Seen in Istanbul

Note: Meaning unknown. Until a few years ago, the letter x was forbidden in Turkey (also q and w). Thanks to Donny Smith for sending these!

Bear and Snake strip by Wred Fright

Blog Love Omega Glee!:  http://www.wredfright.com

Review from Anne: Meniscus #17

Meniscus #17 (June 2010)
By Matt Fagan
Half-size, 26 pages, $3 (…?)
c/o Brainstorn
1648 W. North Avenue
Chicago IL 60622
hadmatter@hotmail.com,
www.etsy.com/shop/pokiespout
facebook.com/mattfaganart

I found this actually kind of inspiring: I like Matt’s comic style very much (lots of bold lines) and though the story itself is kind of heartwrenching (awesome store in weird financial straits) it’s really evocative of the kind of art that comes out of a difficult situation where your job and your identity and such are kind of bound together. I don’t want to say too much out of fear of giving away the beautiful cadence of the way the story’s told, but I’ll say this: shoot Matt an email and get your hands on this issue, because it’s a standout.

Review from Anne: Math Ed Zine #1 and Math Ed Zine 0.8: Km/Ky REMIX

Math Ed Zine #1 and Math Ed Zine 0.8: Km/Ky REMIX
By Owen Thomas
quarter-size, 8 pages, $2 (?) trades? (go check out the website...really)
POB 9679
Columbus OH 43209
http://vlorbik.wordpress.com

So, these two zines appeared in my mailbox with a little note on the envelope saying “for trade or review.” First thing: I don’t understand them. Second thing: they look really cool. MedZ #1 is “the hip-pocket lingo” issue—basically a glossary of math terms. Apparently the blog’s been up since June 2007, and I got into the idea that maybe these zines were done by a grad student: “i’d just put out #1 (“the hip-pocket vocab”, a crosslinked glossary for elementary logic, sets, and number theory originally prepared as scholarly apparatus for a set of lecture notes i used to supplement “math for poets” classes)…” which, honestly, sounds like a rad idea, “to shove ‘em more or less at random into mailboxes of faculty i’d enjoyed talking to and hope to spark up some conversations about me and the weird stuff i get up to.” Neat, no?

Review from Anne: Absent Cause #4 (Survival)

ABSENT CAUSE #4 (July 2010)-"SURVIVAL"
edited by redguard
half-size, 84 pp with color cover / $3 US $4 Can/Mex $5 world trades preferred!
PO Box 1568
New York, NY 10276
redguard@gmail.com, redguard.etsy.com

ABSENT CAUSE is generally billed as being about "underground cultures, hidden histories, feminist and queer sexualities, body image, chosen families and radical politics; vampirism, the gothic, horror and the macabre; surviving abuse, coping with mental illness/dangerous gifts, self-harm and suicide." Each issue is organized around a different theme; it’s an anthology with a wide range of contributors and perspectives. What I particularly enjoy about this zine is not just its international scope, but the interviews and first person pieces about a range of approaches to the theme (as ever, you might want to approach with caution if you have particular triggers and there’s some potentially NSFW things afoot.) I love also that there’s color art included in the centerfold; this issue includes an image called “Neatly Daily” by Natalie Perkins that’s really beautiful (check out her work at definatalie.com). Includes some music and zine reviews as well. Worth checking out.

Review from Anne: BROOKLYN! #68

BROOKLYN! #68
24 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 $10 for a 4 issue subscription
(PAYMENT IN CASH!)
Fred Argoff
Penthouse L
1170 Ocean Parkway
Brooklyn NY 11230

As was said in an earlier review (and I love mentioning every time I write a review of a new issue: “The name of this zine is BROOKLYN and that's also what the zine is about, Fred's beloved borough of Brooklyn." I always enjoy reading an issue when it appears in my mailbox, even with a completely baffling cover photo (turned out to be of lots and lots of Brooklyn pickles, as Brooklyn is the new home of Guss’ Pickles). Full of photos of Brooklyn (and Park Slope parades), an article about Midwood, a piece about why Brooklyn! will not become an e-zine plus “The Mother of All Brooklyn Bus Rides”, and a really, really funny “Brooklyn Lexicon & Pronounciation Guide #54.” (I gotta track down the other 53….)

New review of Xerography Debt #27

http://blackguard23.livejournal.com/

Xerography Debt #27 Now Available for Pre-Order

http://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/3176/

Watch the Closing Doors #50 and Brooklyn! #67
Fred Argoff, Editor
Brooklyn! is $10 for four quarterly issues…and “read carefully: payment in cash!”
20pp; lots of pictures, trades ?
Penthouse L
1170 Ocean Parkway
Brooklyn, NY 11230-4060

(I’m not sure how much Watch the Closing Doors costs, but I bet you could write & ask).

I’m in a slight state of disbelief at the number of issues of each of these publications. The introduction to Watch the Closing Doors makes mention of that title’s 50th issue (which is hugely impressive, and even more so when you consider that Fred Argoff’s published two titles that have reached that milestone) and mentions that the theme of that issue is crossover. So it seemed to make sense to review the two zines together. (One’s about subways, one’s about Brooklyn---no surprises here!--so it seems straightforward enough: an issue about subways in Brooklyn!). Mostly reading these issues make me want to visit New York; I’ve always been into train travel, and the idea of a subway line acting like a veritable “elevated sightseeing tour” is pretty excellent. Similarly composed, with a beautiful combination of written history and photographs, they’re both compelling reads and are kind of a nice pair to read together anyway.

Scenes of America and ed markowski – 15 poems
(Liliput Review #s 171 and 172)
Liliput Review
c/o Don Wentworth
282 Main Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
$1 each (or SASE and 2 stamps), 6 for $5, 15 for $10, trades?

Basically, these are tiny zines (19 pages, quarter-size) packed with poems and illustrations. There’s a whole list from which to pick (I guess you’d have to write and ask for the list?). LR is published quarterly, shipped two issues at a time, and every 4th issue is a broadside that features the work of a single poet. I love the concept.

Reviews from Anne: The Famous Hairdos of Popular Music

The Famous Hairdos of Popular Music, Volume Four - Aretha Franklin, Winter
2010
Ethan Krause, ed.
$3 US only; maybe trade
18 pp; digest, 16 images
PO Box 11872
Milwaukee, WI 53211
februaryness@gmail.com
thefamoushairdosofpopularmusic.blogspot.com

I'm not sure you could find a more descriptive title than this zine's; the
concept's pretty basic but the results are extraordinarily funny (and the
construction/layout is very nice).. I had to go to the blog to check out
the other Famous Hairdos, especially when I found out there was a
Morrissey issue.  Side note: I would still love to see that one-maybe it
was in the stack tragically devoured by the Postal Service Monster last
month; they actually delivered an empty, torn manila envelope encased in
that pre-printed apologetic plastic bag they put around damaged mail. I
hope someone in the post office is reading and loving that pile of
zines.Anyway, self-described: "drawings by friends and strangers,
submitted by mail or in person, affixed to one xerox of a famous
musician's hair." They're very funny.

Keywords: art, parlor games, Rorschach test, culturejacking

Maynard Reviews some zines (March 2010)

Eaves of Ass: Promise & Theft
US: $3 or trade
36 pp.
Craven Rock
10511 Phinney Ave N.
Seattle, WA 98133
eavesofass@yahoo.com

An aspiring writer struggles to maintain a semi-vagrant, alcohol-laden lifestyle, whilst writing and driving a cab. The collection of food stamps is an ironic bonus. I wish I had the guts to live this way, but I insist on a life of quiet desperation. Worth a read, especially if you are a struggling artist, desperate to generate creative output in an environment that has multiple drags on creativity.

The Baltimore Bicycling Manual, Issue #1, December 2009
Free
Stephen B. Thomas
www.let-off.com

User-friendly guide to riding a bike for commuting or recreation. Offers pragmatic, frugal-minded advice on gear, tools, bikes, and attitude, for biking is a mind-over-matter activity.

Also gives a summary of some state law requirements in Maryland, with some tongue-in-cheek commentary.

Has advice on selecting both new and used bikes with insight into appropriate bike style and price ranges. Includes info on bike shops and venues for used bikes in and around Baltimore.

rum-muffel
£1/€1.50/$2 incl postage, free to prisoners
18 pp.
PO Box 74
Brighton
BN1 4ZQ
UK
morningmuffel@yahoo.co.uk
www.morgenmuffel.co.uk
www.stevelarder.co.uk

A collaborative zine comic with pages drawn by alternating members of a 2 person, woman/man team, that chronicles a trip to Cairngorms National Park and other parts of Scotland.

A joyous chronicle of hiking, cafes (including a vegan co-operative cafe), train travel, Edinburgh, and meeting up with friends along the way.

Exuberant, simple, cheap, fun travel with friends: life doesn't get any better than that.

The Famous Hairdos of Popular Music, Volume Three - Morrissey, Fall 2009
Ethan Krause, ed.
$3 US only; maybe trade
34 pp ; 16 images
PO Box 11872
Milwaukee, WI 53211
februaryness@gmail.com
thefamoushairdosofpopularmusic.blogspot.com

Start with “a single, Xeroxed image of Morrissey's famous hair”; add whatever primitive line-art the muse suggests; and Voila! - an amusing, purely visual zine. Includes blank postcards for the reader to add their artistic flourishes to add to the hair image and mail back to the zine editor for future zines devoted to Prince, Barry Gibb, David Bowie, Aretha Franklin.

Keywords: art, parlor games, Rorschach test, culturejacking

The Silk City Series, Issue #1, (May 2009) and Issue #2 (June 2009)
Eric Nelson
$2.50 US; trades ok
9 pp.
160 South 3rd Street, Apt 3
Brooklyn, NY 11211
ericnelson83@gmail.com

Short narratives that give glimpses into some rather painful lives. The dialogue is especially effective in showing, with remarkable clarity how drugs and alcohol infiltrate life, in a moment-by-moment way. The second issue is particularly powerful as it shows mostly through dialogue how people who love each other are forced to lie to each other in a don't-ask-don't-tell way because of their relationship to drugs. It also gives a non-user great insight into what life is like for those who are involved in being a dealer and user. The thing that is so alarming is the casual, business-as-usual tone that Nelson gives to these brief stories.

In My Mailbox 2-22-10

Well, I'm still alive, keep going to my PO Box regularly, and keep posting these reports. I must be on some cool government lists by now, right?

This week, we found the following things in our PO Box:

- Worst Future Ever! #2 ($1/trade, JD, POB 340971, Columbus OH 43234; worstfutureever.blogspot.com) The theme of issue #2 is the go-go 1990s, with a review of films, TV shows, books, and cultural movements, all packed into 15 digest-sized pages. A dollar for 15pp of thoughts. You simply cannot go wrong.

- Smile, Hon, You're In Flagrante ($5, adults only, WP Tandy, c/o Eight Stone Press, PO Box 11064, Baltimore, MD 21212; www.eightstonepress.com) This a fine, thick zine that's been going strong for a long, long time. I give this an award for best title in a while, frankly. And I think more long-running zines should do sex-themed issues.

- Blog Love Omega Glee (no price listed, Fred Wright, 4414 Baintree Road, University Heights, OH 44118; http://wredfright.blogspot.com) Props to a "blog book", although this feels more like a promotional mailing than a zine proper. Hell, if I'd posted an entire novel to a blog I'd be seeking ways to get folks to pay attention too! And B.L.O.G definitely deserves some attention.

- Zine World #28 ($4 US, $5 CAN, PO Box 330156, Murfressboro, TN 37133; www.undergroundpress.org) Yahoo, Zine World lives! Me love long time zine review zines, baby, and TIS is reviewed in here too, which just makes me love it more!

That's the highlights. I got some stamps, some letters from prisoners, and a few disturbing things I've buried in the backyard, but those are only discussed in person over beers.

L
J

--
Blog - http://www.jeffreysomers.com/blather/
The Inner Swine - http://www.innerswine.com

More Reviews from Anne - Poiesis and The Ken Chronicles

POIESIS NUMBER THREE
quarter size, $4 (plus $2 shipping for US, $3 shipping for non-US), 64pp
and
SOME MISPLACED JOAN OF ARC
by leah angstman
quarter-size, $5 (plus $2 shipping for US, $3 shipping for non-US), 64pp
both available from
Alternating Current
PO Box 398058
Cambridge, MA 02139
alt.current@gmail.com, http://www.alt-current.com/

I have a love-hate relationship with poetry zines; if they're done well, I
love them. For me this means not only reading well-written poetry, but
also that the chapbook or zine in question has crisp composition, where
the layout doesn't overshadow the writing. Both of these chapbooks are
published by Propaganda Press, which is "the not-for-profit small press
portion of the Alternating Current Arts Co-op that works hard to make sure
writers have an outlet for inexpensive publishing and distributing."
(Awesome, no?) They're pretty objects; full-color covers, clean layouts,
and I've never seen something come through Alternating Current that didn't
have these same high production values. POESIS is an anthology with more
than 50 different authors included, whereas SOME MISPLACED JOAN OF ARC is
all leah angstman's work. I found both compelling, for different reasons,
though I tend to go for single-author chapbooks a little more. Angstman's
work never disappoints me; her language is vivid-always-and crisp, whether
she's outlining extended airport delays with "standby passes / turning to
dust / in our pockets" or pride literally going before a fall in "bangs
are than on which the world hangs." The anthology feels like an anthology;
it's hard to have a feeling of cohesion in such a large assortment of
authors, but at the same time, there's going to be something in there for
everyone. Both are worth checking out if you like poetry chapbooks.

THE KEN CHRONICLES #14
Digest size, $2 ("postpaid, a fair trade, or a letter of comment.")
Ken Bausert,
2140 Erma Drive,
East Meadow, NY 11554-1120;
passscribe@aol.com; http://thekenbausertchronicles.blogspot.com/
Okay, if you haven't been hipped to this zine by now, here's how Ken
himself describes the new issue: "the usual mix of home-related madness,
some local travel photos, a trip to my nostalgic museum, and a dose of
philosophy for a change." I missed the bee story from issue #13, but
apparently crickets have taken their place and invaded.it's a perzine,
obviously, all about Ken, but it's well-written and kind of hip. There's
something captivating about it (in some ways it reminds me of Fred
Argoff's BROOKLYN!, actually, the new issue of which I just received and
have not yet finished reading.). You'll like TKC, I think, especially if
you're into perzines with a little bit of nostalgia (who else goes looking
for a VCR these days.?).

Review from Anne: Absent Cause

ABSENT CAUSE #3 (Oct 2009)-"death, dying, undeath"
By redguard
half-size, 72 pp with color cover  and 60 pg supplement/ $4 US $4 Can/Mex
$5 world trades OK
PO Box 1658
New York, NY 10276
redguard@gmail.com, redguard.etsy.com

I really enjoyed reading ABSENT CAUSE #3; the zine's billed as being about
"underground cultures, hidden histories, feminist and queer sexualities,
body image, chosen families and radical politics; vampirism, the gothic,
horror and the macabre; surviving abuse, coping with mental
illness/dangerous gifts, self-harm and suicide." (And sometimes all in one
issue!). I think I saw an early issue of this zine back in 2008 that felt
kind of like first issues do: interesting, a little messy, still finding
its way.  #3's an impressive way from that; in three issues, it seems like
its really found some footing.

Absent Cause remains an anthology with a wide range of contributors. #3 is
organized around the theme "death, dying, undeath" and  explains pretty
nicely why there's a literary supplement: When the call for submissions
went out, a great deal of poetry and fiction pieces were submitted.
"Absent Cause isn't a lit zine, and I have no desire to make it one"
writes redguard in the introduction. So instead of simply abandoning the
work, the literary supplement was published.

It leads to an interesting division. As you might expect with poetry and
fiction about death, plus a few full-color pictures (one of which is super
-NSFW), the literary supplement is kind of dark and some of it is sort of
disturbing, and you might want to approach with caution if you have
particular triggers. AC #3, however, didn't seem to have that same
sensibility or feel to it, even though a fair piece of it has to do with
corporeality and illness, featuring striking interviews with Leslie
Feinberg (who I knew) and Pussy Power (who I didn't and was really excited
to read about!), along with very good, compelling poetry and prose by a
variety of authors.

In My Mailbox 2-2-10

So, my PO Box continues to be a source of wonder and hilarity, not to mention the occasional crumpled dollar bills. Yahoo for crumpled dollar bills. It amazes me that I got a PO Box in 2001 (about six years after starting my zine; for the first six years I actually did everything from my own mailing address, until the dead rats and death threats started filtering in) and I still have it, and I'm still getting cool shit in the mail there every week. not as much as I used to, but then I'm so lazy about making connections and staying in touch with people, that's not surprising.

(Side Note: Am I the only one in the universe who routinely discards envelopes? I can't tell you how many times I bring home a bunch of POB mail, throw away envelopes after opening and organizing, and then days later when I go to write these little posts there is absolutely no contact info in the zine itself. It drives me nuts. But maybe I'm a monster who does everything wrong.)

Anyways, this week:

GET WELL ($3 / trades preferred, Chris Estey, 5247 15th Avenue NE #301, Seattle WA 98105; chrisestey172@gmail.com). A nifty-looking zine with stories, reviews, some artwork, and a nice overall look and feel.

THE KEN CHRONICLES #14 ($2, Ken Bausert, 2140 Erma Drive, East Meadow, NY 11554-1120; passscribe@aol.com) Another issue of Ken's extremely per perzine, always done in a simple, crisp layout with a lot of words and pictures. HUrrah for Ken!

XEROGRAPHY DEBT #26 (Microcosm Publishing, 833 SE Main St. #108, Portland, OR 97214; www.leekinginc.com). I am, of course, both a columnist in this zine and the subject of frequent reviews within its pages, so I therefore declare this to be the greatest zine not published by Jeff Somers, ever. AVAST!

That's it. The rest of my loot was in the form of checks from distros, letters from prisoners, and junk mail from various people who think I am a real legitimate business (I once got a small biz credit card app for Oinking Sow, Inc, and I was tempted).

Stagger on,

J

--
Blog - http://www.jeffreysomers.com/blather/
The Inner Swine - http://www.innerswine.com

I Screwed Up

See this super spectacular cover over there to your left? Well that was done by Matt Fagan (Meniscus). I screwed up the credit in the new issue and want everyone to know Matt did that snazzy cover...and that I am an idiot.

Sorry, Matt!

In My Mailbox 1-8-10

Hey all,

Happy new Year, Zinesters. Or Ziners. Or Zine Publishers. Or DIYers. Or whatever. To start off the new year I went to my PO Box to see what goodies had been sent. Without further ado:

- Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore #12 ($3, WP Tandy, c/o Eight Stone Press, PO Box 11064, Baltimore, Maryland 21212; www.eightstonepress.com) This has become one of those comfort titles in zines, wherein I am very glad to see that it continues. In a culture that is often so transient, there's something great about a title that just goes on and on and on.

- Fed Up Mag #12 (free, ie.myspace.com/fedupmag) This is as minimalist as they come, which is not a bad thing: 7 digest-sized pages of 2-column text. Discusses print zines and layouts, photography, and cycling in its usual acerbic way.

- Tenebrous Thaumaturgy #3 (Andrew Conde, GCDC, 2120 East B. Street, TOrrington WY 82240). Fiction, art, poetry from Andrew - as well as a shout out to me own bad self.

That's it, aside from a truly, disastrously unintelligible letter from a prisoner I puzzled over for a few minutes, trying to glean even a mote of sense. Sigh.

L
J

Call for Zines - ART of ZINES at Anno Domini

From Anno Domini:

We at Anno Domini are resurrecting our Art of Zines exhibition (a former annual event) and we are contacting you because we are still in need of great zines. We believe zines are one of the last frontiers for freedom of speech and self expression and we need it now more than ever.

We are especially interested in art, music, poetry, photography and other creative disciplines but are open to all zines in any format and content. Current and past issues are accepted, one copy of each is adequate. (If you choose, you may send zine multiples and/or promo cards and we'll put it out on the counter for the taking.)

Our audience is very diverse at our openings, we typically expect 800+ people to come through and the exhibit will run for approximately 6 weeks.

Please note we do not return zines, nor will we sell them (they are just for exhibit and enjoyment purposes), but we do induct them into our zine library so they may live on.

The opening is on First Friday February 5th, 8pm 'til late. We'll have live bands and zine makers in the area are invited to be present to sell their zines (please let us know if you'd like to sell at the opening, there are no vendor fees nor commission on sales, but all spaces must be reserved.)

We'd like to have all the zines in hand by January 16th, 2010. Feel free to contact us should you have additional questions or would like to reserve vendor space.

If you are a Zine DISTRO (or have a collection you'd like to contribute) and can send larger quantities (100+) of various zines, we would be willing to pay for ground shipping and make sure your business cards are made available to our patrons.

Lastly, we would appreciate it if you could extend this invitation to other zine makers, forums and / or blogs so they may have an opportunity to exhibit as well.

We'd love it if you can contribute - please let us know!

peace, and thank you!
Cherri & Brian

SEND ZINES TO:
Anno Domini // the second coming of Art & Design
Attn: Art of Zines
366 South First Street
San Jose, CA 95113

email: Cherri@galleryAD.com
website: www.galleryAD.com 
phone: 408.271.5155

Call for Submissions: Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore!

BALTIMORE - Literary zine Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore! is accepting submissions of sex-related stories, essays, poetry, photography and other artwork for a forthcoming special issue through Tuesday, January 5, 2010. Creative non-fiction is preferred (we're not looking for Penthouse's sloppy seconds here), though all submissions will be considered. Articles (100 – 2,000 words) are preferably received via e-mail (wpt@eightstonepress.com) as attached Word documents. Image files should be approximately 5" x 7", 300+ dpi (.JPG or .TIF format). All contributors will receive a byline/artist credit for their work as well as two (2) complimentary copies of the issue in which their work appears. (Note: Contributors may use their own names, or, for anonymity, adopt a nom de plume, preferably of a raunchy or comical nature, for the purposes of the issue.)

From the harbor to the hills, the award-winning Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore! collects the tales of those on whom Mobtown has left her indelible mark. Polished, professional essays; barroom sermons delivered from the sanctity of a favorite stool; the poet’s fleeting sentiment, captured in both word and snapshot – Smile, Hon offers a slice of Baltimore as told by Baltimore, presented with the time-honored DIY accessibility of a limited-run, handcrafted zine. A two-time Utne Independent Press Award nominee, Smile, Hon has also been dubbed "Best Zine" by Baltimore Magazine (2008) and Baltimore City Paper (2004). Previous "theme" issues have tackled such topics as rats, scars, crime, tattoos, transit and the supernatural.

An Eight-Stone Press production, Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore! is distributed by Atomic Books (Baltimore); Cyclops Books & Music (Baltimore); Microcosm Publishing (Bloomington, IN, and Portland, OR); Quimby's (Chicago) and Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse (Baltimore). For more information, contact:

William P. Tandy, Editor
Eight-Stone Press
P.O. Box 11064
Baltimore, Maryland 21212
E-mail: Wpt@eightstonepress.com
Website: http://www.eightstonepress.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/eightstonepress
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wptandy
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/eightstonepress

Shop Locally This Holiday Season!

The Eight-Stone Press Shopping Guide offers a guide to many things indy, especially in Baltimore for this holiday season. You'll find zombies (movies and zines), ghost stories, music, t-shirts, books, food, photography and more.

SMILE, HON Editor on INDIEBOOKMAN Radio Show

If you missed SMILE, HON editor/publisher William P. Tandy on the October 28 edition of THE INDIEBOOKMAN RADIO SHOW, you can now listen to the podcast online at http://indiebookman.podbean.com/2009/11/13/radio-show-4-william-p-tandy/. Hosted by Brad Grochowski, THE INDIEBOOKMAN is a biweekly radio show which airs on Umbrella Radio Wednesday evenings at 8:00 p.m. (EST) and explores issues related to independent publishing. Check out other episodes of THE INDIEBOOKMAN RADIO SHOW at http://indiebookman.podbean.com/.

Xerpgraphy Debt #26 Available Dec 1st!

Available from Microcosm Dec. 1st!

To order a copy of this issue, please send $3 (order online, or send cash, stamps, money order, or check) to Microcosm Publishing

Maynard Reviews some Zines (November 2009)

Dwelling Portably, 2000-2008
$7.00; 165 pages paperback bound
www.microcosm_Publishing.com
503.232.3666
ISBN 978-1-934620-61-8

Eight years of brief, How-To essays from zine readers and from Bert and Holly – the experts in the art and science of living an off-the-grid lifestyle.

To a person trapped in a midlife crisis, with no survival skills, slowly dying of ennui and purposelessness, and hopelessly burned out by the workplace, this is the best armchair reading Fate can deliver.

To an aspiring survivalist, it's truly great stuff.

Multitude of topics are covered in the excellent index. Learn about what happens when social services finds a family living in the “wild”; how to live on an improvised boat; jug vs spray showers; solar cooking; squatting in an empty house; candles vs flashlight longterm costs.

It's all thought provoking, and makes one wonder about all the hours wasted in an office just so one can have the creature comforts, and if they are worth the effort.....

Urinal Gum, vol. 8
$2.00; ¼ sheet; 41 pages.
P.O. Box 1243
Eugene, OR 97440
urinalgum@gmail.com
www.urinalgum.com

Amusing potty-humor zine with news-like essays on random topics. Highlight is a “Field Trip to the Roller Derby Bout.” By Bjorn Stevens. Gives an excellent history and synopsis of the game, its rules and culture.

Zine contains lots of foul language and adult topics. Includes book reviews and a film review of the ancient Bond flick, Thunderball. Why? I don't know, but the review is great.

Late Night Cuddle Date, vol. 3 [2008]
No price listed.
Holden Wakefield Attradies
latenightcuddledate@hotmail.com

Not quite a poem, not quite a story, but infinitely readable, personal and vital. Somehow the author (Attradies) is able to draw people and scenes with minimal ink, with mind-blowing simplicity; a slightly heroin-tinged, muddle that takes the edge off, but gives incredible clarity.

Duplex Planet, #169
$12 / 6 issues; $25 / 15 issues (US)
$12 / 5 issues; $25 / 12 issues (Canada)
$12 / 4 issues; $25 / 10 issues (Overseas)
Back issues $2.50 ea. 10 or more $2 ea
ISSN 0882-2549
P.O. Box 1230
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
www.duplexplanet.com

Biographical interviews conducted by David Greenberger at nursing homes, adult centers and meal sites.

Gives fascinating, brief glimpses into the history, and personalities of a diverse group of older Americans. Gives one pause to think who will listen to our stories of life before the Internet, and how we weathered the crash of 1999, 2001, 2008.....

The Inner Swine, vol. 15, issue 1
$2.00; 60 pages
subscribe 1 year: $5.00; 2 years $9.00; Lifetime for $50.00 (US dollars)
P.O. Box 3024
Hoboken, NJ
07030

So you want to be a middle-aged, midlist writer? This issue covers how to achieve this remarkable goal in 3 easy steps. Amusing highlights: how to not handle criticism of your work, bad writing in movies, the uselessness of Twitter and Facebook, and a complaint about blogging. Me thinks he even took a swipe at my own self-important, economics blog. Oh well, I suppose as long as they're talking about you, that is not such a bad thing.

Or to quote a poorly remembered Chinese proverb: if the poet doesn't anger the Emperor, he isn't doing his job.

In My Mailbox

Here we go again: Jeff struggled out of bed and huffed on over to the PO BOx for treats:

- The Ken Chronicles ($2, Ken Bausert, 2140 Erma Drive, East Meadow, NY 11554-1120; passscribe@aol.com)

The latest issue of Ken's ongoing perzine, always a fun read.

- Blackguard #2 ($5, Box 93, Paddington NSW 2021, Australia; blackguard23.livejournal.com; sstratu@gmail.com).

Let me just say, Blackguard #2 is gorgeous. Digest-sized, full color cover, HQ paper stock—it's a delight to hold and read. I'd say it's well worth $5 (postpaid!) to get this lump of great words from Australia. Plus, they love The Swine, what more do you need?

- Rigor Mortis #2 ($3 [or 1 MRE], Davida Gypsy Breier, POB 11064, Baltimore, MD 21212; davida@leekinginc.com; www.leekinginc.com)

Joy in catville here. Another sixty pages of everything undead? Yes please.

- Smog City #1 ($4, POB 29753, Los Angeles, CA 90027; wospress@gmail.com)

An interestingly laid-out litzine with some aerchitectural surprises and plenty of fiction.

- Birdsongs by Jason Deas (3 Day Ranch Press, jasonwdeas@gmail.com). A novel, actually, available on Amazon.

- Wasted Quarter (many issues, no price or mail info listed). Certainly the address to send money to for this zine was probably included when I received them, but I can't find it printed anywhere in the actual zines. Perhaps I am an idiot. This is an interesting zine filled with a *lot* of stories, but all I can offer if you're intrigued is the email address h0nkass@aol.com. Good luck.

That's it! Hope everyone is flu-free and moderately tipsy.

L
J


--
Blog - http://www.jeffreysomers.com/blather/
The Inner Swine - http://www.innerswine.com

COMING CLEAN - Deadline now 11/1/2009!‏

The deadline has been extended until NOVEMBER 1, 2009!

Call for Entries: COMING CLEAN

After zines about the laundry (Laundry Basket), grocery shopping (12 Items or Less), and cooking (Potluck), this was inevitable. The next issue of SYNDICATE PRODUCT is all about cleaning... house cleaning, washing the car, even picking up the yard debris. (However, it's NOT about laundry, as that's already been done. It's also not about packratting, as that's also been done.)

A few possible ideas:
+ apartment or house move in/out cleaning stories
+ making your own eco-friendly cleaning products
+ I hate to BLANK (dust, vacuum, clean the gutters)
+ biggest cleaning disaster
+ living with a hoarder or a neatnik
+ the most disgusting abandoned item found in the back of the fridge or shoved in a cabinet
+ what I learned about cleaning from my family/friends/ex
+ my biggest cleaning challenge is BLANK

Specifications:

Writers: I'm not going to get too hung up on length for this issue, but I would say between 400-800 words is a good size. If you need to go longer, please do. If the writing is good enough, people will want to read it to the end. I'll let you know if a piece is simply too huge.

Comic artists: The zine will be Digest Sized. Final art size should reduce to 4.5 x 7.5 inches. You can have two pages, but this can be negotiated if needed. B&W only, the zine will be photocopied. Send art as 300dpi TIF files. Also, once entries are in, I may be looking for small illustrations to accompany some of the stories.
Contributors will receive a copy of the final project.

Due date and where to submit: OCTOBER 11, 2009*. Submit your entries to syndprod@gmail.com, either by simply pasting the text into an e-mail, or as an OpenOffice, MS Word, or plain text document. If you want to mail them, send them to: A.j. Michel, PO Box 877, Lansdowne, PA 19050.
* Due date subject to extension if needed, as it usually is.

RIGOR MORTIS Outbreak

Announcing the outbreak of RIGOR MORTIS #2 from its Baltimore-based containment facilities. Horror fans are advised to recognize and beware of the symptoms associated with the zine’s sophomore issue, including, but not limited to:

- Dread Sockett aims for the heart of Klaus Kinski’s Nosferatu;
- Colin Cthulhu rises from the grave in defense of the “ZomCom”;
- DeadVida survives a night in Colorado’s legendary Stanley Hotel;
- John Carpenter’s THE FOG weathers Grim Pickens’s sea trials;
- “Christian horror”, paranormal reality shows, plus a whole lot more.

Written and illustrated by long-time fixtures in the underground press, RIGOR MORTIS digs into the world of horror with a decided focus on the undead and their perennial roles in pop culture, offering essays, reviews and in-depth analysis of films, books, comics, graphic novels, websites and more. From the Resurrection to REANIMATOR, the timeless influences of RIGOR MORTIS #2 will surely appeal to shamblers and sprinters alike.

Supplementing the print edition, the RIGOR MORTIS blog (http://livingdeadzine.blogspot.com/) offers timely updates of all things undead.

RIGOR MORTIS is a Leeking Inc. production and is available for purchase from Atomic Books (http://atomicbooks.com/products/-/13536.html), Microcosm Publishing (http://www.microcosmpublishing.com) and Quimby’s (http://www.quimbys.com), or directly from the publisher (PayPal accepted). For more information, contact:

Davida Gypsy Breier
C/o Leeking Inc.
P.O. Box 11064
Baltimore, Maryland 21212
Paypal to: Davida@leekinginc.com
http://www.leekinginc.com

Step Back in Time: The Genius of TR Miller

http://reglarwiglar.blogspot.com/2009/09/for-tr-miller-scholars-only.html

http://www.wormblower.com/interview1trm.htm

Nice Review from Regular Wiglar

http://reglarwiglar.blogspot.com/2009/09/zine-review-xerography-debt-25.html

Birthing Zine Call for Stories

"I'm interested in compiling a zine of birthing stories, but not only birthing in the conventional way. Did you have a baby? Did your partner have a baby? Did you adopt a baby? Do you know the story of your own birth and would like to share it? Did you choose not to have a birthing story (i.e. abortion)? Did your birthing story end due to miscarriage, still birth, or another ending? What is your story and do you want to share it? We all have different stories, and some are more accepted than others. I'd like to put them all together."

"If you have a story you'd like to tell, please send entries to rebekahb@temple.edu or hard copies to Rebekah B/PO Box 3786/Philadelphia, PA 19125. I'd love to have submissions by December 1st."