Below Noon #3 (review by Anne)

Below Noon #3
c/o Angie P
P.O. Box 42123
Portland, OR 97242
angie97202 [at] gmail.com
$2 USD, trades OK, 1/4 page size, 49 (?) pages

How exciting! I reviewed Below Noon #2 by Angie P. a while back and now I've got #3, published in May, in front of me. It's still a small zine with a mighty lot of wallop: I'm eager to see #4 when it's finished. The form is the same, listed out on a lovely contents page (the design elements in this issue seem much stronger than in #2). Remember, we're reading what Angie called in issue #2 "experimental story-telling" with "2 main sections: one with somewhat structured stories...and another section that's more improv." The structure holds, here; it's still an engaging read, the design/aesthetics are very strong, and the cover's particularly cool.

The section "postcards to some kids i knew in elementary school" is evocative and fascinating: it's something I liked in #2, that sense of brevity (well, you're forced into it because of the space on a postcard) but with the feeling that there's a much larger story behind the one you're getting. It's captivating. There's a lot happening here, and in such a small space, that the tight organization really helps move it forward. I'm waiting for the next one...