The genre (if it is one) of poetry comics is hard to define. As editor of this issue of Snakeskin, I chose poem-like combinations of text and image that were at least partly hand-drawn. Poetry comics are not necessarily technically proficient, nor are they necessarily funny or lyrical, but they can be all three.

New York School poet Kenneth Koch was an early practitioner; I love Koch’s poetry comics and want to marry them. Here are some examples: Kenneth Koch http://tumblr.austinkleon.com/post/105047498.

More poetry comics (by my definition):

Everyday Genius series http://www.everyday-genius.com/2013_08_01_archive.html

Derik Badman http://madinkbeard.com/archives/category/my-comics

Sommer Browning http://www.h-ngm-n.com/h_ngm_n-6/sommer-browning.html

Maira Kalman http://www.mairakalman.com/

James Kochalka http://www.americanelf.com/

John Porcellino http://www.johnporcellino.blogspot.com/

Ron Padgett and George Schneeman http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2008/04/_george_schneem.php

Tamara Shopsin http://tamarashopsin.com/

David Shrigley http://www.davidshrigley.com/

Max Winter http://www.thevolta.org/ewc34-mwinter-p1.html

collection of further links http://www.poetrycomics.com/p/poetry-comics.html

BOOKS:
Abstract Comics edited by Andrei Molotiu
http://www.amazon.com/Abstract-Comics-Anthology-Andrei-Molotiu/dp/1606991574
The Art of the Possible: Comics Mainly Without Pictures by Kenneth Koch
http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Possible-Without-Pictures/dp/1932360182
More Things Like This curated by the editors at McSweeney’s
http://www.amazon.com/More-Things-Like-This-McSweeneys/dp/0811867161

And then there’s this octopus:
http://boingboing.net/2013/11/06/cute-octopus-flier-on-post.html

When I put out the call for poetry comics submissions for Snakeskin, I didn’t know what would happen. I was enormously pleased at the variety I received. Becky Cooper’s “Map Your Memories” project (http://mapyourmemories.tumblr.com) suggests that we all have poetry comics in us just waiting to come out. Maybe you should make some!

Jessy Randall
http://personalwebs.coloradocollege.edu/~jrandall/