NODE PAJOMO (Winter 2014)

review from Anne: NODE PAJOMO (Winter 2014)

28 pages, (1/2 page) 4.25 inches x 5.5 inches, 3 US /5 Can/ Mex / World. ?  trades. Cash (US or equivalent or unusued US stamps -- "stamps preferred!")
POB 2632 Bellingham, WA 98227-2632
Free editions of just listings available upon request. Listings due by the 15th of June and December
Issues published around first of July and January.
MAILART. ZINES. LIFE. reads the tagline for this zine, but there's a warning in there as well: "Herein you will find a ton of zine reviews, a few stone of audio reviews, and only half a kilo of mail art listings. The emigration of mail artists to the internet has been detrimental to those whose inclinations are exclusively postal. We understand the attraction of social media, but prefer it tangible not digital. Your mileage may vary." That said, there's a CD inside of this zine that's a collection of audio mail art as well as other inserts and other interesting things. I don't know if this zine will continue (it sounds like they aren't totally sure if they will as well, so...), but it's pretty interesting conceptually. If it IS the last issue, I would recommend that you check it out before it vanishes -- there's a little bit of everything in here, and it's worth a look.

Support is a Lot More than Bras and Jock Straps [introduction to Xerography Debt #36]

I’d been pondering the intro for this issue for a few weeks and was getting a bit nervous when my usual, “something will come to me” approach wasn’t working. The deadline for this issue was Sept. 15, 2014. So there I was, at the Bomba Estereo show in Philadelphia at 11:30pm on Sept. 15, not a word of this  introduction written, and not really thinking about anything when I had what Japanese Buddhists refer to as satori1, but on a much smaller scale. I had a sudden, unexpected, fully formed idea surrounding one word: Support.

The concert ended about 60 seconds later and as we emerged into the night air I told Patrick he had the first shift driving home because I had to write the intro to XD. Thankfully, as a fellow writer and editor he didn’t see this as aberrant behavior on my part. My love of spiders is another story.

Within the pages of this zine we’ve discussed time and again the ideas of community and supporting zines. This zine’s very essence speaks to that. If we had a mission statement the word support would be used, probably more than once. But what does support really mean?

Oftentimes support is seen as strictly financial – buying zines or funding a Kickstarter campaign, but that isn’t always an option for everyone, nor the only option. In my eyes support is showing up at a reading or signing to support not only friends but any author or publisher you respect. It means writing a letter to say how much you enjoyed a new issue (or book). It means writing a review or telling other people about zines you admire.

I once went to a show where only a small handful (literally) of people showed up. The band played as if they had a full house. They earned twice my respect that night. Zines can be like that too. Often only a limited number of copies are published and if I am among that small audience I should be applauding loud enough for the writer to hear. We don’t do this in a vacuum, but sometimes it can feel like it.

In the last several months three writers I know have been dealing with some heartbreaking problems. I’ve attempted to offer support in the ways I can and see that other members of their respective communities are doing the same. Sometimes support comes in the form of just listening and other times it is wine and potato chips.

Support, like much of life, is about showing up. So show up and support in whatever way you can. It matters.

Davida

PS - Also, you should give Bomba Estereo a listen.

1 “sudden enlightenment and a state of consciousness attained by intuitive illumination
representing the spiritual goal of Zen Buddhism” — Merriam-Webster

Zine Symposium in Chicago (April 6, 2013) - free to public

OUTSIDERS: Zines, Samizdat, & Alternative Publishing

Saturday, April 6, 2013

This year’s symposium will explore the use of self-produced books and pamphlets to express individualized, unconventional, controversial, or prohibited messages. Topics will range widely in historical and geographical terms, and the speakers will address the current state of self-publishing as well as its history.

Free and open to the public.

The 2013 Caxton Club / Newberry Library
Symposium on the Book

The Newberry Library60 West Walton StreetChicago, Illinois 60610

Read more here: http://www.caxtonclub.org/events/2013-symposium/newberry-chicago-saturday-program-details.html#panel-discussion 

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Go listen...

A podcast about zine hosted by Mark Parker & Alex Wrekk. It's called the NOBODY CARES ABOUT YOUR STUPIC ZINE podcast and it has a wicked catchy theme song by Androo Robinson and I just found it to be an enjoyable listen.

http://nobodycareszine.libsyn.com/

The National Library of Scotland looking for UK zines

The National Library of Scotland looking to document and collect zines from the UK: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/7908705.stm

Maynard goes Zombie with Rigor Mortis

Rigor Mortis Vol 1, Issue 1
$3 cash/check or 1 M.R.E.
Davida Gypsy Breier
P.O. Box 11064
Baltimore, MD 21212
zombie@leekinginc.com

Mmmmm, brains.... This zine fills me with nostalgia for the Pre-Internet days, before cable, when Saturday afternoons were filled with awful Sci-Fi and horror – including zombie – flicks on Channel 20.

And we need zombies like never before to help us cope with modern living: crashing markets, rising unemployment, interest rates at freakin' ZERO percent. These are scary times.

And zombies are great foes. They are purely dead, only want to kill us, and cannot be reasoned with, only stopped with a bullet to the brain. There is no room for compassion or ethical worries with killing them. They are as dead as dead can be; not like a little boy with a bomb strapped to his malnourished body.

Although they tend to win through overwhelming numbers....

But wait, there's more! Not only do you get to ponder zombies with this zine, you'll get high-quality editorializing and excellent reviews of classic and esoteric zombie flicks to add to your queue of viewing pleasure.

The love the writers have for the topic drips off the page, like rotting flesh and congealed blood, in great gobs of well wrought-and-thought writing, which is in darn short supply on that thar “Internet.”

A joy to read.

Extranjero #7 (review by Davida)

Unas vacaciones en el extranjero, a foreign holiday

I received this issue just before I went to Germany for a work trip. I decided to save it, figuring it would heighten the reading experience of reading about an ex-pat returning home for a visit while visiting a foreign country myself. I was not disappointed. Kris has lived away from the US for some time now and in many respects the ways of “modern” American life are now as foreign to him as I’m sure Spain once was. He noticed the plethora of electronic goods in his parents’ home, but chooses not to own a TV at home in Spain. He is overwhelmed by the supermarket, which is more like a department store, as well as all the stomach medicines needed for the gluttonous. He takes Lola to places of his youth, as well as places offering “a true American experience” – at least as far as Pennsylvania goes – a gun and outdoors MEGA-mart. They also spend an idyllic week in the Virgin Islands. It was definitely interesting hearing Kris’s take on the US from a now outsiders perspective.
Trade or donation/Digest/28 pages
Kris & Lola, Calle Obispo 4B, Plasencia 10600, Caceres, Spain

Syndicate Product 13.0, The TV Issue (review by Davida)

Full disclosure – I contributed to this issue. However, I always enjoy A.j.’s compilation issues and pop cultural analysis, which one of the reasons I contributed. One of my favorite pieces was Celia Perez’s youthful recollections of being obsessed with the mini-series “North and South”. She and three friends even went so far as to write letters to one another in character. She also contributes a piece on telenovelas. Ken Bausert recalls the first TV his family bought and still has the “portable TV” his brother came home with around 1949. Kris (of Extranjero) writes about viewing 9/11 on a small B&W TV in rural Ireland. Eric Lyden contributes some fun facts and Gianni Simone attempts to explain Japanese reality TV. A.j. delves into TV music and how you no longer even need a TV to watch TV.
$3/Digest/28 pgs
A.j. Michel
PO Box 877, Lansdowne, PA 19050
syndprod@gmail.com
www.syndicateproduct.com

Fish with Legs #12 (Review by Davida)

Fw/L is one of my favorite perzines. It could come off as 36 pages of rambling, but it is interesting rambling. Eric touches on some difficult subjects – his cat Buddy dying and the health of his grandparents – but much of the issue is dominated by Eric’s stint as a juror. I can understand his desire to get out of it, but also the curiosity of wanting to be involved. It turns out to be a drug case, one where the legality and the morality are at odds. I kind of wanted to add the “dun-dun” of "Law and Order" while reading it. There is also a section of fun facts, including an act of civil disobedience/performance art in the 8th grade. It is always fun to spend time with 36 pages of Eric.
$2/Digest/36 pgs
Eric Lyden
224 Moraine St., Brockton, MA 02301
ericfishlegs@aol.com or eric.lyden@gmail.com

Worry Stone #1 (review by Davida)

Jerianne started this new zine as a way to bring forth and clarify much of what worries her. She is in a relationship with a legally blind man with diabetes and they have a young child. Add in a career and a house and there are more than enough anxieties to go around. Much of this issue centered around diabetes and Denny’s experiences with the disease. Youthfully recklessness and not having insurance both impacted his health and ultimately his vision, but he was able to retain some vision in his left eye thanks to surgery. It was an interesting look at being the partner of someone with major health issues and how she views/fears the future.
Jerianne
PO Box 330156, Murfreesboro, TN 37133
jerianne@undergroundpress.org

About My Disappearance #1 and #2 (review by Davida)

I used to love Dave Roche’s zine On Subbing, about his trials and travails as a substitute teacher. Then Dave disappeared and I didn’t hear from him again for several years. These two issues delve into why. Dave health begins to deteriorate and over the course of two months he becomes a shell of his former self, weighing about 100 pounds and not wanting to see or talk to anyone. He is ultimately diagnosed with Crone’s Disease, a chronic digestive disorder. He is nursed back to health by his father and various medications. The first issue deals with his first flare up and the months of recovery he experienced. The affects of the disease are not simply physical, and how Dave views himself, his fears, and his desire to be around others are all deeply influenced. The second issue continues his chronicles of dealing with Crone’s, but Dave is also1) hit by a car and breaks two bones, 2) hit by another car, 3) moves to Philadelphia and is jumped and beaten unconscious, and as a result moves back to his family in the Midwest.
$1-2?/Mini/52 pgs (#1), 24 pgs (#2)
Dave Roche
poodrow@hotmail.com

Reviews of Mostly True, ETC, Dwelling Portably, Hell's Half-Acre Herald and Exit 63 from Fred Argoff

Once upon a time, there was a magical, mystical land known as Brooklyn. People traipsed around saying such strange, wonderful things as, "Geddoudahere!" "Fuhgeddaboudit!" and even, "You got a problem with that?" Some of the people from this fanciful country got involved with zines. Producing them, and even reviewing them. So enough with the fairytale introduction already, and let's see what's here to review...

Well, I kept telling myself that I was going to save the best for last, but all my resolve just melted away. So let's begin with Mostly True. There's very little question that Davida only sent this one to me because she knew I was going to love it! Right there on the cover of Vol. 19, No. 7 it says, "The West's Most Popular Hobo Graffiti Magazine," and for anyone who's even vaguely interested in railroads, this one is the jackpot! Railroading adventures, hobos, loads of photos, even old ads. Featured in this issue, the search for Bozo Texino, and the Colossus of Roads. It's really more of a magazine than a zine, but why be a nitpicker? Don't waste another minute, and get your $6.95 in the mail right away, to Bill Daniel at Microcosm Publishing, 222 S. Rogers St., Bloomington IN 47404.

And yet more creativity, this time in ETC (that stands for, Everybody That Creates). The premise is simple: people create things--that is, things like artwork and short stories, and this zine presents them. Issue #2 has a story about bees (watch out! Somebody is going to get stung) and some comics. I, personally, liked the "Real Life for Real" panels, maybe because I relate to stick figures as about the only type of drawings I can manage. It's fun to check in and see what other people are creating, so I say, go for it. $2 from Chris Almond, P.O. Box 678421, Orlando FL 32867-8421.

Dwelling Portably has been around a long time. And the way things are going lately, it appears more and more relevant with each passing day. The premise is that you don't necessarily have to live within the grid. The issue at hand has tips for dealing with dirt floors, various (and very creative) uses for free water barrels, the merits of vitamin D, solar cooking, and plenty more. Also has a summary of past issues--many of which are still available--and a listing of unusual sources, many of which are zines. $1 per issue (6 back issues for $5 or 12 for $10) from P.O. Box 190-L, Philomath OR 97370-0190.

Remember the old sci-fi movie "Day of the Triffids?" Well, don't look now, but... Hell's Half-Acre Herald presents the Texas Triffid Ranch. Did you guess that the subject is carnivorous plants? Congratulations! Featured in the first issue, feeding P. Americana (the good old American cockroach) to your pitcher plant, and the coming of the dragonfruit. There's also a listing of resources. I didn't know that there was an International Carnivorous Plant Society, but there is. Do they sell Venus' flytrap T-shirts, I wonder? In any case, no price listed, so "the usual" will have to do, from Paul Riddell, 5930 E. Royal Lane (#140), Dallas TX 75230.

Next up, we have Exit 63. At least, I think that's the title. The cover of #8 also has Blues in big letters, so I can't say for sure which one is the title. That, by the way, is a demerit, if we have to guess what the zine is called. Anyway, this is the Lust for Lists issue. Our friendly local editor lists the things he did every day, from June 1 through August 17. For example, the list for July 4, representative of the zine: 1--worked most of the day. 2--tried to call Liz. 3--skated a lot. 4--listened to some baseball on the radio. Liz is definitely important to the zine, as she shows up in most of the lists. I hope we're dealing with genuine youth here, or something is terribly wrong. No price listed (pun unavoidable) but if you like reading lists of things, you might want to give this a try, from Matthew Bodette, 6466 Rt. 125, Vergennes VT 05491.

...And they all lived happily ever after. There! We got back to the fairytale theme just in time for my closing.

Big Wheel at the Cracker Factory (Review by Davida)

Big Wheel at the Cracker Factory
by Mickey Hess
isbn: 978-1891053078
www.gcpress.com/bigwheel/

This is a book, not a zine, but it is the zinest book I’ve read in a long time. And for the record the author did his tour of duty in zineland. Technically it is memoir, but it is also a look at jobs, decisions, dreams, influences and how to find meaning. The period this book covers is approximately 2000-2002, where Mickey finds himself in his post-college days with part-time teaching jobs, but also random gigs as an ice cream truck driver, stand-up comedian, and arcade attendant. He pokes fun at the colleges he works at, just as he does the “ridiculous” jobs. He is caught between a job he almost seems afraid to care about and those that amuse him. For our generation, and I am going to assume Mickey and I are almost exactly the same age, work has a different place in our lives. We know that bad things happen to good employees and that most people change jobs (and careers) repeatedly these days. We’ve watched jobs shipped overseas, fear layoffs, and seen how corporations have kept the minimum wage ridiculously low. We are a generation of cynics, but what happens when cynics find jobs with meaning? What happens when you find that you can’t keep up the façade of youth and irresponsibility forever? The book is insightful, but also funny as hell. The scene where they are housesitting and a friend breaks the toilet tank in the middle of the night made me laugh out loud. Mickey has great comedic timing with a deadpan delivery. Highly recommended.

Caboose #6 (Review by Davida)

Caboose #6
The Health and Recreation Issue

Reading about Liz's misdiagnosis ordeals and medical issues triggered a great deal of empathy. I read this after I learned she had been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, which isn't covered in this issue. She was still in the dark as of publication. This issue is all about the pain, medications, and treatments (traditional and non-traditional) that she suffered through because of the unspecified pain she was experiencing. Doctors eventually decide on fybromyalgia. This all went on for many months before she was correctly diagnosed and received treatment (she is now in remission, yay!). There were lots of other articles, many of them informative or entertaining, but the whole time I couldn't help thinking how lucky Patrick was to have been diagnosed so quickly.

$1
Liz Mason
Caboosezine@yahoo.com
Available from Quimby's Bookstore (www.quimbys.com)