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Friday, January 04, 2002
 
From the In Box: From the Reading Pile V
As you said, I should have a new issue out now, but unfortunately I don't. My new deadline is Beantown Zinetown at the end of March. I have been doing some smaller mini-comics. -- Dan Moynihan



 
From the In Box: From the Reading Pile V
Thanks for the review. It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm no longer unemployed -- now working for the city government (an extension of the volunteering I was doing before). -- Larry-Bob

Wow. Congratulations on landing the job!



 
From the In Box: From the Reading Pile V
Thanks for the great review. It's nice to know that someone notices and appreciates the interviews about zines (They don't generate as much feedback as the band interviews do.). -- Mike Faloon

Really? I wonder why that is! I think that the people behind the zines and comics I read have probably put way more thought into what they're doing -- as well as how and why -- than the folks in the bands I like. And they're rarely given a forum other than their own zines for sharing those ideas, motivations, and values.

If anyone has any thoughts on this, please start a topic in the discussion forum.



 
From the Reading Pile V

Cars-R-Coffins #10
Why do the best bicycle messenger zines always come from the Twin Cities? Hurl's slim but extremely well-designed read quickly touches on bike event news, the allure of winter bikes, Congressman Jim Oberstar (also chairman of the House of Transportation Ways and Means Committee), and punk rock. It's a quick read, but it captures the energy and enthusiasms of single-speed riders. The mindful political undercurrent is also welcome. I'd read the next issue of this with no hesitation, and I think I need to order a T-shirt. Cars-R-Coffins, Hurl Everstone, 117 Washington Ave. N, Minneapolis, MN 55401.

Engine! #5
Toby Craig and Todd Gail's 48-page comic is a two-part example of what happens when Futuroid meets Brian Ralph and Paranoia. The first story, "No Light Box," exemplifies the first two influences, telling the story of a group of gladiator-style robots who fight, discuss, remember, and fight again. The panel sequence on p. 27 is an impressive bit of comics cinematography. Then, "Robot Free" adds Gail and the Paranoia roleplaying element. Two people answer a jobs ad only to find themselves testing robots: one wheeled, one an overly agressive chair, one a washing machine, and one... well, let's just say that the Fred Hembeck- and Phil Foglio-styled artwork adds a light touch to the ending's heavy hand. I'd like to see more watercolor work as displayed on the cover, but otherwise, I'm not sure how long this'd hold my interest. Little Engine Studios, 116 Natures Way, Huntsville, TX 77340.

Fragments #2
Five years coming since #1, this 48-page zine focuses on the theme Power -- of community, over nature, and sex, of belief, of fear, and of the military. The editor and contributors offer interesting perspectives on the power of small groups, animal rights, the funeral of Orlando Letelier, and the Gulf War, but I have some trouble wading through the contributors near-academic language and postmodern posturing, as well as the zine's clip art-ridden design. That said, two pieces hit me extremely hard. The narrative "Jason" recounts encounters between activists and police, as well as an attempt at dialog. And Maureen Milton's "Girl in the World" shares her appreciation for a man she'd perhaps never pursue but who "made me realize that, as a girl, I have all the power." The whole zine is worth reading for this line alone: "I have the power. I have it and they are afraid of it. They may run banks, drive fire trucks, and tinker with the government, but these guys can't toy with me. Ultimately, they can't do anything without me." Right on. Hey. Don't take five years to make #3, OK? Fragments, P.O. Box 28253, Santa Ana, CA 92799.

Go Metric! #13
If you've ever been into Bunnygrunt or the Mutant Pop back catalog, chances are you'll dig this fully fledged pop music and punk culture zine. Ostensibly trying to become a general interest lifestyle magazine, this issue opens with a hilarious sex quiz rivaling those in Maxim. Brian Logan pens excerpts from an imagined Chicken Soup for the Punk Rock Soul. Kimmie Varsity shares some stories from Junior Varsity's tour of Japan, including a shop run by Sachiko and Ronnie of the 5,6,7,8s. Mike Faloon comments on some recent Plastic Man reprints. Rev. Norb rants about the X-Men movie. Johnny DIY anthropologizes some stereotypical mail order customers, including Anarchy Dude and the Girl Band Geek. And John David Cawley asserts Why Mod Matters. While there are scads of interviews in this issue -- the Sissies, the Figgs, the Young Fresh Fellows, and Swearing at Motorists -- Mike's conversation with Michelle and Doug Daugherty, makers of the zine Spank, might be the most insightful. While thousands of zines document emerging culture, very few people look at the motivations and background of zine publishers. Michelle and Doug have a lot to say about how Spank has changed since 1994, how people react to reviews, and the self-publishing process. And Mike has a lot to say, too; this issue weighs in at a whopping 56 pages, well worth the $2. (Full disclosure: Mike reviewed a CD by my band, the Anchormen, in this issue. He liked it, and dare say, I like Go Metric!) Mike Faloon, 2609L Village Court, Raleigh, NC 27607.

Mreowkoblast! #17
Another charming comic from the local talent Dan Moynihan. Combining his old Microblast comics with his new Mreow project, this issue is a clever assortment of John Porcellino-simple comics, writing, and photography. Dan and Leslie demonstrate how the game Caption is played. Nixon the cat goes on an adventure. Ethylene treats Crash to her own version of Understanding Comics ("I draw pictures and you come into my world."). Dan skates to MassArt. And a closing wordless comic about music brings Megan Kelso's Queen of the Black Black to mind. #18 should be ready by now -- it was going to be done in time for the canceled SPX. Get this. You won't be sorry. Dan's quickly becoming one of my favorites. And he has a Web site!

Off My Jammy #13
Lisa Kalner went to Brazil. And while there she met various filmmakers and zinemakers. So doing, she spent a lot of time learning about the country's indie rock scene, but she also roped in a bunch of notable Americans to share their Brazilian experiences. Mac McCaughan from Superchunk recalled the country's 1977 state of punk rock infrastructure. Chris, editor of the Brazilian zine Tudo E, addresses how Brazilian bands look to America for inspiration. The Donnas listen to a Brazilian musician's demo tape. Ian Svenonius of the Make-Up recalls their Brazilian tour. Lisa shares tips on how to eat vegan overseas. And Tom Ze schols Cibo Matto. As always, Lisa brings music together with multiculturalism and somehow ends up looking at something other than music. Something more real. Off My Jammy, P.O. Box 440422, Somerville, MA 02144.

Paul the Punker #2
This Sharpie marker-made photocopied cmic is a silly example of what happens when someone gets into punk rock and self-publishing. Unlike the thoughtful and highly stylized Arnie comics, Paul the Punker is a 12-page series of profanities, racism, and crotch jokes. While there is one clever sequence -- p. 4's paranoid obsession with a lighter that doesn't work and is "but a soldier for some large conglomerate fat cat [who] has sent you to throw a 'wrench in my works'" -- too much of this is poorly drawn and overly dependent on punk-rock cliches: squats, beer, anarchy, and vomit. There's some promise here in terms of dialogue, so perhaps the creator will improve as he continues to experiment. FNS Publishing, 24 Bynner St. #1, Boston, MA 02130.

Ponytale of Tears
A brilliant comics/zine from Da Claw. Starting with some found text and art, Mr. Claw builds a mystery story about four friends' bad haircuts that reminds me of the Three Investigators, Behind the Music, and the Blair Witch Project. Might even be a little Bloodhound Gang (not the band) in there. While trying to solve the mystery, the four friends -- Alexis, Patsie, Stacie, and Christie -- suspect each other, skate the "peace full pipe," write each other notes, and encounter the elusive Mr. Claw himself(!). A wonderful combination of found and fake text and comics. Probably available via Paper Radio.

Queer Zine Explosion #19
Larry-Bob hasn't put out an issue of Holy Titclamps or QZE since mid-1999. But he's started organizing a queer comedy showcase, volunteering at KPFA, working on local political campaigns, and been laid off for more than a year, so it's understandable. And it's super good to see him dabbling in zines again. This four-page newsletter reviews almost 60 queer-related zines, including notables Batteries Not Included, People Under No King, and RFD. His reviews are constructively critical, friendly, and in depth. QZE is international in scope, although if zine production is any indication, there are no queers in Massachusetts. There goes my idea for a zine column in Bay Windows! If you live in the Bay Area and want to see more of QZE, you can help by volunteering to catalog Larry-Bob's zine library, which he hopes to donate to the SFGLBT Historical Society. Larry Roberts, Box 590488, San Francisco, CA 94159-0488.

Seattlite #19
Part of Imageanation's Spacecamp series of comics, this edition focuses on Seattle: its rain, the space needle, and the WTO. Starting with a couple of choice word pictures -- the fan and pipe -- the comic's trenchcoated narrator realizes that the WTO wasn't only a trade organization, gets some alien assistance, and kicks some tentacled-alien butt Raymond Chandler style. Mission accomplished, our hero sets the "culture dial at twenty years." and so ends another cryptic of Imageanation. Equal parts Yul Tolbert and Max Traffic, these comics increasingly intrigue me. Who makes them? How can you get them? Where are they going story wise? Good stuff.

The Comics Interpreter Interview SPX 2000 edition
There's a reason why everyone who's anyone in self-publishing these days thanks LA-based comics maestro Jordan Crane in their books: He rocks. And Robert Young's interview in this edition of the Comics Interpreter's interview counterpart indicates why. Jordan reads the right comics, and he firmly believes in editing self-published work (his anthology Non). The interview also addresses the unwanted role of publisher, inspirations, how to surpass your own work, and why good comics belong in bookstores. Jef Czekaj talks abut the Star Wars bug, the New England comics scene, the distractions of making music, the value of doing mersh work, and why it's good to make fun of your friends. Jesse Reklaw touches on dreams, spoofing other artists, distribution, and comics networking. And David Choe expands on his cultural influences, artistic process, how to make your own comics, and how people -- including his father -- respond to his work. There are few good comics magazines and zines today. Read this. Then read the Comics Journal. Robert Young, TCI, 5820 N. Murray Ave. D-12, Hannahan, SC 29406.

The Wurst
This is the best zine I've seen in awhile without any contact information. But maybe you'll find it somewhere; if you have any leads on how to contact the folks behind the worst, let me know. Ilene Ree contribues an article on various drugs and how they affect the author's irritable bowel syndrome. The cocaine and acid vignettes are especially colorful, and the piece is noteworthy because it was supposed to appear in Vice magazine. Then the Wurst's pig mascot interviews "No-Smoke Sally" about when she started smoking, smoking rituals, what brands she smoked, and why she quit. LL contributes a story about an ice cream truck that serves as cover for a crack dealer. And "Alice's Story" is a sad, sad almost poem about a dope addict. All are solid stories about substance abuse, done in a variety of styles. Wish I knew who did this!

What are you reading?



 
From the In Box: From the Reading Pile IV
For Press Release ASAP:

Hey, you are the only one who buys those comics. We usally sell them to the MYP to get money for food that day, then go home, eat food, laugh, and make more shit. We rarely all smoke pot or drink beer. However, the "MJ" comic you can buy at Twisted Village. Maybe you even reviewed that; I forget. Anyway, that is an example of, like, just sitting around and drawing while having fun. The "Mass Art News Paper," though it maybe looks SILLY, is a very long process. All the stuff is like treasure, meets our high diamond standards, and is never fun to make, even though only one of us makes it, while all of us wait at Kinko's. That's when we make most of those shitty zines.

POINT BEING, PAPAR RAD (NOT RADIO)* IS MAINLY FOCUSING ON OUR MUSIC VIDEOS NOW SEE THIS SNEAK PREVIEW: Goo-Goo, and 13 Monsters. (P.S. Both have sound.) Also, Joe and I are working on a print project for real print.

Anyway, the Mass Art News Paper I think is really cool and is such an important newspaper, really. Also, all those books on the paperrad Web site are really good, and proof that not all we make is funky. So thank you for being the only one to buy them. And we have plenty of books in store to make the spooky ones seem cool. Thank you.
-- Ben Jones



Thursday, January 03, 2002
 
From the Reading Pile IV

Book of Insomnia
Originally published four years ago, I picked this 36-page comic up at the Picnic last night in a fit of appreciation for the shop's minicomics selection -- and skilled reorganization by Cheryl. Gabrielle Bell has an awesome Bay Area Tales of Blarg-meets Leela Corman-meets Ariel Schrag style that just sings through the eight stories collected here. Parts of her page composition occasionally remind me of Richard Scarry and Edward Gorey, but to be truthful, I read this without imposing the above-named people on her art or writing. "The Dream I Had" is a William Gibson-cum-Jesse Reklaw story about an alternate future for the Bay Bridge in San Francisco. "The Bicycle Story" is a touching tale about anger and bitterness converting into love and creativity. Here, Gabrielle's portrayal of characters with lanky frames really impressed me. And "Just One Reason" sports an Emily-like waif girl who -- in a simple surprise ending -- decides not to commit suicide. Gabrielle's panel composition and character design is amazing, and this mini is delightfully dense wihout being reproduces too small or overly weighty. Awesome and well worth the reminiscent return to 1998, so write before you send money. Wonder if she's still active? Email Gabrielle or send $3 to 3288 21st St. #217, San Francisco, CA 94110.

Bus Tips
Here's a tip: If you're self-publishing comics and zines in the hipster-riddled Y2K2 and have Net access, don't assume everyone else does. You still have a mailing address, and chances are that folks still have to send you money somewhere. Soapbox stowed. Daniel Morgan's 100-copy, 24-page mini offers nine useful suggestions for people who ride the bus a lot, as well as folks who "don't and maybe never have before." Advice covers seat reclining, luggage, headphones, how to spend time, and relations with fellow passengers. The funniest tip: "Ride the train." Dan seems to alternate between a permanent marker and a heavy brush, but perhaps this is all marker. Regardless, the art is pleasant and iconic, and the writing is friendly and clever. "An informative booklet," indeed. Email Dan to ask where to send your $1.50, or visit his Web site.

Does Canada Even Have Months
Oh, those Paper Radio fellers. When will I cease being a sucker for their puckish sense of whimsy and only pick up the comics and zines "worth" documenting? Hopefully never, although some of their photocopied ephemera might not have a lasting shelf life. Take this 16-page mini, for example. The 13 stories are reproduced Mad-Libs that have already been filled in. The parts of speech don't always match the insertions, but occasionally the results are funny. Most of the time, though, the experiment fails and is probably best shared with close friends already in on the joke. Michael Jackson, city guys, and millionaires gloat, rap, and sleep over with astronaut suits, dope, and the family. The result of free photocopies ad ample free time. Costs $1. Paper Radio is on the Web.

Go-Go Girl #2
Snuggled somewhere between Andi Watson, Megan Kelso, and Maurice Vellekoop, Craig's stylish scooter-girl comic evokes the scripting of the Powerpuff Girls and Richard Salas, of all people. I haven't seen #1, so I can't speak to Craig's consistency, but with self-published comics like this around, why does Jim Mahfood have steady work? A hair stylist's clients start to be mysteriously attacked by a hideous creature, and Go-Go Girl is on the case! She meets a cute guy, infiltrates a society ball, confronts the monster, and eventually saves the day. I knew I'd like this; Craig's contribution to the Expo 2001 anthology, now available from Highwater Books, was one of the better pieces. Tailor made for an animated short, this is a wake-up call for Rick Veitch and Alan Moore, too. Let's see Craig draw a Cobweb story instead of Dame Darcy for once. Very impressive. $3 to Craig Bostick, 7 Weld St. #2R, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130. He also has a Web site.

Lady Dwenton's Matrimonial Planner
Published in March 2001, this simple, slim (eight pages) mini recalls Robert Lewis and Jhonen Vazquez, on the Lewis side of the family. Purchased as a gift for my friends -- well, acquaintances, if Sarah were to call me on it -- Matt and Mary, this mini offers wedding planning tips that touch on musical group selection, flowers, dresses, and uncertainty. Probably worth expanding into a full-fledged DIY wedding planner to match the pocket-sized goodness of the Slingshot annual planner I just picked up in Brooklyn over New Year's. 25 cents to Bruce Orr, 1601 S. 8th St., third floor, Philadelphia, PA 19148. Published by Immersion Press.

Landfill Anxiety
Gods love Allison Cole and the comics she's making at the Rhode Island School of Design. This beautifully printed eight-page mini tells the story of a broken turntable, a broken heart, and a kept promise. Allison name drops John Porcellino and Ron Rege, Jr., in another comic, so it's somewhat clear where her influences and inspirations lie, but her comics -- like her previous mini Record Love (dreamy!) -- are current faves of mine... ranking among the work of folks like Megan Whitmarsh and Dan Moynihan. Her work is a tad more Fort Thunder- and Paper Radio-inspired, but her simple linework and understated bittersweet pacing and writing elicits a tender melancholy that's right up my alley these days. And I think her comics carry a lasting impact, so snatch them up now. Allison's been self-publishing thread-bound limited editions of 30 or 40 comics. Fingers crossed that she keeps them coming. A sure-to-be hit. Sigh! $5. Email Allison for more information.

Macros2000 #7
Macros are "tiny community/media-inspired phrases, actions, and concepts that get together and have little parties but you're not invited because you're way too big!" This recent 12-page collection -- released into the wild in November 2001 -- gives nod to David Eggers, even though he didn' invent parenthetical indicia, and Nicholas Baker, even though he's not the only person who loves the library, and is uncestually related to Media Diet because I'm hosted by the same nice man. I bask in the glow of my comrades, comrades more talented than I am. The macros pay heed to Shake 'n' Bake, my friends at Audi, the Peace Corps, Hasil Adkins, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Captain Kangaroo, gender identity, Sizzlea, and Mr. Show. That might explain the excellent Molly Kiely artwork on the cover. There's also an insert that explains why there's been no issue of Macros since 1998: printers are weird, software is hard to use, and Evan Dorkin uses a lot of black. Not as awesome as past issues, but still awesome. $1 to Jeff, Box 476, Palo Alto, CA 94302. Macros is also on the Web

Not in Order #4
Max and Danny O.'s hardcore zine is a slim shade akin to HeartAttack or Maximum Rocknroll. Amidst the requisite hardcore and straight-edge record ads, there are interviews with Salem resident and show organizer Matt Pike, Over My Dead Body's Daniel Sant, and Blood for Blood's Ian McFarland, a couple of puerile "new band notices" written by people in the bands, record reviews, and show reviews -- mostly in the immediate Boston area. Even though the zine pushed me over the edge to pick up the Moment CD, "Songs for the Self-Destructive," which I've been enjoying, I can hardly recommend this zine. The writing is short, shallow, and sketchy in terms of values (like tattoos, drinking, and gossip means anything; I have no idea who these people are, what their bands sound like, or what they think -- and after reading this zine, I couldn't care less), and your quarter is probably better spent. Room for improvement. 25 cents to 372 Russett Road, Brookline, MA 02467.

Poush Comics #14
J.R. Poush's 20-page, pocket-sized perzine blends page-long comics art with writing about his (?) time in Thailand. The zine concentrates on his flight overseas, Puk's becoming a monk (ordination?), how he met Puk's family, Jim's Vietnam memories, and J.R.'s time in and around Bangkok. While the writing borders on the dramatic -- Nanthana's disapproval and J.R.'s pending solo adventure in Phuket -- this stuck me as surprisingly bland and restrained. Still, it's better than Joe Chiapetta and Tony Consiglio's experiments with text comics. Kudos for format and presentation even if the art doesn't relate to the writing. The ad "How to Subscribe" alludes to what J.R. can do in full comics form, and the back-page "Adding an Extra Comic Book Isn't Splurging... It's Living!" shows that J.R. has a sense of humor he doesn't show in the main body of the comic -- even if it is appropriated text. So... points for trying. I look forward to a regular issue of Poush. $1 to J.R. Poush, P.O. Box 1236, Cooper Station, New York City, NY 10276-1236.

Sketchbook of Frustration
Self-published in November 2001, this 52-page mini of sketchbook comics lacks the production values -- multiple color printing and thread binding -- of Allison's previous minis, but it still results in a tidy item. Allison's apologetic that this is one of those "I don't have any ideas" self-referential DIY missives, but Sketchbook of Frustration holds up as an interesting and independent read nonetheless. Poking fun at the angst inherent in her creative process, Allison draws on her love for her cat (RIP, Marmalade) as she stresses out over her edition class, fable- and literature-oriented inspirations, opinions on the importance of art, love of coffee and comics, consignment sales success (I was probably one of the five!), and productivity. Well, if Record Love and Landfill Anxiety resulted from this process and her new sewing machine, I gather that everything turned out OK. More John Porcellino- and Ron Rege, Jr.-inspired comics from my pick of the litter this batch. Major comics crush! $3. Email Allison.

Vehicles
Everyone's sewing their comics together these days! Another cryptic mini assumedly from the Paper Radio crew, this limited edition of 60 (what's with the edition counts all of a sudden? Are folks in art school or something?) is a collection of sketches, found text and art, prose poetry, and detourned comics. Themes addressed include freedom, the male gaze, holidays, risk, technology, and pop culture. While not as nonsensical as Does Canada Even Have Months, this continues Paper Radio's recent rash of disposable one-offs. Bring back the likes of the characters that populate the previous, longer comics works, I say! $2. Paper Radio is on the Web.

What are you reading?



Wednesday, January 02, 2002
 
New Year's Daze
So my new year has begun on an upbeat note. Until Sunday, it looked like I'd be spending New Year's Eve at home alone with nothing but a six pack of Red Hook ESB and Dick Clark on the telly. All of my friends -- well, almost all, all who are involved in the Handstand Command music collective -- were in Long Island, I had no ride down to New York, and I didn't know about anything else that I could step into the slipstream of. Until Sunday night.

Then, at the Dilboy Jam, a wonderful party organized by my pal Leslie Case -- a party that featured several bands, including Scrapple Jr., the No-Nads, Asian Babe Alert, Chromium, and the college-rock jam band of the man for which the fete was thrown -- I learned that one of my friends who was planning on heading to Long Island wasn't driving down until Monday. Score! I also learned about two other parties on New Year's Eve. So everything came together, I spent the holiday in Long Island with the crew, and I didn't have to spend a sad spell at home with Dick Clark. Happy new year, everybody!



 
Dirty Linen
No, this has nothing to do with the wonderful folk music magazine. It has everything to do with not doing my laundry. I've been wearing dirty clothes since Sunday. That's four days now. Too little time to do laundry, and when I do have time at home, too little inclination to spend that time doing so. So far it's been OK. Nothing's been too gamy, and nothing's been too wrinkly. But for a guy who's norm is to wash everything after one wearing, I'm curious. How dirty is too dirty?



 
Car Talk
There's a car that's been parked in a lot at the airport in Austin since September 2000. It's totally covered in dust, and people have been marking it up with graffiti. Here are some photos of the car: [1] [2] [3] [4] People are also talking about the car in a Web discussion forum.



 
AOHell
David Farber transmitted a hilarious report yesterday about AOL. According to the Associated Press, about 100 Harvard applicants never received email notification of whether they'd been accepted or rejected by the ivy league school because AOL bounced the emails back to Harvard as spam. Harvard started sending admissions emails this year because of the Anthrax snail-mail scares but will return to sending notification through the USPS because of the AOL spam brouhaha. While about 6,000 emails were sent and almost 100 were rejected (less than 2%), this is pretty silly. Just goes to show that people applying to Harvard should probably be smart enough not to use AOL.



 
Music to My Ears
It's been awhile since I've gotten an unannounced CD in the mail (keep 'em coming!), so here's a review in honor of random promotional mailings. Ted Killian's "Flux Aeterna" solo outing CD is an exercise in emotive and ambient guitar, sample, and loop work recorded in Medford, Oregon. The opening track, "Hubble," is a brief anthem that pays tribute "The Star-Spangled Banner." But make no mistake, Ted's no Yngwie Malmsteen or Joe Satriani. Eschewing finger-fast technique for layered guitar exploration, the subsequent tracks, at their more energetic and interesting moments, remind me of a guitar-driven instrumental cross between Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, and Zirbel -- while they avoid any semblance of beat-driven techno or dance. This is experimental guitar for the Starscape set. Think Mike Hersch. While not overtly technically adept or classically composed, "Flux Aeterna" makes for some interesting background noise, if not repeated, studious listens, and its wide(ish) range of stylings -- from "Cauterant Baptism"'s eventual burst of Locust Abortion Technician-era Butthole Surfers-style noise and "Recurvate Plaint"'s more ballad-oriented approach to "Convocation Solitaire"'s near-Bill Frisell nuances -- make me wonder where Ted comes from musically... as well as where he's going. pfMentum, P.O. Box 1653, Ventura, CA 93002.

P.S. Send me your CD, and I will listen to it.



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