holiday and end of december feature: livingproof by andrew mall
Mood:  party time!
this review's not just for christmas, but any holiday this season. if you're not the holiday person, it's for a little winter fun. see you in the new year!


In the third issue of Living Proof Andrew recorded his thoughts and then transcribed everything afterwards. Quite a task, though an audio version of this may be a good companion if not hold it's own. This is a hefty, text-filled zine with various photographs here and there so if you're looking for a lot to read for your money this is it.
The first of three parts includes an essay on the evils of mass communication, specifically MTV, reality shows, and cable television. Personally I really have an academic passion for this topic, but the writing is at a level that anyone with a slight interest could enjoy. In the end the author decided that "as long as you accept [all of it] you will not be truly free." I have to wonder what this freedom is, because there was no explanation given, just the idea for readers to ponder. You can decide how you feel about the subject.
The second and most informative part is an interview with Daniel Sinker of Punk Planet. Readers are introduced to the ins and outs of running an independent magazine. There is also a lot of Sinker's personal ruminations on the music industry and the influence of the internet on the new wave of zine writers. There was one idea that is often overlooked but very important in the modern zine community,
"The harshness of the internet can kill some people's ambition to do stuff. If you were to do something for the first time out there... and you get crucified, there's very little chance that you're going to go back and do it again." If you gain nothing else from this zine at least consider Sinker's informative answers.
The third part, and nearly half the zine's bulk, is dedicated to Andrew's summer abroad in Spain. This is a really great experience, but I found myself loosing interest over the length of the author's time there. It's tough to edit a travel experience, but without ever being in Spain it's also tough to follow along. I was disappointed by the ending, which was unsatisfying after so much time spent. Overall you may need to wade through occasional pretension and name-dropping, but you will find engaging arguments and interpretations.

issue 3: 64 half-size pages
cost: $3ppd
address: andrew mall
po box 14211
chicago, il 60614
website: http://www.itsmysite.com/chinesesweatshop
email: livingproof@atm4.net

supposedly mid-december feature: shopping queen's diary by elsie sampson
The Shopping Queen's Diary is part comic, part travelogue, and part listing of Elsie's favorite deals. It's cute, and by that I mean the writing has curls on the ends and the clothes are from specialty shops in New York. This may not be everyone's style, though this is something fairly unknown in zines and could connect people in their love of shopping. Elsie encourages boys to be shopping kings, but this is mainly for the ladies. She uses the "shopping addiction" analogy often and had a good time writing and drawing her week of nearly non-stop shopping.
It's tough to justify a short, quarter-sized zine for $4ppd, BUT upon checking her website you'll find lots of other projects with original artwork and more. This addition is a sort of preview if you aren't a total shopping queen, but if you are a big fan and enjoy artistic details, there is a more expensive artist edition that may be more worth your while. If you do go with the standard version you'll find hints of color drawn on the cover and a purple sparkle rubber band binding the pages together. This is a unique project with precise illustrations, perfect for reading along the poolside on a warm summer day.

one shot: 36 quarter-size pages
cost: $3 + $1 shipping
address: elsie sampson
po box 987
white plains, ny 10602
website: http://www.itsmysite.com/chinesesweatshop
email: elsie_sampson@yahoo.com

end of november feature: elephant mess by daniel murphy
I have been mailing letters back and forth with Dan for a while but #11 is the first issue of his zine, Elephant mess, that I had the chance to read. I think this is a good place to start because it is a best-of issues 1 to 10. The pieces included are surprisingly complimentary. For a range of four years I would expect a lot of change but it's smooth enough to have been written all at once. Every emotional clip blends from one to the next and it makes the reader feel like they're catching up. The introspective look at relationships, youth, and growing up feel like a cold winter afternoon with thoughts jumping through your head. My favorite part was the way he highlighted each issue by showing the cover, release date, and which story was included. Also the intro and outro are compiled quotes from past into/outros and that was a really fun way to include the best of all issues. Look forward to a variety of formats such as cut and paste, handwritten, typewritten, and word processed work, plus a simple block print on varied single color cardstock covers. Most importantly look forward to correspondence with this friendly Idahoan author.

issue 11: 1/4 pages
cost: $1
address: dan murphy . po box 6352 . boise, id . 83707
email: messyelephant@yahoo.com

early thanksgiving feature: suburban gothic by rae
Rae's writing is always melancholy with her own signature style that has created a group of faithful readers. Her newest issue, Variation on a Theme (Corazon: Diablo), slips away from her usual content to focus on past loves. The majority of this is closure letters unsent to let her ex,s know how she feels (mostly boys but also girls). I'm sure this was very therapeutic to write and this will help dumped readers know they aren't alone. There are other stories as well, such as a little history behind especially intense relationships, a rant on sexuality labels, a want for the perfect relationship, and a handful of zine, book, movie, and music recommendations. Great for a bitter Valentine's Day, complete with red vellum covers and slinky black ribbon binding. It also includes dramatic Victorian-style illustrations, a few photographs, and a special drawing by AR. If you are unfamiliar I would recommend past issues first, but if you've read Suburban Gothic before or if you are just interested in love and animosity, then check this out.

issue 4: 48 quarter-size pages
cost: $2 in US and Canada, $3 elsewhere
address: Rae . P.O.Box 1381 . Bellevue, NE . 68005-1381
website: http://www.freewebs.com/suburbangothic
email: suburbangothic@livejournal.com

update
Topic: update
check the last update for continued changes in what's new and what's coming. this update is to say that my reviews are ending up all over the place and i wanted to create a list where you could find them.

eye candy

winter 2004
child that mind 3
honeypot

september 2004
mister fujiyama loves you 5

august 2004
aubergine
east village inky 19 and 22



bibliotheque

coming soon
coldhandsdeadheart 18

11-12-04
suburban gothic 4

8-27-04
child that mind 3
geek the girl 10 and color of my eyes
girlswirl 11
also see a review of the midwest comp project by AR

visit the website:
http://www.lunar-circuitry.net/bibliotheque/index.html



poopsheet

october 12, '04 - Tritcheon Hash novel
september 3 '04 - Xerography Debt
july 12 - 16 '04 - Media Whore
july 4 - 10 '04 - Low Hug
august 17 - 23 '03 - Rabid Transit
august 10 - 16 '03 - Tanglefoot



altar magazine (and online)

i can't find all the info but there were four book reviews by me and one or two cd reviews by steve. i don't think they are up online anymore so sorry i can't be more exact.



independent word review

aubergine
Murder Ballads #1
high school girls
mister fujiyama loves you #4

november feature: coldhandsdeadheart by mike twohig
Coldhandsdeadheart is somewhere between comic and political zine. Artist Mike has a skilled style all his own. You'll find Hollywood politicians Reagan, Ventura, Schwartzenegger, and the Rock (to become the future "Grand Master Ruler of Mars"). Also the story of the author's paperboy job, some work with flyers and band art, and emotional caricatures. Cardstock covers, stapled and black tape bound, and a small red block print on the back make this kind of nice to hang on to. Mike is very talented and though it's a quick read it is quality. I'm glad I've come across this and I think you will be too.

issue 18: quarter sized
cost: $1 or 2? not listed
address: not listed, email or check back for an update
email: m_twohig@hotmail.com
website: angelfire.com/ill/miketwohig

double creature feature: chocoholic! by stephanie scarborough and contributors
This is the compilation about chocolate - thorough, passionate, and surprisingly clean. It is fun and easy to read so just like chocolate I tried to finish it in one sitting. Also like the treat it's best in small bites. Try reading this while you're in line at the grocery store or waiting for your cupcakes to bake. It includes anecdotes, facts, recipes, comics, and more plus Stephanie (editor and chocoholic) made it word processed for readability and various single-color covers for a nice touch. The bulk of the comp is reviews of more products than you can attempt to follow through on. I couldn't decide whether to keep this with my zines or my cookbooks. You decide - buy this silly, sad, rich, precise collection ONLY if you love chocolate (but really you'd be crazy not to).

Issue One: 42 quarter-sized pages
Cost: $2, $3 outside US, wholesale $1 or $1.25 outside US, paypal accepted, and trades for food or cook zines only
Address: box 715 . weatherford, tx . 76086
Website: http://diystore.cjb.net/ (fork n spoon distro)
Email: nurdsteph@yahoo.com

mid-october late feature: papercuts and promises by alli
Papercuts and Promises feels like a first zine project but has more to say than the usual #1's. Alli writes about her history with typewriters, missed friendship, and feminism including a well researched paper on immigrant women in America. There are very poetic prose pieces that were well written and enjoyable to read. Her style is serious and a little melancholy, and though I've read these subjects many times I still liked her take on them. I also was unsure about the layout. It was the neatest and cleanest cut and paste zine I've seen, but it was so sparse - "lean" comes to mind - that I think it would have been much better in a quarter-sized format rather than half. The airy space didn't fit with the density of the work. I can appreciate the minimalism but it's something I can't help but focus on. That aside this was an excellent first effort and I'd like to see Alli's future projects.

Issue one: 32 half-sized pages
Cost: $2
Address: P.O. Box 761 . Mountain View, CA . 94042
Website: http://gluestickdistro.com
Email: gluestickdistro@aol.com

october feature: tritcheon hash by sue lange (novel)
Mood:  chatty
While reading Tritcheon Hash by Sue Lange, a few things came to mind. First it seems like just another futuristic tale where the reader meets the main character and we start to get comfortable. Suddenly we find out that all the women left Earth to colonize their own planet. This wasn't going to be your average scifi novel.
The plot was pretty interesting. At first I wasn't getting too into it, but then I found myself looking forward to what was going to happen next. Most of the dialogue was back and forth between believable and forced, mainly because of the casual usage of made-up futuristic vocabulary. One downside is that there are a lot of long tangents focused on details explaining new inventions and alien utensils. Though the occasional explanation is important, they seemed to be too often and too long. The names and dialog reminded me of Harry Potter, which may draw in that fan base. With a character like Ricknoy you can't help but feel like you are dealing with the future military of Hogwarts.
There is a strange relationship with between feminist principals and a romance novel that is unique. Lange's world is like The Handmaid's Tale infused with a good Fabio-covered supermarket paperback.
So as you can see this novel can take you across the universe and back. You may like the scientific explanations or the periodic steamy scene. You may like the girl empowerment or the Potter-like banter. I think a lot of people can find a laugh or contemplate the future sparked by this fun, broad novel aimed to please all sorts.

[info on ordering later]

update
Topic: update
i've finally started to get my mail - and it's all come at once. now things are starting to pile up but you can see that i won't be without things to read!

amendment from October 7th:
i've moved to my milwaukee apartment and just got internet access today. though i'm very busy this month with the madison zine fest and a friend from seattle visiting, i will be back on the review track in no time (yet i'm still up a review because i posted extras while moving. way to go me!). sorry for the postponed items but look forward to many extras in exchange.


received:
she's not a morning person 6
fertile ground 7
rebel in magenta
soap
oh dear
i hear you like stories
gretchen 4: the pieces of jennifer's body
the solution is you
here, all is familiar vol 1 and 2
jagged pixie 4: beautiflicker
dirty jeans 1
softspoken 3
stab heart 1 and 2
a tuesday with no arms
carbon and carbide
dance matador dance!
happy birthday, a novel by jozril

from kathee for sew true:
Bent Lens #2: The First Issue
Brainscan #19
The Illustrated Guide to DIY Screenprinting
Orange & Blue #0
Nonsensical #6
a million birthdays #4

from brad for poopsheet:
elephant mess 11
my fat irish ass -5
dwelling portably



and what i'm waiting on:
always fresh 1
my winter blanket
holding hands 11
imaginary life 5
foovies
shark season 1

hopefully from neil for i.w.r.:
life in the bike lane
s.c.a.l.p.
bitchfest