Gold Leafing

This is a book of raw and emotional poems.  Some of the poems are very explicitly sexual.  The sex is not happy.

The speaker's situations seem extreme, but I can relate anyway because I've been in situations like them but less extreme.

A'enene says some things I've never really heard anyone else say, things about how women and men relate.  Sexual demands and emotional interplay.  The poems are very insightful.

Well, some of the other poems are inscrutable.  I catch an idea here and there, but I feel lost, unsure of what's going on.

There are some cool drawings too.  And a more light-hearted segment about some strange characters near a bank.

I enjoyed it very much overall though some of the disturbing parts (abortions, sexual demands) were too much for me.

threethousandbitespress.com

if you're into it!

This zine is thick, well done and easy to read both physically and content-wise, engaging, and has a nice style to it.  The Choose Your Own Adventure format is nostalgic and charming.

The whole idea of this zine is to help the reader learn more about consent in a fun way.  It has a modern feel and seems especially appropriate for people within punk rock, anarchist, and zine subcultures.  For example, it mentions dumpstering, infoshops, mosh pit...

I didn't always agree 100% with the consent ideas being presented, but it gave me a lot of food for thought.  I enjoyed skipping around to read different scenarios without necessarily following the zine's instructions but never found anything I considered really erotic.  There are some cute drawings.  I enjoyed the queerness.

Overall this is a great zine, especially for sexperts and other people who are really into consent, Choose Your Own Adventure enthusiasts, and people within punk rock, anarchist, and zine subcultures.

$4 or PWYC or trades
ofcourseyoucan.etsy.com
ofcourseyoucandistro at gmail dot com

Mustang Zine

This is a half-size zine, 10 pages long, and there are no words inside.  It was made by Rob Botello.

The art is beautiful, and I think it's political--to bring attention to the killing of wild horses and burros.  The wild horses and burros are killed so the land can be used for cattle ranching, the zine says or implies.

I live in Las Vegas and I've heard about the government killing wild horses and burros here in Nevada but hadn't heard it was for cattle ranching purposes.

This zine is a very quick read but worthwhile for the beauty of the art.  I intend to send my copy to a friend who loves comix zines.

azurduy at hotmail dot com

Demons of the Midwest #1 and #2

These zines by Sharon Gissy are autobiographical comix about divorce, depression, time in the psych ward, mania, more depression, and relationships.

I like both issues, but I think I liked the first one best.  I could relate to the topic of divorce and how painful it can be because I was divorced several years ago and remember it all too well.  Sharon's feelings mirror my own, though the details are different--she gets it just right.

Also, mental health zines are my thing--I was originally diagnosed with bipolar disorder about ten years ago and my diagnosis was later changed to schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type.

Something I like about the first issue is the looseness.  It jumps around a little.  There's stuff about the divorce, then all of a sudden we're in the hospital, then we're out of the hospital again.  Sharon doesn't over-explain.  I appreciate the way I felt slightly off-kilter.

I found the second issue pretty triggering.  It made me think back on my first and only full-blown manic episode in all of its cringeworthy destructiveness.  As I read about Sharon's mania, I felt manic.  Then as I read about Sharon's depressive crash, I felt depressed too.

I don't think this is a problem with the zine--it's a problem with me.  But if you're prone to over-empathizing like I am, you might want to be careful while reading issue two.

But it's worth it.  These two zines are accurate, complex, worthwhile, and mostly enjoyable to read.  I liked them.

On the back, Sharon thanks Lynda Barry, a famous comix maker who I love.  I can see the influence.

I feel inspired by these zines like maybe I could make comix too.  It's a good feeling.

Jetty #4

I just read Jetty #4.  It was my first encounter with Rio Aubry Taylor's work.  It's quarter-size in black & white with glossy paper, bound by staples.

I like the robots, the metaphor, the storytelling, the emotions.  I like the format, the drawings, the length, the depth.  It's long enough to engage but not too big a commitment.

I felt myself relating to the main character, and I liked that.  Oh, and psychic carrier pigeons are the best.  There's some humor.

This is not the kind of thing I usually read.  I stick to perzines and poetry and memoir a lot.  The sci-fi aspect is not part of my normal diet, but I liked the taste.  I found Jetty #4 satisfying.  Thank you!

jettycomics.com

Quitter #10

I read Quitter #10 this afternoon.  It's a beautiful zine.  The writing shimmers, and it's just the right amount.  I can relate to the feelings of longing, nostalgia, lack of nostalgia, worry about losing everything.

I like the plants and birds.  I like everything about the kids.  I don't want kids myself, at all, but feel welcome to this parental world.  Humor is somewhat missing, but this zine makes humor seem optional.

There's a poet's attention to detail and a solid speaker who isn't afraid to spend a moment on an image or idea.

I'm about the same age as the speaker, and that's nice.  It seems like a zine for men, is my only criticism, and to lots of people that's probably not a bad thing.  Oh, and the $6 pricetag.  I would think more like $4, but maybe I don't charge enough for my own.  I tried to get it back into its tight glassine envelope and failed.

Overall I'd give it a five out of five, but be ready to have your guts wrenched.

http://pioneerspress.com/products/quitter-10

strenuous stilts

This is an art zine by david sait of Canada.  It's beautiful and brief.

I like the colors, the shapes, the feelings, the moods.

I like the chaos of some of the pages.  I like the collage.  Sait's art is greater than the sum of its parts.

strenuousstilts.tumblr.com