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Charles “Zan” Christensen, Adam Pruett, Agnes Czaja, Alex Dahm, Amy T. Falcone, Ashley Cook, Bill Roundy, Caroline Hobbs, Ellen Forney, Erika Moen, Jason A. Quest, Jason Thompson, John Lustig, Jon Macy, Josh Trujillo, Dave Valeza, Kate Leth, Kevin Boze, Leanne Franson, Leia Weathington, Lena Chandhok, Margreet de Heer, MariNaomi, Maurice Vellekoop, Melaina, Mike Sullivan, Nick Leonard, Powflip, Randall Kirby, Roberta Gregory, Sam Orchard, Sonya Saturday, Stasia Burrington, Steve Orlando, Tania Walker, Tara Avery, Zoe Chevat,
Anything That Loves
by: Charles “Zan” Christensen, Adam Pruett, Agnes Czaja, Alex Dahm, Amy T. Falcone, Ashley Cook, Bill Roundy, Caroline Hobbs, Ellen Forney, Erika Moen, Jason A. Quest, Jason Thompson, John Lustig, Jon Macy, Josh Trujillo, Dave Valeza, Kate Leth, Kevin Boze, Leanne Franson, Leia Weathington, Lena Chandhok, Margreet de Heer, MariNaomi, Maurice Vellekoop, Melaina, Mike Sullivan, Nick Leonard, Powflip, Randall Kirby, Roberta Gregory, Sam Orchard, Sonya Saturday, Stasia Burrington, Steve Orlando, Tania Walker, Tara Avery, Zoe Chevat,From confessional, personal accounts to erotic flights of fancy to undersea identity politics, this collection of comics invites the reader to step outside of the categories and explore the wild and wonderful uncharted territory between “gay” and “straight”. Winner of the Bisexual Book Award for Bisexual Non-Fiction, and included on the American Library Association’s Over the Rainbow Project book list for 2014!
$9.99 – $29.99
“Why don’t you just come out already?”
“How can you be bi if you’re married?”
“You’ll do it with anything that moves.”
For all their differences, gay and straight people are often united in their problems with bisexuality. People who follow their hearts wherever they lead, regardless of gender, are still usually met with disbelief and suspicion.
From confessional, personal accounts to erotic flights of fancy to undersea identity politics, this collection of comics invites the reader to step outside of the categories and explore the wild and wonderful uncharted territory between “gay” and “straight”.
Featuring comics and illustrations by Adam Pruett, Agnes Czaja, Alex Dahm, Amy T. Falcone, Ashley Cook & Caroline Hobbs, Bill Roundy, Ellen Forney, Erika Moen, Jason A. Quest, Jason Thompson, John Lustig, Jon Macy, Josh Trujillo & Dave Valeza, Kate Leth, Kevin Boze, Leanne Franson, Leia Weathington, Lena H. Chandhok, Margreet de Heer, MariNaomi, Maurice Vellekoop, Melaina, Nick Leonard, Powflip, Randall Kirby, Roberta Gregory, Sam Orchard, Sonya Samantha Saturday, Stasia Burrington, Steve Orlando, Tania Walker, and Tara Madison Avery & Mike Sullivan.
Featuring an introduction by editor Charles “Zan” Christensen and a foreword by PoMoSexuals author Carol Queen, PhD.
Winner of the Bisexual Book Award for Bisexual Nonfiction!
Royalties from the sale of this book are being donated to Prism Comics, the nonprofit organization that’s been helping LGBT comics, creators, and readers for over ten years!
Check out a discussion panel with the editor and some contributors from Emerald City Comic-Con 2013…
[vimeo 61243479 w=640]
ISBN: 9781938720321
Publisher: Northwest Press
Publish Date: 2013
Page Count: 216
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The Power Within $2.99 – $4.99
A comic book tackling the subject of teen bullying and suicide, written by Charles “Zan” Christensen and drawn by Mark Brill.
Shannon gets picked on a lot; his dad and teachers think he should just “fit in” more, but that doesn’t help. So Shannon escapes into a super-powered alter-ego whenever he’s in a bad situation. But will the power within be enough to save him?
In addition to the main story, the book contains bonus pages by a collection of comics industry heavyweights, including Gail Simone (Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey), Phil Jimenez (New X-Men, Wonder Woman), Greg Rucka (Detective Comics, Gotham Central), Matthew Clark (Outsiders, Wonder Woman), Stephen Sadowski (JSA, Warlord of Mars), Dan Parent (Archie, Kevin Keller), Donna Barr (The Desert Peach), Andy Mangels (Gay Comics, Iron Man: Beneath the Armor) and Carla Speed McNeil (FINDER).
Copies of The Power Within are available free of charge to youth services organizations and teachers’ groups. Please contact us by email to request copies. The book contains discussion questions so that the book can be used as a tool to start a conversation about issues of bullying and harassment.
PREVIEW:
Read the first part of the story right now!
INTERVIEWS:
Review at Gay.com by Jase Peeples — “Moved by the rash of suicides committed by bullied LGBT teens last year, Christensen and Brill took it upon themselves to create a story they hope will reach others in a way only comics can.”
Interview on Tacoma KOMO — “Imagine a world in which bullied teens are protected by muscled superheroes. It sounds fantastic, but this is exactly the world Zan Christensen and Mark Brill have created in a new comic intended to help teens cope with bullying and harassment in school.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCXzxJ-qDA4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCGaSZfBpqM
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The Legend of Bold Riley #2 $2.99
Bold Riley, still reeling from a tragic loss, continues southward with no real destination or purpose. On the desolate Broken Head Moors, she’s rescued from a terrible storm by an aged weaver whose fantastic tapestries may foretell the shape of what’s to come.
Written by Leia Weathington with art by Zack Giallongo and Liz Conley, a pinup by Victoria Grace Elliott, and a cover by Terry Blas.
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A Waste of Time #1 $2.99 – $4.99
Rick the cartoonist rabbit is growing desperate for success, while his creations—including a coke-addicted teddy bear and a broken robot—have their own plans for his career. Things start to take a sinister turn, and Rick surprises even himself with the depths of pandering to which he’ll sink.
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Fearful Hunter $12.99 – $24.99
Oisin, a shy young druid, lives in a ferocious world of sacred sexuality and erotic elder gods. When he falls for Byron, a simple wolf who only mates for life, their love threatens the plans of those who desire a forbidden power. Do the star-crossed lovers stand a chance when lascivious Druid masters and savage elder gods threaten their fragile new relationship?
Punk music, pickup trucks, and psychedelic earth magic add an urban spin to this captivating queer Celtic fantasy world.
Written and drawn by Jon Macy, with bonus stories and art by Justin Hall, Dave Davenport, William O. Tyler, Steve MacIsaac, Dylan Edwards, Sina Sparrow, René Capone, Agnes Czaja, and Sean Z. Maker.
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The Legend of Bold Riley $9.99
Leia Weathington’s sword-and-sorcery epic The Legend of Bold Riley is illustrated by Leia and a host of talented artists.
“Who is Bold Riley?” you might ask. She has hunted the wildest game and dallied with countless beautiful girls, but still longs to know the world beyond the city walls. Princess Rilavashana SanParite, called Bold Riley, leaves behind her station and sets out to travel through distant lands and find forgotten ruins, fearsome enemies, inscrutable gods and tragic love.
She’s as capable with a sword as she is with her wits—man, does she carve things up when the need arises—and is a strong, beautiful, confident woman who doesn’t wear a bikini into battle. And she always gets the girl!
Created by Leia Weathington, with art by Weathington, Marco Aidala, Vanessa Gillings, Kelly McClellan, Konstantin Pogorelov, Liz Conley, and Jason Thompson. Cover artwork by Brinson Thieme. 232 pages. 7″x10″. Full-color with metallic ink cover.
Retailers! Download a Bold Riley Promotional Display that highlights the foreword by fan-favorite writer Jane Espenson and helps encourage customers to check out the book.
PREVIEWS:
You can download a 67-page preview of the book in PDF or EPUB (iPad-only) format right here on the site. The preview includes excerpts from four of the stories in the book, bonus artwork and more.Additionally, there’s a ZIP file of preview images available for use in reviews and articles. Download it here. (11MB ZIP file.)
INTERVIEWS:
Feature on Panel Patter by Rob McMonigal — “Ms. Weathington, working with a variety of other artists, has created a fantasy world ripe for exploration, with our guide being Bold Riley, a young woman with royal (but restless) blood. It’s great to see the ‘Uncharted Fantasy World’ idea given a new twist by having a protagonist that’s not only female, but queer as well.”
Feature on Portland Comic Books Examiner by Christian Lipski — “Author Leia Weathington is releasing Bold Riley, her first book, at the end of June, and spoke with the Portland Comic Books Examiner about her own journey.”
Interview on Portland Comics by Doug Dorr — “I worked with 5 other artists for Bold Riley and made the mistake at first of trying to really tightly control the visuals of the comic. That was something I learned to back off from pretty fast. If you are working with artists you probably decided to get into a collaboration with them for a reason. SO TRUST YOUR ARTIST! What I’ve started doing is making model sheets characters, objects and places that must look a certain way to maintain continuity in the story, after that I send photo references, script and descriptions of mood and setting and turn the artist loose to have fun with it.”
Interview on The Hathor Legacy by Maria Velazquez — “Like many creators I started writing the kind of story I always wanted to see. Like most women I was raised with fairy tales and the complex feelings that go with them. Sure they focus primarily on female leads, but those leads tend to be passive objects. The women are what things happen TO not people who make things happen themselves.”
Interview on Sequential Tart by Lee Atchison — “We like the anti-hero right now. And with reason. Things are shit, we’re all pretty jaded. How can you not be when at the click of a button you can see the latest string of atrocities played out before your eyes. I like the anti-hero, but somewhere amid all of the horror and the skepticism, I wanted to place a story about a hero who, while not beyond reproach, is good and wants to do good and tries her hardest.”
Zan Christensen –
“There were some fabulous contributions from a wide variety of creators. Some well known, some not at all. Agnes Czaja’s tale of figuring out her own bi-sexuality, Lena Chandhok’s tale of comics influencing her realization, Erika Moen’s coming to terms with her sexual identity, Leanne Franson’s frustrations of being accepted & Margreet De Heer’s comics about her relationships were among my favorites. There were others which I found awesome too, but don’t take my word for it, pick this up.” Read P.D. Houston’s review on Renderwrx
Okazu –
“Whatever your sexuality, Anything That Loves will pose a few questions that will get you thinking.” Read Erica Friedman’s review on Okazu.
Bleeding Cool –
“The voices in Anything That Loves are not only the voices of the creators, but they’re the voices of everyone and anyone who’s felt different or weird and tried hard to argue that weirdness away. Anything That Loves wants you to own and love your weirdness and now I have never felt more comfortable being weird.” Read Louis Falcetti’s review on Bleeding Cool.
Nerds in Babeland –
“With over 200 pages, this anthology is bound to have a number of comics that appeal to you, and the message in each and every artist’s contribution cannot be denied. It doesn’t matter what label you take, or if you reject labels altogether. No one has the right to deny the expression of your own sexuality. Love who you love, and do not give power to those who seek to tear you down because of it.” Read the review on Nerds in Babeland.
AnneBean.com –
“…a damn fascinating examination of bisexuality, queer sexuality, biphobia, and the myriad ways one can be a human with desires. The various comics specifically address discrimination and ick that come from the ‘straight’ world as well as the ‘gay’ (‘lesbian’, ‘queer’, etc) world. Some people will connect with this book, or at least one piece in it, on a personal level. (I just want to high-five Leanne Franson, for example.)” Read Anne Bean’s review on AnneBean.com.
Sequential Tart –
“I think Christensen did a great job finding a variety of material so that the book wouldn’t feel repetitive or preachy. Overall, I really enjoyed Anything That Loves, and would highly recommend it.” Read Katie Frank’s review on Sequential Tart.
The Onion’s A.V. Club –
“There’s a vast array of styles showing the different artistic backgrounds of the creators (Jason Thompson and Powflip’s manga-influenced stories are a highlight), creating a comprehensive exploration of bisexuality through graphic storytelling.” Read Oliver Sava’s review on The A.V. Club.
Storytelling in Comics –
“There are things to be expected from the beginning. Jason Thompson and Erika Moen both provide beautiful and touching pieces of their work to the collection. Ellen Forney is delightfully funny with her contributions. The thing is, if you are reading this far in the review and were interested in this book before you already know that about them. While I don’t want to undermine these amazingly talented people, however, what really excites me about big anthologies like this is finding names I’ve never seen before that I have to google on the phone while I’m reading and the book did not disappoint there.” Read the review on Storytelling in Comics.
Bisexual Books –
“The sheer diversity is staggering. In this collection there are bisexual people of every stripe and type. Most identify as bisexual though some use queer and others prefer no labels. There are trans* bisexuals, bisexual people of color, and even a kinky asexual relationship between these pages. Bisexual men are well represented. Not all the creators are bisexual, but most seem to be. Many of the comics are autobiographical and they range from serious to laugh-out loud funny.” Read the review on Bisexual Books.
Sequential Tart –
“I’m going to start this review with the key message: read this book! Seriously. I was amazed. I laughed. I empathized. And I finished it with a greater appreciation for what it’s like to be bisexual. ” Read Sheena McNeil’s review on Sequential Tart.
Sequential Tart –
“Anything That Loves is a graphic novel compiling the work of over two-dozen creators, some seasoned and some new to comics, regarding the subject of bisexuality. There’s always at least one thing appealing about each entry, either art or story—and nearly always both.” Read Wolfen Moondaughter’s review on Sequential Tart.
One Blog Many Voices –
“I found the book hugely entertaining. I loved the different styles of artwork, the different scenarios presented, the stories and the amazing diversity brought to this anthology by all the different authors. Each voice in the book obviously took to heart the purpose and all those incredible creative voices did the subject proud.” Read Cyn Duby’s review on One Blog Many Voices.
Comics Worth Reading –
“Overall, I found the content eye-opening and informative, a welcome reminder of the variety of human sexuality.” Read Johanna Draper Carlson’s review on Comics Worth Reading.
Bitch Magazine –
“They talk about personal discovery, discrimination, and just daily life, along a scale of myriad of identities. Bisexual men are well represented, which is something of a rarity. As with all anthologies, some will speak to you more than others—for example, Sam Saturday’s depiction of transwomen did not sit well with me—but certainly there is something for everyone within this book. The art is varied and high quality, and the stories are compelling.” Read Arielle Yarwood’s review for Bitch Magazine.
Matt Cresswell –
“At best Anything That Loves is smart, funny and educational, and both empowering and capable of concealing the political tub it’s thumping beneath a great story. Even in its worst moments, it’s a solid strip whose only crime is not standing out from the pack. Which, for an anthology with so many component parts, is a pretty good result. Recommended, and I look forward to reading more of their stuff.” Read Matt Cresswell’s review
WendyBunny’s Rantings –
“…I think it was ten dollars well spent and I’d definitely suggest that other people check it out too.” Read Reece the review on WendyBunny’s Rantings
GeekDad –
“In a frank, honest description of the human sexual condition, Anything That Loves educates and reminds us that love, gender, and attraction are fluid things.” Read Rory Stark’s review on GeekDad
TheCultDen –
“…the overall positive message and the desire to overcome and breakdown stereotypes, from both straight and LGBT+ people, is refreshing and still quite sweet. Those who have ever wanted to know more about LGBT+ issues, or else feel they need a refresher, could certainly have a worse place to start than with this.” Read Reece Morris-Jones’ review on TheCultDen
Lambda Literary –
“Kudos for Charles ‘Zan’ Christensen for compiling these comics, and as he describes in his introduction, for bravely confronting his own prejudices to come to some epiphanies about new ways we all can view sexual orientation.” Read Cathy Camper’s review on Lambda Literary
L.A. Review of Books –
“Most engaging is Bill Roundy’s exploration of his own attraction to transmen in analytic detail, a piece that raises ideas about the intersection of physical sexuality and psychological identification, yet refrains from eroticizing transgenderism. Rather, Roundy’s point is to legitimize sexual and romantic relations with transmen as authentic homosexual experiences. His F-to-M partners are presented in his view as neither incomplete men, nor women in drag, but as persons who exemplify, through both body and mind, his sexual ideal of a masculine person.” Read Greg Baldino’s review on L.A. Review of Books
Curve Magazine –
“Sexy, provocative and thought-provoking, this beautifully illustrated tome is a must-read for comic loving queers. So packed with unique and affirming tales of sexual identity and expression, you won’t be left wanting for much of anything—except for, perhaps, a second helping.” Read Cygnus Fogle’s review in the Jan/Feb issue of Curve Magazine
The Gay Comics List –
“I’ve only commented on about a third of the stories in this anthology, but it should be clear that a few strong points emerge from a lot of the contributions: bisexual people exist, not all of them agree to the labels, things are in fact far more complicated than half a dozen labels can make sense of, and that’s a very good thing. And so is this anthology.” Read François Peneaud’s review on the Gay Comics List
Women Write About Comics –
“Anything that Loves is an anthology that explores the fluidity of sexuality, gender expression, and identity. Finally! Story after story of bi/pan/queer folks illustrating the frustration, pain, isolation, ridicule, joy, pleasure, and liberation associated with coming out as bi or queer in a world of binaries. Editor Charles ‘Zan’ Christensen at NW Press felt compelled to create this anthology through Kickstarter to unite all members of the queer community and to ‘stop thinking of it as a VIP club with a litmus test required for entry.’ This anthology challenges the notion of the gay/straight binary and affirms non-dualistic expressions of sex and love.” Read Ashley Schmuecker’s whole review on Women Write About Comics
The Bay Area Reporter –
“With an introduction by Carol Queen, Ph.D., Anything That Loves is a good journeyman’s guide to the wide spectrum of sexualities and identities that exist apart from the gay/straight binary divide. Editor Christensen writes, ‘The common thread that united them [the book’s contributors] is not their sexuality, but their humanity. These are people who want love, affection, companionship, security, fun, adventure, solace – all the things that you and I and anyone would want.’” Read Roberto Friedman’s whole review in Out There in the Bay Area Reporter
Comics Grinder –
“Sexuality is an essential issue. It’s essential like breathing. And it’s complex. The issue itself is personal, social, and political, often all at once. As this book makes clear, this isn’t about being gay or straight. It’s about being human.” Read Harry Chamberlain’s whole review on Comics Grinder
xoxoamore –
“The artwork is varied in style, but it’s all uniformly excellent and usually quite polished. It ranges from Maurice Vellekoop’s clean lines, to Josh Trujillo and Dave Valeza’s pastel-inspired silhouettes, to Leanne Franson’s sketchier style. Standouts include Jason A. Quest’s nuanced and spare panels, and Marinaomi’s woodcut-inspired short story. In reviewing a book on bisexuality, it seems cliche to say ‘There’s something in here for everyone,’ but when it comes to the artwork, it’s true.” Read Kaitlyn’s review on xoxoamore
Bitch Magazine –
“Because of its empowering bent, approachable styles, and focus on self-exploration beyond well-known labels, Anything that Loves is a collection that I’d be excited to hand off to a teenager who’s hungry for media that reflects how confusing gender and sexual identity can be.” Read Sarah Mirk’s review on Bitch Media
Peace News –
“Featuring a wide-range of topics, authors and styles—standouts for me included Kate Leth’s ‘Some common myths about bisexuality’ (‘Does that mean you’re into threesomes?’), Amy T Falcone’s ‘No Big Deal’ (‘Worrying about your partner’s plumbing isn’t love’), and Bill Roundy on being a ‘gold star gay’ attracted to transmen, battling with the Orientation Police (‘Why are you so obsessed with my boyfriend’s junk?’)—this book will hopefully help all of its readers—gay, straight or otherwise inclined—to ‘look beyond limiting labels and categories… so that everyone can follow their hearts (and libidos!)’.” Read Gabriel Carlyle’s review on Peace News
(bi)sexualitaet.org –
“Die Comics spielen mit den Schattierungen von Liebe, Lust und Identität und sind ein Fest für jeden der sich zwischen Hetero und Homo bewegt in Liebesdingen. (The comics play with the shades of love, desire and identity, and are a feast for all the moves between hetero and homo in matters of love.)” Read the full review on (bi)sexualitaet.org