Hello,

It’s the end of the year. We’ve been traveling all over the place. We drove to DC to drop off our car, then flew to LA for Comic Arts LA, then from LA drove to Santa Barbara to visit the in-laws, then flying back from Santa Barbara to DC for the holidays. It’s been a whirlwind and now we are sitting on the couch trying to relax, but I’ve gotta worry about this end of year newsletter! Eugh!

Well, I don’t have to worry about it, but I am letting myself worry about it… :)

So how is everyone? Are you reflecting upon your year trepidatiously wondering if any good has come of it? Or is no reflection needed, because it’s been such a good year? (Or an absolutely wretched one.)

Hmmmmm. Big questions.

OK so what’s up? Well first of all, I’ve made a new comic: MOBILE GANG FORTRESS.

I sent out a little email blast for everyone, which you can read in full if you are a paid subscriber:

It was a debut at CALA two weekends ago, and I have since opened up pre-orders for it on the Frog Farm webshop: https://frogfarm.bigcartel.com/product/mobile-gang-fortress

Speaking of CALA: it was a blast. Made new friends, sold a lot of books, live read my comics at Mikey Heller’s comic reading show Comics O’ Clock. The pic above was taken by Mikey Heller at the end of the weekend. I’m looking…cool.

Would love to do this show again, or really any show in LA. I like California.

Before leaving for California I was furiously drawing my new comic and printing another new Frog Farm comic (more on that next month) as well as making some new art prints for the table at festivals. I will upload them onto the webshop in the new year when i can sit down and scan them, but here’s a little look at the four of them. The goblin prints are back in stock with a new colour-way, and then I have a new small Shnork print, and then a larger epic battle print.

Ok so rewinding a bit more before cramming all my printing and drawing in the last three weeks before leaving for California we had the TENTH Frog Farm show at Life World.

Here are some pics from the show, as well as all of us prepping for the show, building props, getting into costume etc.

This was a very narratively involved show, and with the help of Amir we had our first digital puppet character come to life. It was…very cool. It’s so nice to work with friends and make fun stuff.

So what’s going on with the story? Well, as of right now, thanks to the help of old friends (Frogex and Thomas Cavefrog who has become chrome and is now called Metal Thomas) and new (Professor Skateboard) we have found the kidnapper of Critter, who ended up being this giant robot guy called MechaFrog who needed Critter to help cure a horrible cyber virus he has. We agreed to let him swallow all of us, and now we have entered his body to fight the virus inside of him, Osmosis Jones-style.

Our next show is tentatively planned for the end of February, at Life World once again.

So yeah that’s what going on there with that…

Despite how nice it feels to get to our 10th show, this year wasn’t our most productive year in terms of how many shows we’ve done…we only had three mainline shows, and one mini show (at SPX)…but we did host a whole ass zine fair so maybe that balances it out a bit? Part of why we had less events was that I got married (woop woop) and also partly was because there was more of a focus on putting out more comics.

The new one (Mobile Gang Fortress) is not included in this photo above, but this is everything we printed and published this year. Szarlotka technically was published last year, but it was a substantial reprint this year due to it’s success and Ignatz nomination.

5 new books, and 1 reprint is a nice amount of books, and we’re very proud. Thank you to everyone who has ordered from us, said hi at festivals or bought our books at stores. Sometimes it’s easy to lose track of all the cool stuff we’ve gotten up to, so thanks for your help!

Hopefully more cool stuff next year :)

Before we dive into the last chunk of this newsletter just want to briefly mention the The Comics Journal year end best of list. https://www.tcj.com/the-best-comics-of-2025-as-chosen-by-our-contributors/

We got a lot of shoutouts for Frog Farm books, mostly for Valley Valley/Idella Dell by Audra Stang, but a few for Szarlotka despite it being a 2024 book. Thank you to everyone reading our comics!

Ok now for a new segment in the newsletter: I cast a big net amongst the robust network of talented cartoonists, animators, collaborators and friends of Frog Farm to ask everyone a fairly open ended question “What was the biggest surprise of the year for you?”

So basically we’re doing a year end best of, but we’re trying to cast a wider net beyond the world of comics maybe…

As mentioned in previous newsletters, it’s easy to get doomer about the general landscape of art and culture making. The internet appears to flatten everything, and make opportunities feel far and distant for independent artists. I’m always looking for reminders of good stuff being made, and that they can be made. I reached out to a bunch of people and got a nice response back.

I told everyone they could submit a new comic or animation or film or even just something new to them this year. I even allowed people to get more more abstract then that if they wanted... We got some good responses back, and I’ve generally tried to organize the responses into sections fitting with their mediums.

So please enjoy!

Alex Swift (a key collaborator, filmmaker, cartoonist and author of The Connoisseurs, Smoku Deluxe) - “What’s up, Doc?” dir. Peter Bogdanovich

Have you ever been watching a bugs bunny short and thought to yourself, “hmmm… I’m enjoying seeing our pal Bugs here donning a dress and using his feminine wiles to woo and manipulate mean ol’ Elmer Fudd… however, what if instead of tricking Fudd into receiving a bouquet of dynamite or some such munition, Bugs was concocting wacky scheme after wacky scheme in an effort to bone down with Fudd for realsies”?
Therein lies the general conceit of the 1972 film “Whats Up Doc?” Directed, not by “Mr. Boop scribe Alec Robbins, but similarly bespectacled short horny guy, Peter Bogdanovich. Starring the awful mother from Meet The Fockers, Barbra Streisand, and the awful father to his real life child, Ryan O’Neil.
All of this to say, a wonderful screwball film that caught me by surprise, with so many top-tier rapid-fire gags that had me standing up and saluting my tv.

(Editor’s note: below are two lists Alex gave us, as he had more to say after writing up about What’s Up, Doc? (1972.) We couldn’t refuse him since he’s the Official Frog Farm Film Buff™)

Might be taking up too much real estate but hehe also here’s my top 2025 New Releases. Still a few I’m excited to see that may make this list, but are unseen at time of publication…

• One Battle After Another, dir. Paul Thomas Anderson

• Endless Cookie, dir. Seth Scriver, Peter Scriver

• Cloud, dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa

• The Secret Agent, dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho

• 28 Years Later, dir. Danny Boyle

• The Naked Gun, dir. Akiva Schaffer

• Boys Go To Jupiter, dir. Julian Glander

• Universal Language, dir. Matthew Rankin

• Frog Unlocked, dir. by Pierce Campion

• The Phoenician Scheme, dir. Wes Anderson

AND New To Me Films (Lotta films from Hong Kong, many that didn’t even make this list. I think Lam Ching-ying was my most viewed actor this year. )

• Peking Opera Blues (1986), dir. Tsui Hark

• Encounters of the Spooky Kind (1980), dir. Sammo Kam-Bo Hung

• Four Lions (2010), dir. Chris Morris

• Amadeus (1984), dir. Miloš Forman

• Mr. Vampire 1 (1985), dir. Ricky Lau

• Mr. Vampire 2 (1986), dir. Ricky Lau

• Vernon, Florida (1981), dir. Errol Morris

• City on Fire (1987), dir. Ringo Lam

• The Drunken Master 2 (1994), dir. Lau Kar-leung

• The Unofficial Cop-Loses-His-Gun Trilogy of:

  • PTU (2003), dir. Johnnie To

  • Stray Dog (1949), dir. Akira Kurosawa

  • Miami Blues (1990), dir. George Armitage

Georgia Oldham (cartoonist, read on Frog Farm 10) - “Ai” by Yoji Kuris

I fell out of my chair when I first saw the animation Ai (Love) (1963) by Yoji Kuri earlier this year. I filled with delight from my toes to my hairline, and then I started vibrating like a guitar string. Kuri was a pioneering midcentury cartoonist and animator who just passed away last year. My deep dive into his work in 2025 reminded me to get WEIRDER and more honest in my work (as rly good art generally reminds me). I tend towards maximalism but Yoji Kuri inspires me with his punchy reserve. Plus, it’s fabulouuus to stumble across exhilarating cartoons on the internet rather than just a dark commercial void. If you aren’t familiar with Yoji Kuri’s work, gooo LOOK! I could gush forever about it so email me if you want to gush together: georgia.oldham@gmail.com <3 Click the photo to watch the short.

Sam Szabo (cartoonist, read on Frog Farm CXC) - two new comics from this year

My favorite surprises this year weren't exactly surprises - for me the most exciting moments of 2025 involved seeing artists I already loved getting to spread out a little. I'd had plenty of glimpses of Connie Myers' work from anthologies and social media, but seeing her do a more sustained longform thing in "Big Gamble Rainbow Highway" was a real delight. Similarly, I've been a fan of Julia Gfrorer's minicomics for many years, but this year's big Fantagraphics collection was a total mind-blower. Even though I'd read quite a few of em already, I had never really appreciated just how much Julia is playing the long game with her short fiction. These narratives complement each other so well, and they're sequenced in such a way that the themes and intersections emerge organically. Hell of a body of work!

Christina Lee (cartoonist, studiomate, also read on Frog Farm 7) - “Kus! 54” guest edited by Caroline Cash

I wasn’t surprised that this was good— I knew that I was in great hands with Caroline Cash signed on as editor— what I was surprised about was the discovery of new names from this 160-page pocket-sized anthology, such as Jurijs Tatarkins, Emma Hunsinger, and Vivianna Maria Stanislavska, alongside great contributions by familiar faces like Anand, Tara Booth, Margot Sounack, and Leo Fox.

Audra Stang (cartoonist, read at Frog Farm SPX, author of Valley Valley/Idella Dell) - “About the Little Ones” by Zoé Jusseret

I was pleasantly surprised by the comic About the Little Ones by Zoé Jusseret, published by Conundrum Press, a Canadian publisher that I recently became familiar with. This comic surprised me because I was so invested in and moved by the characters in this mostly dialogue and thought bubble free comic. The cartoonist's ability to "act" through the characters is a large part of what captivated me. I don't want to spoil anything because I had my experience of reading it cold, but I will say that the artwork and medium make the story they articulate arresting. The monotype artwork is delicate and emotive, with ghostly marks and hazy textures adding a layer of noise to a narrative that is all at once sweet, devastating, and ultimately hopeful without discarding the depth of cruelty in the process. The book itself is a beautiful object: at roughly 11x9" and printed on soft, matte-textured paper, it's a pleasure to both to read and hold.

Austin MacDonald (cartoonist, tattoo artist, played Professor Skateboard on Frog Farm 10, future Frog Farm author) - “Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound”

[Ragebound is] a 2D side scrolling action game from this year that I played on PS5. I picked this game up on a whim and it ended up being one of my favorites of the year, and made me want to make my own game more so than ever before. Modern pixel art is a hit or miss for me - sometimes it looks too smooth, or shortcuts are taken with current technology that can cheapen the classic look, but I thought this game nailed it. The animation is incredibly smooth, and the pixel art still looks authentic - it’s the perfect sweet spot between old school and new. Also, the game itself is simple and to the point: get to the end of the level, and kill a bunch of the guys. No superfluous mechanics or fluff, just a refreshing, streamlined experienced that was fun as hell to play and yet another nudge towards perhaps someday making my own game.

Suejee Lee (animator, showed short at Frog Farm 10) - “Silksong”

I’ve been waiting for this game for 5 years, and sometimes when I’m playing it I still can’t believe it! Silksong is one of those aspirational projects to me, a game that is not only so beautiful but rich in story and worldbuilding...it has everything I could ask for in digital media. Not to mention, it’s actually crazy that the game surpasses its predecessor, more expansive, more difficult, only $20, and somehow still so gorgeous. During such uncertain times, it’s inspiring to see indie projects like Silksong thriving. And those cute little bugs! What a pleasant surprise indeed!

Ross Jackson (cartoonist, read comics at Frog Farm 9) - “Blippo+ from Playdate Season 2”

Basically, there’s this little yellow gameboy-type guy called a Playdate, it’s got a crank, and it plays downloaded 1-bit games from folks with big ideas and modest to nonexistent budgets, which makes the whole enterprise feel a little like alt comics.

In late May, they released Season 2, with 2 mystery games arriving every week for six weeks. Alongside those was a bonus, Blippo+, an interdimensional streaming service from Planet Blip. Each week, a new slate of programming traversed the bend in space-time to gradually paint in the corners of a New Wave-inflected planet with its own culture of snacks, science, gameshows, soaps, music, and radical politics.

Trying to piece together the connective tissue between the programs, while eagerly awaiting the next 1-minute episode of Quizzards, Confetti Cowboys, or Bushwalker kept my brain buzzing with artistic possibility all summer.

Shaumbé (plays Frogex, the frog DJ on Frog Farm, and a crucial key collaborator that helps make Frog Farm shows run smoothly) - “cool guitar peddles.”

This year i dusted off my pedalboard after 5 years, it was kinda neglected when i was in art school and i felt like updating some things. my most recent acquisition isn’t even on my board, it’s pedal shaped but it’s more of an instrument in and unto itself called the fieldtone weaver (in dust pink). it makes a 2 second recording of anything it hears or anything that’s plugged into it and it completely randomizes it as you turn the knob. in either direction. if you turn the knob the other way there is no undo, just more randomness. you cannot do the same thing twice. a meditation on impermanence.

i also i got a sick compressor, an eq, and after i got that tiny tuner i realized if i got the tiny boujee volume pedal i could get like three more pedals to fit on here, and i got the new chase bliss small batch and a special edition of the old new chase bliss and i got a crazy phaser and that little yellow fuzz pedal and my WAZA chorus, and my tremolo is cool too; it is a limited edition as well. still had the ocd and the dd-20 since day 1!! but i might have to replace the dd-20 because i got midi clock connected to the chase bliss’ and the DD-20 doesnt have midi and it could be helpful in the future to get as much stuff midi synched as possible. midi can also be sent back out to synchronize the randomness of the fieldtone with the rest of the board when the weaver is in rhythm mode. oh, and i also got a new octave pedal (an effect i don’t usually like, especially the POG - too icy, although i use it on bass, but that’s another pedalboard.) but it’s so cool after the sonic atomizer (i think that’s what it’s called). that + the canyon (a pedal so cool and versatile i bought it for someone for christmas) is the secret to aquarium sounds.

oh and i got a MONO case to put it in

Shannon Spence (Cartoonist, runs Cart Zine, and was on Frog Farm 9) - “Zoos in NYC”

I visited all the NYC Zoos this year and was pleasantly surprised by the Queens Zoo. A ton of the buildings and architecture are leftover from the 1964 World's fair, so you have a gigantic petting zoo section with a brutalist conference hall as the backdrop. Ten outta ten zoo and sightseeing experience.

A.T. Pratt (cartoonist extraordinaire, has been on Frog Farm 2, CXC FF, Frog Farm 3, filled in at Frog Farm 8, and SPX FF) - “My friends”

Increasingly I have been experiencing a jump-scare like reaction when I encounter familiar faces. Even when I am expecting to meet someone I know, they can be arriving from the direction where I am assuming they will enter from, and still my skeleton threatens to jump clean from my entire body at the moment they appear. A known associate by the name of Andrew Alexander has the current Guinness Record for spooking me the most in this manner, although Mr. Frogs himself, (Alexander Laird) has been known to shock me to my core as well when he materializes in the RisoLab where we both are known to print. This is not just limited to friends but also family. My mother emerged from my parents' car when they came to pick me up at the airport in Seattle and she nearly scared the living daylights out of me. The Master of Horror is extraordinarily attuned to the feeling of fear, and is bound to confront the most spine tingling terror even in the most ordinary situations.

Ok so that’s it! Thank you to everyone who submitted!!

Hopefully this little roundup put a pep in your step, and leads you into going and looking up this new work or think about art making in a new way? No? Well hopefully you enjoyed it at the very least.

And that’s it for this year! It was a wild one.

Got any questions, comments or thoughts? Leave em below.

Talk to you next year!

Cheers,