Comic, [email protected], TorComicJam.com, $3
Curated by Toronto artist Dalton Sharp and featuring a wide range of weirdness from in and around the GTA, the Toronto Comic Jam is a fine-looking collection of hand-drawn offerings. The TCJ is a monthly event where local artists can swing by and work on interconnected stories or solo works over an evening, and this zine is a really great result of their efforts. Sharp contributes his own comics to this zine, and they deal, in part, with gore and some bodily harm. Other contributions feature a jacked-up Dracula, ballet and a toast/toaster role reversal.
There’s a nice continuity in this compilation and, although it’s made up of artists far and wide, Sharp and his collaborators have created a singular work that seems impressively intact. Also, it’s a weird thing to pick up on but a few local comic and art/book stores advertise in these pages. It makes this collection seem even more legitimate and as a Toronto native, I felt this really furthered the authentic vibe that Sharp and company seem to be going for. Worth tracking down. (Cam Gordon)