Publisher Self publishing Format Ongoing Publication date 2015 – present | Schedule Irregular Genre Various Number of issues 5 (as of Oct 2016) | |
Garaj Komik ([ɡaradʒ kɔmik]) is a social media-based self-published Malaysian minicomic anthology (zine or indie comics to some readers). Garaj Komik was formed on 29 October 2014 initially intended to join the Malaysian Online Comics Challenge 2014 (Cabaran Komik Online Malaysia). It was co-founded by Lee Heng Kok, Joshua Chung and Elly Elias. Garaj Komik is listed as one of the 26 recognizable Malaysian comic brands in 2015 by Stroke Comichat.
Contents
Issue 1
The first issue made its debut on 21 March 2015 at The Comic N’ Toys Geek Fest (CTGF) in Jaya Supermarket. It is a joint effort of four people with different backgrounds, united by the love of comic creation. They were all members of MY Comics Community. Most copies of issue 1 were sold with personalized sketches by Lee Heng Kok. Issue 1 was all sold out in 35 days.
Issue 2
Issue 2 (or GK2) saw the participation of two Malaysian bloggers/doodlers: Dayang Deno and Rizal Paperbag Head. The announcement was made for its release on 21 August 2015 and was made available publicly in Sunway Pyramid for the Animangaki 2015 on 29 August 2015 by comic collector Tom Chu. It made an appearance at the 1MCAT 2015 Art Bazaar at the National Visual Arts Gallery (Malaysia) on the 16 October 2015 through painter Mohd Khairul Aizuddin (Sidsoot) and doodler Coco Arif.
Issue 2 also saw the introduction of five variant covers. The Dayang Deno variant cover is the most popular, having sold out its second print.
Comicore Club, a Malaysian Comic Community, also helped to distribute the second issue in Medini Mall on 11 September and Kluang Mall on 18 September 2015 for the inauguration of the Kotakomik event. Garaj Komik 2 was also sold alongside other comics such as Buasir Otak's (Fool's Syndicate) trilogy and TOPEK Comics at De'GwetxComicoreClub's 2015 Comic Fiesta art booth, which took place at The Mines International Exhibition & Convention Centre (MIECC) on 19 December 2015.
Issue 3
GK3 was released in conjunction with Geek Con Malaysia's 1st convention on 19 March 2016 at the KDU University College Shah Alam Campus. On the 2nd day, Lee Heng Kok of Garaj Komik was given the honour to share its self publishing experience alongside Zechariah Dewitt and Kenneth Chirayil of Chain Link Studios in a one hour interview hosted by Nicholas Ong (Point Blanc) of Poetic Ammo.
Among the new faces in GK3 are writers Lim Yue Lynn of Wonderfunders Anthology Comics and Andrew Tan, artist Wallace Destiny and freelance illustrator Stephanie Yong of Inksalad Illustrations.
GK3 also included a centre page pull-out mini zine featuring Lee Heng Kok's story "Alone"
Issue 4
Garaj Komik IV-Dark is the fourth installation of the stand-alone comic anthology that was released at "The Comic Arts Festival Kuala Lumpur 3" (CAFKL3) on the 28 May 2016 at Makespace, Quill City Mall, Kuala Lumpur. Illustrator Arif Rafhan of the Adventures of a KL-ite in Afghanistan and Pelempang Realiti, Brian Lim and Thomas Wee are the new names in this issue.
Issue 5
Garaj Komik V was made public at the 10th Kuala Lumpur Zine Festival x Indie Comics x Distro Day Out held on the 8 October at the Awegallery in Petaling Jaya. Guest artist featured in this edition includes graffiti artist The Sliz and cartoonist/caricaturist Aku Napie.
Others
Garaj Komik appeared in an advertisement to promote TEDxSingapore 2015 which was held on 6-7 Nov 2015 at the Nanyang Technological University. The video is courtesy of Vedic Link, a Singaporean online educational video provider.
One of the artists, Joshua Chung, submitted an entry "Bila Fauhad Bercinta" for Matkomik's Malaysian Online Comics Challenge 2015 (Cabaran Komik Online Malaysia) using the Garaj Komik logo.