SEEING THINGS: The Zine

Work
Seeing Things #1

For the past few years, I’ve been posting little photo/drawing pairings on Instagram, inspired by pareidolia—those moments when your brain insists that a wall socket is giving you the side-eye or an empty backpack is definitely a cranky old man. At first, Seeing Things was just a fun way to break out of my usual fact-based cartoonist practice and let my brain wander in a more whimsical direction. But once I started, I couldn’t stop. Faces were everywhere.

What started as a personal creative detour turned into something more communal. I began posting the photo/drawing pairs online, and people really seemed to enjoy them—they even started sending me their own “sightings.” I love that part—though I tend to avoid the obvious ones where the photo tells the whole story. For me, the fun is in teasing out the mood or character I think I see, figuring out which lines are essential and which can be left out. It became a kind of game.

And so this zine was born.

SEEING THINGS is a 32-page collection of those moments—photos from my everyday life, each matched with a hand-drawn reinterpretation that brings out the face, vibe, or unexpected personality hiding inside. It’s a celebration of noticing, of seeing the familiar in unfamiliar ways, and of assigning humanity to objects that definitely didn’t ask for it. Expect expressive machines, moody fixtures, startled containers—a whole cast of found characters. Some pages are themed: one spread might feature a lineup of expressive kids’ bike seats, another might spotlight shocked gym equipment. Many drawings include comics elements like word balloons or sound effects, and—perhaps unsurprisingly—the zine features an unusual number of ghosts, vampires, ogres, and other creatures that don’t usually haunt my work.

I’m honored to include in SEEING THINGS a foreword by Rob Walker (Titans of Finance; The Art of Noticing). Here’s a sample from his intro:

Like any skilled artist or writer, Josh Neufeld pays attention to the world around him. He is aware of what is there. But he also sees what isn’t there—but possibly could be.  As a maker of comix, he is a skilled artist and writer, and he doesn’t so much “see faces” as recognize and express a certain humanity in the inanimate. Collected, the results are really remarkable, funny, revealing…. Shared pareidolia is actually a little risky: sometimes I see a face, and you just don’t. In Seeing Things, Josh takes those risks in a disarming way that’s inspiring. When you do see the face that Josh sees, the result is a kind of quiet connection. That’s the game, and the more you play along, the more you win.

If you’re looking for a playful little reminder to look twice at the world around you, SEEING THINGS might be your thing. It’s color, digest-sized, 32 pages, and $5. You can Venmo me $6 directly (the $1 extra is for shipping); or—if you order it from my site, I’ve knocked it down to just $3 (plus $3 flat-rate shipping). A bargain for anyone who’s ever made eye contact with a parking meter!

Below are some samples spreads from the zine:

SEEING THING sample spread #1
Seeing Things sample spread #2

Tiny Art Director

Uncategorized

I was just alerted to the funniest site I have seen in a long time: Tiny Art Director. (Am I really late in learning about this work of brilliance?) Basically illustrator Bill Zeman posts "commissions" he has done for his now four-year-old daughter, along with her comments and whether the "commissions" were approved or rejected. Art directors out there, please do not be offended, if I mention that her "critiques" are not so different than the typical comment from a "professional" AD. (Plus, Zeman’s art is really whimsical and funny.)

Adam Morrison in "Escape From New York"

Comics, Plug

Who says Japan has produced the best basketball comic? Steve Morrison’s fumetti-style strip gives Slam Dunk a run for its money. The newest chapter features Adam Morrison trying to pick up new Charlotte coach Larry Brown at JFK airport; and co-stars Michael Jordan, Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson, Yao Ming, the entire roster of the New York Knicks, and Ron Burgundy! Check it out…

Video viruses I recently caught

Geek

And have to pass on, BECAUSE THEY’RE SO DAMN FUNNY!!!

Yes, most of these have been floating ’round the interweb for years, and some aren’t video, but they’re new to me. And maybe you haven’t been inoculated yet either…

The zombie kid with the turtle obsession. Listen to this and then cue up Johnny Cash doing “The Man Comes Around” from American IV. Brrrr. (P.S. The reporter’s stunned reaction is priceless.) Thanks to benchilada for giving me this one.
Playmobil Security Check Point. Playmobil seems intent on representing all sides of our legal system in toy form, everything from airport security to police radar stations, from safecrackers to SWAT choppers.
The Vader Sessions. Did you know Darth Vader appeared in a number of 70s blaxploitation flicks? Dig it.
Write this..or that..or maybe…” Brit comedians Mitchell & Webb do a hilarious spin on an editorial meeting.
The Internet is for Porn. Before Phoebe (and A.D.), I played a lot of World of Warcraft. So much so that I thought this was brilliant. (Only later did I find out the song is actually from the Broadway puppet musical Avenue Q.)
• In the category of cute animal stories, I’m reduced to expressions of “awwwwww” by the tales of Owen and Mzee and the grateful lion.
• And, finally, this. I don’t care what the image’s provenance is, and whether it’s PhotoShopped or what. It just makes me giggle. Every time I see it. See? (Thanks to man_size for sending me this one.)