The Complete Strange Growths: 1991-1997

by Jenny Zervakis

Jenny Zervakis was part of a wave of underground, do-it-yourself cartoonists who came of age during the Zine Revolution of the 1990’s. At a time when most “alternative comics” were loud, abrasive, and sarcastic, Jenny’s autobiographical zine, Strange Growths, was warm, understated, and emotionally bare. Now, for the first time, these inspirational and groundbreaking comics have been collected in book form. The Complete Strange Growths, 1991-1997 gathers the first thirteen issues in their entirety, plus a selection of rare comics from anthologies, and a new interview with Jenny, conducted by Robert Clough.

The collection includes such classic stories as “Neanderthal Romance,” “Double Yolk,” “Silent Passenger,” “Penguin Feeding,” and many more. 240 page softcover, full color covers, black and white interiors, with an introduction by John Porcellino and a new interview with Jenny, conducted by Robert Clough.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics

240 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2017

Reviews

[J.T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Porcellino, a D.I.Y. comics elder at this point, published this collection of Zervakis' comics 'zines (along with some bonus anthology work and an interview of the author conducted by Rob Clough) from the '90s. This may be the only book Porcellino has published aside from his own comics & zines, but it's easy to understand why.

Zervakis' comics are often quiet & introspective, much like Porcellino's. She seems to revel in observing and cataloguing nature (also like Porcellino) or recording somewhat mundane conversations or events in her life. "Mundane" has a negative connotation, and I don't mean it in that way - just that these conversations/events aren't usually life-shattering changes or supercharged conflicts, but rather something interesting that happened to her that she may otherwise forget if not recorded. There's a certain amount of poetry involved in her recounting (along with actual poetry in some issues).

Artwise, some of the drawings appear rushed, sketchy or unfinished, but every so often there are some truly beautiful drawings. Personally, I love when she trades her pen for a brush. There's something very compelling in the fluidity of her brushwork.

I was previously unfamiliar with Zervakis' work, so this collection did what I think Porcellino intended - introduced her to a wider audience. I'm a huge fan of Porcellino's work, so his publishing this collection gave it a stamp of approval that made me take notice.

[Matt Graupman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the mid- to late-90s, before the rise of the internet and online publishing, indie comics self-publishers distributed their work through zines, cheaply Xeroxed reproductions that spread largely through trading and word-of-mouth. The system was as symbiotic as it was inefficient and, unfortunately, a lot of incredible work didn’t get the recognition it deserved. For me, that included Jenny Zervakis’ zine, “Strange Growths.” Twenty years later, I got this collection of the comic’s entire run in the best way possible: handed to me by “King-Cat” zinester John Porcellino out of the back of his trunk, who raved about how unique and beautiful Zervakis’ work was. He told me about how she was an huge influence on his own stuff and, having read the book, there are definitely similarities between the two zines. “King-Cat” and “Strange Growths” are both poetic and gently meditative, with strong interests in dreams and autobio stories, but Zervakis has a much more raw style (although, to be fair, Porcellino’s work started off fairly rough and smoothed out over time). Regardless, there’s a homemade authenticity to “Strange Growths” that is enormously appealing. Funny, silly, gentle, and - yes, John - truly unique, “The Complete Strange Growths” is a really special book.

FAVORITES:
“My Favorite Doll” - Zervakis reminisces about a beloved but odd-looking childhood toy.
“Ave Maria” - A chance encounter with a devout passenger on a bus leads Zervakis to explore her own thoughts on faith and religion.
“Friday Night” - Zervakis recounts the time her friend was arrested for DUI while she was his passenger, and the night they spent in jail.
“WV Travelogue” - An illustrated prose piece about a road trip through the wilderness of West Virginia.
“24 Things About WV Camp” - A stream-of-consciousness catalogue of memories from a camping trip.
“My College Bike” - A comic about a hand-me-down bicycle that drifted in and out of Zervakis’ life while she attended college.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely archival edition of the classic, quietly influential 90's comics zine. My longer-form review is now on tcj.com:
http://bit.ly/2rVojWR

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a treasure! I've read a lot of indie comics, but this book feels like the missing piece of the puzzle for me. Some of these stories are about Zervakis' dreams, but even the ones about her waking life have a dream-like quality to them, to the point where you're sometimes unsure which is which. Overall, a beautifully drawn book with a unique mood and voice.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love her drawing. i love her lines. her drawing is a pure poetry. i love how her drawings represent the world. stories here are not actually warm & are rather absurd, distant, and filled w desire sometimes. it was unexpected but def made the work more interesting both historically & artistically. it makes the work distinct from John Porcellino, Gabrielle Bell, Keiler Roberts, or E. A. Bethea.

[Athena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strange Growths is a level above most autobiographical comics. Jenny Zervakis's sketch-like style gives texture to the mundane and intrigue to the surreal. Her narratives are measured and reflective, opening up to more than the sum total of action and dialogue in each panel. For readers of grrrl zines, Strange Growths sometimes reminds me of Cindy Crabb's Doris minus the anarcho-feminist politics. I think it's because of the ecological slant and the way both writers/artists capture the dynamic between living life and being outside of it, observing.

[Rob McMonigal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Autobio Zine comics are always a great read. This is an especially strong example.