I Hate This Part of Texas #540 Pages (plus colorful card stock cover), Half Legal,
$3
Filled with art and collage and lots of prose, John talks about life as a queer punk and bike activist. This is a great example of how a good zine, (or any good art or literature for that matter) can cut right across cultural boundaries and allow us to see how those we may think are so different from us really aren’t so different from us. John’s writing is sensitive and intelligent, and while some parts begin to flow poetic, clarity is never sacrificed; you know exactly what he saying every step of the way. Very eclectic combination of topics, but you get a nice sense of who he is. Written in New Orleans pre-Katrina.
Order from
Microcosm Publishing
I Hate this Part of Texas # 5 / $3 / :45 / 44M / http://www.microcosmpublishing.com /
This magazine seems to follow from the Journalsong type of overly emotional and verbose writing. However, unlike Journalsong, what John et al do with this issue of the zine is make their exploits into a narrative that is compelling and interesting, to say the least. The magazine is not just text, as it mixes together typewritten, computer-generated, and hand-written text among some very fulfilling and fun drawings. This is a perzine, for those that might be interested; while the zine may be named "I Hate This Part of Texas", the action takes place in New Orleans. Queer issues are covered, as well as John (the main writer's) work for "Earn A Bike", a program that teaches youth to build their own bike, which they can then have afterwards. There are a number of pieces in this issue that are existential and really do not have any real life referent, but these pieces are present for the fans of the style and are not too long for those that want something a little more realistic. The writing is dense but will reveal a number of different hidden treasures for individuals that can give "Texas" time. Unlike a number of other perzines, this does not presume any previous knowledge about any of the authors. There is enough in the way of information that readers can go into this issue of the zine and actually feel as if they knew the staff in real life. For three dollars, this is a magazine that should be searched out and picked up with all alacrity.
Rating: 6.4/10
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