Growing up, people would often call me weird. I was weird because I dressed different, because I was imaginative and loud, and, well, I could probably list a million other reasons why. It’s true. I was weird. But now that I’m older, I’ve realized being weird is so much more fun because all “weird” means is that you see the world a little different. You think a little sideways. And my favorite people—and especially stories—have always been the weird ones.

When my team and I decided to do a “weird summer” issue, I was over the moon. In our first issue, we had already published some of the most fun and out-there pieces we’d come across. But Issue 1.5, a micro-issue that we literally cut in half, would be the perfect chance to push that strange need even farther.

The stories and art featured in this issue perfectly capture the oddness of summer. They capture the way the heat melts your brain and they remind you of all those July fever dreams that haunt you to this day. There are little girls meeting sirens on the beach, zombies invading well-tended gardens, images of moths and dreamy pools, lunar eclipses, humid traffic, and so, so much more. Even with only eleven pieces, Issue 1.5 pushes the boundaries of what weird can mean, and will leave you with only the most vivid summer papercuts.

Anna Moritz

Editor-in-Chief