Żar-ptak

Żar-ptak (Ember-bird) - a Polish low-circulation literary and critical zine, appeared erratically once a year from 2019 to 2023. It was initiated by Bartek Biedrzycki in the summer of 2019.

The zine featured stories, comics, journalism, and graphics related to popular culture, particularly science fiction. The issues included contributions from both established creators and newcomers. It attracted a community partly derived from the science fiction fandom but also included professionals from other fields.

Regular elements included the comic "Cudowne Przygody japońskiej Gruszki" (The Wonderful Adventures of the Japanese Pear), journalism about Star Wars, a gallery showcasing a selected creator, and comics related to a charity for Amelia Włudecka. Part of the revenue from sales was also donated to this cause.

From the beginning, the zine was planned as a closed project, intended to publish the seven-episode series "Cudowne Przygody japońskiej Gruszki" in its entirety. It was drawn by the author of the original "Chats of Mr Pear" series published in the Ektopia zine in the nineties.