Small Press Mini-Comics

In the dark ages of the mid-eighties I was unemployed, depressed and idle. It was then I discovered the small press comics movement, an anarchic sub-culture of cartoonists who happily rejected the need for publishers or editors to create and distribute their comics themselves. Lack of money was no concern, in fact the low-tech, home-made aspects of these comics was celebrated.

These mini-comics were produced mostly as small, cheap photocopied 8 - 12 page pamphlets easily sent through the mail, the major method of distribution, for trade or sale. From 1985 - 90 I produced over 60 such mini-comics in a frenzy of experimentation. This was my true art school where I learned not only how to do comics but what I wanted to do in comics. These comics include political satire, autobiography, street portraits, religious satire, off-beat humour, comics parodies, war stories, performance art and just plain weirdness.

The Complete Small Press Collection
Over 60 digests and mini-comics (virtually all the work I've done up to 1990, mostly 8 - 12 pages, and digests with up to 24 pages) hand written, hand drawn, hand collated, hand folded and stapled by Colin Upton in the finest tradition of small press publishing!
Colin Upton, $25

All the mini-comics are also available individually: New Reality #1-2, Hotxha the Albanian, Artistic License, Canadian Squalor, Life of a Cartoon Artiste, The Granville Street Gallery #1-7, The Collected Socialist Turtle #1-7, Self-indulgent Comics #1-12, The Adventures of Happy Ned and his Rabbit Spot #1-8, A Jam of Spot #1-4, Real Rubbie #1-6, Famous Bus rides #1-4, The Happy Hater #1-4, Captain Rugdoctor #1-2, Loonyboy #1-2, The Noble Art of Observing People, Tales of the Terrible Teatotaler, You're Young It's Dark Your Bladders Full, Tales Of The Devil-Bunnies, Self-portrait Comic, A Short Guide To The Care and Production Of Mini-Comics

"Probably the best mini-comics I've ever seen." Jim Stack (The Comic Book Newsletter)

"Colin is the premier observer of the human condition in the Small Press today." Tim Corrigan (The Comicshopper)

"Self-Indulgent #3 clearly shows Colin Upton to be one of Small Press's most gifted cartoonists and illustrators." (Small press Comics Explosion)

"Upton's work has an acceptance of humanity in all it's grungy splendor that I really like." Heidi MacDonald (Eccentricities and attitudes)