Cringe: An Anthology of Embarrassment

Standard size, 112-page, perfect-bound, softcover, color covers, black + white interiors, all-new comics anthology edited by Peter S. Conrad, published by Birdcage Bottom Books.  Front cover by John Kerschbaum, back cover by Danny Hellman, title page by Gabby Schulz, and spot illustration by Noah Van Sciver.  Cringe: An Anthology of Embarrassment features the awkward, often humiliating and always embarrassing personal stories from more than 20 indie comic talents.  Comic creators brave enough to share their amusing anecdotes of anxiety featured in this collection include: Cara Bean; Box Brown; Jeffrey Brown; Chris Carlier; Peter S. Conrad; Chad Essley; Andrew Farago; Shaenon Garrity; Delaine Derry Green; Sam Henderson; Victor Kerlow; Steve Lafler; Lizz Lunney; Fred Noland; Stephen Notley; Adam Pasion; Sam Spina; Geoff Vasile; Jamie Vayda and Alan King; Chad Woody; Jess Worby; and J.T. Yost.     

The contributions to this anthology range from accounts of social blunders and awkwardness, to borderline sexual harassment, to accidental and intentional physical assault, to relationship issues, to sex drugs and rock 'n roll, to bladder control problems, to questions of self-worth.  Each of these stories stand alone firmly on their own feet and are told in their unique individual voices.  However, joined together in this 112-page anthology, these stories are even more appealing as a collection.  Editor Peter S. Conrad has perfectly arranged this diversity of stories in just the right way to not only hold the reader's attention, but also ensure each story complements the next, thus establishing a pace that's an entertaining and inviting read!

The artwork stretches the breadth of indie comic styles.  The pages are filled with everything from simple line drawings with not much weight, to cartoony free-flowing images with good use of gray screen, to highly detailed heavy cross-hatching and everything in between.    All of the stories make great use of layout and lettering too.  Some are more creative in the way the panels are integrated into the overall story, while others stick to a more standard use of panels to just frame the action. All of the lettering is easy to read and the hand lettered pieces tend to have more impact and convey the feeling of the story being told better.  This is a real solid offering of various styles that capture the moods of the stories being told and gives the reader plenty to feast their eyes on!  Cringe: An Anthology of Embarrassment is a really great sampling of what the indie comics community has to offer and sure to please! 

And get this...there's still one week left in the Kickstarter campaign...and the comic has already reached its goal!  So that means anything you contribute goes to the artists while still giving you a chance to get some great original art, custom art, minis, books, shirts and more from the contributing artists along with a copy of Cringe!  Get it at http://www.birdcagebottombooks.com/

You can also order it through the July Diamond Previews, or if you're in Maryland in September you can pick up your copy at SPX 2014!