About Janelle Blarg
Janelle Blarg (also known as Janelle Hessig) is a Bay Area writer, cartoonist, and multimedia humorist.
In 1990, while other bad kids were making secret bongs in her high school Crafts class, she made her first publication, Tales of Blarg, which became a definitive and influential East Bay punk fanzine.
Her writing and mostly-autobiographical comics can be found in numerous periodicals and comics anthologies published by Three Rivers Press, Silver Sprocket, KQED, Popula, Maximum RocknRoll, and Vice, though she always holds a special place for the xeroxed and ephemeral.
She’s been a touring drummer, a pop culture journalist, the subject of a seminal riot grrrl album, and the Marketing Director for San Francisco publisher Last Gasp. She currently works in public media and lives in Oakland.
Select Publications
Last Night at the Lusty - Self-published, 2023
Too Tough To Die, Comics Anthology, Edited by Haleigh Buck & J.T. Yost, 2021
The Cruising Diaries - Expanded Edition, Illustrated Memoir, With Brontez Purnell, Published by Silver Sprocket, 2020
Big Punk, Published by Silver Sprocket, 2020
Theth: Tomorrow Forever, Pin-up Insert, Published by Josh Bayer, 2019
As You Were #5, Cover Art, Published by Silver Sprocket, 2018
Wuvable Oaf #5, Pin-Up Insert, Published by Ed Luce, 2017
The Cruising Diaries, Illustrated Memoir, With Brontez Purnell 2014
Three #3, Queer Comics Anthology, With Matt Runkle, Edited by Rob Kirby, 2012
Maximum RocknRoll #332, Guest Editor, All Comics Issue, January 2011
Maximum RocknRoll, Punk Comics Blog Editor, 2010 - 2011
Rock Stardom for DumbShits, Edited by Michael Lucas, 2010
Vice Magazine, Sept. 2009
I Saw You: Comics Inspired By Real-Life Missed Connections, Anthology, Edited by Julia Wertz, 2009
Tales of Colt 45, Vice Magazine Comic Anthology, 2008
Suburban Bitch, Self Published, 2004
It's All Good, Anthology, Edited by Jen Joseph, 2003
Punk Planet, Magazine Columnist, (as “Janelle Benet Ramsey”) 2002 - 2007
Bogus Dead, Comics Anthology, Edited by Jerome Gaynor, 2002
Desperate Times, Self Published, 2000
Jank, Self Published, With Jeff Jank, 1995
Flying Saucer Attack, Comics Anthology, Edited by Jerome Gaynor, 1995
On Our Butts, Comics Anthology, Edited by Fawn Gehweiler & Gabby Gamboa, 1994
Tales Of Blarg, Self Published, 1990 - 2006
Exhibitions
Cartoonists, Group Exhibition & Residency, 836M Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 2023
Last Gasp Anniversary Show, Group Exhibition, 111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 2016
For The Love of Diller, Group Exhibition, Alameda Museum, Alameda, CA, 2015
The Joy of Sux, Solo Exhibition, 1234 Go Records, Oakland, CA, 2015
Dealing With It, Group Exhibition, Mission Comics & Art, San Francisco, CA, 2015
Good Times, Solo Exhibition, 1234 Go Records, Oakland, CA, 2012
Carnal Comics, Solo Exhibition, 1234 Go Records, Oakland, CA, 2011
Four Mexicans and a White Girl Walk Into A Gallery, Group Exhibition, Toby's Gallery, Point Reyes, CA, 2011
The Panelists, Group Exhibition, Pravus Gallery, Phoenix, AZ, 2009
The Copyist Conspiracy, Group Exhibition, Needles and Pens, San Francisco, CA, 2005
Select Press & Interviews
East Bay Yesterday, Episode 72, Podcast. With Brontez Purnell. Hosted by Liam O’Donohue, 2020
RiYL Episode 248, Podcast, Hosted by Brian Heater, 2017
KQED Arts - "Gimme Action: Bay Area Comic Artist Janelle Hessig Publishes First Book", 2014
The Comics Journal - Robert Clough Reviews The Cruising Diaries, 2014
Gweek 120: Sonic Pop Ray Gun, Boing Boing Podcast, Hosted By Mark Frauenfelder, 2014
Radar Productions - "Amanda Verwey's Art Mondays: Janelle Hessig!", 2013
Gweek 118: The Weirdo Years, Boing Boing Podcast, Hosted By Mark Frauenfelder, 2013