # 44
detail, VICTOR KERLOW.

smoke # 45
‘SKUME’ – by KEROZEN.

smoke # 46
detail, ‘SKUME’ – by KEROZEN.

smoke # 48
detail, ‘The Way Some People Live’ – by GABRIELLE BELL.
“i’ve been staying indoors a lot, working and listening to Cheever: A Life by Blake Bailey …”

smoke # 49
detail, ‘The Way Some People Live – by GABRIELLE BELL.
“OH, this is so HUMILIATING! Look at all those literati in there enjoying themselves!”

PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH

so, they are currently taking SUBMISSIONS for SMOKE SIGNAL #3 !! scheduled to come out – early December 2009.
submissions for this 3rd issue will be accepted up until mid November 2009.
SMOKE SIGNAL will be coming out every 3 months (June, September, December & March)

note: GABRIEL FOWLER of DESERT ISLAND and SMOKE SIGNAL’S publisher !! – tells us the RELEASE PARTY !! for SMOKE SIGNAL #3 will be at the inaugural BROOKLYN COMICS FESTIVAL – coming up this Dec 5, 2009 – in BROOKLYN.

see: SMOKE SIGNAL INFO !!
they even have a nice video clip of – SMOKE SIGNAL #1 – coming hot off the press – !!

DESERT ISLAND – 540 METROPOLITAN – WILLIAMS – BROOKLYN
HRS: TUES-SAT: noon-9PM / SUN: noon-7PM / closed on MON