Plastikcomb is a magazine that celebrates the art (and collage) in all its forms. Founded in 2020 by Aaron Beebe, Plastikcomb has been showcasing the work of emerging and established artists, designers, and writers from around the world. In this issue, we talk to Aaron about his journey as an editor, his challenges and aspirations, and his collaborations with some of the biggest names in the industry. Here’s a bit of PCM’s past, present and future!
TWS –How’s it going, Aaron?
AB –It’s going well, thanks! We are about to publish Plastikcomb #7, so that is quite exciting. I have a lot of other personal creative projects underway, including more through Plastikcomb Publishing. Recently, my wife received a big promotion, and we will be moving to middle America within the next few months to live in a National Park. Also, after 30 years of wanting to play the drums, I am finally “learning,” ha! Staying busy for sure.
TWS –Last time we talked was when you dropped Plastikcomb’s debut issue in late 2020. What do you remember about those days and the start of this project?
AB –Man, that seems like forever ago! What I remember most is that I had no clue what I was doing, but there was so much excitement about finally publishing something I had an idea for many years prior to that.
TWS –And now, after three years at the helm, how are you feeling?
AB –I still don’t know what I am doing, ha! But, seriously, I am feeling really good about the future of the publication and am very proud of what we have accomplished, mostly thanks to our team that helps me keep things afloat. Hopefully, we will be around for many more years to come!
TWS –What do you think has remained the same since issue 01, and what’s changed in all these years of work, experimentation, and learning?
AB –Definitely not being afraid to ask hasn’t changed. It has allowed us to work with some wonderful artists and designers, as well as build partnerships. Les Jones from Contemporary Collage Mag has a great way of describing it. He said running a magazine gives you a backstage pass and grants you access to work with folks you might not have had the chance to collaborate with otherwise. Each issue allows us to fine-tune what we feature in the magazine and understand what our audience wants to see and experience. A recurring comment we get is that there should be more to read, so I am trying to get more writers to contribute.
TWS –Any crucial lessons learned during this journey?
AB –Mind the gutter, in both senses of the word. Ensure that nothing of importance is printed in the gutter. Also, regardless of the criticism you receive regarding running a publication, maintain an open mind and an unbiased approach to things.
TWS –And the team—any shifts? Who’s currently on board with the magazine?
AB –Since we last chatted, Thomas Schostok has become a Co-Founder and the Senior Designer of the magazine, for which I am forever grateful. Teri Henderson is a contributing writer, providing tremendous help with artist interviews. Professor Anthony Inciong is also a super talented contributing writer and designer. Recently, Paul Drohan joined the team as a permanent designer, and we look forward to working with him more in the future. Additionally, we’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with many amazing guest designers, including Bob Aufuldish, Dado Queiroz, John Gall, Eric Heiman, Wouter Tjeenk Willink, Max-o-Matic, Travis Medford, Chris Ferebee, and Scott Cottrell, to name a few.
TWS –What challenges is the project facing at this stage?
AB –The number one challenge has been getting copies into viewers’ hands. PCM has an international following, but shipping to most countries is just too expensive. Even though we work with a distributor, the price for one issue ends up costing much more once it hits the shelves due to taxes, shipping, tariffs, etc. The magazine is still 100% self-funded, and despite reaching out to companies for advertising possibilities, there has been no luck. The advertisements we have had so far have been entirely on a trade basis, and that doesn’t always pan out. They might post an Instagram story about the mag that lasts 24 hours, if we are lucky, ha! It’s one of those fine lines that you have to strategically navigate. You don’t want to bombard the reader with adverts, but you need the financial backing to keep the lights on.
TWS –Who would you love to interview for the upcoming issues? Any dream collaborations for the magazine?
AB –I would still love to feature the elusive Micosch Holland. He and I talked briefly about him being in a future issue, so I think it will eventually happen. Additionally, collaborating with Chris Ashworth on some design stuff—a full-circle type of thing with the original inspiration for the magazine, such as Ray Gun and Blah Blah Blah. It’s also kind of crazy that in the short time PCM has been around, we have collaborated with some big names, including Junya Watanabe with Comme des Garçons, David Carson, Gavin Ambrose, Ed Fella, Robert Pollard, Rudy VanderLans, Dan Aykroyd, and received wonderful criticism from Stefan Sagmeister. However, I guess doing something with Vans or perhaps being on Design Matters with Debbie Millman would be awesome and could really help spread the word about the magazine, which we truly need!
TWS –How has Plastikcomb impacted your art practice?
AB –I really started getting into design in 2020. Since publishing PCM, it has forced me to design certain aspects of the magazine, which, in turn, makes me a stronger designer with each issue. Designing has also encouraged me to delve into digital collage, as I used to lean more towards only analog methods. Additionally, working with Thomas has inspired me to enhance my design skills. I have had the pleasure of collaborating on multiple side projects with him, including the publication of a few books in the last couple of years under Plastikcomb Publishing.
TWS –What can we expect in the near future for Plastikcomb?
AB –As they say, we will keep putting in the work, and publish with the hopes that the magazine’s following will grow. We have a five year anniversary book planned, which will include excerpts from past issues, and various photos featuring the magazine. Maybe we’ll get bought out by Condé Nast, haha!
TWS –And what can we expect in the near/mid future for Aaron Beebe?
AB –I am really looking forward to fully establishing Plastikcomb Publishing House (PPH) and working on quality art and design books, along with other printed matter outside of just Plastikcomb Mag. PPH is excited to be creating partnerships with like-minded folks and collaborating on projects. Thomas and I are currently working on Fisch Kiosk, a high-end 300+ page graphic diary of sorts. It pays homage to Lewis Blackwell and Neville Brody’s G1: New Dimensions in Graphic Design, which was published in 1996.
TWS –For those who haven’t picked up a PCM issue yet, why do you think they’ll love it?
AB –It’s something tangible in a digital world. Humans will always need to have a physical connection with something, even as we see AI become more prominent in our lives. Perhaps they will get inspired by a featured artist or designer.
I would like to thank TWS for taking the time to chat. I am a huge fan of what you have been doing for a long time now—much respect! Also, many thanks to everyone who has supported the magazine and believes in what we are doing. Cheers, Aaron.
Learn more about the magazine and buy the latest issue (and the others too!) in PCM’s website and check out their latest news on their Insta.
