Jenny Zervakis was part of a wave of underground, do-it-yourself cartoonists who came of age during the Zine Revolution of the 1990’s. At a time when most “alternative comics” were loud, abrasive, and sarcastic, Jenny’s autobiographical zine, Strange Growths, was warm, understated, and emotionally bare. Now, for the first time, these inspirational and groundbreaking comics have been collected in book form. The Complete Strange Growths, 1991-1997gathers the first thirteen issues in their entirety, plus a selection of rare comics from anthologies, and a new interview with Jenny, conducted by Robert Clough.
"Though the comics here were created over two decades ago, there's a timeless quality to them; they still feel fresh, evoking not nostalgia as much as an acknowledgement of the prismatic quality of life-- the sheer breadth of its pitfalls and possibilities. Strange Growths was, and continues to be, something special." -- Rob Kirby, The Comics Journal
Jenny Zervakis was born in Chicago, Illinois, and began self-publishing her mini comic Strange Growths in 1991. She currently resides in Durham, NC with her two kids, dog, cat, and Goldie the goldfish. She works in research at the Durham VA Medical Center.
John Porcellino was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1968, and began drawing and writing at an early age, compiling his work into handmade booklets. His acclaimed self-published zine, King-Cat Comics and Stories, begun in 1989, has found a devoted worldwide audience, and is one of the most influential comics series of the past twenty-five years.
240 page black and white paperback with color covers
Spit and a Half, 2018
