I'm not even going to START about how long it's been between site updates (i even started taking an HTML class so i could do more/ have greater facility with this site, but i promptly flunked out...i'm not proud of that...), but here's the big, no warning, surprise La Mano release of 2009:
our first musical offering, the full length CD by Zak Sally, entitled FEAR OF SONG.
it's 9 songs, 37 minutes.

FEAR OF SONG

my old pals at Sub Pop records did an absolutely beautiful (embossed sleeve, flesh colored vinyl) 7" with a song from the record (and 1 and a half songs that aren't): i'm not selling those, but you can check them out (and BUY them, for that matter) here:

http://www.subpop.com/releases/zak_sally/singles/why_we_hide

and the full length? in typical La Mano fashion, it's a handmade, signed and numbered deal, with me doing the printing i was able to do myself and each copy hand assembled right here, by me (with some help from my crack intern Maddie and whatever pals i can bribe into helping out).

and this is where we get into some weirdness, because obviously, Zak Sally, is, you know-- ME. so if i were someone else, i could go on about my years in the minimalist rock trio LOW, (and stints with other outfits such as Enemy Mine, the Dirty Three, Kid Dakota), and how i started making this record in my basement over a year ago just to see if i could finish ONE SONG (this being something that had been a REAL PROBLEM for the previous 36 years of my life), but then actually started enjoying the process until finally i went over to my good old friend Ben Durrant's (Andrew Bird, Dosh, tons of great stuff...) Crazy Beast Studio and slowly tore our hair out strand by strand until, LOOK-- a WHOLE RECORD! NEAT!!
and, if i wasn't me, i could say-- it's a good record. i set myself with the goal of making EVERY SOUND on the thing, and so that's what it sounds like.
it sounds like me.

and, to be honest, whether you like the music or not, i think you'd be hard pressed to find a physical object containing music on it where the artist was MORE INVOLVED in every aspect of the thing; i mean, i made all the sounds and all that, but i also designed it, and laid it out for printing, then made the plates (poly, on a hopped-up HP computer printer), then PRINTED the damn thing on my OWN PRESS, and did all the machine trimming and folding, then HAND GLUED a 4" square to the front of each one then a 2" square to the BACK of each one then HAND folded and taped each sleeve (which i ALSO printed) and inserted the disc and then just to beat a dead horse i SIGNED AND NUMBERED EACH ONE and shoved it in a vinyl sleeve, and it's just about 97% sure that I'LL be the guy packing it up and sending it to you, and...look: I DID EVERYTHING BUT MILK THE FUCKING SQUID ON THIS THING. i'm not listing all this to toot my horn or to impress you (because it's not like someone was holding a gun to my head telling me to do it this way, you know, it's just that this kind of stuff is WHAT I LIKE), just because...you should know what your $13 bucks is getting you. this isn't a PRODUCT. you know those cd's in jewel cases or digipaks? well this isn't that. this is something different, and all this is stuff I'D want to know, so i'm telling you here.*

anyway, it took me a LONG TIME to get this thing out into the world, but here it is. maybe you'll like it. i'm real proud of it, and i'm not going through distros or anything-- i'm selling it HERE, to YOU.

RIGHT NOW:

$13 in the US
+$1.50 p+h

(if you are a store and want get a bunch of them, email me and we'll work something out...and if you're a reviewer or whatever...i don't know...don't you have $7 to get the download or something? i'm probably broker than you are...)

but, businessman that i am, here's 2 other swanky options for you, each one saving you considerable bucks:

ZAK SALLY OVERLOAD DEAL:

1) Fear of Song and Recidivist #3 (Eisner -nominated, 105 page hardcover BOOK)

2) Fear Of Song and issues #1 AND #2 of Sammy The Mouse. for- get this-- $21 postpaid.

that means with either deal, you are getting AT LEAST $7 OFF the normal price.
i know-- pretty great.

and, you guessed it, the whole basket (that's FEAR OF SONG CD, Recidivist #3, and issues 1 and 2 of Sammy The Mouse) for $38.

and if you are the sort of person who doesn't really care about the physical object and just wants the music, in MP3 format (then it's sort of difficult for me to believe that you ever ended up at this site at all, but who knows...), you can click a couple buttons right down here and get it that way (or, from what i understand, just listen to the thing in streaming form up topwhatever that is...)

i had other big plans for La Mano happenings this summer, but in between this record and finishing the "Like A Dog" book i've got coming out from Fantagraphics in october, this is it for now. but there are things happening, believe you me.
i may get quiet every once in a while, but that don't mean i'm gone.

be well all and my best,

zak.

also, scroll down and check out some of the new stuff on the site-- there's new zines, new RECORDS, new stuff (and note, some stuff is SOLD OUT as well).

*also i think they are really beautiful litlle objects and i busted my hump on them and like i said i'm proud as heck.

JOHN PORCELLINO

WILLIAM SCHAFF

ZAK SALLY

NATE DENVER

MR. MIKE

SHOP

all orders are shipped via USPS media mail. allow a couple weeks for delivery.

note: international orders will require additional shipping charges.
email orders@lamano21.com for more information.

DEAD RINGER by Jason T. Miles

the most IMPOSING La Mano release, for sure: measuring in at 15 1/2 inches long by 10 inches high, with cardstock covers and 16 heavy interior pages, DEAD RINGER is cartoonist Jason T. Miles dead-to-center shot directly to the heart of something that can't easily be explained. somehow this book is obtuse and pointed at the same time. it's also somehow a zine and an art book and a portfolio at the same time as well, so... i've heard that in certain circles this book is regarded as THE THING, and i don't blame them, whoever they are. it's pretty singular.

$14 + 4.50 postage and handling

Sammy the Mouse #2 cover

SAMMY THE MOUSE #2 by Zak Sally

the big second installment of my ongoing series (that, at this rate, is going to finish it's 10th and final issue sometime in 2020, for cripes sakes). once again, Sammy the Mouse drinks alcohol and yells at people and stuff, only this time there's also some fish and a lady with a moustache involved. and a picnic. in fact, there's quite a few things that happen in this issue that didn't happen in the first one, and if that's not a ringing endorsement then, well, go to hell.

no but really this one is jam packed with sad laughs.

$7.95 + $2.45 postage and handling

SAMMY THE MOUSE #1 by Zak Sally

the ongoing story of a mouse named Sammy and his pals Puppy-Boy, H. G Feekes, Him, and...i dunno, a bunch of others; they run around and drink too much and do stuff. me; i think it's hilarious, but you know, i'm going to be working on this damn thing for the next 5 years (it's going to run 8-10 issues), so i OUGHT to think that. it's a real pretty 2-color 32 page book on nice heavy paper, with a full color wrap-around cover (standard format of the Coconino Press' international "Ignatz" imprint, released here in the states through Fantagraphics books, then later in France, Italy and Spain). disclaimer: if you live here in minneapolis, why don't you go buy it at Big Brain comics? do that. that would be nice (and actually, if you live in a big city and there's a good comic store with nice folks running the joint that deserves your support, go buy it there.) other than that, i'd be happy to sell you one over the interweb, and i'll even sign the thing should you so desire.

$7.95 + $2.45 postage and handling

Zak Sally -- Recidivist 3

five long years in the making, and it's finally done: ladies and gentlemen, it's the third (and final) issue of Recidivist. 106 pages, hardcover, with fancy embossed cover and endpaper stock. stories about cars, love, eating, fear, and secrets. or something. Eric Lorberer of Rain Taxi called this book "an eloquent step forward for the graphic novel."

Sample pages -- #1, #2 (PDFs)

$15 +$3 postage and handling.

Nate Denver -- Wait, You're Not a Centaur

2 color cover on metallic blue pearlescent paper with full length Nate Denver's Neck CD (entitled "Ghost Alarm" tipped into the back cover of each and every book (with a HAND DRAWN ELEPHANT on EACH AND EVERY CD SLEEVE). 120 interior pages of pure Nate Denverness: fifty stories of exactly 50 words apiece, with tons of drawings and thousands of elephants. intro by Adam Jones (of TOOL).

sample page #1, #2, back cover quotes. (these are all PDFs)

$16 + $3 postage and handling.

William Schaff portfolio

10 scratchboard images by artist William Schaff (better known for his CD artwork with Godspeedyou Black Emperor!, Okkervil River, Kid Dakota, and others...) in an insanely beautiful package. i really think you should buy this one.

10 offset prints (on 110# felt paper, suitable for framing) in a hand-made portfolio. limited to 500 copies, signed and numbered by the artist.

$30 + $5 postage and handling.

John Porcellino -- Diary of a Mosquito Abatement Man

The first in a series of books from the author of King Cat Comics & Stories, this sweet and sad book chronicles John's time as a mosquito man and the repercussions this career had on his life.

106 pages, 2-color cover, Squarebound.

$12 + $2 postage and handling.

LAMANO T-SHIRT #2

well well well, here are shirts. look at that cute kid wearing it. the thing about these shirts are that they just have a print of the La Mano hand and logo on the front, and NOTHING on the back. also they are cheap as shit shirts (let's call them "light weight"), because those heavy T's take forever to break in and that kind of bugs me. anyway, this is reflected in the price, which is

$9 postpaid in the US

as you might expect from the photo, i've also got these in some real small and kids sizes, so email me if you're interested in those.

SAMMY THE MOUSE POSTER by Zak Sally

yes, it IS very big. 25 1/2" x 34", 2-color (brown and semi transparent blue, just like the comic) silkscreens on super heavy archival paper. signed and numbered, i did this thing (with the kind help of my pals at Aesthetic Apparatus) in an edition of 105. so get on it. 6-8 years down the line when i've finished this story and sold out to...whomever, you'll wish you would've got one.

$35.00 + $6 postage and handling

Skoal Kodiak LP cover

SKOAL KODIAK LP: "THREE ARE HAVING GRAPE EMERGENCY"

it took me a while, but once i figured it out, it hit hard: Skoal Kodiak are the best band to come out of minneapolis in a LONG TIME-- they somehow mix sequenced beats, live drumming, weird dub/ kraut/ wobble bass, full bore circuit bent noise and screaming into something that makes you DANCE so hard you break your hip. no kidding. totally original, totally amazing. if these guys had any interest in world domination they could probably pull it off in a heartbeat, but thankfully for all of us they just really like playing together. boy do they. this LP has a hand-silkscreened cover, and...god damn is it good. SO GOOD.

$10 + $2.50

Knife World LP cover

KNIFE WORLD LP:

the music would be enough, really-- crazy good guitar playing (somewhere between "shredding" and...southern rock boogie, but too...OFF to really fall in either category) and spazzed out drums with songs about anal visitors and hamburger man (or something, maybe they were lying, i don't know...)-- it WOULD be enough, but it's not; the LP is a GATEFOLD, and it is in old-school/ 2 color 3-D. how, you ask, could you view this 3-D cover? does it come with the requisite 3-D GLASSES? why yes it does-- they are BUILT INTO THE CENTER RING OF THE VINYL ITSELF. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME, YOU MUST HOLD THE RECORD UP TO YOUR FACE AND LOOK THROUGH IT to experience the 3-D cover. how they pulled this off is beyond me, but it is SO NEAT.

$15 + $2.50 p+h

MICHAEL YONKERS WITH THE BLIND SHAKE: Carbohydrates Hydrocarbons CD

man, what can i say? the old guard meets the new turks, resulting in a cd that actually sounds like what it is : A COLLABORATION, in every sense. Michael's songs and frenetic all-noise-freakout guitar, backed up by the white-hot tight-as-a-whip Blind Shake fellas, and everybody sounds like they are having the time of their friggin' lives. i'm honored to have been a part of this thing ( i did the cd art and design), and i got some copies of it to sell on the site, so order away.

$12 + $2.50 postage and handling

FELT PILOTES: Wonderful Summer CD

When Johnny P. came through town a while back, he had some of these Cd's by his old band on him, and i HAD to get some to offer to you folks: this is a pretty great record any way you cut it (my favorite songs being One Eye Open and Good Night, but really there's nary a stinker in all 10 tracks...), but those of you who might be wondering what the heck the guy who does King-Cat sound like singing and playing guitar, well-- here's your answer, and you'll be glad you asked.

only $10 + $2.50 postage and handling

Ghost Comics cover

GHOST COMICS

ex La Mano intern/ burgeoning cartoonist of some note/ chronic overachiever Ed Moorman put together this anthology with the general theme of "GHOSTS" and i'll be damned if he didn't put together a swanky as heck anthology-- don't take my word for it though, they gave him a XERIC FOUNDATION GRANT to put the thing out. a really nice mix of known quantities (Porcellino, Heatley, Craghead, Hankiewicz, and the best single drawing yours trly has ever done...) and not so known (but still great) stuff. this really is a nice book-- price is right, too; 176 pgs perfect bound for ONLY

$10 + $2 p+h.

Blood of the Imbeciles cover

BLOOD OF THE IMBECILES

i've seen local cartoonist Brett Von Schlosser around for some years now, and always felt embarrassed that i hadn't seen his stuff; well, i finally did and...you know that feeling when you're reading something and you're constantly thinking "is this totally AMAZING, or is it COMPLETELY RETARDED?". well, i got to the end of this nice little mini and i hadn't solved that question, but i think in this case that it's a VERY GOOD THING. i mean, i pretty much LOVED this comic (plus, it made me laugh out loud a couple times...no small feat for a 24 page 1/2 size deal..."I SLIPPED AND ALSO THE SNAKEBITE ON MY NECK HURTS A LOT")

$5 + $1 p+h

Strong Silent Type cover

THE STRONG, SILENT TYPE by Bart King

one of my students did this, and it is a thing of great beauty; the ENTIRE BOOK is silkscreened in 2-colors, from the cardstock cover (black and red) to the 16 page comic inside (black and green). Bart draws ridiculously well, and his storytelling is no small shakes either. a really solid little book. i mean it.

$5 + $1.50 p+h

Think Mutt Cover

THICK MUTT (or something) by jason miles and sluggo

now look, this is an ART MINI; full of cut-ups and collaboration betwixt Mr. Miles (whom you know from Dead Ringer, right?...RIGHT?!?) and sluggo/ remple. god knows what is going on here, but it's no less than 2 separate minis and a fold-out poster on newsprint packaged together and looking so elegant that it makes me think i ought to save them for the inevitable day when people start asking $150 for these things, cuz i think they only made 50 or 20 or something. but no, i'm selling them here, now.

HATER PACK

you know, the genius behind these sticker packs can explain better than i ever could. look here: http://paperbackculture.blogspot.com/2007/09/hater-pack-is-now-available.html

$5 + $2 postage and handling

MAINSTREAM BLACKOUT by Jason T. Miles

man, but this is a beautiful little book; simple and elegant like a good old 'zine, but hearty and meaty like...something else; which is also how one could describe the contents-- 26 pages, one (insane) drawing per page. really-- these ratty/ precise abstract/maybe not so abstract drawings made me a little afraid for Jason's sanity, but i just talked to him and he's doing just fine, so ENJOY!!!

$5 + $2.50 postage and handling SOLD OUT!

FLOATING MOATS poster by Tony Remple

man, i'm not sure i've EVER seen a poster this big. seriously, it's just enormous. and really beautiful; these are blueprint prints, so the disclaimer here is that they are not "archival", but keep it out of direct sulight and you oughtta be ok for...a decade or 2, i think. i've only got a couple of these, so order quick if you want one. and you do. shipped in a giant fucking tube.
view bigger picture

$16 + $7 postage and handling SOLD OUT!

BIKE RIDER by Josh Bayer

while Josh's previous comic, "The Fighter" related to an ersatz Bob Dylan, his new book is punk rock all the way: centering around the titular NYC bike rider, this one reads like a Black Flag song feels. sort of. Josh's work is really unlike anyone else's, both in look, tone, and execution. he's going for a lot, and when he hits it, he nails it to the floor. thoughtful and so full of energy that it's like the stuff exploded onto the page, with Josh's drawing hand straining to keep up. this one is, again, tabloid size on newsprint, but spans a very dense, very thick 64 PAGES.

$5 + $3 postage and handling

NATE DENVER SILKSCREEN POSTER

ok, all of you savvy enough to buy this wonderful book know that on the bio page is a photo of our man HOLDING A FALCON ON HIS ARM. we couldn't resist, so we did a silkcreen of it. i must say, it's darn nice; same blue metallic paper as the cover of the book (2nd edition), same colors too-- black and metallic silver. cheap, too. shipped to you in a sturdy tube.

$12 + $5 postage and handling

IDA PEARLE ALPHABET CARD SET

you know, it's not going to be long before Ida is rich and famous (in fact, she might be now, i'm slow with stuff like that); she's STUPID talented. what we have here is a set of 26 full color images, each pertaining to a different letter of the alphabet; bright and simple enough for your kid to love, but graceful and elegant to the degree that an adult would be half blind not to appreciate them. Ida's work blurs the lines between collage and illustration (and not so much here in this set, but also between "sequential narrative" and static images...check out her site at thepapermoon.org), and her work graced the cover of the bestselling Liz Mitchell children's album "You Are My Litlle Bird". moms, dads, take note. my boy loves 'em. each set hand assembled and sealed in plastic (with a bow) sample images

$44 + $5 postage and handling SOLD OUT!

King Cat #65 -- John Porcellino

The PLACE issue: places I've lived, places I've been, places I've wanted to be. Essays and comics about Iowa City, DeKalb Ill., Brighton Colo., Scott County Kansas, and Elgin; Looking for Home.

40 digest pages, $3.00 + $1 P&H

King Cat #66 -- John Porcellino

This recent issue features two "long" stories: "Las Hojas" - about playing football with the kids in my old neighborhood, and "Freeman Kame" about... Freeman Kame. Plus Snornose, Blue Light, and a letter from Al.

36 digest pages, $3.00. +$1 P&H

King Cat #67 -- John Porcellino

A loose collection of stories and shorter impressions... art, life, fear and opening up. Sleeping in the Car in L.A., Colorado Folk Artist Square-Head John, Walking in San Francisco; plus letters, Top 40, and much much more.

40 digest pages, $3.00 + $1 p&h

SHOULD YOU ENCOUNTER A COUGAR by Jacob Stolz

to tell you the truth, i have very little idea what the hell is going on here...i was at a record store and some guy walked up and handed me this little 'zine and i said "...uhhh...thanks.". i got it home and i'll be damned if it isn't a very strange, funny, and semi-informative little book about cougars and, well...what you should do if you encounter one. nice drawrings, too.

$2 + $1 P&H

(detail - Click here for full image)

SLUGGO POSTERS

this image is the confabulation of...i dunno what they are calling themselves-- is WAS "K. K. and Knox Poonis", which i find kind of icky, but really it's tony and jason. regardless, this is a neat 11" x 17" print (done on Maisie, the La Mano press). metallic silver and burgundy on a translucent stock. whoooo.

it's $6 + $1 P&H.

Asthma by John Hankiewicz

unbelievable stuff. John has been self publishing a comic called Tepid for some years now, and his work has appeared in places like Kramer's Ergot and Arthur magazine. this hefty, 120 page volume (with 2 colors throughout) collects a bunch of John's various minicomics. his work is indescribable, and defies definition. unbelievably precise in both image and language, John's comics are like nothing ever seen in comic form. drawing from influences i can barely scratch the surface of (i want to say Borges and Kafka, but am no expert on either...), these stories read like unremembered dreams that will not go away or surrender to easy explanation. this thing gets my highest recommendation. 8 1/2" x 11"

$17.00 + $2 postage and handling.

The Fighter by Josh Bayer

i picked up a copy of this oversized, tabloid-style newsprint comic at this year's MoCCA in NYC. at first glance it's scratchy, bizarre artwork seemed to fall under the category of "not my cup of tea", but then i read it and boy was i wrong: seemingly a look at the life and spirituality of a rock musician (a thinly veiled Bob Dylan), i feel inadequate to describe this thing: meaty, thoughtful, strange, and utterly singular-- i can't draw comparisons to anything else because i can't think of anything i've read that is quite like it, in the best possible way. it's really great work, and a great read (and by the way, the art isn't scratchy, it's gorgeous). josh drew an original cover for EACH COPY. amazing. at a measly $2, you should check it out.

$2 + $1.50 postage and handling.

David Bazan 'Fewer Moving Parts' CD

Dave is another old friend, (and great songwriter), who formerly fronted the band Pedro the Lion. this is his first proper "solo" CD, which he self released. zak sally designed and did a bunch of drawings for this, and it all kind of makes up a little story. the cd contains 5 new bazan songs (and 5 acoustic versions of those same songs).

$12 + $2 postage and handling.

Low/Dirty 3 silkscreen tour poster

i (zak again) drew this 3-color poster for a tour i did (in my old band, Low), with the Dirty 3 back in 1997. there were a bunch of them left over laying in a closet, so with the kind blessing of all involved, im selling them here on the La Mano site for cheapish, (with all the proceeds going into the La Mano fund, not my pocket...as if ANYTHING from La Mano went "into my pocket"...i WISH...). anyway, they are real nice, and i'll sign it before i send it if you are into that kind of thing. they are 9 1/2" x 24".

$15 + $3 postage and handling.

Zak Sally -- silkscreen

24" x 36" - shipped in a tube. $20 + $5 postage & handling

William Schaff -- silkscreen

William Schaff created this image for the Kid Dakota record "The West is the Future". this here is a 17 1/2" print silkscreened (by Wes at Burlesque) on Natural hued French paper, signed and numbered by Mr. Schaff himself.

$30 + $5 postage and handling, shipped in a tube.

SAUCE by Zak Sally and Mr. Mike

bleak and embarrassing old comics (from '92 or so...) by two jerks in the throes of early 20's um...somethingorother. a cross country split comic with the "theme" of alcoholism (hardy har har...), this 20 page comic is actually the VERY FIRST proper La Mano publication. i've still got a bunch of them sitting around, and am now adult enough to sell them to you (as opposed to burning them in shame). maybe interesting as a cultural artifact, i dunno... 20 pages with 2-color covers (and center spread), digest size.

$2 + $1 p & h

Mr. Mike -- Popular Time Bomb

Mr. Mike (of Rump and Mount Holly fame) did this zine called Popular Time Bomb in '95. i think he was probably losing his shit entirely at the time, and it is SCARYLARIOUS!!...that's not funny (at all), but holy crap is this a great mag. mike reprinted some of these for the La Mano art show, and the VERY limited quantities are available here on the site. see mike bitch about computers!!! see ducky, carl urbanski, and the whole gang!! it's hard to admit that your friends are genuises. 26 pages. woo hoo!!!

$4 + $2 postage and handling. SOLD OUT!

Zak Sally -- Recidivist 1

i found some issues of the very FIRST issue of Recidivist lying around...it's not the REAL one, from '98 (those ones had color copy acetate medical covers, just like your old school textbooks, but man were they a pain to make...), its a facsimile copy i chucked together a while ago--color copy covers, 20 pages of comics. i dont have many of these either, so they are ...

$4 + 2 postage and handling. SOLD OUT!

La Mano T-shirt

look here: it's the very first ever La Mano t-shirt. heart on the front, hand on the back. let everyone know how uncool you are. this first run is plain old black on plain old white. i've got M, L, and XL. if you're worried if your size is in stock, drop an email and i'll let you know if it's in stock.

$10 + $4 postage and handling. SOLD OUT!
(new batch coming soon)