2021 Publications from Birdcage Bottom Books

FREE STUFF reveal!
over 4 years ago – Fri, Oct 22, 2021 at 11:25:45 AM

I've been spending my days doing nothing but packing and shipping, but I'm still not even half through getting all of these Kickstarter rewards out (so thank you for your patience).  I've finished sending out contributor copies to all 46 artists, so now I can focus exclusively on backers!

In addition to the Lance Ward "Covid, Comics, & Weed" diary comic collection spotlit (spotlighted?) in a previous update post, all backers who got the TOO TOUGH TO DIE anthology will receive a free risograph print set of Danny Hellman's endpaper artwork and a bookmark. The first 200 backers' prints are numbered and signed by Hellman. 

I'm currently taking a risograph class at SVA's RisoLab, so you can expect a lot of riso comics & prints in the near future. I've already reprinted the covers for Lizz Lunney's "Big Bonerz" comic we published in 2018 (or was it 2017?) since I was always unhappy with the first version. The riso machine I was using was in a state of extreme disrepair and wouldn't print different tones, only full saturation. I've also printed up a new batch of Sam Spina bookmarks that I include free with BBB purchases in eye-searing lime green and aqua blue,  a terrifying holiday card I plan on sending my family, and an aggressively dumb Robert Smith themed print (available now on the BBB site!). 

These TTTD prints were farmed out to a local risograph press, TXT Books, and I think they did a great job. I couldn't afford to do 2-color prints, as was my intention, but now that I have access to riso machines you can expect some great freebies in future Kickstarter campaigns!

Heads up to our international backers!
over 4 years ago – Fri, Oct 08, 2021 at 02:43:16 PM

For some reason unknown to me, Stamps.com now routes international shipments through New Jersey. You may get a notice that it's been "delivered", but a day or two later you'll see that the package will continue its journey to you. 

I don't purport to understand the USPS postal system. I just try to keep my head down and not anger the Shipping Gods. 

TOO TOUGH TO DIE is HERE!
over 4 years ago – Fri, Oct 01, 2021 at 08:55:47 PM

You guys you guys you guys, the books are here and they look unbelievably glorious!

Word on the street is that the Everything Is Super books will get here tomorrow. 

As a nice little bonus for being wonderfully supportive people, those of you who ordered the TOO TOUGH TO DIE anthology will get a set of signed risograph prints of the endpapers drawn by Danny Hellman. And some bookmarks n' stuff. 

The truck driver who delivered the pallet of books couldn't find me 'cause he was looking for a bookstore instead of a guy with a basement. I happen to live on one of the only dead-end streets in NYC, and the gas company happens to have been doing construction on our block all summer. I tried to warn him NOT to drive down my street, but he did, he couldn't turn the truck around, and he took it out on me by dropping my pallet on the street in front of a bunch of closely parked cars so that I'd have to walk each box down the block a ways and circle back to get to my basement doors. I'm happy to report that I managed to not step in a large pile of dog shit that was in my path on any of my trips from pallet to basement. Opening those boxes and inhaling the fresh scent of ink on paper makes all these trivial tribulations worth it, friends. 

Pretty much everything else is here (except for a stray piece of custom artwork here and there), so come Monday I'll be doing nothing but packing & shipping for the foreseeable future. 

FREE STUFF comin' your way!
over 4 years ago – Fri, Sep 10, 2021 at 01:37:54 PM

We like to show our appreciation for your support, so all Kickstarter backers will get a FREE 16-page comic full of early pandemic diary comics by Lance Ward tucked in with their reward(s). There's also going to be a couple more free items for those who got the TOO TOUGH TO DIE anthology, so we'll reveal those once we have them. 

Thanks again, y'all!

Last chance to change your address!
over 4 years ago – Mon, Sep 06, 2021 at 04:00:17 PM

I'm going to lock all orders in the next few days, so please update your address if you've moved or relocated!

All the new comics are starting to roll in. We got Comfort Creatures and Flop Sweat #2 from the printers. There was an issue with the printer we usually use for full-color floppies (Flop Sweat #3 and #4, in this case), but we were excited to hear that the local printer (Minuteman Press in Brooklyn) we've used for over a decade for our black & white mini-comics was able to match the other printer's price. So, those will be ready next week. The two books (TOO TOUGH TO DIE & Everything Is Super, vol. 1) are currently in production at Kingery Printing and will hopefully ship by the end of September. You may remember the covid-related drama that caused us to seek a new printer for the books, but Kingery came recommended by fellow publisher Joe Biel of Microcosm so we're sure they'll look great!