I usually just refer to my comics as being indie comics, but they’re definitely what people think of as “comix.” Superman or Marvel comics, comics that a general audience would be quicker to think of, would be comics that end in a C. They’re small press or self-published comics, and are more likely to be more subversive or radical in nature. What is the difference between comics that end in a “C” and comix that end in an “X”?Ĭomix that end in an X was a term that came around in the 60’s or 70’s to differentiate from mainstream comics. She’s since published two books, Little Fish, narrating her experience moving from a small town to attend MICA in the lively city of Baltimore, and Year One, about her first year living, and trying to make a place for herself, in Philadelphia.Įarlier this month we sat in my living room in West Philadelphia and talked about the connection between DIY music and comix, the importance of community within comix, and how people can learn about different types of comix. She’s been a part of that community for over ten years, starting with the creation of Lists #1, a personal zine of her life, narrated in list-form, that she wrote while attending the Maryland Institute College of Art.

It’s that openness and obtainability, she explained to me while sitting on my couch last week in West Philadelphia, that she loves most about being involved in the comix community.

When I reached out to see if I could ask her a few questions about her work for this article, she responded within the hour. Ramsey’s work made me believe that she is a real human being. She writes about what she knows, her favorite spots to get coffee in Philadelphia, her dog Rover, her relationships, and being a 20-something post-grad, sometimes standing on shaky footing. And that’s part of what I, and likely her many followers, love about them: she writes directly and openly about her life, with nuance and detail. While I’m proclaiming some serious adoration for Ramsey’s work, her comix are anything but heavy-handed. The connection I felt to her work, the feeling of being both recognized and lauded for my personhood, is vital. She had captured a world I already knew and loved, a world full of quiet moments and aloneness, but also friendship and punk music. I was surprised and comforted by how much familiarity I found in them.

while in North Carolina on tour with my band, and read them while cowering in the back seat of our van, our sleeping situation for the night looking precarious. One month later, I unearthed them from my backpack at 4 a.m. This past summer at the Philadelphia Feminist Zine Fest, I picked up two issues of comix artist Ramsey Beyer’s 15-issue zine, List, after hearing my friends praise her work.

Little Fish by Ramsey Beyer