Issue 99.5

Dr. Bug and Mr. Game Freak: The Fanzine Origins of Pokémon

In 1983, 17-year-old Satoshi Tajiri created Game Freak, a handmade tips-and-tricks guide for his favourite arcade games. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because Tajiri also happens to be the creator of the highest-grossing video game of all time.

Review: Ritual: Reflections On The Things We Do

From describing full moon rituals to intricate political art projects and daily habits, many kinds of rituals are on display in this anthology. Though this theme should unify the content, it was difficult for me to really get into the writing.

Review: Together We Make the Dream Real

An earnest and unfiltered travelogue of the early 2010s, Travis Egedy parses half-thoughts about isolation, extinction, loss and art among a frenzied scene.

Art Holes: Amiga 600

Illustrator Stephen Maurice Graham shows us his transitory, functional space, their gaming gear, and how much his workspace looks like the things he draws.

TOOLKIT: Make Your Own Tabletop RPG

If you want help making your scrappy little art game full of weird characters and personal opinions and you think nerding out about systems to help enable your dream kind of play sounds like fun, let’s roll.

Review: Spa

Dealing with themes of power and class differences, follow mistreated employees, oblivious guests and a debt-ridden director in this wonderfully creepy graphic novel by Erik Svetoft. I haven’t been to a spa for many years. I’m in no hurry to go back.

Folio: Lonesome Bill Walker on Puppetry and Pee-wee

Folio asks artists and curators to gather works made with unexpected materials and adapt them for the printed page. In this issue we speak with Lonesome Bill Walker, whose woodwork and puppetry explore queerness and its rich strings throughout pop culture.

Working the Nightshift

“A board game is something that can reach people well beyond my existing community, who are already mostly very accepting of this line of work.” Australian artist and former dancer Exotic Cancer talks to us about her strip club roleplaying game.

Introducing Our Summer Issue: Fun & Games

Hark! Adventurers! Join us in this magical, magazine quest as Broken Pencil guides you through the weird and wonderful realm of indie tabletop roleplaying games!