December 2005
(This section will be updated as zine reviews are added.
December denotes the official closing of Bibliotheque as an active review
site.)
A Day Today, 52p, 5.5"x5.5"
Here's an adorable auto-biographical mini-comic from local artist, Bonnie.
The color-copied cover is an inviting shift from the volumes of black and
white zines out there, and her rambling journal format makes for easy reading.
Content ranges from mundane lists of daily chores to observations on art and
life in general. Bonnie's artistic style is loose and sketchy with a clear
influence from anime, with her own twist. There's an cute honesty about this
comic that makes it inviting, and fans of this kind of mini-comic will find
it highly enjoyable.
cookiebonster@mac.com
--AR
A Million Birthdays #4, 36p, quarter-size
This review comes at a rather odd time, considering that #5 was covered several
months ago. Even late, this is a personal zine worth talking about, so here
we go.
The layout of the text in chapters is orderly in the fashion of a novel, though
the content is more topical than linear, typical of most per-zines. Though
Kathee says she isn't a writer, she has a natural sense of how to tell a story
and communicate her thoughts and feelings to the world. She lyrically tells
of a trip to the radiology unit in a hospital and leaves ambiguous enough
for us to guess. In the next poignant section she discusses the freedom to
make choices no matter how bad they might be, then later remembers the feelings
of being in love. Each section feels honest, with a sensitivity of emotion
that's believable, never melodramatic. By and large, this issue feels serious
and thoughtful, yet is hopeful about the future. Fans of per-zines will appreciate
the quality of this little number.
Kathee Terrell
PO Box 777
Willoughby, OH 44096-0777
USA
--AR
The CIA Makes Science Fiction Unexciting #3, 32p,
quarter-size, $1.50
It's a pity I missed the last installment of this conspiracy zine, because
I certainly appreciated the well-researched and intelligent dose of real world
paranoia of the first issue. The current issue, dealing with the PATRIOT act
and FISA court is particularly timely. In clear, direct language, Gena Mason
explains what the FISA court is and how it works, going on to show how the
current administration has bypassed it entirely. This is, of course, a highly
condensed summation of the information contained in this zine. Highly informative
and concise, one does wish the tiny text were a bit easier to read. Much of
the text was crunched into a tight space, making for sometimes laborious reading.
But don't let the readability issues detract you from the content, which is
well worth the effort.
Microcosm Publishing
PO Box 14332
Portland, OR 97293
USA
(503) 249-3893
www.microcosmpublishing.com
--AR
Gene and Milo #1, 12p, half-size
This is a short and sweet mini-comic about two friends, Gene and Milo, who
will soon be leaving for college and how it might pull their friendship apart.
Despite what could have turned into a heartbreaking story, this comic is cute
and keeps the mood light. While the art is hardly the most accomplished, the
characters are certainly cute and the hand-coloring adds a special touch.
As the author herself says, this is pretty spiffy stuff.
Jessica Rose
5321 70th St.
Sacramento, CA 95820
pip.said.so@gmail.com
--AR
The Happy Loner #1, 36p, half-size
Yet another zine from the highly prolific writer of Ingleside News. Those
familiar with Iza Bourret's past zines will recognize the love for detail
and the sense of place she has consistently conveyed throughout her work.
The title and first section are an attempt to define herself as what she calls
"a happy loner," someone is comfortable and happy on their own,
rather than shy, bitter, or anti-social. The rest of the zine seems concerned
with travels through her hometown, the people she meets and the things she
finds. Continuing with a recurring themes, this zine is also full of maps,
reemphasizing the sense of place that was so important to Ingleside News and
Orange & Blue. The detailed, rambling style and obsession with location
may not hold every reader's interest, but many per-zine readers should enjoy.
Iza Bourret
5591 St-Laurent
Levis, Quebec
Canada G6V 3V6
girl_w_cat@yahoo.com
--AR
Hot Damn & Hell Yeah!
Recipes for Hungry Banditos/The Dirty South Cookbook, 128p, 5"x7",
$6
This book is actually a compendium of two previously self-published zines,
both containing Southern style home-cooking for the non-meateaters out there.
Besides Southern staples like red velvet cake, collard greens, cornbread,
and chili, there are also more unexpected dishes, like linguine, curry, and
anti pasti. All this makes for great variety mingled with lots of flavor.
This book proves that home-cookin' can be tasty without the meat and animal
products and without being fussy. The Posada-style oen & ink illustrations
are also a great touch. Even those who still eat meat (like myself) will find
a wealth of great recipes worth trying out. For those who don't eat meat,
this is most definitely worth owning.
Microcosm Publishing
PO Box 14332
Portland, OR 97293
USA
(503) 249-3893
www.microcosmpublishing.com
--AR
Making Stuff & Doing Things, 176p, half-size
This book from Microcosm Publishing is precisely what the subtitle claims,
that is, "a collection of DIY guide to doing just about everything."
Anyone who lives for true DIY projects owes it to themselves to check this
book out. There are the expected sections on self-publishing, arts & crafts,
and political action, augmented by sections on health and body, the outdoors,
gardening, cooking, recycling, and more. Because this is a collection of so
many different articles, style varies, but the content throughout is often
informative and even insightful. Many zinesters will find the articles on
DIY screenprinting and bookbinding helpful, but the appeal of this book is
broad enough for anyone interested in doing things themselves. There are many
zine guides out there, but few are as exhaustive and complete as this.
Microcosm Publishing
PO Box 14332
Portland, OR 97293
USA
(503) 249-3893
www.microcosmpublishing.com
--AR
The Ms. Films DIY Guide to Film & Video (2nd edition),
98p, half-size
I ordered this zine because film and video is a recurrent interest of mine,
more as a viewer than a creator. But the articles on DIY filmmaking, animation,
writing scripts, and setting up a film festival are enough to get any film
fan interested in actually making films, especially for woman interested in
a medium too often dominated by the other sex. Especially useful for film
buffs is the enormous list of female directors in the back, a great start
for anyone looking to find great films made by women. The design throughout
is clean, clear, and highly readable. It would have been nice to have more
in the way of binding, especially with a zine this thick, but it's a small
concern for such a solid zine. Anyone interested in DIY and independent film
and video, especially from the female side of the aisle, should give this
zine a read.
www.msfilms.org
msfilms@hotmail.com
--AR
Palette: The Food Issue, 48p, full size
The generic clipart and single staple on this full size zine recall high school
essays from days of yore, and the content offers only a few glimpses beyond
that style of writing. That's not to say this issue of Palette is without
merit. The idea of compiling different food experiences into a zine certainly
conjures up our own memories of home-cooking, our favorite foods, our guilty
bad habits. And I can certainly relate to the love for cheesecake and Chinese
food. But the main issue here is that the writing never quite conveys the
feel of those memories, nor reaches any conclusions about what those memories
mean, what food might represent. Food geeks should be able to find something
worthwhile in this zine, but if you're looking for something deeper or more
informative, there are other worthwhile sources to check out first.
The Palette Crew
701 College Rd.
Lebanon, Illinois 62254
USA
--AR
Suburban Blight #5, 34p, half-size
This issue of Suburban Blight, subtitled "the Gender Issue" covers
a wide range of thoughts regarding feminism and issues of gender. Essays like
"We're Not Born With It," "Brooklyn Schoolchildren Learn Gender
Respect," and "Feminism and Gender Binaries" take a more academic
approach to subjects such as the innateness of gender, gender in education,
and post-structuralism in relation to these issues. Others, like "Hello,
Can't Work Today, Still Queer" and "Thoughts on Gender Roles &
Body Hair" choose a more personal, anecdotal approaches to sexuality
and body hair. The feminist lyrics, list of zines by feminist, and gender/sexuality
glossary sprinkled through the pages are a nice touch to the content. Less
pertinent is the gushing praise towards Sleater-Kinney's last album. While
I can echo some of the sentiment, I just don't feel that it fits into an otherwise
thoughtful, well-structured themed compilation zine. Besides the theme,, this
zine is pulled together by messy, yet readable cut-and-paste design. Those
seeking out forums for discussions on feminism and gender will appreciate
the scope of the content and probably find something worth reading.
Stephanie
Rutgers, The State University of NJ
26378 DPO Way
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
USA
--AR
Truespoon #2, 44p, half-size
This is primarily a compendium of Sparrow's Fall comics since the last series
printed by Parrish Baker. Those unfamiliar with Sparrow's Fall might not be
able to keep up with the continuing adventures of Christopher Sparrow, but
will no doubt enjoy the hijinks of Nips and his animal pals. The end is also
chock full of drawings and strips that make this little book worth a look.
Baker's rough and sketchy style of art is simultaneously bittersweet and wistful.
If you're in Kansas City, look for Truespoon for free at Broadway Cafe or
YJ's. You can also contact Mr. Baker for additional copies at sparrowsfall@mac.com.
--AR
Whiskey Plus #1, 16p, full size
Whiskey Plus is a hilarious collection of rants and rambles about one of my
personal favorite subjects: music. I'm personally somewhat divorced from a
lot of mainstream music these days, having resigned myself to the fact that
most popular music is a miserable pile of crap, and the lovely article titled
"This is Pop Music" seems to confirm my fears. Rather than falling
into the usual cop-out about how great music used to be, Nate admits that
historically a lot of popular music has been crap, resigning himself to this
perennial truth. Other articles includes karaoke reviews and a rant about
BTO and other bad music Nate's neighbor listens to (an article that harkens
back to a friend's similar woe with her upstairs neighbor). As a fan of music
who enjoys a well-focused rant, this zine is amusing and smart, worth a read
for anyone who's sick of hearing bad music.
Nate Gangelhoff
PO Box 8995
Minneapolis, MN 55408
www.pickyourpoison.net
whiskeyplus@gmail.com
--AR