Shout-out: Tod C. Parkhill

DIGESTATE CONTRIBUTOR:

TOD C. PARKHILL!

Tod C. Parkhill grew up on a non-functioning farm in South-western Virginia. He drew his first comic at age 5 about a 1/3 fish, 1/3 frog, ½ dragonfly that came to life in a pond full of toxic chemicals. It didn’t make any sense to anyone then either. He continued to make comics throughout high school and college that made just as much sense (read: none).

In 2001, he founded Young American Comics (http://www.youngamericancomics.com/), a small press publishing company that produced many collaborative projects and experimental comics including The BIZMAR (Bunny, Insect, Zombie, Monkey, Alien, Robot) Anthology, The Small Town/Big City Anthology, Captain Preposterous, The Mighty Offenders and 250 Crumpled Wads of Paper. He continued publishing books with his wife Corey Marie (http://coreymarie.com/) until the financial downturn of 2008 caused them to close shop in 2009. 

He has since worked as a writer and/or artist on several comics such as Star Wars Tales by Darkhorse Comics, The Yo Gabba Gabba: Comic Book Time by Oni Press and Aftershock, a book to benefit the relief efforts after the Japan earthquake by Big Ugly Robot.

He currently lives with his family in a small town in central Michigan and is working on a 366-day “page-a-day” comic challenge which can be found (among other things) at his blog todorrobot (http://www.todorrobot.com/). He is also contributing to as many comic anthologies as he can make time for and can be contacted at todparkhill@gmail.com. 

Editor's note: Tod has the dubious honor of being the first person I met at college in Richmond, VA. If I remember correctly, he approached me because I was wearing a TMBG shirt (if you don't know what that stands for, congratulations, you may not be a nerd). He introduced himself to me and my family as "Tod with one 'D'". This was apparently so memorable that my dad, to this day (20 years later), still says, "Tod with one'D'?" whenever Tod's name comes up. 

Anyhow, Tod also has the dubious honor of being the first person to publish my comics. He always came up with great ideas for anthologies. I sort of feel I'm carrying/relighting the torch for Young American Comics with both the Digestate anthology and by publishing some of our mutual friend Ben Snakepit's comics (Tod's publishing company published Snakepit comic diaries quarterly in the early part of this century). 

** Tod & his wife Corey are opening Riverside Art & Supply Co., an artist studio, boutique of handmade items (including comics & zines), classes, cupcakes & tea, etc. in their community in Michigan.

PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO TOD & COREY'S INDIE-GO-GO CAMPAIGN TO HELP MAKE RIVERSIDE ART & SUPPLY CO. A REALITY. ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT!

http://www.riversideartsupply.com/donate

Snakepit!

In an effort to not be so damn egomaniacal, Birdcage Bottom Books will be publishing the next comic diary collection (2009) of Ben Snakepit! We will have it out by MoCCA in April, if not sooner. Here's a sneak-peek of the cover art...

If you're not familiar with his work, go pick up some of his past books available through Microcosm and maybe Young American Comics if they have any left. I guarantee you will be addicted, and that you will spend too much time on the toilet (where it is meant to be read).

I've known Ben since we went to college in Richmond together in 1992, and I've always enjoyed his comics and sense of humor. We also both lived in Austin for a brief period. Now that I don't see him on a regular basis, it's nice to be able to keep tabs on him via his diary comic.

Taking care of our new baby doesn't leave me too much time for drawing my own comics (although I do squeeze it in when I can), so I thought I'd put the profits from my first book to good use and publish someone else's work for a change!