SMOKE SIGNAL . . . . is a FREE ALL-COMICS OPEN SUBMISSION NEWSPAPER published by Brooklyn’s DESERT ISLAND.
the 11 x 14-1/2 in. 24-page publication “aims for a mix of established independent artists and up-and-coming unknowns.”
It depends on community support for realization. Issues are produced in a limited run of 1000. Copies are available for FREE at the shop, through the mail and at a few other select BROOKLYN locations. They are “trying to publish quarterly” !!

SMOKE SIGNAL #1 - above - has a wonderful cover illustration by the fantastic TRAVIS MILLARD !!
sure to become a collector’s item - it is now out-of-print. Among its approx 46 contributors - are:
CAT CHOW, TAYLOR McKIMENS, GIL GENTILE, JEN GRIMS, SHOBOSHOBO, NOAH LYON, UNINHABITABLE MANSIONS, FAMOUS CLASS and RON REGE Jr. It was published in JUNE 2009.
here’s a little sampling:

‘HOW TO DRAW CARTOONS’ - by LEAH HAYES.

. . . ‘STEP #1: MAKE A FACE’ - LEAH HAYES

. . . ‘STEP #2: GIVE IT A HAT’ - LEAH HAYES

‘CARTOON CEMETERY’ - by LUKE RAMSEY.

detail - LUKE RAMSEY.
(hey !! my cat’s name is .. LUCKY !!)

‘SOPH PUNK #1′ - by CAT CHOW

‘THE DRIPS - WRECK WRECK’ - by TAYLOR McKIMENS !!

iconic calligraphy by Taylor McKIMENS.

iconic - DRIP !! - TAYLOR McKIMENS.
(Jackson Pollock - look out !! we’re about to up-date the art definition of: drip !!)

‘I LOVE YOU - GABRIELLE BELL’ - by JASON KEIFFER.

SHOBOSHOBO !!

detail - SHOBOSHOBO.

NOAH LYON !!

“I HAVE A QUESTION” - NOAH LYON.

“ENOUGH STUFF ?” - NOAH LYON.

‘THE HEALING POWER OF ENERGY CURRENTS - FROM A SPIRITUAL WORLD THAT PARELELLS OUR OWN ?’ - by RON REGE Jr.

detail, RON REGE Jr.

detail, RON REGE, Jr.

SMOKE SIGNAL #2 - put out in SEPT 2009 - features a front cover by DASH SHAW and a back cover by BECCA KACANDA !! It’s many talented contributors include: GABRIELLE BELL, FRANK SANTORO, TRAVIS MILLARD, RON REGE Jr, TAYLOR McKIMENS, JULIEN LANGENDORFF, VICTOR KERLOW, and NOAH LYON.
It is still available, but better go get one - quick !!

SMOKE SIGNAL #2 - FRONT COVER - by DASH SHAW.

SMOKE SIGNAL #2 - BACK COVER - by BECCA KACANDA !!

“BEHIND THE WALL OF SLEEP . . . ” - by JULIEN LANGENDORFF.

“behind the wall of sleep . . . ” - JULIEN LANGENDORFF.

“the stairs were cold the sky was unseen” . . . - JULIEN LANGENDORFF.

JOHN BRODOWSKI

detail, JOHN BRODOWSKI.

‘BIG CITY BLUES’ - by AVI SPIVAK.

detail - ‘BIG CITY BLUES’ - AVI SPIVAK.

DANIEL LOCKE.

“FOR TEN YEARS I LIVED IN THE WILDERNESS OF NORTHERN ALASKA.” - DANIEL LOCKE.

“I WAS TOTALLY WILD! I WOULD EAT MY FOOD WITH ANIMALS FOR CHRIST’S SAKE!” - DANIEL LOCKE.

‘A TRUE STORY’ - by BUCKY COX

“VICTORIA, MEXICO - In the 1950’s my father-in-law was a teenage art student . . .” - BUCKY COX

center spread - by FRANK SANTORO.

“RED HAIRED / MAN YELLOW SKIN / BLUE EYES / BLACK HORSE” - FRANK SANTORO.

‘CRYPTO-ZOOLOGICAL’ - by MAX EVRY & NICK ROSE

“Ain’t ya gonna try to get away, l’il fella?” - MAX EVRY & NICK ROSE

‘STREET BROS.’ - - by TRAVIS MILLARD.

“STREET BROS.” - TRAVIS MILLARD.

“COME WITH US” - TRAVIS MILLARD.

“OVER THE FENCE …” / “THROUGH THE HEDGE …” - TRAVIS MILLARD.

“TOLD YA IT’D BE THERE” - TRAVIS MILLARD.

‘THE DRIPS VS.’ - by TAYLOR McKIMENS.

detail - ‘THE DRIPS VS.’ . . .”FIGHT” - TAYLOR McKIMENS

‘FRANK IS DEAD’ - by VICTOR KERLOW.

detail, VICTOR KERLOW.

‘SKUME’ - by KEROZEN.

detail, ‘SKUME’ - by KEROZEN.

detail, ‘The Way Some People Live’ - by GABRIELLE BELL.
“i’ve been staying indoors a lot, working and listening to Cheever: A Life by Blake Bailey …”

detail, ‘The Way Some People Live - by GABRIELLE BELL.
“OH, this is so HUMILIATING! Look at all those literati in there enjoying themselves!”

PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH

so, they are currently taking SUBMISSIONS for SMOKE SIGNAL #3 !! scheduled to come out - early December 2009.
submissions for this 3rd issue will be accepted up until mid November 2009.
SMOKE SIGNAL will be coming out every 3 months (June, September, December & March)

note: GABRIEL FOWLER of DESERT ISLAND and SMOKE SIGNAL’S publisher !! - tells us the RELEASE PARTY !! for SMOKE SIGNAL #3 will be at the inaugural BROOKLYN COMICS FESTIVAL - coming up this Dec 5, 2009 - in BROOKLYN.

see: SMOKE SIGNAL INFO !!
they even have a nice video clip of - SMOKE SIGNAL #1 - coming hot off the press - !!

DESERT ISLAND - 540 METROPOLITAN - WILLIAMS - BROOKLYN
HRS: TUES-SAT: noon-9PM / SUN: noon-7PM / closed on MON