About Coin-Op Carnival: Electrifying Tales of Mechanical Contraptions

Friends and co-creators, Ryan Claytor and Nick Baldridge, recognized a significant lack of published content celebrating the innovative and exciting history of the electro-mechanical era of coin-operated equipment. In late 2016, they started outlining the four volume series and began conducting interviews shortly thereafter. In March 2019, the first issue of the series was unveiled at the Texas Pinball Festival. Nick’s considerable technical proficiency, Ryan’s detailed, clever, full-color illustrations, and the pair’s interest in historical accuracy and research combine to form a visionary offering in the coin-operated amusement sphere. Much like the games they are describing, Nick Baldridge and Ryan Claytor’s publication is primed to please a wide range of readers.

Ryan Claytor

Ryan is a professor of Comics Studies at Michigan State University where he spearheaded the formation of its Comic Art and Graphic Novel Minor course of study. He is also a multi-award-winning cartoonist and pinball enthusiast. In addition to his own comics, Ryan produces artwork for numerous pinball and arcade clients including Stern Pinball, Replay FX, Pinside.com, PAPA, pinball podcasts, events, reproduction plastics for The Pinball Resource, and more.

Nick Baldridge

Nick is the host of "For Amusement Only, the E.M. and Bingo Pinball Podcast" with well over 400 episodes and climbing. He is also the creator of the custom-built Multi-Bingo pinball machine in which he single-handedly programmed all 142 production bingo pinball titles into one cabinet. Additionally, Nick is a seasoned tech with a love for coin-op. His current projects include Multi-Races, with almost 50 one ball horserace games in one cabinet, and Robo-Frenzy, a scratch-build EM arcade game, co-developed with Ryan Claytor.

"...truly an amazing work of art... This is a treasure trove for any and all lovers of pinball... You have packed a heck of a lot of stuff in 64 pages and I congratulate you on the effort. Nicely done."

"You two really hit it out of the park with Coin-Op Carnival #1! This book is phenomenally designed and is just DRIPPING with enthusiasm and detail! We wish we had thought to use a handwriting font for all the lettering on Drop Target Zine. It really makes the whole publication feel cohesive and intimate; like we are right there learning all this amazing material in your workshops."

"I had great fun reading the introduction and interview with Wayne in this first issue. The illustrations in his segment were right where one needed them to be as I progressed through his stories. You brought his stories to life and I learned things about Wayne that I did not know.

I like your switch drawings. You are not frugal with artistic detail like other artists and this really helps translate what one sees in your drawings to what one actually sees in the games. Makes it very clear. I could have used this when I was starting out."

"Amazing stuff! You guys should be very proud. You make a great team; each of you utilizing your strengths to create something remarkable.

You are able to educate your readers by providing them with interesting info on the subject but delivering it in a really interesting framework."

"When you told me that you guys were teaming up to work on a new publication about EM pinball, with only illustrations and no photographs, I was very curious how that would work out. Well, color me very impressed! I thoroughly enjoyed issue #1 and the original and entertaining approach to EM pinball you present.

The EM tech story is jaw dropping to someone who is only accustomed to solid state games. And I loved the interview with Mr. Neyens and the way the illustrations make his story come to life.

Coin-Op Carnival paints a great picture of pinball culture and the people behind the game that we all love so much. Great job and looking forward to issue #2!"

"Coin-Op Carnival is meticulously illustrated and lovingly documented with beautifully well-thought-out design throughout. Can you tell I like this?"

About Coin-Op Carnival:

A series of illustrated publications which celebrate and explore electro-mechanical coin-operated amusement devices and interview the people that made them.

Authors

Ryan Claytor

Nick Baldridge

Testimonials:

See what pinball and comics industry moguls have to say about Coin-Op Carnival #1