The last ShortBox

A blog post! It's been a while...

I'm here to herald the news of ShortBox #13, coming to kickstarter later this month (5 freshly-published comics, a gorgeous A4 print, some sweets- the usual), but also news that this box will be our last box. 

There are a few reasons for this, the main ones being insane, ever-increasing international shipping prices, and the rising costs of Brexit. We've shipped worldwide from the outset, and have been lucky to build a network of readers that stretch across the globe. In fact, the bulk of our readership is internationally-based and shipping costs for them over the last 5 years have just climbed and climbed. To provide an example, international shipping on our last box cost £22 per box (that's the cost for shipping alone, not including any labour, packaging, materials or payment processing fees). The most I've previously charged for this was £14. 

The price of a ShortBox is £35: it's been that since we began and stayed £35 over the past 5 years. However, costs of ~everything~ have risen: a rise further compounded by Brexit. It affects us considerably as we always print our books, packaging, stickers, prints- whatever was needed- here in the UK to support local small businesses similar to ShortBox, and to maintain quality control and quick turnarounds. Keeping the box at £35 is simply no longer feasible.

Essentially, we've come to a point where growing costs mean we need to adjust the price of a box, and growing shipping costs mean we also need to charge accordingly for shipping. Sadly, I think this makes the box model no longer viable. Even if the box price were raised to £38 (as a minimum), for the vast majority of our readers, the shipping would be £22, bringing the total to £60 for a box. Although when broken down this still works out cheaper than if you were to buy and ship the 5 comics individually, it's still a large sum. The idea of ShortBox is that people trust that they're going to get a selection of comic books that are of value to them in some way. I think the more you start paying for something, the greater the expectation of receiving 'sure things' - work that fits what a person wants more closely. It becomes less of a space for interesting, inventive, fresh work. My instinct is that with the rising costs, people would prefer to choose individual books they want.

So, the kickstarter for ShortBox #13 later this month will be our final box. The price will remain £35. From 2022 forwards, we'll simply be publishing short and long comics individually, in the more traditional way. Scary and exciting!

It feels like the right thing to do: there's a sense of sadness, of course, but I think it's important to recognise when something is no longer working -for either us or readers- and to not detrimentally persist with it due to stubbornness or sentiment. It's a familiar refrain, but I had no idea I'd be doing this as a job, or even a year on when I started ShortBox, and it has evolved constantly (initially we were supposed to be a distro platform for mini-comics!), so changing and adapting has always been part of our DNA, which makes it easier to accept - on an emotional level, at least!

I'm incredibly grateful for all your support through this chapter of ShortBox, and hope you'll continue with us in the next. Thank you so much.

Zainab.

ShortBox #11: a stonker

ShortBox #11 is upon us- and what a box it is! New comic books from Ariel Ries, Lissa Treiman, Jen Lee, Hana Chatani, and a debut work from Michelle Theodore. And to top it all off, a dreamy print by Sara Alfageeh. Stories incorporating fear, friendships, myths, self-neglect, new beginnings and creatures growing inside your teeth...! It's the final box of 2019, and you need it.

A few points to go over, as usual:

• All the comics and art in the box are brand new works we publish!
• Pre-orders for the box are open now and will run for a 14 day period, from July 15th to 28th. You buy a pre-order, you get the box- that's it. There's no signing up, and no further commitment.
• Pre-ordering a box is the *ONLY* way to get a box. We do not remake boxes.
• This is a *pre-order*. ShortBox #11 will ship throughout September. 
• We ship worldwide.
• Domestic shipping rates if you're based in the UK or US, international shipping rates for everywhere else.

'Cry Wolf Girl' by Ariel Ries, colour, spot-gloss cover, perfect-bound, 48pp.

The story goes like this: There was once a girl named Dawa. Having lost her family to sickness, she found herself with an emptiness inside that she did not know how to fill.  Alas, in all her endeavours, nothing she tried ever left her feeling so full as the art -of trickery.

'Minötaar' by Lissa Treiman, colour, 40pp.

Dena and Mel embark on a mission of epic proportions: visiting the byzantine halls of IKOS in order to retrieve the flat-pack bookshelf of Dena's dreams -after some meatballs, of course. But something strange is afoot in IKOS' minimally-designed, one-way aisles... Can Dena and Mel, and their friendship, navigate the realm of retail and emerge unscathed?

'Pass the Baton' by Hana Chatani (reads right to left), colour, 40pp.

Returning to her apartment from a visit to the corner store, Noriko spies on a young teen experiencing his first romantic rejection. Years later, their paths cross once again, and the two bond over shared passions, insecurities, and love in its many forms.

'At the Edge of the Stream at Dusk' by Jen Lee, A5 landscape orientation, colour, 36pp.

Part road-trip, part memoir, 'At the Edge of the Stream at Dusk' charts Jen's journey post the end of a long-term relationship as she moves across the country from her farmhouse to a new home and job in the city, while reflecting on the changes and challenges she's faced.

'Cavity' by Michelle Theodore, colour, 60pp.

Elliot's got a cavity. She knows it needs to be seen to, but right now she doesn't have the motivation to book an appointment with the dentist. She doesn't have the motivation to see her friends and family, do the laundry, cook and clean, or do anything much. Meanwhile, the cavity grows... and so does something inside it...

'In the Mountains' box-exclusive, limited edition A4 print by Sara Alfageeh

Order ShortBox #11 here.

ShortBox to the #9

Hello! Can you believe we're already releasing our NINTH ShortBox?! Well, we are, it's here, and it's a doozy. 5 brand new comics involving demons, transformative teas, mysterious islands, robot bears, underground mob power wars, social media relationships and more, from some of the freshest, finest and most interesting contemporary cartoonists around.

A *VERY IMPORTANT* point for anyone based in the USA: no more international shipping rates! Your ShortBoxes will now be shipped from within the US which means shipping for you is only £4. If you're in Canada, your boxes will also ship from the US so shipping is slightly cheaper for you, too! Hurrays all around!

As ever, a few salient points to go over for readers new and old before we get to the meaty bits:

• ShortBox is an independent, mail-order comics box. It is not a subscription service. There is no signing up. It's simply a (pretty ace) box of comics we publish every 3 months. The comics are brand new releases created especially for the box that you won't find anywhere else. You buy  a box, and that's that- there's no further commitment to anything else. 
• You purchase an order, we put you down for a box. It's a system that lets us know exactly how many boxes to make. You can pre-order ShortBox #9 right now, right here. We don't remake boxes.  
• Pre-orders run for a 12-day period. That begins today and ends at midnight on 29th July. This is the only way to get the box.
• The box will ship in September. Depending on where you live in the world, and also on the mercy of the postal system, your box can take anything from 2 days to 7 weeks to get to you once it has been shipped. After that period, if you still haven't received it, please get in touch with us via the 'contact' tab at the top of the site, and we'll take things from there. 
• We ship worldwide!

And now, onwards to the juicy stuff! ShortBox #9 will contain the following:

Stoke by Sam Wade, 32pp, colour. 

Arjuna’s got a problem; she’s too good at her job working as an underground, unlicensed boxing bookie for the city’s most blood thirsty crime boss, Montu. And now, because of her efficiency, he thinks she’s coming for the throne. Enter: Pretty Boy, bare knuckles boxing debutant and ruthless queen of the ring. As Montu’s attempts on Arjuna’s life get harder to dodge, she hires Pretty Boy to help her climb to the top. Stoke explores the honeyed synonymy of revenge, love, and obsession set against the backdrop of a surreal city underbelly where it’s all about going to the mattresses.

Gonzalo by Jed McGowan, 36pp, colour.
A worn, ageing robot bear, originally built to collect field data, is left stranded in the wild with an orphaned and very real bear cub after vast environmental collapse. Together they struggle to survive in the hostile wastes of near-future California.

Did You See Me? by Sophia Foster-Dimino, 56pp, colour. 

Did You See Me? follows a man through his growing obsession with a woman who may or may not be real. Taking place partly in reality, partly on social media, and partly in dreams, Did You See Me? looks at the role of fantasy, wishful thinking, and roleplay in romantic attraction.

The Island by Joy San, 40pp, colour.

A woman embarks on a journey to a mysterious island that promises to solve all her problems. 

Taemons by Kim Salt, 44pp, black and white. 
Beset by loneliness and self isolation, a girl is introduced to an app that allows people to match up with demons 'in your area' and meet them for tea. After connecting with a demon at the local all-night diner, she is transported to a different world, one she cannot escape without first confronting some demons of her own.

'Suspension' exclusive A4 print by Mathilde Kitteh.

Order ShortBox #9 here.

ShortBox #8: a June awakening

Good day! I'm delighted to announce ShortBox #8 has landed! Once again, we're bringing together a roster of superb artists to publish 5 brand new comics exploring identity, place, feelings, the future, spring, and bananas, in a resplendent line-up. This one feels particularly special as it marks the 2 year anniversary of ShortBox's conception, which feels both like a very short time and a very long one! I'd like to thank each and every one of you for all your support to date: without you, quite simply, ShortBox wouldn't exist. Thank you, and happy anniversary!

As ever, a few salient points to go over for readers new and old before we get to the meaty bits:

• ShortBox is an independent comics box. It is not a subscription service. There is no signing up. It's simply a (pretty ace) box of comics we publish every 3 months. The comics are brand new releases created especially for the box that you won't find anywhere else. You buy  a box, and that's that- there's no further commitment to anything else. 
• Pre-orders run for a 12-day period. That begins today and ends at midnight on 27th April. This is the only way to get the box.
• You purchase an order, we put you down for a box. It's a system that lets us know exactly how many boxes to make. You can pre-order ShortBox #8 right now, right here. We don't remake boxes.  
• The box will ship in June. Depending on where you live in the world, and also on the mercy of the postal system, your box can take anything from 2 days to 5-6 weeks to get to you. After that period, if you still haven't received it, please get in touch with us via the 'contact' tab at the top of the site, and we'll take things from there. 
• We ship worldwide!

And now, onwards to the juicy stuff! ShortBox #8 will contain the following:

'Your Mother's Fox' by Niv Sekar 36pp, colour.

A woman sets out to see America the way her mother did: on the back of a giant fox. And while a

 giant fox may be better than any car for a roadtrip, the fox is old, and America is its own land. A thoughtful and poignant treatise on place, identity, and belonging.

The River Bank by George Mager, colour, 40pp, french flap cover.

 George Mager brings his uniquely charming whimsy to this long-term passion project: an adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's classic, The Wind in the Willows. Follow Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger in an exuberantly lively and fresh journey, that will have you ready for the joys of spring.

Homunculus by Joe Sparrow, 70pp, colour.

A machine at the end of the world... In the near future, a young scientist and her sentient creation struggle to understand, and be understood by, the world around them. A story about love and learning, death and time, told across the years.

Summer Break by Lottie Pencheon 90pp colour, perfect bound, spot gloss cover.

Lottie's been feeling ill, or 'off' at the least, the difficulty of articulating exactly what's wrong leaving her even more isolated within herself. A break away with her family in the crisp, green goodness of nature seems like it could shake off any cobwebs, but it becomes apparent that what she's facing is very real, and that there's no quick fix.

What Are You Thinking About by Anatola Howard, 32pp colour and black and white.

A collection of stream-of-consciousness vignettes and short stories from one of the most exciting up and coming cartoonists in North America.

'Banana Wranglers' exclusive A4 print by Egle Zvirtblyte.

Order ShortBox #8 here.