October 2005
Child That Mind #4, 1/6 A4, 60p, $2 or trade
I've always appreciated Moira Clunie's ability to write so articulately about
her life, connecting aspects of the personal with the political while never
coming off as forced or preachy. In this issue, she discusses the notion of
waste managment and going beyond simply the reduce/reuse/recycle model, then
takes a more personal turn with a set of diary-style entries about moving
to a new house and adjusting to that change. She moves easily into a discussion
on language and communication and how difficult it is to be understood or
to say exactly what we mean. Moving fluidly between various realms, Moira
never loses a sense of intimacy that is integral to great personal zines.
Yet her scope of thought offers more to the reader and continues to make for
a fascinating read.
Moira Clunie
PO Box 7754, Wellesley St.
Ayckland, New Zealand
nutmeg.gen.nz/childthatmind
moira@nutmeg.gen.nz
--AR
coldhandsdeadheart #19, quarter-size, 44p, $2ppd
Like most past issues, this zine is a compendium of illustrations and sketches
by Mike Twohig, whose bold, slightly surreal pen and ink style is perfectly
suited to political caricature, comics, and poster art. In this issue, his
work takes on a more abstract slant, shifting away from the overt political
and pop culture references that have usually dominated his subject matter.
While there are still a few jabs here and there, they are fewer and farther
in-between. A number of drawings feature odd little puns on words like oxymoron,
spider vein, and cantelope. A rather long features information on Twohig's
band, Gaybot. Though this zine has generally taken a stream-of-consciousness
approach to content, the focus of this issue is weaker than in the past. Fans
of great pen & ink art will still appreciate Twohig's masterful use of
line.
Mike Twohig
72-1 Meadow Farm South
North Chili, NY 14514
www.angelfire.com/ill/miketwohig
m-twohig@hotmail.com
--AR
Green Zine #14, 60p, half-size, $2.50
Christy C. Road's Green Zine #14 starts with this charming explanation: "The
zine was put together within the course of one year, a caffiene overdose,
a few fond embraces, my favorite records, some nervous breakdowns, a thirteen-hour
party, sixteen wrong decisions, twelve right ones, four cities, two states,
and one coastline." The issue consists of five stories (and a comic called
"Kissing & Learning" and a number of really cute pictures all
done by Christy herself. The images remind me a little of Laurenn McCubbin's
work (which is a good thing) and I love that the writing style has such personality
to it. It's like listening to an old friend who you haven't heard from in
some time and with whom you have a lot of ground to cover. The layout and
design is fresh and captivating, and I very much enjoyed reading the issue.
It's pro-queer, got amazing art, doesn't take itself too seriously but is
carefully composed, and--obviously--is highly recommended.
Microcosm Publishing
5307 N. Minnesota Ave.
Portland, OR 97217
www.microcosmpublishing.com
www.croadcore.org
--Anne Motes
I Hear You Like Stories #3, quarter-size, 34p, $2 of trade (email
first)
Gracing the cover of this sweetly surreal zine are bits of Victorian clip-art
printed on shiny, iridescent paper, faintly recalling the collages of Max
Ernst. The contents inside are just as dreamy and pretty. Interspersed throughout
are lists like "Things That People Prize or At Least Expect in Babies
That They See As Unfortunate Signs of Ineptitude in Adults," and "
Excuses The Have to Do With Big Cats." Sandwiched between these lists
are two stories, one that might be non-fiction and another that might be fiction.
The first is about a girl dealing with relationships, growth, and change,
while the other is a strange tale about a fairy-taled amusement park and its
workers. Meg's writing is solid, often filled with inventive metaphors like
"she looks like a wreck without insurance, everything fallen and twisted,
the tears leaking gasoline out of her eyes." A creative, absurdist spirit
fills the pages of this zine, offering something unique and beautiful. If
you like well-crafted, well-written zine, this one is definitely worth a look.
Meg Favreau
stories.gladyssellsthings.com
meg@gladyssellsthings.com
Also available through Gladys
Sells Things, My
My, and Stranger
Danger.
--AR
The Media Whore Feminist Lit Review, half-size, 32p, $2
This special oneshot from Media Whore focuses entirely on feminist issues
in literature, featuring book reviews and a couple of articles. In the first
article, Sue Lange discusses feminist science fiction, namedropping classic
writers like Joanna Russ and Ursula K. Le Guinn, as well as newer writers
like Carol Emschwiller and Octavia Butler and literary SF like The Handmaid's
Tale. While one feels there's more to be said on the subject (and why
is James Tiptriee, Jr. not mentioned?), Lange is more interested in offering
possibilities to broaden the perception of SF beyond a boy's club. The second
article, by Leisa Clark, focuses on lesbian young adult novels. She does not
merely give an overview of the subgenre, rather analyzes how such books treat
identity and gender. The rest of this zine is filled with reviews of books
like The Truth Behind the Mommy Wars, Fresh Lipstick, and Cinderella's
Big Score. Overall, the reviews were solidly balanced with criticism and
information, although the last review was more tangential than I would have
liked--a minor hiccup, really. If you are already a fan of Media Whore, or
if you're interested in feminist issues and looking for some more reading
material, give this zine a read.
Media Whore
12 B Wolcott St.
Malden, MA 02148
www.mediawhorezine.com
randie@mediawhorezine.com
--AR
Murder Can Be Fun #19, half-size, 48p, $2
Billing itself as dedicated "to the unpleasant, unhealthy, yet oddly
gratifying task of reveling in the more sordid and violent side of life,"
this zine is already a treat for me. The "Musical Mayhem" theme
in this issue is just icing on the cake.
On the cover and at the center of this exploration is Western swing star,
Spade Cooley, whose bizarre personal life led to alcoholism and homicide.
John Marr spares no sordid detail as he describes the events surrounding the
murder of his wife and subsequent court battle. He even offers up a list of
essential Cooley recordings for those who might wish to explore his work beyond
the personal drama. Filling out the rest of this issue is a myriad of musical
tragedies that avoids most of the bigger names, like Buddy Holly or Kurt Cobain,
in favour of more obscure figures like David Meek, Les Harvey, and Jackie
Wilson. The article about tragedy at a David Cassidy show is especially interesting,
as well as the profile of jazz trombonist Frank Rosolino that ends in murder
and suicide. A feature on anti-rock books rounds out this issue beautifully.
Marr's writing is remarkably detailed, and a wry humor colors nearly every
article and profile. I found this zine incredibly engaging and could not put
it down. Besides being a great read, this is a great-looking zine with excellent
cover and centerfold art and clear, crisp design. If you're like me and delight
in obscure cultural minutia, this is a must-read.
John Marr
PO Box 640111
San Francisco, CA 94164
members.tripod.com/~johnmarr/
johnmarr1@yahoo.com
--AR
Nathan Jr #3, half-size, 36p, $2
This "film discussion" zine continues to impress me with its intelligence,
wit, and wonderfully geeky spirit. The first article draws some interesting
comparisons between Fight Club and Ferris Bueller, while
the next article offer both praise and criticism for the work of Robert Rodriguez.
Another analyzes the propagandistic subtext of The Pacifier. But
the real focus of this issue, the one that will incite debates everywhere,
is the Overrated/Underrated feature. Great actors and films like Marlon Brando,
2001, and High Noon are skewered, while overlooked actors and
films like Agnes Moorehead, Fahrenheit 451, and Quick Change
are given praise. This is a brilliant and time-tested concept, one that asks
us to reconsider our assumptions or look at films we might not immediately
praise as great. The rest of this issue is rounded out by reviews of Palindromes,
The Interpreter, and Winter Solstice. As usual, this humble
zine continues to be an entertaining and insightful discussion of film.
Ryan Perez
1726 Winona Blvd. #201
Los Angeles, CA 90027
nathanjrzine@hotmail.com