80% Studios

08/19/2024

E.Mojis for all!

🎉 The Chickaloonies invite you to Make an Emoji at their “Moji Station” in the Spruce Cabin at The Gathering Place! 😎 Learn about their efforts to bring the themes, values, and traditions of the Ahtna People to the next generation of storytellers. 🪶

08/18/2024

There are few things more purely Americana than a state fair. Carnival rides, music, animals, local goods and more delicious food than even Goku could put down—it’s something intertwined in the very DNA of what makes country great. Here in Alaska, the experience is no different, but set against the backdrop of the majestic mountains of Palmer, the radiant beauty of pure Alaskan living is amplified to truly transcendental qualities. And so, It’s hard to imagine a more perfect place for 80% to spend the next 3 weeks sharing the story of Chickaloonies with the land that inspired our journey.

While only 2 days have passed since the fair opened its gates, we have been absolutely overwhelmed by the love and support we’ve received from this amazing community. From kids, to college students to badass grandmas, Chickaloonies is finding new homes in the hearts and minds of the storytellers past and present. We’ve also been super fortunate to share our live storytelling experience every day of the fair at 12:30, so stop by and see the magic if you’re around. Keep it tuned here for more transmissions from the trenches of what is shaping up to be a monumental chapter in the annals of 80% history.

08/12/2024

At some point in every comic nerd’s life, a pilgrimage must be made to Portland, OR—the comic book Mecca of the US. No other town features an ecosystem of stores that collectively collaborates to form such a strong community of curated comic nirvana. This is achieved through a unique method of specialization that allows each shop to thrive rather than just survive in what could very well be an oversaturated mess of a market. PDX also boasts a staggering number of comic professionals, so you never know what elusive creative creature one might bump into while perusing the racks.

This weekend saw 80% Studio’s first foray into the native wilds of PDX since the debut of Chickaloonies and were honored to be hosted at not one, but two glorious shops! First up was Cosmic Monkey, one of the most famous and well loved stores in the PNW. Owned and operated by awesome Andy, there are few places in the world where the consummate comic reader is so welcomed and rewarded from hours of diggin in the crates. We met the actually famous Craig Thompson, (who graciously picked up our book), ran into ferocious Farel Dalrymple, talked with Jazzy Jazor Spark (unsung editor and lynchpin of the chickaloonies creative process) and had the absolute pleasure of kicking it with Sandy Blvd’s finest fans.

We wrapped up the weekend at one of the oldest shops in the country, Excalibur comics. This family owned business is the very definition of comics community and has been connecting generations of fans for 50 years. Currently curated by the dazzling Debbie, this Hawthorne Blvd staple bowled us over with their extraordinary hospitality and warm vibes. It’s a glorious feeling to be greeted by rows and rows of long boxes, vintage comics and homemade art lining the walls.

It was such a treat to spend our weekend in the hallowed halls of these palaces of stories, which have been so well loved and cared for so many years. HUGE thanks to Andy and Debbie for welcoming 80% into their homes and to all the fans who took a chance on a goofy comic from the Alaskan wilds. We owe you everything and hope our stories intersect in the near future.

Special shout out to Ry for holding it down with us at the table, we deeply appreciated your energy and support!

08/06/2024

🚨ATTENTION🚨 80% Studios has been given the amazing opportunity to be a part of the Alaska State Fair in Palmer!! It’s only fitting that the circle be closed as we return to the hometown of Dimi as the featured storytellers for the Native Gathering Place and bring the word of Chickaloonies back to the land that birthed it. From August 16th-September 2nd, 80% will be slinging books, shirts, stickers and other merch from the world of Chickaloonies, as well as performing our live stories daily for all to enjoy. If you’re in town, make sure to stop by this massive, once a year event and support your favorite storytelling duo!

Ps—we are also in need of a couple of volunteers to help man the booth. It’d only be for a couple hours each day, so if you’re in the area, have a day or two to spare and would like to become an official 80% minion, please let us know!

08/04/2024

Humans only need 3 things to live. Water. Food…and stories. While most of us survive on the first two, there’s a select number of us who would most certainly perish without the third. As we’ve continued further down the road Chickaloonies has built, no other group has been as supportive as those who steward whole citadels of stories—librarians.

These stewards of stories are like the circulatory system of language, guiding tales into the hands of children young and old. Over the past few days, 80% has been on the front line with these amazing humans at the AKLA + PNLA 2024 conference in the serene southeast (of Alaska that is).

“Stronger Together” was the call and over 200 librarians gathered in Juneau to celebrate the joys, commiserate over the woes and problem solve the perils. It was quite the experience to witness these dedicated devotees share their love of literature in all forms and cultivate a community of true believers. 80% was honored to bring our language of collaboration into the conversation and amplify their voices with ours.

We were also able to hang out at Alaska Robotics-in their brand new glorious gallery(!)- and guide some of the local youth along the path of creation. And I’ll just say “Better watch out world—there’s some serious storytellers coming from Juneau.”

Huge huge thanks to Pat and Aaron at AK Robotics, and Jonas Lamb at the conference for making this all possible. To Adrianna for being our chauffeur and to all the librarians we met, we are deeply inspired by your passion and cannot wait to collaborate with you all.

07/22/2024

It began as a joke. A jab in the ribs by our friends and peers that seemed to apply to everything we set out to do. It forever ensured our place at the kids table, eating scraps left by the adults. So we said f it, dug the trench, sat ourselves down in the gutter and put our middle fingers to the world as we began to forge the path of creation that would change our lives forever.

Now, 16 years after deciding to embrace the joke, 80% has become more than just the name of our studio, it’s become our mantra. A shining beacon to guide our way as storytellers and remind us every step of the way, that nothing in life is perfect. To always stay humble, hungry and most importantly, to fail. For to fail is to learn, to evolve, to understand that 80% of anything is everything.

The next chapter of 80% Studios begins, the trial by water finished, and we have one last task to do before the cycle of rebirth is complete.
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Huge thanks to Jon Youngn at Side quest tattoo for commemorating this pivotal moment in the history of 80% Studios.

07/17/2024

The best of our job, if you can call it that, is sharing our knowledge and love of stories with the next generation of creative minds. Our belief that inside every human is a powerful storyteller isn’t limited to just kids either, as some of our most engaged attendees are well along the path of adulthood.

Through our Words and Pictures workshops, we seek to rekindle the flame of imagination in every adult—fan it to a roaring fire in every kid, and remind each and every person that creation is a primal requirement for living life. It’s easy to forget that when society is designed to stamp out anything that doesn’t align with “obey” or “consume.” But like a special pair of sunglasses, 80% is here to help pull back the curtain of reality and show you the illusion.

A huge part of making all this happen has been the undying support of librarians across the country and yesterday, we were able to add the King County Libraries to our stable of supporters.

SandraRosa at the 320th library in Federal Way went above and beyond to not only search 80% down on the interwebs, but make us feel at home in her house of stories. We had a fantastic turnout that spanned the gamut of age, race and gender—all of whom contributed their unique energies to making our first Seattle library workshop a magical one.

Huge huge thanks to everyone who spent the afternoon with us and to SandraRosa for her amazing hospitality. TSIN ‘AEN!

06/18/2024

Continuing our collaboration with CIRI, wer’re proud to present the next Chickaloonies strip for the new issue of their awesome Raven’s Circle Newsletter!

Hit up the link in bio to discover more about the world of Chickaloonies, pick up a book, merchandise and more! Huge thanks to CIRI for their support!

06/15/2024

Alright - so today we've got the honor of introducing you to 80% Studios. We think you'll enjoy our conversation, we've shared it below.

06/09/2024

Huge thanks to Bosco's Comics Cards & Games for their never ending support of 80% Studios! Snag one of our super slick new stickers courtesy of Spenard 2nd Saturday and pick up a copy of Chickaloonies from the best comic shop in AK!

06/04/2024

Woot woot—Chickaloonies in the news!! HUGE thanks and congrats to John for 40 years!!

An Anchorage comic book store is celebrating its 40th anniversary, serving up a plethora of fun to the Spenard neighborhood and the Anchorage community.

05/19/2024

05/19/2024

While D.A.R.E. might not have done more than make kids aware of the dangers of substance abuse, addiction is still one of the biggest problem in today’s society. Black, white, brown, green, old, young—drugs care not for these things; and like a roaring wildfire, decimate the potential of human beings across the world. As Bill Hicks would say, there are absolutely positive stories about drugs, but ever since Regan declared the war on them, America has fundamentally misunderstood the problem. We’ve spent 40 years fighting the symptoms, rather than acknowledging the root of what drives people to check out of reality…because let’s face it, there’s no money in recovery.

Thankfully, this has not stopped those dedicated to showing people, kids especially, that there are things in life worth being present for—and for us, none are more powerful than the act of creation. And so, 80% was honored to team up with Chickaloon Village for their annual “Walk for Prevention” event to share stories, laughter and smiles with the real life Chickaloonies! It’s always a pleasure to give back to the students of Ya Ne Da Ah, the birthplace of Chickaloonies and Dimi’s creative journey.

Through face painting, beading, rock decorating, gardening and of course, storytelling, the youth of the tribe explored various avenues of creation and hopefully learned a thing or two about the power inherent within this vital human act. 80% also unveiled our newly updated MOJI CREATION STATION 2.0, complete with custom designed stickers of various facial features which your favorite Yokai storytellers tirelessly cut out by the hundreds! But hey, as soon as the first kid came up to craft their emoji, and seeing the smile on their face, we knew the carpal tunnel was worth it.

Huge huge thanks to Sheila and Alma of the TOR department for their tireless efforts in organizing such a fantastic event and taking great care of us. Round of applause for the super talented teachers, artists and guests who donated their time and of course, to the real Chickaloonies—you are truly the future. And remember, kids— “Drugs are bad, mmmkay?”

05/04/2024

Huge thanks to the awesome crew at the RIVR for sharing the story of Chickaloonies!

In a world brimming with heroes and adventures, there are tales that spring from the deepest roots of culture, echoing the timeless wisdom of generations. The Chickaloonies comic series stands as a testament to Indigenous representation, drawing inspiration from the rich tapestry of traditional Atha...

04/29/2024

Comic cons suck nowadays. These corporately funded corpses of pop culture mash ups are not exquisite, nor exciting. They serve only to further separate fans from the medium which built these colossal conglomerates—the comic book itself. Thankfully, there are those who still toil in the trenches, spreading the sacred word of sequential art to the next generation of storytellers through events like the AK Robotics Mini-Con! Thus, after a fantastic first year, 80% was humbled to be invited back for a very special weekend of creative collaboration!

Here in Juneau, storytelling runs deep. The rich history of the land and its people continues to flourish, due in no small part to the tireless work by the titanic duo of Pat Race and Aaron Suring—better known as Alaska Robotics! These guys understand the importance of community as not just an idea, but a tangible gift with which they bestow upon this entire city. From the libraries to museums to schools, the entire Mini-Con is a confluence of synergistic frequencies building to a crescendo of pure AK pride that’s free for all to enjoy.

We were most excited about visiting the local schools again, which is such a unique and integral aspect of the event. In fact, AK Robotics has been doing the Mini-Con for so long, that many students have spent their whole lives being exposed to a wide variety of artistic styles and talents. The results cannot be denied, as we encountered so many students who were genuinely excited about hearing, telling and creating stories. This year was extra special as 80% partnered with our friends the LAM at the state museum to conduct a pre con storytelling workshop that was packed to the brim with kids and adults alike!

Huge huge thanks to everyone who visited us at the convention, bought a book, listened to us rant or just came to watch Dimi’s live drawing skills. Especially the students we had the honor of visiting on Friday. To Adrianna, Amy and the rest of the LAM staff, we truly appreciate your hospitality. And of course, all the love to Pat, Aaron and the rest of the AK Robotics family for being some of the most amazing humans we’ve had the good fortune to call friends.

04/25/2024

are YOU a ChickalOOny?! Take a pic and show your love for the premiere all ages Alaskan adventure—CHICKALOONIES! Don’t forget to , and

order your copy of Chickaloonies: WATERING WAYS and FIRST FROST at www.eightypercentstudios.com

04/23/2024

80% returns to Juneau next week for the 2024 Alaska Robotics Mini-Con!! We’ll be doing two(‼️) storytelling sessions, sharing sequential secrets and signing copies of Chickaloonies!! Don’t miss out! // for now, feast your eyes on this BRAIN MELTING piece of perfection by Dimi Macheras for our dear friends

04/22/2024

Steppin Squatch lookin sharp on Spenard at Chilkoot Charlie’s!

Art by Dimi Macheras

Click www.eightypercentstudios.com to pick up Chickaloonies: FIRST FROST or WATERING WAYS! Plus merchandise and more!! Join the adventure today!!

04/20/2024

Fun for the whole family!! Hit up the link in bio to pick up Chickaloonies: FIRST FROST or WATERING WAYS! Plus merchandise and more!! Join the adventure today!! //

04/17/2024

Whatever teachers get paid, it’s not enough. That’s the first thing they should teach you in school. But then, that would probably deter anyone from joining the ranks of what is perhaps the most impactful profession one might embark upon. The passing of knowledge from one generation to another is literally how the human species has survived since the time before time. This has unfortunately too often become a thankless calling these days, answered only by those whose passion outweighs their sanity--the definitive mark of any true warrior.

Thus, was it our pleasure—along with a number of other highly talented Alaska Native artists—to join the Alaska Native Charter Cultural School for a very special Culture Week!

From drum making to beading to watercolors and beyond, there are a lot of things that make up what might think of as “culture”but for 80%, we brought the vital tradition of STORYTELLING to the forefront. For 5 full days, we soaked the brains of these students in vats of story soda, bubbling with a constant confusion of creativity. Never before have we had this much time to fully delve into the deeper levels of story creation, visual language, character development and other techniques of the secret sequential arts.

Through a series of free form, interactive activities, the students collaborated together to develop characters, envision backstories, worlds and impossible futures of their shared creations. COLLABORATION was the name of the game and by the end of the week, this disjointed group of 15 students of varying art levels across five grades moved like a pack of Fremen in the desert moonlight—one with the story of their world.

HUGE HUGE thanks to Elizabeth Hancock for bringing us onboard and to Mrs. Amadon, Mrs. Rhea, as well as the other awesome ANCCS teachers; to our fellow artists—TSIN ‘AEN for sharing your endless knowledge; and of course, to the absolutely phenomenal group of students we grew to know and appreciate to well this week.

GET DAH!

04/07/2024

Chickaloonies—solving sibling rivalry since 2010. Much love to the Mervine clan for their support!! // get your copy of WATERING WAYS and more at link in bio!!

04/03/2024

The legend of Moji and Yelly grows by the day, but they still need your help to spread the good word of Chickaloonies!

Let the world know how crazy you are about the best comic book of 2024 by taking a picture of you, your family or friends, showing off their copy of Watering Ways! Post it on social media and tag us /

Or send it to us at [email protected] and we’ll throw it up on social media with a special shout out! (all pics sent will be assumed OK to share)

Huge thanks to Nicholas DeShaw for all your support and encouragement!

Get your copy of the new Chickaloonies book today—link in bio!

03/31/2024

art by Dimi Macheras

03/15/2024

There are times in the creative process where it no longer feels like creating, but guiding. The characters begin to speak to you, revealing the story, but only if you know how to listen. This is not something one can plan, but only be grateful when it occurs. And while we While we knew that Chickaloonies was something special, it wasn’t until our 2021 tour that we discovered the missing element of the 80% equation. We had to complete the cycle of discovery inspired creation by sharing that which we had learned with the next generation of storytellers. Thus, like any good story, we end where we began, with 2 storytelling workshops at the Anchorage Museum!

At the start of our journey, 80% never envisioned ourselves as teachers. Neither of us have children, but turns out, being a 40 year old teenager makes it pretty easy to communicate with kids. By treating them as young adults, respecting their intelligence, we’re able to build a language of collaboration that transcends the teacher/student dynamic. This foundation of teamwork can be applied to all aspects of life, not just art, which is a common misconception when people hear the words “comic book workshop.”

80% is not here to teach you how to draw, any YouTuber can do that. We’re here to help you learn from our mistakes by imparting the wisdom of failure as it applies to the rocky road of living a life of creation. Because no matter how old you get, we are all constantly learning, trying to understand the world around us and creation is the key which we use to translate our feelings. For it is only when we make mistakes are we able to understand the true lesson the universe has put in front of us—the only way to fail is to not try.

So while the Watering Ways tour has come to an end, the journey has not, and we truly thank every single person who got a book, listened to us blab or just come up to say thank you. It has been our absolute pleasure to share this chapter of our story with the amazing Alaskan community that has supported us so much over the past few years. Huge thanks to Rachel, Danni, Jasmine and the amazing staff of the Museum for being absolute rock stars as well as all our other gracious hosts over the past two weeks.

Hope everyone out there in Cyberspace enjoyed the posts and we’ll see y’all again in the space between the panels of Moji and Yelly’s next adventure! GET DAH!

03/13/2024

Over the past two weeks, 80% has trusted in the water to guide us through this raging river of ups and downs that has been the Watering Ways 2024 tour.
Ironically, this path has brought us full circle to Dimi’s old high school as we were invited to be a part of the Mat-Su Arctic Winter Games 2024!

For anyone unaware, The Arctic Winter Games is the premier sporting competition and cultural gathering of and for the Arctic North. Thousands come from far and wide to compete in these time honored trials like their warrior ancestors before them. 80% joined our Chickaloon Village brethren in support of our amazing athletes by providing a vital service—break time entertainment!! Never underestimate the rejuvenating power of art and though our collaborative creative efforts, 80% helped rekindle the fire that burned within our family and friends.

While our part might have been small, every one of us is part of a bigger whole—a nation, a people. It’s the pride in who we are and where we come from that serves as the fuel injected into our soaring spirits. 80% was humbled to be a part of this grand event and huge thanks to our Chickaloon family for hanging out with us!

03/13/2024