The NewPages
Zine Rack
Number Twenty (Posted April 5, 2004)
Reviews by Sean Stewart
The
Amazing CynicalMan
Vol. 2 #10
Well, I’ve got a weakness for stickfigures and so this little comic
charmed me. It’s a collection of weekly strips previously published by
Matt Feazall. The stories are kind of silly, but in a good way.
Featuring memorable protagonists Stupid Boy and Cynicalman, the comics
frequently play on popular culture and will inevitably provoke a few
chuckles from even the most, well, cynical reader. Funny stuff. [5.5”
x 4.25”, 50 cents, Not Available Comics, Box 038, Hamtramck, MI 48212,
www.cynicalman.com]
The
Any Dream Will Do Review
Vol. 3 #1
Winter 2004
“Short stories and humor from the secret recesses of our minds.” The
ADWD Review seeks to publish stories that “touch on the topic of
mental illness, the pathology present in every human mind, or the
problems, challenges, and joys of person(s) diagnosed with mental
illness.” A diverse range of themes and styles exist in this particular
issue. Some stories deal directly with mental illness as experienced by
someone writing in the first person, while others simply hint at an
unidentified dark state of mind. Although many of the characters in the
stories confront despair in their lives, most find a way to overcome or
at least live with it by the end. In fact, the entire issue presents an
overall positive front in the face of the daunting experience of living
with a mental illness. My favorite of the bunch was “Thankful Sturdy”,
which tells the tale of two British mates and their relationship with a
troubled keyboardist who joins their band. Be sure to check out the
website associated with this publication. [5.5” x 8.5”, 1-year sub. (2
issues) $18 donation, single issue $10 donation, tax-deductible, checks
to “Any Dream Will Do Review”, Dr. Jean M. Bradt, Ed., Any Dream Will Do
Review, 1830 Kirman Ave., #C1, Reno, NV 89502-3381,
www.willigocrazy.org]
Cuckoo
“One woman’s true stories of living with Multiple Personality
Disorder.” Wow, this is an incredible collection of comics drawn by
Madison Clell about how Dissociative Identity Disorder (D.I.D.) affected
her life. Parts of the book were previously published as part of the
Cuckoo graphic novel series, and I’m not sure how the book’s
organization differs from the series, but it reads seamlessly from cover
to cover. I found the book to be fascinating, as I’ve only heard some
of the more extreme stereotypes surrounding this illness. Madison
effectively weaves together her experiences while dispelling myths and
sharing truths about D.I.D. The subject matter and black and white
imagery complement each other, offering stark, and sometimes disturbing
portraits of Madison’s life. It’s a powerful story that translates very
well into the graphic novel format. Madison’s drawings convey more raw
emotion than could probably ever be expressed in mere words. Highly
recommended. [6” x 9” trade paperback, $13.95 + $6 shipping,
Green Door Studios, 236 West Portal Ave. #102,
San Francisco, CA 94127,
www.cuckoocomic.com]
The Fence
Vol. 2
Spring 2003
“A new place of power for bisexual women.” The term “fencesitter”
has been used to marginalize bisexuals based on a perception by both the
gay/lesbian and straight cultures that these people haven’t made up
their minds about their sexuality. In a reaction to this, editor Cheryl
created The Fence as a space for bisexual women to express their
own viewpoints. Through reading the contents of this zine, one can gain
a lot of insight into how bisexual women think of themselves and what
they think of other people’s reactions to their sexuality. There are
personal histories written by women outlining the discovery of their
bisexuality, poems, essays, photographs, and even a comic. Near the end
of the issue is a list of resources, including websites, books, email
groups, and contact information for bisexual groups in Toronto and
Ottawa. While The Fence obviously serves to support the female
bisexual community, it would also be useful to anyone who seeks insight
into this often-misunderstood culture. Contains some nudity in the form
of artistic photography. [7” x 8.5”, $2, Cheryl Dobinson, #705, 88
Isabella St., Toronto, ON, Canada, M4Y 1N5,
cjdobins@yorku.ca]
How
to Be a Good/Bad Library Patron
This tiny zine offers illustrated ways for people to be both good and
bad library patrons. One half shows the good things to do and then you
flip it over and read the bad things. Some of zinedom’s most beloved
comic artists have contributed their artwork to make this into quite a
special little zine. As a librarian, I found these to be pretty
accurate. In fact, I’d say that there are universal, albeit unofficial,
tenets of ideal and actual library user behavior. Of course, we all
know how we’d like the patrons to act, but seriously, what would
librarians have to do during staff meetings and break times if there
weren’t annoying patrons to complain about? Talk about the weather? I
think not. So, while offering people suggestions on how to be better
library patrons appears on the surface to be a good thing, we all know
deep down that we’d miss complaining about the guy who reads aloud from
the Bible for three hours every morning. I mean, it’s endearing in a
way, you know? You can always count on him. That said, this is an
amusing read and you should order it, regardless of what side of the
reference desk you stand on. Packaged in a library book card pocket
with an honest-to-goodness date due slip! [5” x 3”, $1-2?, Jerianne, PO
Box 330156, Murfreesboro, TN 37133,
jerianne@undergroundpress.org]
Lummox
Journal
Vol. 9 #11
November 2003
“Examining the process of creating.” Lummox Journal is
essentially a literary zine, and the editor, Raindog, also publishes
various media through his Lummox Press imprint, including CDs and
books. The feature interview this particular month is with poet and
novelist Dan Fante, son of the late novelist and screenwriter John Fante.
The interview is short but well conducted, and it provides a good
snapshot of what Fante is all about. Also included is one of Fante’s
poems and what I’m guessing is a photocopy of a page from his journal,
although it’s not labeled so it’s hard to tell for sure. In “Poetry as
Compulsion,” Ellaraine Lockie explains how she used poetry in part to
quit a Valium addiction. One of her poems accompanies the essay. The
highlight of the issue, I thought, was a short story by Yvette Hatrak
called “Happiness in Slavery.” A few other poems, a letter, and
Raindog’s introduction round out the issue. All in all, it’s a
solid publication, and obviously well established. [5.5” x 8.5”,
12 issues $22/U.S., $37 World, $25 Institutional, ISSN 1525-2140, Lummox
Journal, PO Box 5301, San Pedro, CA 90733,
http://www.lummoxpress.com;
lummoxpress@hotmail.com
Merge
#3
I reviewed the first issue of Merge not too long ago, so
normally I wouldn’t be reviewing it again so soon. But this third issue
is so good, so much better even than the first issue that stood so well
on its own as an inaugural issue, that I had no choice but to review
it. While the first issue was kind of abstract, this one shows
substantial evidence of a positive evolution toward a more accessible
read. Few zines, if any, offer such a unique blend of content, ranging
from philosophy and humor to well-written personal essays and Don’s
mesmerizing artwork. There is a depth of perception that runs through
this entire issue, provoking a separate state of mind in which to dwell,
with the writing and artwork there to guide the reader through to the
end. You would do well to order this zine today. [7” x 8.5”, $2, Don
Baker, 7205 28th Ave. NW, Seattle, WA 98117,
donbaker@seanet.com]
Not
My Small Diary
No. 11
A new issue of NMSD is always a treat! Following the trend of
the last few issues, this one is once again presented in two volumes.
The packaging and cover are stunning, featuring a contrasting tri-color
design and safety-pin binding (!). Delaine always goes all out in
producing these wonderful collections. For the first time, NMSD
has a theme, too: all comics deal with the artists’ lives from age 11
and under. Contributors this time around include Mark Campos, Peter
Conrad, Ayun Halliday, Kelly Froh, Dave Kiersh, Clutch McBastard, Misun
Oh, John Porcellino, Jesse Reklaw, and many others. Every issue seems
to bring some new contributors into the fold, to complement the many
talented regulars. Once again, this is an excellent collection, and a
steal at $4 for the set. Order it now! [5.5” x 8.5”, 2 vols., $4/set,
Delaine Derry Green, 1204 Cresthill Rd., Birmingham, AL 35213,
delangel3@hotmail.com,
www.mysmallwebpage.com]
Paping
No. 10
I hadn’t seen an issue of Paping since #4 came out. Wow, has
it changed! Now contributor-based, although still masterminded by John
Mejias, this comic reflects the fortunate combination of outstanding
talent and a dedication to producing high quality publications. The
outside cover is a two-color screenprint with a separate single-colored
design on the inside cover. It’s beautiful. The collection of work in
this comic comes from what are obviously some of the most gifted
mini-comics artists publishing today. And the copy quality is crystal
clear, which always make reading a much greater pleasure. John includes
some reviews this time around, and based on the artwork clips he
included with each review, I gotta say, he must be linked into some
secret network of highly evolved comix artists, because everything he
reviewed looked amazing. I will be ordering soon. John also recently
published a mini-sized lino-block-printed comic. It’s about a bike and
it’s striking in a way that defies any further description. Go on now,
send him some cash. [5.5” x 8.5”, $4, Paping, PO Box 128, 45 E. 7th
St., New York, NY 10003,
speedymyshka@aol.com,
www.paping.org]
Spain
(Recovered)
The author and publisher, who is identified only by the mysterious
moniker saucemaster, recently revised and edited an earlier edition of
this zine, hence the “(recovered)” qualification in the title of the
current edition. The text is a travelogue covering some time spent
traveling in Spain during the winter of 1996. The majority of
saucemaster’s time is either spent seeking shelter and food or arranging
for and undertaking travel by train to another location. Having spent
some time traveling in Europe myself, I recall these activities having
taken up a large amount of my time as well. It’s truly amazing how
frustrating and significantly more complicated providing for one’s basic
needs can become when traveling in a foreign country. Insert the
secondary issue of being vegan, and you’re looking at one steep mountain
to climb. In addition to eating in strange little vegetarian
restaurants and shacking up in quirky hostels, saucemaster also visits
as many art museums as possible, particularly the free ones. The
writing in here sparkles with sharp vocabulary and impeccable grammar.
The tone is a bit detached, although the abundance of dry wit and
restrained sarcasm makes up for a less warmly personal style. For a
unique tour of parts in Spain, I’d recommend it. [5.5” x 8.5”, $2 or
trade for literary or comic zines, The Angry Red Planet, PO Box 55110,
Atlanta, GA 30308,
info@angryredplanet.org,
www.angryredplanet.org/zines]
To Cumulative Index of Zines Reviewed
P.O. Box 1580