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The NewPages Zine RackReviews by Sean StewartNumber Seven (Posted Sept 4, 2002)2002 Wow, this is an inspirational zine! Through interviews, photographs, and photocopied fliers, it tells the tale of an abandoned pool hall in San Francisco that was taken over by some people who turned it into, among other things, a free café, an art gallery, and a space for bands to play. The intro states that the purpose isn’t to “glorify a space that was so short lived,” but rather to tell the story of what happened and how it fostered community in many people’s lives. 949 Market is another example of how zines can be used to share stories that would otherwise go untold to a wider audience. Order this zine and take advantage of a rare opportunity to read about how far creativity can go in resolving the lack of community that exists in so many places today. [7” x 8.5”, price unlisted but I’d send at least $2-3 cash to: Lara, 3288 21st St. PMB #79, San Francisco, CA 94110 ].
April 2002 Number 12 The guys who publish this zine were sitting a few tables down from us at the Underground Publishing Conference this past summer, and they were dressed up like geeks, or maybe that’s just how they dress normally because they are geeks. I don’t know...but this zine is for anyone who obsessively loves video games, Star Wars, comix, horror flicks, action figures and other phenomena associated with, um, geek culture (is that an appropriate term?). The layout in here is extraordinarily well done, with a comic book kind of style. Someone told me that this isn’t coming out on a monthly basis anymore, and judging from the amount of work that must go into it, I can understand why. Because of that, I won’t list the subscription price. But drop ‘em a line (or email them first) and see what they send you – a single issue is only a buck! [5.5” x 8.5”, $1 to: Geek Monthly, Attn: Jeremy Wheeler, 1043 Island Dr. Ct. Apt. 104, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 , geekmonthly@hotmail.com].
Kyle Bravo has compiled quite the handy DIY resource here. It’s a thick digest of hints, anecdotes, and detailed descriptions on and about everything from making a woodstove and a solar box cooker to fixing toilets and bikes. There is A LOT of information in here, and Kyle has published two different volumes. I’d recommend getting both – I’ve already used or modified several of the ideas in here with positive results. If you want to learn to become more independent and less reliant on buying new products from stores that just want your money, then these zines are a good place to start. [5.5” x 8.5”, $2-3 to: Kyle Bravo, PO Box 14523, Richmond , VA 23221, how2distro@hotmail.com].
Number 10 & 10.5 Casey brings us a well-rounded mixture of personal and political articles in these two zines. Number 10 includes a four-part story about some experiences he had at his job while working with inner city teens in Philadelphia. Later in the issue, he loses his job and writes about his reactions. Interspersed throughout are pieces on gentrification propagated by the University of Pennsylvania in his neighborhood, the U.S. economic blockade against Cuba, and social anxiety disorder, as well as several others. Number 10.5 is a ¼-sized supplement containing shorter personal stories revolving around playing punk rock and hanging out with old friends. Reading these zines provided me with a lot of insight into what Casey is all about, and allowed me to learn a few things, too. [5.5” x 8.5”, $2-3 to: Casey Boland, 1011 S. 48th St., Philadelphia, PA 19143 ].
March 2002 Number 2 Reading Nicole’s comic/zine felt like I was reading her journal, mostly because of the way it was organized. Some zines, in my opinion, suffer from a chaotic layout and seemingly random arrangement of their contents. In this case, though, these qualities are what make this zine so good. Nicole’s drawings are funny and cute, and she weaves in useful how-to articles on sewing and cooking, while reporting on some of the events in her life over the past year. One of the funniest parts was a comic called “What I like to do” written by her dog Penny. The drawings and other artwork really make this zine extra special and worth sending away your hard-earned two dollars for. [7” x 8.5”, $2 to: Nicole Georges, PO Box 12763, Portland , OR 97212 , kniqole@hotmail.com].
1991-2001 Numbers 1-4 (reissue) What can I say about Scam in order to properly do it justice? First of all, I guess I should say that it’s probably not for everyone. There are countless stories in here of punks breaking the law repeatedly in a joyful and carefree manner. But the spirit of Iggy Scam’s writing is infectious, and I don’t think you can help but be on his side. Tales of hitchhiking, biking, trainhopping, squatting in abandoned houses and buildings, playing punk rock music, and, above all, scamming in order to survive life on the streets. Each issue is full-sized, packed cover to cover with a mix of handwritten and typed articles and stories by Iggy and his cohorts. Don’t miss out on the chance to get these reissues, ‘cause this may be the last time they’ll be around! Comes with a bunch of freebies – records, tapes, posters, and other zines all might be included. Oh, and be patient in waiting for this to arrive – Iggy leads a busy life. [8.5” x 11”, $12 to: Iggy Scam, PO Box 40272, San Francisco, CA 94140 ].
May 2002 4th Printing A whole year of daily comix strips from Ben all collected into one volume. An amazing feat in itself, it’s even more amazing when you read about how much this man drinks! The cover features a comic portrait of Ben saying, “In this comic I get drunk, a lot!” It’s true; he does. And on some days his artwork is sloppier than on others, depending on how drunk he was when he drew the strip. Even if you’re not into punk rock or drinking, though, this is worth reading merely because it gives an extended glimpse into someone else’s life. And what more do you want from a personal zine or autobio comic? It’s hard to put this down, even though so many of Ben’s days blend together. I kept wanting to know more, like, will there ever be a day when he doesn’t end the day by getting blasted? I guess you’ll just have to order your own copy to find out. [5.5” x 8.5”, $2 to: Ben White, 2100 Guadalupe #138, Austin, TX 78705 , threeinverted9s@hotmail.com].
Number 4 This neat little pocket-sized zine was written and illustrated by Kyle Bravo. The cover features a tricolor linoleum block print, and inside are personal stories and observations mostly coinciding with a band’s mini-tour up and down the east coast. Kyle’s line drawings are a pleasant complement to his mostly hand-printed stories. Kyle seems to have discovered drawing relatively recently, and his enthusiasm for it shows through in his zine. It made me want to start working on my drawing skills some more. [4.25” x 5.5”, $2 to: Kyle Bravo, PO Box 14523, Richmond, VA 23221 ].
Fall 2000 Number 2 City-dwelling nature enthusiasts will rejoice when they open the pages of this zine! Jef takes a close look at what is living in the urban ecosystem around him, and reports thoroughly on it. Certain ubiquitous city dwellers like blackbirds, gray squirrels, opossums, and raccoons are all given equal treatment. Common weeds are exalted and individually identified. Mixed in with the urban nature writing are a couple of strong anti-car pieces. One of the few zines I’ve ever read that includes a bibliography! [5.5” x 8.5”, $3 to: Jef Taylor c/o The Urban Pantheist, 140A Harvard Ave. #308, Allston, MA 02134, biceratops@hotmail.com, www.livejournal.com/users/urbpan].
January 2002 Number 3 Nate Powell has produced a beautiful black-and-white full-size comic that drifts in and out of the present and past, but still maintains a blurry kind of clarity. The drawings are intricate and full of sadness. I can’t adequately describe the storyline, except to say that it seems at least partially autobiographical, and it’s an excellent read. You can’t buy this kind of comic in any comix shops I’ve been in recently, so order it already...[standard comic size, $2-3 to: Nate Powell, 7205 Geronimo, North Little Rock, AR 72116, soophiebones@hotmail.com]. |
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