Chip Zdarsky is a name you commonly hear regarding Eisner nominations, best-of lists, and the retelling of comical online anecdotes. Now, he’s breaking into something entirely new: promo comics —specifically, a promo comic in the form of Zdarsky Comic News.
So, what is Zdarsky Comic News all about? Well, AIPT got an exclusive chat with Zdarsky to discuss this intriguing new endeavor. Thanks to Diamond, over 50,000 copies are available in comic shops today. The publication sees Zdarsky putting out his four-page promotional booklet of personal and professional odds and ends.
Something you might be asking yourself is, “Does it promote anything, or is it all a goof?” The answer is yes and yes. From well-designed covers to silly things like a word finder, a column, and finally, promotion of the comics he’s making that month, there’s so much to enjoy in these promos. Plus, the first edition is free!
Check out Zdarsky’s answers below for a small preview of the kind of relevant comics coverage you can expect.
If you want even more Zdarsky in your ears, check out our extensive Creator Spotlight episode of the AIPT Comics podcast. Available on all podcast platforms.
The cover of Zdarsky Comic News issue #1. Courtesy of Chip Zdarsky.
AIPT: Chip, you’re an innovator in comics. Yes, I mean it, from Master Class videos to inventing the idea of the multiverse with your recent Batman run. Now you’re entering the promo game in comics. Why now, why!?
Chip Zdarsky: Look, I think a lot of creators and publishers have been finding it difficult to promote their work on social media these days. I’ve left pretty much all of it and just reside over at my substack, but it just doesn’t feel like enough, you know? So, I started thinking about how I found out about upcoming comics back in the pre-internet days. It was through physical publications like Wizard, Marvel Age, Amazing Heroes, and Comic Buyers Guide! I loved reading those, so I thought that having something purely physical in the shops would be a fun thing for readers!
AIPT: What sort of content can a fan (or your enemies) find in each Zdarsky Comic News?
CZ: Interviews! Punditry! Upcoming releases! Games! Relationship advice?? Every issue is just going to be whatever I want to do. If you follow my Substack, you can get a pretty good sense of the tone!
AIPT: I understand you’ve printed 50,000 copies. How will comic shops acquire it, and if they’re not in your first batch of free copies, how might they get one?
CZ: Diamond has been gracious enough to distribute this, so I basically gave them all 50,000 copies and said “circulate these as you see fit, but none shall go to my enemies.” So if your shop didn’t receive any, then maybe they should’ve watched their goddamn mouth!!
Once those 50,000 are gone, they’re gone. I had to do some unsavoury things to pay for all of them and I just can’t bring myself to do any more “sensual” Captain Carrot commissions. If you’re a shop that has only ten copies but you have eleven Chip fans, well, a knife fight never hurt anyone.
But! Issue #2 will be fully available to order! It is a banger and features an exclusive interview with X-Men artist Ryan Stegman! It’ll cost retailers only twelve pennies a copy, so I hope they can see the benefit to spending a couple of bucks to help get their readers keen to buy some more comics!
The cover to Zdarsky Comic News #2.
Courtesy Chip Zdarsky
AIPT: Having looked at the first copy I can say it has a super fun zine vibe, like a blending of genres thing. Is playing with format something you’ve done previously outside of comics?
CZ: It’s funny you say that. Earlier today my good friend Kieron Gillen (Power Fantasy, puns) said, “I just like that you’ve reinvented writing zines, on an epic scale.” Which feels accurate, though I’m not sure how “epic” this is exactly. I’ve never done anything quite like this before, save for my high school zine “Sassy,” which got me suspended for three days because the principal was scared of the truth.
AIPT: Is the production of each promo all you, from art to writing, laying out the pages, printing, and mailing?
CZ: Ha! It is! My previous job was working for newspapers as a writer, illustrator and designer, so this is me just putting all of that knowledge into one project. Is it the smartest use of my time? Probably not, but I’m having a lot of fun making it.
AIPT: If the Eisner’s open up a new category for promos, how might you change the format (Yes, I know it’s early to ask this, but a boy can dream)?
CZ: I think I’d lose every year to Tom Brevoort and his Substack, which is highly engaging and full of Throuple Talk™.
AIPT: Why was AIPT your choice for this exclusive scoop and chat?
CZ: Your kind eyes.
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