Cover of the second issue of Bearded Lady Comics.

Like I did with Kevin Kurytnik and the French zine Arg, I would like to honour all comics, artists and contributors to the Canadian comic book scene including zines. I’ve gone through a pretty good list of zines so far, including Kurytnik’s A.R.G. and I want to do it a lot more. Some of these zines are just so good, and I’m constantly grateful to be able to see them. The rarity is hard to imagine.

Bearded Lady Comics. A fantastic series that lasted only two issues in 1992. Produced by Ontario College of Art and Design students Mike Linkovich and Rafael Alvarez, it also included the work of Nicolas Kadima and in the second issue Dave Marshak.

Each comic stood out in its own way and the effort put into each issue is clear. In the photo to the left, you can see the professionalism the artists put into creating a zine that could be taken seriously. Not that zines aren’t taken seriously, but the minimalist design and general easiness of the cover is appealing to a broader audience.

Here is a summary of the contents of the first zine:

• A Little Red on the Block: Mike Linkovich
• The Mutants at the End: Nicolas Kadima
• Presenting Denny: Rafael Alvarez