Midnight Mind Magazine – Fall 2003
Crime Issue Number 6
Fall 2003
D.M.
The staff of Midnight Mind Magazine must have a great time at work. At least that’s the impression you get from reading their latest issue. Yes, it’s filled with fiction, essays, poetry and reviews just like all those other “little” magazines. But what makes Midnight Mind such a standout is the exuberance with which it’s all executed. A letter to the editor could be a yawner, but not when it’s written by a fictional character from the previous issue—and addressed to the “assholes at Midnight Mind.” Even the column of subscription information will make you smile.
This sixth issue takes crime as its theme, and many of the stories employ a fun noir tone. Also enjoyable are the regular columns such as “In praise of” (in this case, in praise of a hangover), the more serious “Literary Travel” and the sublimely random “Things of Note.” Don’t forget to flip the magazine over and turn it upside down—you’ll be all set to read one of the most entertaining short stories I’ve come across this year, Roderick Maclean’s “Beauty Knows No Pain, Redux.” In it, a depressed former actor, his last recurring role recently written out of Magnum, P.I., realizes that he harbors strong feelings for Tom Selleck and discovers cross-dressing while being chased by loan sharks.
If you were a fan of Mad magazine as a kid, pick up a copy of Midnight Mind. You’ll find yourself saying, “I wish I worked with these guys.” I know I do.
[Midnight Mind Magazine, P.O. Box 146912, Chicago, IL 60614. E-mail: [email protected]. Single issue $7.95. http://www.midnightmind.com/]