New Releases for Spring 2021

Breakdown Press is thrilled to announce the release of three new books in Spring, 2021 (and here you were thinking this year was going to be as unrelentingly bleak as 2020). Free Fall by Alexis Beauclair, Haway Man, Klaus! by Richard Short and Tummy Bugs by Leomi Sadler will be released on the 29th of March, and are available to pre-order from our online shop, here.

Haway Man Klaus by Richard Short
Haway Man, Klaus! is the first full-length collection of comic strips charting the un-adventures of Klaus, Richard Short’s pensive, anthropomorphic cat. Reinvigorating the classic comic strip, Short salutes Charles Schulz's Peanuts, Tove Jansson's Moomins and Japanese cartooning masters, before veering quickly into an original, strange and utterly unique world of screwball comedy and poetic rumination. Haway Man, Klaus! is available to buy here.

Tummy Bugs by Leomi Sadler
The stories in Tummy Bugs are by turn absurd, surreal and funny. Short luridly coloured vignettes transport the reader into a deeply individual landscape, populated by strange creatures, where the line between fantasy, reality and science fiction is constantly shifting. Leomi Sadler has been a cult figure in the alternative comics scene for over a decade, running the critically acclaimed publisher Famicon Express. Sadler’s commercial illustration work has seen them collaborate with Givenchy, Nike and Vice Magazine as their artistic tendrils continue to extend beyond comics and into the worlds of fashion and contemporary art. Tummy Bugs is available to buy here.

Free Fall by Alexis Beauclair
Free Fall collects nine stories by Alexis Beauclair, originally published in various anthologies over the last decade. Beauclair’s comics are wordless thrill-rides where form and landscape shift perception from image to image. The reader is propelled from one beautiful image to the next at breakneck speed, a rollercoaster ride across the landscape of one of the most singular and important comics artists working today, at the forefront of the French Abstract Formalist Comic Movement. Free Fall is available to buy here.

If you are a retailer and are interested in stocking any Breakdown Press titles, please contact Turnaround Publisher Services here if you’re in the UK, or email us at editors@breakdownpress.com if you’re anywhere else in the world.

The Artist: The Circle of Life by Anna Haifisch

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We’re very pleased to announce that Anglophone Haifischionados will soon be on a par with their fellow frauleins and inky garcons, as The Artist: The Circle of Life, the second collection of strips featuring the titular artist from Anna Haifisch, is now available to pre-order from our online store.

Lucky Londoners will be able to bag a copy at ELCAF in a couple of weeks, and the book will be available in all good bookshops shortly after.

New Releases For CAB 2018

You wait half the year for a bus, then six come along at once!

We’ll be at Short Run in Seattle, CAB in New York, and the Chicago Art Book Fair in Chicago this November with a swathe of new releases, including the long-anticipated, mostly-collected Windowpane by Joe Kessler, Outdoors by Yokoyama Yuichi designed by frenetic Frenchie Jean-Philippe Bretin, a new encounter with the Michelin Man in Liam Cobb’s The Inspector, the entirely unanticipated but extremely flavoursome Ivor Magazine 1 from Richard Short and Joe Kessler, and finally a pair of gelatinous cubes from the body-horror bod Jon Chandler, Wet Shape in the Dark and John’s Worth 4.

You can pre-order all six titles from our online store now, or pick them up in person at one of the fests listed above.

Summer Webstore Hiatus

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Please be aware that the Breakdown Press webstore will be closing for a couple of weeks while we’re away on our belated summer holidays. Any orders placed after September 19th will be posted out on October 13th when we’re back in action.

We’ll also have a few exciting pre-orders up by then, so make sure to keep an eye on our Instagram and Twitter.

Thanks very much for all your orders so far this year. Your continued enthusiasm for the books we publish means a lot to us!

After Man: A Zoology of the Future by Dougal Dixon

We are thrilled to announce that our latest release, After Man: A Zoology of the Future by Dougal Dixon, is now available to pre-order from our online store.

Back in print for the first time in over a decade, and featuring a new introduction from the author and updates based on scientific discoveries made in the 37 years since its initial publication, this new edition of Dougal Dixon’s lavishly illustrated speculative zoology imagines the strange creatures that might evolve in a distant future after the extinction of man.

“Dougal Dixon has given himself the intriguing task of contemplating a future evolution on our own planet, closely based on species that exist at present. By waving a time-wand and eliminating today’s dominant species, including man, he has been able to watch, through his mind’s eye, the lesser animals gradually taking over as the major occupants of the earth’s surface.

Setting his scenario in the distant future, about 50 million years from now, he has given the members of his new animal kingdom time to undergo dramatic changes in structure and behaviour. But in doing this he has never allowed himself to become too outlandish in his invention. He has created his fauna of the future so painstakingly that each kind of animal teaches us an important lesson about the known processes of past evolution. By introducing us to fictitious examples of these factual processes, his book is not only great fun to read, but also has real scientific value” - from the introduction by Desmond Morris'

“Uncannily believable. Dixon’s invented animals, some of them beautiful enough to live, engender reflection about the mysterious forces at work beneath the skin of real animals.” - The New York Times Book Review

“[Dixon’s] brief explanation of the principles of evolution is so lucid, and the detailed illustrations of futuristic beasts are so charming, that After Man is bound to captivate readers of all ages." - Chicago Sun Times

Breakdown Press at TCAF 2018

Joe Kessler will be representing Breakdown Press at Toronto Comic Arts Festival this weekend (May 12th and 13th) at the Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge Street, Toronto. We will be in the Wowee Zonk Small Press Browsery, located on the first floor of the Library (here's a handy map). Brie Moreno and Conor Stechschulte will also be in attendance, exhibiting their own wares along with their Breakdown books, Mumu and the Silky Road and Generous Bosom. As well as the regular selection of Breakdown Press back catalogue and new releases, Joe will have Windowpane t-shirts and a stash of smashy original Japanese manga from his own personal collection.

We're very pleased to be exhibiting at TCAF once again and are especially over the moon to be in the Wowee Zonk area alongside such a wealth of talent. If you're at the festival  be sure to pop by and say hi!

Breakdown Press at The Comics Journal

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The Comics Journal has turned its gimlet eye to Breakdown Press and reviewed a bunch of our books. You can see what they thought about Klaus Magazine 3 by Richard Short, Showtime by Antoine Cosse, Windowpane 4 by Joe Kessler, and the anthology Berserker 1 at their website. Thanks TCJ!

Safari Festival 2017 Satellite Events

Safari Festival 2017 is almost here!

As usual, the event will take place from 11am to 6pm on Saturday 12th August at Protein Gallery in London's Shoreditch. We have some very special guests this year, including Anya Davidson, Lane Milburn, Charles Forsman, Anna Haifisch, and many more. You can find a complete list of exhibitors and venue details at safari-festival.com

On the Wednesday before the event, Gosh Comics will be hosting an interview with Safari guest Charles Forsman, where he'll be discussing the production of the Channel 4/Netflix adaptation of his graphic novel The End of the Fucking World with director Jonathan Entwhistle and writer Charlie Covell. More info here.

On the Thursday before the event, we'll be hosting the spawning ceremony for Berserker 1 and John's Worth 3 at Shoreditch's Lo & Behold, with many of the artists and editors in attendance, an instillation from Lando, exhibition of work from John's Worth 3 by Jon Chandler, performances from Alexander Tucker and Joey Holder & Dane Sutherland, and much more. More info here.

The evening before the event, Gosh Comics will be hosting a launch party for all our Safari new releases, with Shaky Kane, Antoine Cossé, Liam Cobb, and Richard Short in attendance. More info here.

After the festival, we'll be heading to the Shacklewell Arms for live music from Joe Kessler's exquisite Sorority, and L.L. Burns. More info here.

See you there!

New Release Bonanza

We have a veritable bonanza of new releases coming this August for Safari Festival 2017!

Good News Bible: The Complete Deadline Strips of Shaky Kane finally collects all of the inimitable Shaky Kane's work for Deadline magazine from the late '80s and early '90s, along with extensive annotations and essays.

Showtime is the new graphic novel from Antoine Cossé, charting the career of the mysterious "M", the world's most famous magician, and his last and greatest trick.

Berserker 1 is a new anthology of contemporary science fiction comics from some of the genre's most compelling practitioners, alongside essays and interviews with the likes of Robert Beatty (who's also supplied the cosmic cover).

Conditioner is Liam Cobb's follow up to his 2016 ELCAF Audience award winning Shampoo, made up of a series of surreal shorts.

Klaus Magazine 3 is the latest Klaus Kompendium from Richard Short, containing the epic story “It's A Lush Life, Klaus” and a raft of new material, including guest bits from Brie Moreno, Anna Haifisch, Lando and many more.

John's Worth 3 is the new instalment of Jon Chandler's Cronenbergian scorched-earth sex-nightmare.

All six books will be available at Safari Festival on August 12th, and can be pre-ordered now at our online store.

Safari Festival 2017

Safari Festival is back for 2017! Check out our amazing poster from Safari 2017 exhibitor Anya Davidson. You can find more information about this year's festival, and a full list of exhibitors, at safari-festival.com

Safari Festival is a celebration of the new wave of alternative and art comics from the UK and beyond. Taking place on Saturday, 12th August, the festival is an opportunity for a curated group of cartoonists and publishers to exhibit and sell their artwork, prints and, primarily, comics, and for attendees to experience the best of UK comics’ avant-garde. The artists exhibiting have been selected for their innovative, fearless, diverse approaches to making comics; approaches to cartooning that Safari intends to champion.

The Artist Nominated For LA Times Book Prize

Breakdown Press is very proud to announce that Anna Haifisch's The Artist has been nominated for the LA Times Book Prize in the graphic novel/comics section. You can see all the other nominees at their website here. The winners will be announced on April 21st, so keep your fingers crossed for Anna!

Sorority Live at the Drive EP Launch

Breakdown Press are proud to present the Sorority Live at the Drive EP launch party on Thursday 2nd February at the Shacklewell Arms, London, UK. Let us know you’re coming here.

Sorority’s debut EP will also be available to purchase on the night. The EP comes on 12" heavyweight vinyl and is accompanied by a Riso booklet featuring work from some of the world’s best cartoonists: Amanda Baeza, Antoine Cossé, Brie Moreno, Connor Willumsen, Conor Stechschulte, Elliott Batten, Joe Kessler, Richard Short, and Zoë Taylor. 

For those of you who can’t make the party, Live at the Drive is available now from our webstore, and you can listen to Live at the Drive on Soundcloud now.

Christmas Webstore Orders

Please be aware that the Breakdown Press webstore will be closing for Christmas at the end of this week. Current orders will be mailed out this afternoon, so any international orders among them should arrive in time for Christmas. UK orders made by the end of this week will be mailed out early next week, and should also arrive in plenty of time for Christmas. For those of you making personal or otherwise unfestive orders, we may get another chance to send mail out before the end of the year, but cannot guarantee it, so your patience is appreciated.

Thanks very much for all your orders this year. Your continued enthusiasm for the books we publish means a lot to us!

Fantagraphics Distributes Breakdown Press To Comic Shops Across the World

“Fantagraphics is proud to announce a new partnership with London-based publisher Breakdown Press. As of the November 2016 Diamond Previews Catalog, issue #338, Fantagraphics will be distributing a selection of Breakdown Press titles to comic book specialty stores.

Breakdown Press was founded by Simon Hacking, Tom Oldham, Josh Palmano and Joe Kessler in 2013. Their goal was to put out the work of cutting edge cartoonists and some of the very best alternative manga. Since then, Breakdown Press has become a curatorial publishing force, releasing books by Conor Stechschulte, Lale Westvind, Seiichi Hayashi, Antoine Cossé, and many others.

“Breakdown is the UK’s most ambitious, progressive, and editorially risk-taking comics publisher, so it was logical to partner with someone we considered a kindred spirit.,” said Fantagraphics President Gary Groth. “We look forward to getting their books and authors the wider readership in the US that they deserve.”

“Fantagraphics are known for working with the best cartoonists in the world and so Breakdown’s books will be a perfect fit” said Breakdown Press editor Tom Oldham “We’re excited to be working with Fantagraphics to bring our books to a wider audience in North America”.

Fantagraphics is offering two Breakdown Press books through Diamond in the November issue of Previews: The Artist by Anna Haifisch, and Red Red Rock and Other Stories 1967–1970 by Hayashi Seiichi.”

We’re very excited to be collaborating with Fantagraphics, one of the most inspiring comics publishers and certainly a great influence on us, to bring Breakdown Press’s books to a wider audience in the US. The Artist by Anna Haifisch and Red Red Rock by Hayashi Seiichi, editied by Ryan Holmberg, are available to order from the Fantagraphics section of November’s Diamond Previews now.

The Fever Closing by Liam Cobb & Treasure Island 3 by Connor Willumsen

The Fever Closing by Liam Cobb and Treasure Island 3 by Connor Willumsen are available now from our online store. We'll have copies of both at CAB in New York and Thought Bubble in Leeds this weekend.

The Artist & The Fever Closing Launch Party

Breakdown Press will be releasing The Artist by Anna Haifisch, The Fever Closing by Liam Cobb and Treasure Island 3 by Connor Willumsen with a launch party at Gosh! Comics in London on November 11th from 7pm.

The Artist is available now to pre-order from our online store.

The Artist by Anna Haifisch

Breakdown Press is very excited to announce that this November we will be releasing The Artist, a complete collection of the first year of Anna Haifisch’s hilarious, touching strip, originally published at vice.com. The book will be available to pre-order from our online store from mid-October.

Haifisch’s idiosyncratic, episodic comic chronicles the experiences of a young artist in his formative years, satirising the exclusive, ephemeral and frequently absurd world of  fine art. Plagued by doubts and anxiety, the artist is confronted with constant setbacks punctuated by occasional, surprising glimpses of recognition.

Safari Festival 2016

Safari Festival 2016 is almost here!

As usual, the event will take place from 11am to 6pm on Saturday 27th August at Protein Gallery in London's Shoreditch. We have some very special guests this year, including Simon Hanselmann, Joan Cornella, Anna Haifisch, and many more. You can find a complete list of exhibitors and venue details at safari-festival.com

On the Thursday before the event, we'll be hosting an exhibition of work by Decadence Comics at Peckham's Sassoon Gallery, featuring the work of Lando, Stathis Tsemberlidis, Emix Regulus, Jon Chandler and Leon Sadler. Decadence will be launching Decadence 11, and Breakdown will be launching Picnoleptic Inertia by Stathis Tsemberlidis and John's Worth 2 by Jon Chandler. More info here.

The evening before the event, Gosh Comics will be hosting a signing by Joan Cornela, followed by a launch party for all our Safari new releases. More info here.

After the festival, we'll be heading to the Shacklewell Arms for live music from Sorority, Oslo House and Totally, and DJ sets from Negative Space and One Beat Zines 'til late. More info here.

 

World in the Forcefield by Alexander Tucker

World in the Forcefield by Alexander Tucker is available now from our online store!

The book sees Tucker return to comics with a tale of existential boredom set in a fantastical universe. The book explores perception and inter-dimensional reality in a tale of two estranged brothers sharing a world populated by giant godheads who seek a era of perfect boredom, and strike out with random acts of cruelty to create chance events that spark their fellow inhabitants’ destinies.

“I use improvisation to develop structured storylines and automatic processes like cut-ups and unconscious image-making to trigger future events within the comic. I wanted to create a universe where the mundane and the epic sit side by side. I was inspired by Steve Ditko’s meta-beings and Gary Panter’s deconstructed worlds, as well as a deep love for the engravings of Gustav Doré and William Blake’s drawings” - Alexander Tucker.

Known in the comics world as co-founder of the arresting comics anthology Sturgeon White Moss alongside Sylvia Farago (the name of the collection came to Tucker in a dream), Alexander Tucker has also released six critically acclaimed solo albums with Thrill Jockey Records and ATP Recordings, is co-founder of experimental pop duo Grumbling Fur and one-half of radiophonic tape loop project IMBOGODOM. He has collaborated with musicians Charlemagne Palestine, Stephen O Malley of SUNNO))), and fine artists Mark Titchner and Marvin Gaye Chetwyn.

Red Red Rock by Hayashi Seiichi

Red Red Rock and other stories 1967-1970, a career-spanning collection of comics by Hayashi Seiichi, one of Japan’s best known alternative cartoonists, is available now from our online store.

As ever, the translation comes courtesy of Ryan Holmberg, who also has an extensive essay in the book, along with almost 250 pages of work by the great Hayashi Seiichi.

“Discovering Hayashi Seiichi’s work was a revelation - it’s an astonishing blend of sensibilities, steeped in a graceful melancholy” - David Mazzucchelli