The Support SOLRAD Warehouse Sale!

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We need your help to keep the three-time Eisner-nominated SOLRAD running, and we're offering Fieldmouse Press books published between 2021 and 2024 for 50% off to cover the magazine's publishing expenses.

About the Project

Fieldmouse Press was originally founded to publish SOLRAD, a literary magazine focused exclusively on comics. We started publishing the magazine in 2020, and have offered it online, ad-free, paywall-free, and available to anyone with an internet connection since its inception.

SOLRAD brings a lot of value to comics readers, cartoonists, and the comics industry. The magazine has consistently published reviews, interviews, and essays that focus on connecting the artform of comics to the larger world. We founded SOLRAD on the stubborn belief that comics deserves the same access to venues, discourse, and educational opportunities as any other art form. Because of this, we believe that criticism of the comics arts is equally essential for the betterment of the form, education of the public, and to give the comics arts a place for reflection, discernment, and connection with the larger world.

Unfortunately, funding for any arts-adjacent project is incredibly difficult right now. SOLRAD is based in the United States, and a massive number of literary funds and grant-based projects have gone unfunded during the second Trump administration. We've secured small-dollar development grants, but larger-scale funding has been elusive.

We've decided to launch this Crowdfundr campaign in order to fund our 2027 operating year and to do that, we're offering books from our catalog published between 2021 — 2024 as gifts for donors.

Funding Goal

Our funding goal is $7,600 USD. This represents the approximate cost to operate SOLRAD for a calendar year. Here's a breakdown of our costs:

For most publications, there would be line items covering the costs of editorial and publishing work. Those costs are covered by volunteer hours from our Fieldmouse Press team, in large part by Daniel Elkin, SOLRAD's Publisher and Fieldmouse Press' Executive Director. We estimate that Fieldmouse Press team members volunteer 350+ hours every year to edit, publish, and maintain the magazine.

Our own fundraising has covered a small portion of the funds needed to maintain the magazine. SOLRAD runs a Donately page, a Patreon page, and a Ko-fi page, which pull in approximately $1800 a year in donations. Those donations are really important, but they're a small percentage of the pie. More and more of Fieldmouse Press' surplus from publishing books has gone to keeping SOLRAD afloat.

We're also continuously trying to increase our contributor compensation. Right now, we pay a $100 honorarium to our contributors, and we have been increasing that annually since we launched. In the next year, we expect our contributor costs to increase by 15-20%.

Fundraiser Rewards

Every book we've published between 2021 and 2024 is on offer for 50% off of MSRP, and we have specific bundles available that are available for even steeper discounts.

Below, we have descriptions of the books on offer in this fundraising campaign, along with notes from our Executive Editor, Rob Clough.

Clutter: A Scatterbrained Sexual Assault Memoir, by Ariel Bordeaux

A comics memoir by alternative comics legend Ariel Bordeaux. Ariel has always written powerful, personal stories in her expressive style of art. The cheery veneer of her art belies her scorching cultural and gender critiques. Clutter recounts a horrifying incident she experienced as a child, and the path she took to find healing. A moving story that confronts trauma and how it affects our brains and our emotions in ways we don't expect.

Rob's Notes: This was our very first publication, and it was nominated for a 2022 Ignatz Award. This was originally made nearly a decade earlier as Ariel's thesis at the Center for Cartoon Studies. I knew it would be a perfect first book for us; Ariel added a few pages that tied everything together. Look for our complete Ariel Bordeaux collection, titled Girlfriend Material , in about a year!

Now And Other Dreams, by Daryl Seitchik

What is real, and what is a dream? Now and Other Dreams collects ten years of Seitchik's surreal comics, made between 2012 and 2022. Seitchik’s sharp line and inimitable voice guide the reader down into the depths of the unconscious, and through the mundane, mystical absurdities of being alive.

Rob's Notes: Daryl was someone I wanted to work with right away, and I asked them to pitch whatever they wanted. This collection of deep dives into Daryl's dreams shaped them into clever, funny, intuitive, and strange narratives. Daryl is someone I consider to be a prodigy — their work was fully-formed from the start, and they've only gone on to publish comics that are full of surprises.

Good Person Trouble, by Noëlle Kröger (translated by Natalye Childress)

Sebastian, the tobacconist, stands trial for the disappearance of his cousin Teresa, but all is not what it seems in this courtroom drama. How can anyone be good when the pressures of society push down on them? Bertolt Brecht meets Judith Butler in this debut graphic novel.

Rob's Notes: Based on Brecht's play The Good Person Of Szechwan , Alex was the major champion of this book, whose take on gender identity, presentation, and expectations makes it the first Fieldmouse Press book that examines trans themes, but certainly not the last.

I Thought You Loved Me, by MariNaomi

Jodie was Mari’s best friend through their teens and twenties. As young Mari began to explore her identity as a bisexual, biracial outsider in a rich, white town, Jodie was her constant confidant, even kissing Mari out of the closet. The two were inseparable as they sought to gain a foothold in life and love as young feminists, Jodie an entrepreneurial sex worker, and Mari, working in the boys’ club of video game development in the late ‘90s. Then, suddenly and mysteriously, Jodie ends their friendship. Years later, Mari is stunned when she discovers why.

Now much older, Mari is ready to forgive, but her memories of Jodie seem to have vanished. Through journal excerpts, letters, conversations with friends, and cross-country travel, she pieces together lost memories from a lost friendship in an attempt at catharsis. The reader follows in real-time as the author unravels her own mystery, examining the expectations of friendship, the unreliability of memory, and the struggle to let go.

Rob's Notes: This book has a long history. Originally done for another publisher, Fieldmouse was lucky enough to publish it but had to deal with a variety of customs issues. Jeff Trexler, head of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, was the hero of this book, getting it out of customs. This is a genre-warping book, mixing memoir and mystery in equal measures.

10-10 To The Wind, by Cole Degenstein

Goldie is a long-distance trucker who loves the open road - but there is only so much isolation one man can withstand. The solitude that comes with his line of work makes the brief moments he spends with other people all the more important, and he seeks meaningful human interaction via CB radio in hopes of interrupting his isolated day-to-day with tender connections. Poetic and tender, 10-10 to the Wind is Cole Degenstein’s debut graphic novella.

Rob's Notes: This was another book that Alex really championed. The winner of the 2024 short form Cartoonist Studio Prize, this is the book that I see people stumble upon and fall in love with the most at comics shows. There's such an earnest and raw sense of yearning for connection that comes through on every page. Cole has since gone on to work with Conundrum Press.

The Island, by Allison Conway

A wordless comic that ruminates on the isolation caused by illness and poor mental health, the effects of medicine, and the need to connect with others. Gorgeously illustrated and colored, a project from a spectacular cartoonist and VICE Comics alum.

Rob's Notes: This beautiful little comic is one of the few that would be in the "all-ages" category for Fieldmouse. When kids come to our table, we always point them to this delightful and sometimes sad story with really rich background colors.

You Are Not A Guest, by Leela Corman

A collection of new-in-print comics from legendary creator Leela Corman. Motherhood, music, trauma, and heritage whirl together in powerful and unexpected ways. Deluxe papers and a larger trim size make this book a joy to hold and read.

Rob's Notes: This one came together at SPX, when I asked Leela if she wanted to do a collection. She had some new stories and wanted to see some older stories presented in the way she wanted. Leela hand-picked the beautiful, toothy paper that makes the colors pop on every page. This was nominated for an Ignatz Award in 2024.

Together And Apart: Biographies of Virginia Woolf, Gertrude Stein, and Georgia O'Keefe, by Andrew White

Three separate biographies connecting three groundbreaking artists, told in their own words. Andrew White brings his gorgeous and lyrical style to a set of biographies that read like a whisper and a song. White adapts the writings and work of these three artists in an active dialogue with the source material of their lives.

Rob's Notes: This is one of our most beautiful books. It is anything but a typical comics biography, most of which tend to be hamstrung by traditional storytelling conventions. Andrew's wispy, dreamy line accentuates the key connection between these three artists: they all wrote extensively about their practice as artists. The other major connection between artist and either patron or muse in each story is another fascinating theme that Andrew deftly connects through his choice of the writings he included from each artist. It's beautiful and dense but also a fluid read.

Feather, by Tyler Cohen

A lyrical and poetic exercise in wordless storytelling, Tyler Cohen’s Feather explores the things we make and the things we leave behind.

Rob's Notes: This was a lovely bit of serendipity. Prior to Twitter becoming a cesspool, there was a pretty active comics community on there. Tyler asked one day, "Are any alternative publishers willing to publish a short comic these days?" I couldn't say yes fast enough to that question! Another of our most beautiful books, and everything about it was fully-formed. This is a book with a dark edge.

Warnebi, by Wiebke Bolduan (Translated by Natalye Childress)

Tourists wonder, "Why is the Warnebi lagoon pink?" Anders, who works at the Warnebi gift shop, wonders, "What am I doing with my life?" Warnebi is a laconic story about the nagging sense of insecurity we all face, the desire to change for the better, and the indecision of how to make that change. Wiebke Bolduan's dry humor and gentle pacing make this a story that unveils more of itself with each read.

Rob's Notes: Wiebke, Noëlle Kröger, and Madita Schwenke (author of our just-arrived A Tale Of Two Travelers)were all classmates in Hamburg, Germany. They're part of a larger wave of new, exciting talent from Germany. Wiebke's book has a gentle rhythm that is deeply humane.

Complete And Utter Malarkey, by November Garcia

Collecting the critically acclaimed autobio comics of November Garcia, Complete and Utter Malarkey is a brilliantly funny, cringe-worthy collection of work by one of comics’ best humorists.

Rob's Notes: This was another instance of saving a book from oblivion. November's publisher went out of business and offered this book to us. Being a huge fan of November from the very beginning, I was excited to pull this book together in order to really highlight how good she is. This was nominated for an Ignatz Award in 2024.

Not Today: Undoing Home Repair, by Ana Margarida Matos (Translated by Victor Martins)

Caught in the COVID pandemic lockdowns, Not Today: Undoing Home Repairs is a daily record between January 16 and June 26, 2021. The author starts a lockdown diary with the premise that she will never lose track of time again. As time moves on, she begins documenting anything and everything that happens in the day, from little things like her dinner menu to catastrophic things like the COVID-19 case load. As the lockdown stretches on, the swirl of Margarida’s thoughts becomes claustrophobic and labyrinthine. A dense and beautiful debut work that questions what is, and what is to come.

Rob's Notes: Fieldmouse has published some challenging comics, but this is a deconstruction not just of diary comics, but of time itself. This is a brain-melter of a comic, championed by Alex. It was nominated for a Sophie Castille Award in 2025 for excellence in translation.

We Will No Longer Have To Cover Each Other's Wounds, by Siyuan Wen

Estranged from his mother after a frightening incident in childhood, Wayde now struggles to come to terms with her death. We Will No Longer Have To Cover Each Other's Wounds is a masterful examination of broken relationships, generational trauma, and the need for connection.

Rob's Notes: This is a brilliant book that Alex was 100% responsible for. Like Feather, he reached out to the author on Twitter and offered to publish it immediately. The pain in this book is painfully visceral, which provides a powerful contrast to the sensitivity of the art.

Golem Pit 224, by Julia Gootzeit

Thea and Kelsey go on a camping trip to explore an unusual landform - the Exclusion Zone Golem Pit 224. What was promised as a fun couple's camping trip turns out to be something much more eerie and strange, and as Thea and Kelsey's relationship teeters on the brink, the landscape around them starts to change in unexpected ways.

Rob's Notes: One of the best things about publishing is helping young artists get their footing. I was excited to see Julia pitch us this book after seeing her many interesting minicomics, and it was a pleasure to help flesh out her characters. This book made the shortlist for the 2025 Cartoonist Studio Prize.

Best Breasts In The West, by Trishelle Jeffrey

It turns out that waking up and finding a lump in your breast is not the worst thing that can happen to a young artist in America. Trishelle, battling horrible depression, has to figure out what to do about this newfound crisis. What follows is a frequently hilarious and pitch-black odyssey about being a patient with doctors who don't listen to her, navigating the byzantine regulations of insurance companies, and her own turbulent history with how she feels about her body coming from a Mormon background. Using various color wash styles and a gritty, expressive line, Jeffrey's journey is filled with outrageous, absurd moments that will resonate with many readers.

Rob's Notes: Trishelle is trained as a printmaker and the first iteration of this book was created for an art show. The very first page of the book made me burst out in laughter, and that's when Alex and I knew we had to publish this book. Trishelle added a chapter that tied together its themes, especially as they related to the book's secondary theme: mental health. Trishelle was nominated for an Ignatz Award in 2025.

Hot House, by John Hankiewicz

An unnamed man and woman live in a house together but rarely interact. Each of them attends to mundane tasks such as laundry and sweeping. Then time, space, and reality all warp around them in unexpected ways as they confront past selves, suffocating dust storms, and an environment that's as claustrophobic as it is familiar.

Rob's Notes: John, in my opinion, is one of the ten greatest living cartoonists. He's one of the originators of comics-as-poetry, and as such, hasn't received as much attention as some of his peers because his work is enigmatic and opaque. I thought a lot about Dylan Williams decision to publish John's brilliant collection Asthma with Sparkplug Comic Books, despite knowing it would be a hard sell. When I approached John and learned he had a book ready to go, it was meant to be. It required no editing (other than talking him out of doing an afterword). Even the scans were perfect! Happily, this has been a very successful book for us, due in no small part to it having so many champions, with legendary retailer and historian Bill Boichel the most prominent.

French Girl, by Jesse Lee Kercheval

Told in a series of stories that blend boldly expressionistic and dreamlike colors with spare and unflinching text, French Girl is Jesse Lee Kercheval’s debut graphic memoir. Exploring the relationship with her mother, her childhood, her own motherhood, and the passage of time, French Girl is a reflection on the material and immaterial ways that our families affect us.

Rob's Notes: Jesse Lee is one of my favorite stories in comics. A professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin, she's had a long career as a writer, poet, editor, and translator. During the COVID lockdown of 2020, she was trapped in Uruguay and decided to get some pastel pens and start drawing--something she hadn't done since her teen years. When she pitched to Fieldmouse, Alex made some suggestions to give her work more of a sequential feel. When she showed us her revisions, it was perfect. She's an absolute delight to work with as an editor. This book was tabbed as one of the best comics of the year by the Washington Post. We will be publishing her follow-up, titled Household Gods , in 2027.

About Fieldmouse Press

Fieldmouse Press is a nonprofit publisher of comics and literature, based in Grass Valley, California. Founded in 2019, Fieldmouse Press is committed to expanding the reach and appreciation of the comics arts.

Our goal as a publisher is to make comics that challenge and delight readers from all walks of life.

This is us at SPX 2024! You can see Alex (left) and Daniel (right), our Publisher and Executive Director (respectively), along with all of the books we had at the show. If you look closely, you can see copies of the books we have previously funded through Crowdfundr! We founded Fieldmouse Press because we love comics, and wanted to give back to our community.

Picture Credit: Norah Clous @ SPX 2024

Picture Credit: MariNaomi @ CAKE 2023

Since 2021, Fieldmouse Press has published comics from indie and alt comics legends like Ariel Bordeaux, John Hankiewicz, and MariNaomi, as well as new and upcoming artists like Noah Schiatti and Stacey Zhu.

Here's another picture from CAKE 2023 with MariNaomi (left), Rob Clough, Executive Editor (middle) and Alex Hoffman, Publisher (right) - at this show, we had the U.S. debut of MariNaomi's I THOUGHT YOU LOVED ME. Mari was a featured guest!

Backing the Project

Backing a Crowdfundr campaign is a little different than other crowdfunding platforms you might be used to. Click one or more perks you're interested on the right hand side of the page, and add them to your cart. You'll check out after selecting the perks you want, and money will be collected immediately. You can add multiple perks to your cart before checkout, so if you want multiple books but not the whole season, (or if you want multiple copies of the same book), you can do that before checkout. Shipping and fulfillment costs are applied during check-out when you support the project.

Risks

Fieldmouse Press has successfully funded and fulfilled multiple campaigns through Kickstarter and Crowdfundr, so we have the experience of crowdfunding under our belts. We are working with the amazing folks at White Squirrel Distribution to help make sure that packages get out quickly and efficiently. We were able to complete our campaign for our previous season on time and with no damaged items on returns.

Because books in this campaign are already published, we will be able to fulfill all orders in bulk at the end of the fundraising period, in late August / early September 2026.