There comes a point when a fanzine devoted to curiosity, enthusiasm, and wandering down fascinating rabbit holes inevitably finds itself in an art gallery. This is that issue, which came about because of contributor Stephen Montgomery, who suggested the subject and ignited a level of excitement, energy, and interest, creating one of Journey Planet’s largest issues! Allison Hartman Adams, Chris Garcia, and James Bacon bring you this newest iteration devoted to art galleries and the special exhibitions that made them rearrange travel plans, buy the catalogue, and insist, “Just one more room,” approximately six rooms ago.

Contributors from around the world celebrate exhibitions they loved, collections they discovered by accident, hidden gems, famous masterpieces, and our enduring love for convention art spaces. Naturally, no issue like this would be complete without a spotlight on the late, great David Hockney. Whether your mental image is Californian swimming pools or Yorkshire landscapes, Hockney’s career offers enough material to keep both art historians and enthusiastic fans occupied.

Inside Journey Planet 96: “Art Galleries, Exhibitions, & David Hockney” you’ll find essays, travel stories, observations, recommendations, photographs – from Hockney to the Mafia, from Ralph Steadman to Judge Dredd.

This issue is available free here.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Cover by Simon Adams (www.simonadamsart.com & @simonadams77)
• Photo from San Jose library Comix exhibit
• Editorial – On Being Open to Surprise by Allison Hartman Adams
• Editorial – We Love Art…Clearly by James Bacon
• Editorial – On Museums & Exhibits by Chris Garcia
• David Hockney & Me: Intersections by Chris Garcia
• Hockney Central by Stephen Montgomery
• Portrait of an Actor (Pool with Two Horses) by David Ferguson
• Christopher Isherwood and Don Bachardy: Quietly Revolutionary by Rudiger Honsbein
• Art: Take Two by John Wilson & Serena Culfeather
• On Convention Art Shows by Sara Felix
• Con Encounters: A Reminiscence by Ron Harris
• The Bold and the Brief, the Known and the Unknown by Autun Purser
• Minnie’s Runaway Railway by Chris Garcia
• Palermo, the Palazzo dei Normanni, and the No Mafia Memorial by Dave Hewitt
• Vintage Dr. Gonzo at Bates College by Allison Hartman Adams
• Steadman at 77 by James Bacon
• Freaky Time Travel by Stephen Montgomery
• “Psychosphere” at Cisternerne Copenhagen by Constanze Hofmann
• A Brief Walkthrough of The Portals Experience by Christopher Hwang
• Inventing America by Chris Garcia
• Heroes: The British Invasion of American Comics by James Bacon
• The Great British Graphic Novel by James Bacon
• Beyond 2000 AD: The Wider Cultural Impact Of The Galaxy’s Greatest Comic at Orbital Comics  by James Bacon
• The Future Was Then by Allison Hartman Adams
• 50 Years of a British Comics Legend by James Bacon
• Steve Dillon Exhibition by James Bacon
• Ian Kennedy: Celebrating a Comics Legend by James Bacon
• The Art of Captain Tsubasa by Pat M. Yulo
• Stuart Steele and Ed Walker at the Commando Swap Meets by James Bacon
• J.A. Dupuich: An Encounter with His Work by Stephen Montgomery
• The Art of John Higgins by James Bacon
• V for Vendetta: Behind the Mask by James Bacon
• Comics at the Cantor by Chris Garcia
• One Dark Knight: Jock at Panel Gallery by James Bacon
• Liew: A Singaporean Celebration by James Bacon

Journey Planet’s co-editors will work to continue this energy throughout the rest of the year and we have a group of issues coming:

• Mecha – (submissions deadline 15th September)
• Hiberno Pulp – (submissions deadline 15th October)
• Battle 50th issue – The UK War Comic – (submissions deadline 15th November)
• Giant Size X-Men – (submissions deadline 1st of December)

Furthermore, Sara Felix is spearheading a future issue on “The State of Art”:

What is the situation with art in the Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror world, both fan and professional?

Are you an artist, fan or pro? Can you share how the art world is right now? What are the realities of the cost-benefit analysis that professionals must apply to keep going? What are the number of book companies who are looking for art? Or are you an author? Can you share the process for your cover, or successes when you have had an artist you love create your cover?

We welcome your views, input, and of course articles on these subjects, and if you are unsure we are happy to chat and help you with an approach if desired.

And Journey Planet’s 100th issue is coming up…This will be a big deal, although will it be as big as this issue – who knows?

One hundred issues of a fanzine is a big achievement. Since 2008, Journey Planet has had so many contributors and so many co-editors and cover and interior artists. The staff says, “Each of them have been great fun to work with – and each issue has been a really enjoyable undertaking. Stephen and Sara have both been some of the many people who create a spark of interest, energy, focus, and enthusiasm that gets many of us writing. As we reflect on 100 issues, we welcome your writing about a subject we covered or talking about something new.”

For the 100th issue, they are looking for articles of 100 words, 300 words, or 600 words. Illustrations, drawings, paintings, cartoons, comic panels, essays, longer pieces – do get in touch.

Journey Planet is about offering a space for people to share their passion, and so this issue is open to literary, art, popular culture, film, comics, TV, and all the things you like, conventions, workshops, whatever you wish and we have touched on many aspects, so you hopefully will find something to write about – and if not, suggest a new subject or matter to share.

Across Journey Planet’s 100 issues, they have discussed:

Travel, Women, 1984, Science Fiction, Alternate History, The City of London, Space, Why A Fan?, Dune, Australia, Sherlock Holmes, Blade Runner, Gender Parity / Women in Comics, James Bond, The Write Stuff, Philip K. Dick, WorldCon, Social Media & Fandom,  Doctor Who, Sports, The Greatest Year in Science Fiction, Superheroes, Dan Dare, Richard III, NaNoWriMo, Letters from Absentia, Fan History, RPGs, Batman, World War 1, The Tony Roche Merry Marvel Fanzine/Heroes Unlimited JP, Boskone, A History of Irish Comics Part 2, Disney on Rails, Programmatic, The Disney Issue,Creature Features, Glasgow Conventions, Judge Dredd, Star Wars, Heroes Unlimited #8, Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations, Silicon Valley, Flann O’Brien, The Matrix, Apollo 11, Defying Integrity of Continuity, Antique Space, Swamp Thing, Battle, Pen & Ink, Magical Places, SF Police, Russian SF, King Arthur, Star Wars 2, Collections, Cancelled Too Soon, JP in a Day, Season’s Greetings, Crafting During Covid, Erró Errór, Alamat Filipino Stories, Rogue One, Robin Hood, Anthropocene, Chinese Space and SF Part 1, Andor, Chinese Space and SF Part 2, Hugo Base, Operation Motorman, Hugo Nominee gifts, Vincent (Docherty), Fantastical Instruments, smol, the American War in Vietnam, Watchmen, Jack the Ripper Fiction, V for Vendetta, Making of a Hugo Base (April Fools), the Holocaust,  Be the Change, Fantastic Food, Workers Rights, LGBT comics, Dracula: Fiend and Foe and Mina Destroyer of Dracula, Fan Friendships, Music, Museums issue, San Francisco, Comic Culture, Andor Season II, LA issue, Mel Brooks, Galleries, Exhibitions, and Art Shows.

They are certain there is something in there that might touch an interest, and if so they would love to hear from you.

Submissions welcome to [email protected]. They often announce upcoming issues and calls for submissions online. Find us on Facebook and Instagram (@TeamJourneyPlanet) and on Bluesky (@journeyplanet.bsky.social).

Please send comments, thoughts, contributions, art, writing and feedback to [email protected]

[Based on a press release.]