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The NewPages Zine RackReviews by Sean StewartNumber Six (Posted July 14, 2002)A Ten Foot Rule Primer September 2001 Shawn Granton began publishing his mini-comic Ten Foot Rule in 1997 and hasn’t let up since. This particular collection showcases some of the best stories from past issues of Ten Foot Rule. Inside of a beautiful color cover, the primer overflows with autobiographical stories, fictional anecdotes, and informative pieces, all beautifully drawn and shaded in Shawn’s appealingly personable style. The black-and-white panels are rich in detail, and full of a fascinating array of characters. If you haven’t seen any of Shawn’s comix yet, this is a great place to start! [5.5” x 8.5”, $2 U.S./$3 Can. plus 2 stamps or cash equivalent for postage, cash or m.o. to “Shawn Granton,” TFR Industries, 3719 SE Hawthorne Blvd., #243, Portland, OR 97214, shawntfr@hotmail.com]. A comic about a ape, as opposed to an ape. This particular ape goes on an adventure and discovers something. It will take you all of two minutes to read this comic, but it will likely charm you with its grammatically incorrect descriptions and overwhelmingly cute drawings. [4.25” x 5.5, $1 to Missy Kulik, 24 Longvue Cr., Ambridge , PA 15003 ]. #48 Aaron Cometbus, somewhat of a legend in his own time, publishes one of the longest running and most well known zines today. Opinions of Cometbus vary widely; many people love it, while others consider it to be highly overrated. This issue explores the “Back to the Land” movement, and features interviews with adult children of people who moved from the cities (mostly in California) into the country for various reasons. There’s quite a variation in these people’s reactions to their parents’ past decisions, ranging from congenial acceptance to outright bitterness and resentment. Some stories are much more complicated than others, but altogether they present fascinating insight into some of the reasons people tried to move “back to the land.” [5.5” x 8.5”, $2.50 postpaid (I just send $3 since it’s cash only – it’s worth it), BBT, PO Box 4279, Berkeley, CA 94704]. I received this through a trade at the 2002 Underground Publishing Conference along with several other zines from a friendly guy named Robert Newsome. The zines included an interesting and amusing mixture of satire, bizarre humor, and reflection. And then there was this one. It was written recently, two days before Father’s Day of this year. Hand-printed, with a couple of well-reproduced photos of Robert and his father, this zine is one of those rare ones that mixes just the right amount of light-heartedness into a sad and heavy emotional discussion. It depicts a vulnerable, yet at the same time, amazingly strong side of humanity. Reading this zine made me reflect on my own relationships with my family. It’s a sad read, but a very worthwhile one. [5.5” x 8.5”, no price listed but I’d send $2, Second Period Industries, p895 North Chase Street, Athens, GA 30601].
June 2002 Number 10 I usually don’t read literary zines for a couple of reasons. First, I’m a perzine junkie; I like to read about other people’s lives, about their thoughts, dreams, and ideals. And, secondly, a lot of fiction and poetry found in zines is just plain bad. I was pleasantly surprised, then, to crack open this issue of LCRW and become immediately engrossed in the first story, “The Mushroom.” I then proceeded to plow through the rest of the zine without stopping. The bulk of this 48-page issue is fiction, with one article of literary criticism, a smattering of poetry, a few zine reviews, and a film review column. The short stories range from fantasy to realism, and combine to produce an even-handed collection that reads smoothly. I could easily see this in a library, as it is essentially a literary magazine. The difference between this litzine, though, and some of the more mainstream literary magazines is that one pays much less for LCRW, but receives the same, or better, quality of writing and production. [7” x 8.5”, $4/single issue, $16/4 issues, appears twice yearly, Small Beer Press, 360 Atlantic Ave., PMB #132, Brooklyn , NY 11217 , info@lcrw.net, www.lcrw.net/lcrw]. February 2002 Number 2 Sometimes two comic artists team up and create something magical together. It’s hard to say what this comic is intended to be about. But to me, it describes the confusion of youth, the ups and downs of teenage years, the obsessions, and the depression, and the painful beauty of looking back at it all years later. Maybe that’s how it was, and maybe not, but chances are that elements of truth exist in all of these collage-like drawings, and Dave Kiersh and Souther Salazar have captured them splendidly. [5.5” x 8.5”, $2, Dave Kiersh, 568 Grandview Ave., 2nd Floor, Ridgewood, NY 11385, davekteenage@aol.com].
June 2002 Numpber 1 Zines can be so fun sometimes! This is part one of a serialized novel, and tells the tale of a garage rock band with the same name as the title. The author, Wred Fright, served his time in many garage rock bands, beginning in 1988 with The Darrow Dregs, and continuing through a string of colorfully named outfits, such as The Lenin Spoonful and The Flaming Toasters. The two chapters included in this issue abound with the antics of a houseful of quirky musicians, most of who are barely scraping by in college. Anyone who’s been involved in local college music scenes is likely to recognize one or more of these composite characters. We knew them (or we might’ve even been them!), we loved them or despised them, we spit beer on them, and yet they still toiled away, hammering out chords with their battered amps cranked to ten. I don’t think it would be too far off base to see this novel as Wred’s tribute to a unique and fun period in his life, and it sure is nice of him to share it with us. Full of clever insights into both college town life and modern popular culture, the first two chapters of The Emus are an amusing read, and left me wanting more! [5.5” x 8.5”, $2 cash postpaid, Wred Fright, 1413 Neshannock Blvd., New Castle, PA 16105, wredfright@yahoo.com]. January 2002 Numbper 1 Billy McKay’s drawing style is one of the most unique that I’ve seen and it never fails to intrigue me. The panels in his comix are often full of humanoid creatures, cavorting around in otherworldly or weird industrial environments. That’s one reason I was surprised to read the first issue of Billy’s new series, and find it to be all about his vacation to Florida. Billy states in his introduction that in this series he’ll essentially be writing and drawing about whatever comes to his mind. Well, I think that’s a grand idea, and it certainly pays off in this first issue, entitled “Alligator Alley.” Inside there is plenty of Billy’s artwork, some well-reproduced photos, and the creepy tale of a mysterious fire (which Billy assures me is true)! It’s good to see Billy branching off a bit into autobiographical territory, allowing the reader a rare glimpse at the artist behind the comix! [6.5” x 5.5”, $1, a trade, or a letter, Billy McKay, PO Box 542, N. Olmsted, OH 44070, billyCSQP@aol.com] Spring 2002 Number 71 This newsprint punk zine has been around for 16 years (a remarkable feat!), and consistently provides reliable record, book, and zine reviews, well-written columns on everything from veganism to radical mothering, and always includes a lengthy personal introduction from editor Chris Boarts Larson. The pages of the zine are full of live band photos taken by Chris, and artwork from different artists each issue. Free classified ads also make this into a valuable networking tool for activists and punks, as Slug and Lettuce has a fairly wide circulation. If you find it in person, it’s free, but through the mail it will cost you the price of postage. Donations are appreciated, and subscriptions are available. [11.5” x 15”, write to inquire about new prices since postal rates have recently increased, Slug & Lettuce, PO Box 26632, Richmond , VA 23261-6632]. Summer 2002 Number 5 “A magazine by and for Baseball Fans.” Wow, a true fanzine! It seems like these are getting harder to find these days. So, I should state up front that I’m not a baseball fan (although I was as a kid). But I can appreciate the passion and edge that characterizes this zine. And if I were still a baseball fan, I’d be reading Zisk on a regular basis, as opposed to the crap published in the sports pages. There’s gritty writing in here by people who know what they’re talking about, but don’t have to suck up to some lame sports editor. Unadulterated and well-researched commentary from the fans that’s sure to be enjoyed by other lovers of the sport. And it’s an amazing bargain at $1! [7” x 8.5”, $1 or $3 for the next 3 issues, cash or money order to “Mike Faloon,” email Mike at gogometric@yahoo.com to get his new mailing address]. |
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