JUNK ZINE #5, Rambles to T(L)C 323

James N. Dawson
POB 292
Malden, WA
99149

Junk Zine is a collection of zine reviews, poetry, pen pal adds, and letters from readers. It’s a great resource for connecting with zine people and other outsiders lurking about in the print-format underworld.

Rambles to t(l)c 323, February 2011
the subtitle says it all: ‘Debates, Discussions, Diatribes on Libertarianism, Anarchism, Consensus vs. Alternative Science, Religion, Ethics, Philosophy, the Internet & Papernet, Language, Broadcast TV & More’…..whoa. This is an APA style zine that serves as an on-going discussion on the topics mentioned above. I enjoyed reading the discussions contained within, particularly those surrounding Minarchism, and Libertarianism. I am a big fan of what James is doing within the self-publishing world in general and Rambles to t(l)c 323 is a great example of that.

Media Junky #14

Media Junky #14
$1
Jason Rodgers
POB 8512
Albany, NY
12208
Media Junky is a zine-review zine that wants to remain internet free and only reviews zines with a physical address. The reviews are thorough and honest. This issue is packed full of really great zines. Like Psionic Plastic Joy, Jason’s other zine, it’s also full of creepy-yet-thought provoking collage art. Great zine.

Negative Capability #5

Negative Capability #5
$5
Josh Saitz
pob 12
New York, NY 10021
www.negcap.com

If you have had the opportunity to read previous issues of Negative Capability, then you know exactly what you are in for and there will be no surprises with number 5. If you haven’t read this zine before…..well then, strap yourself in…. there will be turbulence. It’s hard to figure out where to stand while reading a zine like this, a zine whose whole purpose is to step over the edge of what is and is not offensive, but not far enough to be considered outright homophobic, or misogynistic. Neither of which the author, Josh, is. My guess is that he just really likes to get people to react to his writing and does so by being very confrontational. The topic titles say it all: ‘Fuck Rick Springfield’ ‘Are You Homophobic’ ‘How To Jew a Dime Out Of a Nickel’ etc. This is a magazine-sized, advertisement free, extremely detailed and honest look into Josh’s mind circa 2011. It’s sometimes funny, often offensive, and believe it or not, at times even teeters on the edge of being sweet.

Digitface #1

Digitface #1
info@digitface.com
This is a quick little zine from the mind of comedian Matt Baker. It has comics, million dollar ideas, an interview with poet Denise Jolly, and some graffiti photos. Matt is a very talented and funny person who always has his hands in all kinds of creative pots, this is but one of those many pots. Check out the website version at www.digitface.com/ and better yet send him some photos of your fingers with drawings of faces on them.

Monkey Squad One

Monkey Squad One
Annual #1
By Doug Michel
banddmichel@gmail.com
This is the culmination of the first six issues of Monkey Squad One. A hell of a lot of work must have went into the making of this comic. There is so much happening and so much detail on every page. It really is amazing. Monkey Squad One is a light-hearted and funny comic about a group of seemingly innocuous youngsters whose home base is in a tree house that are on a never-ending mission to kick some super-villain ass. Doug, the artist behind this zine, has an obviously active imagination, and speaking from an educator’s perspective, was probably hell to have in class. This is an excellent introduction into that imagination and a great example of one artist’s dedication to his craft.

Ab #11

AB #11 January 2011
$2 c/o Lisa Ahne
POB 181
Alsea, OR 97324
If you have ever read Dwelling Portably then you will recognize the format and style of AB immediately. I think it’s done by some of the same people, but I’m not sure because there wasn’t a name associated with the letter that came with it. Anyway, if you have never read this type of zine before it’s kind of hard to figure out what’s going on at first. There are no introductions or explanations , just pure information, ideas, and how-to’s focused on living a semi-nomadic and government free life on 21st Century Earth. The information contained within this zine is pretty amazing. What fascinates me most about zines like this is the complete disconnect from any emotional meandering or analysis in the writing, it is intended to provide the reader with information on this type of lifestyle and that’s it. As a curious post-romantic (kidding) I always want to know more about the people writing it, like what their day to day routines look like and what the pros and cons of living nomadically in modern America are. But I suppose that’s the point, the less we know about the people writing it, the easier it is for those people to keep living that type of life: If I really wanted to know what it’s like, then I should get out there and try it for myself. This issue is heavily focused on how to build boats that you can live on. It also has some zine reviews, how to survive without much money, how to avoid being hassled by authorities, some healthy eating tips, and random nomad advice from the people who are actually doing it.

Kung Fu Grip! #4

Kung Fu Grip! #4
Paco Taylor
7730 East Broadway #925
Tucson, AZ 85710
$1ppd, or two stamps

Kung Fu Grip is a time machine, or time ma-zine. Reading it brought me back to my 70’s era living room sitting in front of the furniture-sized-fake-wood-framed television watching ‘Enter the Dragon’ on Betamax while eating American cheese and miracle whip on white bread sandwiches. Of course, I never had a Betamax player, but that’s beside the point, the point is that this is a great zine that captures a past cultural aesthetic in an effective and very satisfying way. Contained within are stories about the Onge, Satun, and Pahang people of Asia, a tribute to his father, and some history of the zine. It’s well written and informative. My only complaint is that it’s too short, but, as the author explains, this is a special ‘free’ issue of KFG that is designed more for trades and is significantly shorter than past issues. Those past issues are now on my search radar of ‘zines to get’. Dig it.

Badwill Newsletter

Badwill Newsletter: Volume 2 Issue 6 Number 10
December 2010
POB 383
Cookeville, TN 38503 $2

According to the people who write this newsletter, Goodwill is a pretty crappy place to work. This is the 10th installment of this newsletter and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. I’m not really sure what to make of this in that all of it is hearsay. If the stories are true, then it sounds like the various stores that these people had worked at were really poorly managed and the workers were treated with very little respect. If that is true, then it seems somewhat institutional, but like I said, it’s all hearsay.

the internet

the internet sucks. seriously, i have near-infinite knowledge of the entire planet at my fingertips and i follow three blogs about music. wtf? anyway, this weekend is zine review weekend (and by weekend, i mean monday).

the picture is Richard Brautigan. 'Trout Fishing in America' is the best book i've read in the past ten years. fyi.

tape of the week 3-17

this is the first installment of TOTW where I dig into one the various boxes of cassettes that i have scattered around my house and re-visit some old gems. First up: Born Against 'the rebel sound of shit and failure' This record was pivotal in taking hardcore into previously uncharted waters, it's aggressive, angry, and kind of weird. The vocals sound like an angry teenager screaming into a bad 4-track in the basement of a crack house. The lyrics, however, are intelligent, and very political. a classic.

Narcolepsy Press Review #6

Narcolepsy Press review #6
$3
POB 17131
Anaheim, CA
92817-7131
narcolepsypresszine@hotmail.com

I kind of totally love this zine. It follows a very simple but effective format: Intro, letters section, zine reviews, adds. The intro is entitled, “What I did for my Summer” which recounts his adventures at Hempcon and a Donnas show. The letters section is filled with letters from dudes in prison and other zinesters. The reviews are full of opinions, which frankly, give them a personality and attitude that make you want to read them. Randy Robbins has been doing this for a long time. He knows what he likes, isn’t afraid to tell you what he doesn’t like, and is a dedicated and knowledgeable zine enthusiast. Send him your zines, and order his.

POLVO

POLVO #1 Winter 2010
Joseph Delgado
2290 Peck Rd
Mohave Valley, AZ 86440
I’m a huge fan of Joseph Delgado’s drawings. Aesthetically they just appeal to me on many levels. Polvo is a poetry and art zine. The poetry is intense, visceral, graphic, and lacks any kind of humor whatsoever. I don't know how else to explain them. The images, for me, are the epicenter of this zine.

Bicycles and Autonomy

The Chainbreaker Bike Book
a Rough Guide to Bicycle Maintenance
$15
Microcosm
222 s. rogers st.
Bloomington, IN 47404

This is an illustrated guide to everything you’ll ever need to know about fixing and maintaining bicycles. It tells you what tools to use, which way to turn the nuts & bolts (not always the way you think), and provides insider tips and advice along the way. This is seriously the only book you will ever need on bicycle maintenance. But That’s only the first half of this book, the second half of the book is the reprinted version of the zine that started it all, Chainbreaker. Great zine, excellent reading, and very inspirational. I loved Shelly’s article entitled, “Hey Ladies!” wherein she recounts some of the challenges and obstacles that she has had to overcome being a woman mechanic. Stories like this need to be told and re-told as often as possible. The layout is cut and paste and full of beautiful pictures of bikes and bike people, fun illustrations that reminded me of ‘The Moonlight Chronicles’ at times, and really great bike-centric stories, ideas, and advice.


Anarchist Bicycle Rally Confidential Mad Libs
$4
Joe Biel
POB 14332
Portland, OR
97293
ABR CML is a compilation of police reports written about Portland Critical Mass bicycle rallies from 1993 through 2005 with select words taken out mad lib style. As an activist I found this to be fascinating. I thought I might be a bit freaked out by it, in the “Seriously? They really do spend all of that money and dedicate all of those resources to this stuff” kind of way, and to a certain extent I was. But I also felt a bit of relief that my paranoia over all these years has been somewhat justified. This book is a good resource for anyone who feels compelled to speak loudly about issues that threaten the status quo. Knowledge is power and reading this gives the reader a unique look into the inner workings of at least one bureaucracy paid to keep the peace in the ‘progressive’ city of Portland.

How and Why: a do-it-yourself guide
Matte Resist
POB 582345
Minneapolis, MN 55458
&
Microcosm $14
222 s. rogers st
Bloomington, IN 47404
In keeping with the bike-centric-diy-theme, we have this book. Like ‘Chainbreaker’, H&W is full of illustrated and useful information outlined in an accessible and very reader-friendly way with lots of pictures. And it begins with bicycles: how to fix ‘em, outfit ‘em, and even how to ride ‘em in the winter. It goes on to provide practical information and tips on a wide variety of subjects such as buying a house, building a mouse trap, educating & socializing your youngsters, building musical instruments out of all kinds of funky shit (bike spoke kalimba?), bike tube bungee cords, pop can solar panels, and an extensive section on how to grow veggies that’s worth the price of the book alone. This is a great resource for anyone wanting to take a shot at living off the grid, or at least attempting to move a bit further away.

The Comics of J.T. Yost

www.Birdcagebottombooks.com
jtyost@gmail.com
www.jtyost.com

I always like it when I can look at a single panel of a comic and instantly recognize the artist. So often people seem to learn how to draw comics by mimicking other artist’s work and then don’t seem to get very far away from it. Not the case with J.T. Yost’s work, he has a very distinctive style. The stories are gloomy and weird, which I like, and the panels are consistently interesting to look at on their own without following the story, which I also like.

Tales of Good ol’ Snoop Doggy Dogg, & It’s Dream Time Snoop Doggy Dogg
$3 and $4
These are illustrated dreams that the author has had about Snoop Dogg. They are weird and fun to read. Also contained within is a childhood story about being a geekish loner, befriending a tough guy and going to a party. Insightful and entertaining.
‘It’s dream time’ is more of the same: illustrated dreams that make you go hmmm? After reading them (which would be the case for most of us if our dreams were illustrated I suppose).

Loosers Weepers # 1&2
$5 each
Apparently J.T. Yost is pretty adept at finding notes, letters, and journals in random places. He then comes up with a story behind those finds and illustrates it. This is a great idea. It’s interesting and funny to read the actual notes and letters and then see what kind of a kooky story he has concocted from them. There are homophobic raps scribbled onto the back of envelopes, silly schoolyard checklists, and notebook journals from distraught lovers, all of which play a part in the various characters’ lives. Awesome.

Old Man Winter
$7
As the title suggests this is a story about an old man and his sad daily interactions with family members and the public. It’s a beautifully drawn tale of a broken person at the end of his days. Also included in this book are some pro-vegan comics that point out the process of meat production and animal experimentation in a unique and highly effective way. I really enjoyed this comic and after reading all of these zines, I now consider myself a fan.

Snakepit 2009

Snakepit 2009
POB 4944 Austin, TX 78765
bensnakepit@gmail.com
www.birdcagebottombooks.com
This is one year in the life of Ben Snakepit, 365 3-panel comics about life as seen through his eyes. He works in a video store, plays in two punk rock bands, has a nice girlfriend, a cute dog, he drinks a lot, smokes weed, plays a lot of video games, watches a lot of movies, and goes to a lot of parties. That’s all this is about, over and over again for an entire year. That might sound boring to read, but for some reason, it isn’t. There’s a lot of humility, humor, and insight into 21st century living in here that kept me entertained and thinking throughout. It’s kind of like following someone’s daily twitter, but with funny drawings of steaming turds and drunken punk rockers.

The Book Bindery

The Book Bindery
Microcosm 222 s rogers st.
Bloomington, IN 47404


The Book Bindery is a story about working a dead-end job in an industrial part of town and trying to find creative ways to entertain oneself at work. The tone is cynical and sarcastic, which has to be a survival instinct considering how terrible the job sounds. Making fun of everyone and everything around you would probably be the only sure-fire way to fend off total insanity. It’s well written and funny and has some nice black and white photos peppered about. The Book Bindery has been around for a while in zine form, this is the updated book-like form.

A Zinester’s Guide to NYC

A Zinester’s Guide to NYC
AK Press
674 A 23rd St.
Oakland, CA 94612
Or: Microcosm
222 S. Rogers St.
Bloomington, IN 47404
Edited by Ayun Halliday of East Village Inky fame, this is a very…very…VERY comprehensive guide to New York City. Ayun did the editing, but there are about 50 other people involved in writing this, and all of them are lovers and makers of zines. It’s well organized into a wide variety of categories, some of which aren’t usually spotlighted in traditional guidebooks. Categories like, Graffiti, Pinball, 99-cent stores, volunteer opportunities, community gardens, and oatmeal. It’s creative, but not inaccessible. Anyone with an ounce of curiosity would be doing themselves a grave disservice if they didn’t get this book before heading to the BA.

i will be in las vegas for the next 5 days. i will be "bowling". double down, flamingo, etc. 14 zines to review......after

Fanzinoteca Mutação ArtEstação

very cool

Basic Paper Airplane #3

BASIC PAPER AIRPLANE
POB 2645
Olympia, WA
98507
Essentially Basic Paper Airplane is a zine about zines from someone who has been making them for many years. It’s a perzine with historic leanings. The history comes in the form of an article entitled, “A Brief History of the US Postal System” wherein the author, Joshua, breaks down the history of mail delivery from the pony express to the current US Postal Service, in his own unique way. I loved the part about the pneumatic postal tube network established in Philadelphia in 1893. I’ve always felt like this is a seriously underused technology with all kinds of potential uses (pneumatic tube travel across the country? heck yea). The zine ends with an interesting story about traveling from Olympia to Boulder to attend the UTNE Reader’s independent writer award where a zine that he was involved with was nominated for zine of the year. It’s a great story full of colorful characters. Basic Paper Airplane is cut and Paste and great reading.

Blue Okoye #1

Blue Okoye! #1
$1
973 Crescent Street #2
Brooklyn, NY 11208
This is an interesting first issue in that has a lot of potential, but as it stands, is a bit empty. I’m not trying to be condescending to the author when I say, “He’s almost there”, but that’s how this zine felt for me. The stories start strong, feel like they are going somewhere, and then abruptly end. They then seem more like poems and less like stories, and I don’t think that’s what the author was trying to do. He’s a good writer and given time I think this zine could really stand out. This issue also has some of his illustrations that are really well done. Blue Okoye is a talented guy, and although the stories didn’t develop the way that I would have preferred, they did leave me wanting more.

Xerography Debt #27

Xerography Debt #27
$3
POB 11064
Baltimore, MD 21212
Beginning with the great cover art by Hai Anxieti, this issue of Xerography Debt is top notch through and through. For years Xerography Debt has been promoting and spotlighting the world of independent publishing and zines in a truly dignified way and this issue is no exception. With Davida Gypsy Breier at the helm and a host of veteran zinesters as columnists and reviewers, this can’t help but be awesome. I really enjoyed reading the “Where are they now” piece about ex-zine writers, as I often wonder (and have wondered aloud in the early stages of this blog) as to the whereabouts of many of my old pen pals. I could also relate to Jeff Somers’s (of The Inner Swine) column about getting older, drinking, and repeating oneself in print. If you’ve never read XD before, it’s essentially a zine-review zine with big personalities behind the reviews, columns, and interviews. Excellent.

Rad Dad #18

Rad Dad #18
Tomas Moniz
1636 Fairview St.
Berkeley, CA 94703
Rad Dad is a collection of essays by a wide array of contributors who are both parents, and involved in radical causes and/or activism. To me this is an incredible premise for a zine. The theme of this particular issue of Rad Dad is sex. Each author explores this controversial topic from the perspective of someone who is often at odds with their fellow activists for the simple fact that they have children, i.e. they are perpetuating procreation and overpopulation. I had no idea how offensive this is to some activists until I read this zine. The titles of these essays say it all, “Why I broke up with the anarchist community”, “Earth Abides” “Sex and (this) single mom” and “Let’s talk about sex” . This is a truly excellent and fascinating zine, which also serves as an important forum for anyone considering becoming a parent.

Christian New Age Quarterly

Christian New Age Quarterly
Winter ‘09, spring ‘10, summer ‘10, autumn ‘10
$3.50ppd
Pob 276
Clifton, NJ 07015-0276

As the title suggests these are essays and stories centered on the Christian religion and New Age philosophies. When I got these in my mailbox I was a little taken aback. I am used to getting punk rock, anarchist, and weird art zines in the mail. This is the first time I’ve gotten anything like this and I wasn’t sure what to make of it. My initial instinct was to write it off as religious garbage, kick out a few Marx and Sam Clemens quotes, and call it a day. But after reading these journals, I found myself surprisingly engaged and interested. These are very well written essays that explore many of the current national issues with regards to religion and politics in a way that doesn’t come across preachy. One of the standout essays for me was from the Autumn ’10 issue where the editor, Catherine, explores the issue of a mosque being built near ground zero, correlating it with the essential American ideal of freedom, and how hypocritical and misguided the bible-thumping quran-burners are. I don’t want a mosque built there either, but nor do I want a church or religious temple of any kind built there. I would prefer instead the money be spent on secular community centers, boys & girls clubs, or a used bookstore. That being said, I do think that Muslims have the right to build it anywhere they want in America. This is the kind of internal dialogue that the Christian New Age Quarterly sparked in me while reading them.

It doesn't snow in Memphis....

reviews to come....





and.....it does snow in Memphis

happy Solstice!

THE AARDVARK #2

THE AARDVARK #2
Red Roach Press
POB 771
College Park, MD
20740
Joe Smith aka Art Vark, loves the written word, particularly when those words are written on paper, and can be found in libraries and bookstores. He has a lot of opinions and theories as to the future of this medium and shares them throughout this zine, which is mostly what this issue is about. I really enjoyed reading about this as it is something that most people who love books and zines can relate to. These opinions and theories are not knee-jerk and appear to be very well thought out with quotes and statistics punctuating many of his points. There are also some zine and book reviews and a nice intro about what it means to “follow your bliss”. As a lover of hidden bookstores in forgotten parts of town, second hand store book finds, and the great zine underground, I don’t have the same level of anxiety about the decline of the print format that Joe mourns in this zine. I do, however, appreciate his take on it and look forward to more of his words on paper.

EVERY REASON 1&2

EVERY REASON 1&2
everyreasonzine@gmail.com
These are short poetry/prose zines. The first issue is written entirely by Keith, the editor, the second has a number of contributors as well as Keith’s stuff. Poetry is very hit and miss for me. If, for example, the author is simply creating a mood with words then I tend to tune out pretty quickly. But if they are telling a story, following a narrative, I enjoy them a lot more. These zines have a bit of both, and fortunately for me, more of the latter. Most of the stories inside these zines are pretty dark, and the one about the dog is downright disturbing and hard to read. I preferred issue number one in that I really liked Keith’s writing. I had the time to get to know his style and tone, which was something I had a hard time doing with the other authors from a single poem. I would definitely be into another all-Keith issue for sure.

THE PTERODACTYL 1&4, ZAP!!OMANIA #4

THE PTERODACTYL # 1&4
ZAP!!OMANIA #4
James N. Dawson
POB 292
Malden, WA 99149-0292
I wrote to James a few months back noting that he was from Malden, a tiny farming community just southwest of here, and traded zines with him. He sent me a nice long letter back and a small stack of his zines. The zines are full-size and look to be written on an old typewriter. They have a distinctive analogue style to them that harkens back to a lost era of the underground press. In Zap!omania James spends a significant amount of time hashing out his feelings about the internet vs. print communication forums. As a self-proclaimed “POB mail-junkie” he laments the pre-internet days where print was the only way to roll. I miss those days too. Pterodactyl is his APA fanzine about movies, books, music, horror, indie, and retro. He re-prints many of the letters that people have sent to him and responds accordingly. I really like these zines and appreciate his dedication and passion to the craft of self-publishing. There’s an aesthetic to holding these zines in your hand, the way they look, and the content inside that really appeals to me. It gives me hope that guys like James will be around for a long time keeping this format, and the conversation behind it, around.

SCAM: the first four issues

SCAM: the first four issues
$16
Microcosm
222 S. Rogers st.
Bloomington, In
47404
This is a unique review for me in that I haven’t finished reading this yet. I might be done sometime around March 2215. This book is huge and packed with all kinds of visually stimulating and profoundly interesting stuff. The handwritten parts are very sloppy, uneven, and hard to read but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it just takes time to get through a page, especially when it’s full-size. The stories are full of colorful characters and situations, scams, and insight into the inner-workings of highly motivated societal critics and guerrilla street protesters. Arguably, Scam might just be the best punk zine ever created, at least in its entirety. If you are into anarchy, squatting, free punk shows, scamming all corporate and corrupt entities, graffiti, drinking copious amounts of cheap beer, and leaving pianos on hiking trails, well then look no further, your manifesto has arrived.

LOSERDOM #20

LOSERDOM #20
loserdomzine@gmail.com
This is a “Whoops!..oh shit, sorry” zine review, in that I got it in the mail a long time ago, read it, and lost it in a pile of stuff. This is a really fantastic zine of the punk rock persuasion from Ireland. Loserdom is a community oriented, scene-promoting kind of zine that both entertains and informs. The authors explore a host of issues such as the ethics of supporting Israeli food co-ops, school bullying, to drink or not to drink, and other issues with an obvious bent on creating a better community both globally and locally. All of the issues, stories, interviews, and reviews are punctuated by great illustrations and cartoons intertwined within the text and photos. I really got into the interview with Darcy Alexandra, the coordinator of the FOMACS digital storytelling project. The idea of using pretty simple and affordable tools like digital video and editing software to document untold stories of people, issues, and place is very appealing to me personally. It was great to read about dedicated people putting this idea into action.

SOMNAMBULIST #16

SOMNAMBULIST #16
$3
POB 14871
Portland, OR 97293
marthagrover@hotmail.com
Another wonderful collection of short stories, poems, essays, and drawings from Martha Grover. The stories, which are set in the Pacific Northwest, are an interesting mix of fact and fiction and it’s up to the reader to decide which is which. I really enjoyed reading about the Columbia River gorge and her historical/conservationist perspective on it. I love that drive, and consider it to be arguably the most scenic stretch of interstate highway in America, which sounds like an oxymoron, until you’ve driven it. This is a pretty bare bones cut & paste zine packed with attitude and a hell of a lot of talent.

LES CARNETS DE RASTOPOPOULOS #7

LES CARNETS DE RASTOPOPOULOS #7
2-7 Larch Street
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
KIR6W4
Rarely have I encountered a zine-intro wherein the author doesn’t make excuses for why it took so long for that particular issue to come out, myself definitely included. This author, however, has by far the most legit excuse I’ve seen yet, and pictures to prove it. Someone drove a mini-van through his living room, thus rendering him homeless for six months. Now that he’s back in action he’s put out Les Carnets De Rastapopoulos #7. This zine is composed almost entirely of mini history essays. He doesn’t give much lead-in and jumps immediately into the subject matter. Subjects covered, William Topaz McGonagall-the world’s worst poet, Pope Alexander VI-an unrepentant murderous swashbuckler, and the history of the Faroe Islands struggle to gain independence from Denmark through the use of World Cup Soccer. I really enjoyed the articles and found a lot of useful information throughout. My only personal critique of the Faroe Island essay would be the failure to mention the brutal annual slaughter of pilot whales by the Faroese which, in my opinion, renders their sovereignty plee worthless until it stops. But that’s just me being really pissed off about it. The zine, however, is great.

THE FURY #18

THE FURY #18
$4
Mark Novotony
5413 6th ave
Countryside, IL 60525
Thefuryzine@hotmail.com
Hardcore punk zine! Hardcore punk zine! In the tradition of zines like ItS ALIVE, TEN THINGS JESUS WANTS YOU TO KNOW, HeartattaCk, and MAXIMUMROCKNROLL, THE FURY is a breath of fresh air in the oversaturated and aesthetically devoid world of music blogs. The layout is mostly cut & paste and gives it that true DIY feeling and spirit, something I always respond positively to in zines. Interviews with Dez Cadena, 97 Shiki, Antioch Arrow, Bill Daniel, Volcano!, and Nation of Ulysses, and a really informative, in-depth article about Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin that reminded me again of just why I love Abbie Hoffman. I love pictures of bands kicking ass and this zine is full of them. Over the years I have kept nearly every zine I’ve ever received, and I put zines like this into their own special place in my collection. Whenever I need inspiration I will pull out random copies and just thumb through them, simply for that DIY aesthetic which always gets me
active and creative. The FURY is a gift.

LIVING IN A DYING WORLD #3

LIVING IN A DYING WORLD #3
$2 dan.nowhere@yahoo.com

I was reminded of the old anarchist zine Antipathy a lot while reading Living in a dying world. The author, Dan Nowhere has an incredible knack for the descriptive narrative which is punctuated by his heavy use of dialogue. Sometimes the over use of dialogue can kill a story and even seem gimmicky, not the case in this zine. Dan has figured out the equation and knows when to put the breaks on. I really enjoyed reading this zine. The stories are saturated in this odd mix of cynicism and the optimism of a wide-eyed freedom-loving train-hopping tramp. He writes about train hopping and the pitfalls of no-budget travel in a self destructive world with an eye for entertaining detail. Email him today, get a copy.

The world is better because

Two of my favorite people died recently. Both of these men spent their lives making the world a better place. Walkin' Jim Stoltz and Ron Wheeler. Conservationists, radicals, educators, and poets both. My glass is raised.

SHUT UP & LOVE THE RAIN

SHUT UP & LOVE THE RAIN
robotearl@gmail.com
$3microcosm
636 SE 11th
Portland, OR 97241
This is a personal exploration of all things queer by Robnoxious. It’s got cartoons about fooling around with body parts and ideas of all sorts. The stories are about his varied and unique perspectives when it comes not just to sexuality but everything else as well. Neither straight nor gay nor bi, Robnoxious simply identifies with queer and goes on to define this in a simple, yet straight forward way. To him the word queer simply means “I am not normal” I like that. This is a well-written and very honest zine that does an excellent job at examining the grey areas of human sexuality and life.

ALLTOPIA ANTHOLOZINE

ALLTOPIA ANTHOLOZINE
Harvest 2009, spring 2009
www.alltopia.org

These two zines are collections of short stories, poems, photographs, and drawings from a wide variety of contributors from around the country. I was impressed with the depth of talent involved. The spring 2009 issue’s theme is “Home” and contains stories about just that. The highlight for me was the story “Down Home” by Linda Fielder where she recounts her various trips back home over the years to attend family funerals. Her descriptions of people and place are vivid and engaged without being overly wordy: “Rufus was a giant, copper-colored rooster with only one eye and spurs on his feet the length of my thumb…Rufus didn’t take to strangers, and strange children got him particularly riled. With no kids my age to play with, I had come to think of Rufus as my sort of hillbilly cousin, and we tormented one another mercilessly.” Great story.
The antholozine is a great idea, I hope they keep it up.

Henry & Glenn Forever

Henry & Glenn Forever
Cantankerous Titles
pob 14332
Portland, OR
97293
$6

I’ve seen this thing floating around for a few months now on various websites and in magazines, bookstands, etc. If you are either a Black Flag, Misfits, Samhain, or Danzig fan you can't help but notice it, the cover art draws you in like a guilty moth to the forbidden backyard lightbulb. Recently on a trip to Seattle I had a chance to thumb through a copy at Left Bank Books (Great book store) and found myself giggling, and then looking around to see if anyone was looking at me. This is a very bizarre comic about a love affair between Henry Rollins, Glenn Danzig, and their satanic next door neighbors Daryl Hall and John Oats. Seriously, that’s what it’s about. It’s put together by the Igloo Tornado artist collective in Portland who seem like fun loving, beer drinking folk. I suppose that if the people portrayed in these comics had very, very progressive senses of humor they might think this to be the ultimate tribute to them. I suspect that they don’t and assume that they are pretty pissed off about it all. Did I like the zine? yea, it's quite funny and weird as hell. If someone wrote a comic called Glenn and Randy about Danzig and me, I would laugh my ass off, but then of course I never wrote the song, "Mommy can I go out and kill tonight?".

busy busy busy

Oh man, I got a crapload of zines to review. I'm on it. Stay tuned....