review from Anne: BROOKLYN: Special Issue: Abandonment IV (#89)

BROOKLYN --Special Issue: Abandonment IV (#89)

24 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 $10 for a 4 issue subscription
(PAYMENT IN CASH! Fred adds: US currency please!)
Fred Argoff
Penthouse L
1170 Ocean Parkway
Brooklyn NY 11230

You know it, you love it: “The name of this zine is BROOKLYN and that's also what the zine is about, Fred's beloved borough of Brooklyn."

If you're new to all this, you should know that BROOKLYN is a long-standing awesome series that's a fun read even if you're never been to Brooklyn and maybe never will. It's all about Brooklyn (no surprise there), but it's always a combination of history, photography, and other Brooklyn related things, including Brooklyn-related zazzle.com stamps. This time, it's Zippy the Pinhead who apparently announced in an issue that he was born in ... you guessed it ... Brooklyn! (I wouldn't have gotten the reference without Fred's note cluing me into the fact!). I've been reading for a while now and I really enjoy it; I'd recommend a subscription to get the full effect & a full dose of BROOKLYN.

This issue is mostly photography based, as are many of the special issues. There's a lot of Brooklyn history here, along with some pictures of artist Miru Kim -- I'll let you get the issue to get the reference, though! If you like history, architecture, Brooklyn, urban spaces, etc. you'll want to check out this issue, even though the lexicon, one of my favorite things about this series (i.e. You haven't subscribed yet? Wat the hell? You crazy, or wat?), isn't included in this special issue. 

Always, always a fun read worth your time. So, whaddya waitin' for? Read some Brooklyn already!

BROOKLYN #86 and #87

review from Anne: BROOKLYN #86 and #87

24 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 $10 for a 4 issue subscription
(PAYMENT IN CASH! Fred adds: US currency please!)
Fred Argoff
Penthouse L
1170 Ocean Parkway
Brooklyn NY 11230

OMG, SO MUCH BROOKLYN! More Brooklyn reviews! Say it with me, people: “The name of this zine is BROOKLYN and that's also what the zine is about, Fred's beloved borough of Brooklyn."

If you've been reading my reviews for a while, you should be pretty familiar with BROOKLYN by now. I love that these always appear in my mailbox and I'm always curious as to what Fred will use for stamps -- usually Brooklyn-related zazzle.com stamps. If you're new to all this, you should know that  Brooklyn is always a combination of history, photography, and other Brooklyn related things, and it's a long-standing awesome series that's a fun read even if you're not a NY resident.

#86 is a special issue. The Brooklyn Industrial Special Issue, thank you very much! There's some history, a lot of photography, and interesting facts. #87...is also a special issue! "When I was busy gathering material for the special theme issue about Bushwick, the possibility of a sequel was the furthest thing from my mind," writes Fred. "But, as often happens in the course of zine research, you never know exactly where it's going to lead. I wound up with more material than was necessary at the time. And then I thought, 'Well, since it's all here in one place at the same time...'" So in reading both back to back, you get a lot of information about Fred's favorite borough, but the neat thing is that BROOKLYN's at number 87! I can't imagine what Fred's got up his sleeve for #100!  #87 also includes the ever-hilarious Brooklyn Lexicon & Pronounciation Guide, which is totally one of my favorite things about this series. (i.e. You haven't subscribed yet? Wat the hell? You crazy, or wat?)

Always, always a fun read worth your time. So, whaddya waitin' for? Read some Brooklyn already!

BROOKLYN #84 and #83

review from Anne: BROOKLYN #84 and #83

24 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 $10 for a 4 issue subscription
(PAYMENT IN CASH! Fred adds: US currency please!)
Fred Argoff
Penthouse L
1170 Ocean Parkway
Brooklyn NY 11230

More Brooklyn reviews! Say it with me, people: “The name of this zine is BROOKLYN and that's also what the zine is about, Fred's beloved borough of Brooklyn."

You should all know by now that I'm a long-term BROOKLYN fan at this point. I love that these always appear in my mailbox and I'm always curious as to what Fred will use for stamps -- usually Brooklyn-related zazzle.com stamps. Here's the thing: Brooklyn is always a combination of history, photography, and other Brooklyn related things, and it's a long-standing awesome series that's a fun read even if you're not a NY resident.

#84 contains pictures of a block party (okay, more than a few), the ever-popular Brooklyn Lexicon & Pronunciation Guide (#68, in fact), gargoyles in Brooklyn (yes, really!), a book review (about a book about Brooklyn!) and a Brooklyn version of  classic fable. (Plus some other surprises!)

#85 has a neat caveat: it's a whole issue of two-page spreads, which leads to fun, quick reading. Photos of subways, of architecture, Brooklyn nursery rhymes, another Brooklyn Lexicon & Pronunciation Guide, street art, random boulders (yup, you read that right), and some pictures of the Brooklyn Superhero Supply (well, it's the front for the amazing 826NYC, which is worth your time to Google and support.)

Always, always a fun read worth your time. So, whaddya waitin' for? Read some Brooklyn already!

BROOKLYN #81

review from Anne: BROOKLYN #81

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

More Brooklyn reviews! Say it with me, people: “The name of this zine is BROOKLYN and that's also what the zine is about, Fred's beloved borough of Brooklyn." History, photography, you name it and it’s in here…provided it’s got something to do with Fred’s favorite borough.  One of the things I particularly like about BROOKLYN is that the issues are always packed with photos, history (things that long-term residents know; every issue has kind of a small-neighborhood feel to it, which is a great advantage), and fabulous little Brooklyn tidbits. It's one of those reads that if you don't live there, it's kind of amazing -- like a little bit of armchair travel. If you do live there, I imagine it's like this whole other world discovering these bits of history and photos of houses and neighborhoods and such.

This issue is no exception. Fred's put together a special theme issue (and that theme is doors). The ever-hilarious "Brooklyn Lexicon and Pronounciation Guide" in each issue is a treat to read, and #81 includes such gems as "ommina" and "ongana." There's also a quick tour of Vinegar Hill in this issue, to incorporate a little history as well.

Always a fun read worth your time. So, whaddya waitin' for? Read some Brooklyn already!

BROOKLYN #75

More Brooklyn reviews! Say it with me, people: “The name of this zine is BROOKLYN and that's also what the zine is about, Fred's beloved borough of Brooklyn." History, photography, you name it and it’s in here…provided it’s got something to do with Fred’s favorite borough.

#75 is a "special issue" -- to mark the 75th issue, Fred sorted through his "collection of zine stuff" that was planned for (but didn't make it into) earlier issues and put together kind of a "hodgepodge" with all the usual suspects (and of course all about Brooklyn): photographs, the Lexicon & Pronounciation Guide (including "ida know" and "yizzl" -- don't know these? Get yourself some BROOKLYN already!), the Brooklyn version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, a neighborhood tour -- all in all, always an interesting read!

PS: The cover is very funny and probably not something you want to read at your desk at work: it's six middle fingers held high and proud by four people...and one primate.

BROOKLYN #75
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

review from Anne: BROOKLYN #72 and BROOKLYN! #73 Special Issue: Abandonment 3

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

More Brooklyn reviews! Say it with me, people: “The name of this zine is BROOKLYN and that's also what the zine is about, Fred's beloved borough of Brooklyn." History, photography, you name it and it’s in here…provided it’s got something to do with Fred’s favorite borough. #72 is mostly to do with baseball and baseball history in Brooklyn, though there are some non-baseball components, including Highland View Avenue and Bath Beach, as well as the always-appreciated Brooklyn Lexicon & Pronounciation Guide #57. #58 is in BROOKLYN #73, which is all about abandonment – buildings, bridges, subway stations, and even ideas and streets. It’s a really interesting issue and very evocative; it’s sort of the hidden Brooklyn, off the beaten path. Lots of photographs; even those of you who are not familiar with Brooklyn are most likely going to enjoy what you read! Get yourself some BROOKLYN already!

review from Anne: BROOKLYN #71

BROOKLYN! #71
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

Another Brooklyn review! Say it with me, people: “The name of this zine is BROOKLYN and that's also what the zine is about, Fred's beloved borough of Brooklyn." History, photography, you name it and it’s in here provided it’s got something to do with Brooklyn (even if that Brooklyn is a section of Wellington in New Zealand). My favorite thing in this issue was the (ahem) Idiotarod, an annual race through the streets of Brooklyn in crazy costumes with shopping carts. Who doesn’t love that? Here’s what I learned this issue: what “cancellation shoes” are and that the first bike bath in the United States is in Brooklyn and runs along Ocean Parkway! (And now I wanna bike it!). Get yourself some BROOKLYN already!

two reviews from Anne

Bipedal, By Pedal! #2: Confidential Mad Libs 5.5x7", 64 pages, in color, offset, $4 US $?Can/Mex, $?world
PO Box 14332
Portland, OR 97293
cantankeroustitles.com
http://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/3306/

While working on a documentary called “Aftermass” about bike activism and its future in Portland, OR and beyond, Joe Biel received copies of documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act in which he discovered that the police in Portland had for many years engaged in illegal spying on Critical Mass in an effort to disassemble and discredit the organization. “What each person sees in these documents is really in the eye of the beholder. But I think it’s only in the police’s wet dreams that Critical Mass would ever start a riot that would endanger the lives of families and children” states Biel, and this book would be an interesting enough read without the twist in which the documents are transformed into Mad Libs, omitting certain words (they’re all printed on the inside back cover if you’re curious, and you will be) at key points in the various documents and citations. Highly recommended.

BROOKLYN! #70
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

Another Brooklyn review! “The name of this zine is BROOKLYN and that's also what the zine is about, Fred's beloved borough of Brooklyn." I actually was recently driving in Brooklyn for the first time in a long while and caught myself thinking about this zine while waiting at a red light. Anyway, #70 includes a quick piece on the English Kills Art Gallery (plus a photo of a ‘guerilla performer’), “Brooklyn Lexicon & Pronounciation Guide #55” (including an interesting entry on “rollercoaster”), a piece about New Lots and some photos of notable locales within the borough, and because it’s just that time of year there’s also a Brooklyn Wintertime Fable on one Joey the Snowman.

(my first piece of mystery mail!)

?????
by James
$ ??? trades ???
M.P.I
255 S 3rd St. Apt 4
Brooklyn NY 11211
ghstsnguitars@hotmail.com

My most recent review packet included a cardboard envelope containing a DVD and a little quarter-size zine with a story and some comics about some MTA subway hustling. James, the author, writes about meeting up with another musician, hopping subways, and playing music while riding the trains (a ticketable offense, apparently, as the covers of the zine are reproductions of tickets the author’s gotten). It didn’t include any information, though, about the basics: title, cost, etc. Mystery mail!

Review from Anne: BROOKLYN! #69

BROOKLYN! #69
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

Another Brooklyn review means I again mention one of my favorite catchphrases:: “The name of this zine is BROOKLYN and that's also what the zine is about, Fred's beloved borough of Brooklyn." #69 is a little different, though: “we won’t be stepping outside the borders of Brooklyn, but we will be focusing on the subterranean, which happens four times a year in my other zine project, Watch the Closing Doors.” You heard right: it’s a crossover issue! It’s armchair straphanging and just as fun as other issues of Brooklyn, with photos of amazing stained glass panels, a quiet Fulton Street station, and some interesting history as well as tips for riding (front window of the lead car on an express elevated train).

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….)

OK, Eric's Month of Reviews Then...

My week of reviews was even more of a miserable failure than I anticipated. In my defense I did end up sleeping a lot last week. I'd intend to do some reviews, then I'd take a little nap not wake up until the next morning. But I still have zines right here and I'm gonna review 'em, by gum.

SUNDOGS #6, Nov./Dec. 2008 This is a good one. It's a zine with 3 panel diary comics about Adam's life as an American living in Japan with his wife and baby son. This issue more or less covering Halloween through Xmas. It's a very enjoyable read with brief snippets about pretty much all aspects of Adam's life including fatherhood, growing a mustache. teaching, odd Japanese customs (A Christmas cake? Seriously? This strikes me as wrong for some vaguely odd reason.) and watching THE WIRE (seriously, THE WIRE is fucking awesome. I could go on and on about THE WIRE. ) It's not quite laugh out loud funny, but most of it is pretty light hearted and will bring a smile to your face. 24 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 Send $2, trade, or 200 yen to
Adam Pasion
1-42 Namiuchi-Cho, Kita-ku
Nagoya, Aichi, 462-0041
Japan
www.biguglyrobot.net

OH HO- This is a mini zine by Susan Boren who did (does?) the zine CLIP TART and it's basically a mini version of CLIP TART. Some really nice looking collages, some black & white, some full color and the full color ones are really beautiful. Like I've said before about Susan's work, I'm not sure what to make of it exactly, but I like it. 24 pages, 2.75 x 4.25 Send either a few bucks or trade to Susan Boren PO Box 66512, Austin TX 78766

BROOKLYN! #64- Sixty four issues? Holy shit. I feel like I'm not as familiar with Fred Argoff's work as I should be. Let's see, this zine is quarterly so that means he's been doing it for 16 years. Wow. Impressive. And it's a good zine though to honest even 16 years of a shit zine would be impressive in it's way. The name of this zine is BROOKLYN and that's also what the zine is about, Fred's beloved borough of Brooklyn. I've always liked zines about one certain topic that the author has a passion for. Even if I don't care about what's being written about I usually enjoy it just for the passion the author brings to it. This issue features a Brooklyn fable, photos of Brooklyn, (my personal favorite being of an SUV that fell into a giant sinkhole.) Brooklyn lexicon, Brooklyn signs and just a lot of info about Brooklyn. Good stuff here. 24 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 $10 for a 4 issue subscription to Fred Argoff Penthouse L 1170 Ocean Parkway Brooklyn NY 11230