The Assassin and the Whiner

Carrie McNinch's The Assassin and the Whiner is a raw, diaristic minicomic series that began in 1988 and has continued in fits and starts for over three decades, totaling sixteen issues. A landmark of the self-published, photocopied zine era, it chronicles the author's life in Los Angeles with unflinching honesty, blending punk rock confessionals, queer identity, and the daily grind of art-making. More than a personal journal, the series captures a specific subcultural moment and the enduring power of small-press comics to tell intimate, unglamorous truths.