Find the rest of our content at the following:
1134 Comix on FB and IG
1134 Press on FB and IG
and bree.be.journaling on IG
Those Who Fly by Bryonna Sieck
19 AprHello everybody,
Those Who Fly is a new collection of short fiction by Bryonna Sieck. Though the stories found in Those Who Fly are grounded in common experience that we all can relate to, they often challenge reality as they approach surrealism.
Those Who Fly releases on May 9, 2020, and is now available for preorder at 1134 Press.
Preorder Those Who Fly Here
Happy Easter from 1134
12 AprHi everybody! So, you’re stuck at home, all the bars are closed, you’re waiting for your $1,200 check and unemployment, your president has the empathy of a serial killer; well, I got you!
Here’s a little something offensive to brighten up your holiday!
We’re Still Here
9 FebWe’re still here!
It’s been awhile since the last post on 1134 Comix, but we’re still doing a lot at 1134. I just wanted to take a minute to touch base and run down some of the things we have coming up.
1134 Press:
This is were we have been focusing much of our attention. Some of you know, but for everyone else, here’s a brief history:
This whole thing started as an experiment in creativity. A handful of creatives came together and started Project 1134; which was a mishmash of crafting, arts, and comics. That was fun, but after maybe a year or so the collective aspects of the project fell away. It wasn’t like some big breakup; reality is that life happens, people need to take full-time jobs, and artists are like cats–hard to wrangle (I know I am anyway). So, Project 1134 became 1134 Comix. In a very off-and-on fashion, I continued making web-comics, and sometimes print, featuring various characters that I came up with over the years. In 2017 I wrote a book of fiction and wanted to self publish, so I started 1134 Press. For the next two-plus years, 1134 Comix continued to be where I posted comics and 1134 Press became the platform for publishing print material. Due to a bit of brilliance outside of my control, 1134 Press began to evolve into something more interesting; and in a way is bringing this whole thing closer to the original idea.
So far through 1134 Press we’ve published: my book, Gestalt, a collection of web-comics, one regular-size comic book, and For Us: A Self-Care Journal for Mamas, by Bri “Bam” Mobley. Where we’ve really been focusing, though, has been in journal crafting, bullet and junk journalling, and writing. The move toward handmade books and the craft of journaling was led by Bryonna Sieck, who was here at the very beginning of 1134 Press. It was her passion for bookmaking that moved us into a new direction with 1134 Press. What I like most about all of this is that, as an entity, we are really emphasizing craft. We’re not just trying to sell books. We want to show people how to make books, and we want to promote journaling as an exercise good for the spirit. I believe the videos posted on our 1134 Press and Bree Be Journaling Instagram feeds capture our desire to share the craft of it all. With every next step I feel like we’re getting closer and closer to what 1134 was meant to be all along.
So, what’s coming up for 1134 Press?
- A new book of fiction out in early/mid May 2020. This time, by Bryonna.
- Continued content on the 1134 Press and Bree Be Journaling Instagram accounts.
- Updates to the website and redesign of other platforms
- Later this year and into the next:
- Calls for submissions
- More robust, tutorial-style videos on bookmaking
- Additions to the online store that include: crafting materials, merch, and more books.
1134 Comix
1134 Comix has taken somewhat of a backseat. Some of you might have caught my post from a few months ago about the web-comics. In short, I’m not posting web-comics on any kind of regular schedule. Though I liked making weekly updates of News from the Crypt, I wanted to spend more time writing fiction. I plan to have a new book finished soon, as well as some new short stories. That said, new web-comics will pop up here now and then. Random comic-style art will pop up here once in a while, and every so often a new comic-book-size sequential art story will come through 1134 Comix. All of this will be secondary to our work with 1134 Press, though. Consider 1134 Comix as a side project, or something extra from 1134 Press.
So, what’s coming up for 1134 Comix?
There are no solid plans for projects under 1134 Comix at this time. That said, there is a nearly complete story (art pages, colors, etc.; just needs lettering). This story is currently on the shelf as we consider the best way to put it out. At some point, I’d like to continue the Blakbone story, but there is no timeline for this.
Things that are definitely on the agenda (but with no schedule):
- More News from the Crypt episodes (probably in connection to big news stories, holidays, and/or other times of cultural note.
- Random one-off comics
To wrap it up,
Look out for all the things mentioned above by following 1134 Press on Instagram, Facebook, and at 1134Press.com. Also, look out for news–probably later this year–about our YouTube channel (it’s not really a thing yet, but it will be). And follow Bree.Be.Journaling on Instagram–that’s where some of our coolest crafting videos will be found.
Before you go, check below for some character design/concept art for a sci-fi fantasy idea I’m working out. Do these look like characters you would want to know more about? Feel free to let us know.
G.J. Sieck
News from the Crypt: Year in Review
31 Dec
Happy New Year everybody!
Keep on the lookout for more from 1134 Press and 1134 Comix in 2020!!
An Announcement about 1134 Web-Comics
17 NovHello 1134 Comix readers and subscribers,
Last week I posted that there would be an announcement regarding the future of 1134 Comix—and here it is. I would like to give as much context as possible, but I’ll try to keep this as succinct as I can.
Those of you who follow this page closely will know some, or all, of the following things: I teach writing as an adjunct professor at a university, I’ve started a super small press called 1134 Press, I’m a fairly decent fiction writer, and have been an off-and-on freelance designer over the years. What the vast majority of you wouldn’t know is that I’ve also recently started working full time my university. Clearly, I can’t do all of these things all of the time. So, I had to consider what it is that I want to focus my attention on, and what I need to step back from. I will no longer be doing any freelance work of any kind; which isn’t the point here. The point here is that I will be pulling back from producing a regularly updated web-comic series.
Now that I have a full load of work at my university, I need to be selective of where I spend my time creatively. I currently have a half dozen or more writing projects in one stage of completion or another. I believe the writing projects are where I should focus my energy. I’ve come to believe that my focus on the web-comics has caused me to not give the proper amount of attention to writing prose; and I think it’s time to spend more focus there, for a while.
All that said, I actually do have plans for future sequential art stories. I still have plans for more News from the Crypt, for that matter. For those of you who do follow this page: expect to see some more News from the Crypt posted as I wind down the web-comic postings. Expect to see a few more 1134 Comix characters and one-off comics pop up here and there. Also, expect that the sort of comics I’ve been posting here to become fewer and fewer. I’m planning a new direction for my creative work, and the nature of that work will cause longer stretches of time between projects reaching publication. My hope is that this will also mean that when I do publish work, it will be that much more meaningful.
To sign off: I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again—see you in the funny pages!
G.J. Sieck
News from the Crypt: Episode 18
10 Nov
Tune in next week for an announcement about the future of 1134 Comix!
News from the Crypt: Episode 17
3 Nov
Hope you liked this episode! If you did, subscribe to the page to catch all of our weekly episodes. You’ll also find some extra stuff posted here every so often as well as other news about 1134 Press and 1134 Comix. Happy Sunday everybody!
