Blurt! #1

Blurt! #1

via NeuFutur Magazine by admin on 12/23/07

Blurt! #1 / 1:00 / $2 / 112S / http://www.vinylagogo.com / Vinylaprintprint, c/o Lew Huston, 135 Wapallopen Rd, Nescopeck, PA 18635 /

While Lew’s style was really hard to acclimate to during the first few stories in Blurt!, by the twentieth or thirtieth page, one starts to pick up eir’s literary nuances. Blurt!, and more specifically Lew’s fumbling, bumbling attempts with girls, really is reminiscent of certain parts of Atrophy Zine. No one could possibly find a better deal for $2 than Blurt!, as one will take a large chunk of time wading through tens of stories about seemingly nothing. Getting into Steinbeckian levels of description, there are times in Blurt! where Lew loses the forest in pursuit of the trees; there are a few stories in which ey describes being a merch person for a band, but never once (that I read) does ey say which band ey worked with. As for the layout, everything is sharply reproduced and framed in interesting ways, with certain sections sharing the same backdrop. Some of the stories show Lew as extremely naïve, especially those dealing with eir’s corruption into a drinking machine, but this is what Lew intends to do with the zine as a whole. Lew creates this persona of a small town kid that is perpetually learning, experiencing matters to the fullest. There are certain bits of the small town that never leave Lew’s side, and these bits are what make reading Blurt! so fun! These pieces cover such a wide array of Lew’s life that I really do not know where #2 could go, but I know I will be waiting for it eagerly.

Rating: 6.4/10

Blurt! #2

Blurt! #2

via NeuFutur Magazine by admin on 12/23/07

Blurt! #2 / 1:00 / $2 / 88S / http://www.vinylagogo.com / Vinylaprintprint, c/o Lew Huston, 135 Wapallopen Rd, Nescopeck, PA 18635 /

This time, Lew actually makes a very interesting and compelling narration of the four years of eir college, going through a few significant others and evolving from a naïve teen to a much more road-worn warrior. While there are still a few times during Blurt! that Lew has missed proofreading , the story is crafted to perfection. Any individual that has attended college, even for the shortest period, will be able to draw parallels from their to Lew’s life, and be that much more affected by the content of this issue. The sheer amount of improvement that Lew has made between just two issues is amazing, by the second issue of Blurt! I couldn’t honestly put the zine down until I had finished it. The layout is still astonishingly simple; border, text, sometimes a chapter/section number, but this works for Lew. Blurt! is not your average zine, as Lew is a great enough writer that I could honestly see this being released as a novel, it winning a number of awards, and finally being included as part of the required reading in college campuses the world over. We are left with a decent ending for this iissue, but put forth in such a way that I want to immediately pick up a copy of issue #3 and figure out what has been happening to Lew in the meanwhile. This rapid desire of mine is paradoxical: I may hate reality TV, but I love expertly written zines like Blurt!.

Rating: 8.6/10

Bob #3

Bob #3

via NeuFutur Magazine by admin on 12/24/07

Bob #3 / :30 / $2.00 / 32L / Outhouse Publishing, 30 Locust Avenue, Westmont, NJ 08108 / http://www.njghost.com /

The layout of Bob is always something to look forward to, and this issue is no exception. With a smart use of white space, each page gives the reader enough in terms of information without seeming in the least bit cluttered or conversely, too Spartan. Coming out before the Presidential election, this issue of Bob has taken on a more political-themed bent than the previous issue, focusing on the mayoral campaign of a true independent, Tommy Avallone, as well as a rating system for a host of electoral parties in the United States. The latter piece was interesting because it did not just focus on the two major parties and two or three large third parties, but went as far to include the American Nazi Party and the Light Party, which “promotes holistic medicine, … organic foods” and has a leader that “claims the party has “millions” of supporters. However, the editor of Bob falls time and time again into the same pitfall, which is making each and every piece in this issue about 20% too long. Most problematic would be the interview with Bert Katz, which tops the scales at over 8 full pages. Interviews can be interesting, but I felt that this was more of an autobiographical piece instead of a minor focus on an artist. Still, this issue of Bob ends strongly, with a discussion about an artist’s “Constitutional Cow” and the political issues that surrounded it. A nice smattering of influences, the issue struggles through the extreme lengths of the artist.

Rating: 7.2/10

Boggob #27

Boggob #27

via NeuFutur Magazine by admin on 12/24/07

Boggob #27 / $3 / 36 Pages / Full-Sized / Age Statement / boggob@aol.com / PO Box 4425, Chattanooga, TN 37405 /

While Boggob is one of the better scene-oriented, free (to those Chattanoogies) zines, the fact is that the horror focus of the zine gets annoying fast. The zine isn’t politically correct in the least, but isn’t as bad as say Fat Nugs, and the selling point of the magazine for me would have to be the lengthy reviews. The reviews, while covering bands that are fairly famous (like Story of the Year and Ian Anderson), are written in a very detailed manner, ensuring that all facets of the album are covered. The amount of advertisements in this issue is something that can be looked over, as the zine is one that is free for a large section of its readers. The interviews in this issue are primarily written in a piece-format, instead of the tired question/answer format. Focusing on horror is just one facet of Boggob, while the other focus would have to be on any form of media – this time, we are assaulted by pieces on movies, television shows, and the like. Some of the pieces, such as “Diarrhea of a Madman”, are completely untied to anything else in the magazine – which gives Boggob a random feel that shakes up the horse-with-blinders feel of the rest of the magazine. However, the fiction in this issue is absolutely atrocious, “Hit and Run” being a simply gash short story in which Fenris Lupis (wolf wolf, I get it, har har) is hit by a teacher. If you are in Chattanooga, pick this up, otherwise I see no purpose in paying so much for this zine.

Rating: 5.5/10

Slug #227

Slug #227

via NeuFutur Magazine by admin on 12/24/07

Slug #227 / Free / 64M / 1:30 / http://www.slugmag.com /

The individuals that work to create Slug Magazine are nice. So nice, in fact, that they send NeuFutur 3 copies of the magazine an issue. This issue provides individuals with probably their last glimpse of skateboarding in Utah (or in Utah print) until everything warms back up. In order to hold individuals over until then, there is perhaps the most skateboarding related content in this issue that I’ve ever seen in Slug. There are reviews of boards, different interviews with skateboarders, and the like – enough for those individuals to go into hibernation until the spring, stuffed with the nourishment of material that Slug provided. Beyond the skateboarding information, there are pieces regarding the mayoral election in Salt Lake City, the continued ordeals of Marty Kasteler (a bicycler that was hit by a delivery van), and the story about the importance of Boy George as important in the lives of Oomingmak and Boudica Juicyfruit. The amount of advertisements in this issue feels a little bit larger than in previous issues, but it may just be my own perception. However, as is always the case with issues of Slug, the quality of the writings in this issue are strong enough to make up for flipping through the advertisements. Individuals that want to know what albums they should buy from the holiday season should look into thee very detailed and interesting reviews put forth by Slug. If you are local, pick up Slug. If you have a few extra bucks, throw it to them and they will send you a copy.

Rating: 6.8/10

Brown Eye Pie #5

Brown Eye Pie #5

via NeuFutur Magazine by admin on 12/26/07

Brown Eye Pie #5 / $1 / :20 / 44M / http://www.browneyepie.com / POB 172, Muskegon, MI 49443 /

For being called Brown Eye Pie, there is just not enough talk about poop. Sure, the interview that was conducted with the Fleshies is full of brown goodness, but the vast majority of pieces in this issue just do not have anything to do with shit. Other pieces seem to drag on a little too long for proper enjoyment – while I do agree with what is said about suicide (that it is not necessarily a coward’s way to go), the fact that the discussion takes up the majority of five pages in a very small font really makes readers want to turn off. Not to say that there are no impressive pieces in this zine – for example, the brief interludes featuring different types of graffiti is nice, while the pictures of kittens just really make me wonder, as they are just so out of place in this zine. Different pictures also break up some of the longer pieces present in Brown Eye Pie, but to be honest I have no clue who most of the bands that BEP covers are. That would be a positive, but if there are just two pictures and the band name Dirt E. Twat, I honestly have no clue what they sound like. One of the pieces, the center-fold that describes the various nicknames for the pubic regions, has been done to death – while I can understand how it is funny, most people into zine culture probably have seen some iteration of it in the past.

Rating: 6.9/10

(The Incredibly True Adventures of a Kid and His Starship) #1

(The Incredibly True Adventures of a Kid and His Starship) #1

via NeuFutur Magazine by admin on 12/27/07

“The Sex Issue” - Really, the title does better about telling a potential reader about what this issue of the zine is about than any job I could do. Still, the story is about Vermicious Knid’s adventures with outdoor sex and his partner Kelly. The politics of circumstance strike Vermicious Knid badly both times, as the sex is interrupted both times to amusing factors. Now, I’m too much of a wimp to ever have outdoor sex, but what Vermicious Knid describes in the zine really puts me off outdoor sex that much more. I mean, what happens both times (I am purposely being vague to leave the mystique of the magazine complete) seems almost too hard to believe, but are just enough in the realm of the realistic to scare the bejesus out of me. The zine is pretty small, and Vermicious Knid apologizes for it, but it is still totally worth the money ($1 postpaid I believe) that the editor sells it for. This is not an one-shot zine, so you may be able to go get a later issue of this zine, as I am not totally sure if a new issue has been released. The zine is not all text either, and the background pictures really do a good job in foreshadowing events that happen later in the narrative. Send the money or equivalent trade to Lupine Ladies Press, PO Box 543, Accokeek MD 20607.

Rating : 7.8/10

(The Incredibly True Adventures of a Kid and His Starship) #2

(The Incredibly True Adventures of a Kid and His Starship) #2

via NeuFutur Magazine by admin on 12/27/07

(The Incredibly True Adventures of a Kid and His Starship) #2 : The Reactionary Issue / Fourth-Sized / 16 Pages / Trade / Lupine Ladies Press, PO Box 543, Accokeek MD 20607

Jamez’ zines are always just so interesting that I feel that I am just babbling on for about 250 words or so just extolling ey’s virtues. But, if you go through all the layers, there is some actual truth to this worship, as the zine (very short read) details some of the adventures that ey has had in the starship/car Vermes (as if you couldn’t tell!). Detailed in this issue are two random encounters that Jamez had while driving Vermes, including a self-affirmation letter by two guys and a very interesting phrase spoken by a woman. I lump both of these writings together because the styles that they are written in are so similar that they just seem to work well together. The background of each page is a photograph that actually works really well with the piece at hand, something that NeuFutur can’t say anything about. When I brought this zine home, I wasn’t sure if I had reviewed this issue before because I read this zine so much. If you want to get a copy of this, write Jamez. Ey will regale you with many of the stories that makes this zine so interesting and so higly regarded.

Rating : 7.8/10

Burn In Hell, Buddy #3

Burn In Hell, Buddy #3

via NeuFutur Magazine by admin on 12/28/07

Burn In Hell, Buddy #3 / Fourth-Sized / 16 Pages / Trade / Lupine Ladies Press, PO Box 543, Accokeek MD 20607

As many people have read my reviews of the first two issues of Burn In Hell, Buddy, I’m not really sure what to say about this zine that I haven’t already said. Done in the same geometric cut and paste style of the first two issues, this issue (subtitled “The Pennsylvania Girls Issue”, details all of the relationships that Vermicious has had during the lifespan of the Starship Vermes. Being updated slightly about Vermicious’ life, the reading audience knows that Vermes is long gone, briefly being replaced by a Mazda, and by Vermicious’ current car, Morgan Anne (which is plush and absolutely fabulous – I had the pleasure to take a trip in it!). The significant others in this issues are just very briefly talked about, again being passed over for the relationship that Vermicious had with Vermes, but there are still very deep emotions being expressed in just a few sentences. For example, in detailing Sara, Vermicious discusses a time in which they left Vermes to play on a bridge, to which V says “If every night had been that god, we would have stayed together forever”. The information put out in each issue of Burn In Hell, Buddy is vital for trying to learn any bit of information from a very secretive Vermicious Knid, and even after meeting V in real life, I still feel as if Burn in Hell, Buddy has been more informative than actual contact.

Rating : 7.9/10

The Die Volume 3, Issue 2

 

The Die Volume 3, Issue 2

via NeuFutur Magazine by admin on 12/25/07

The Die Volume 3, Issue 2 / Free / :30 / Red Roach Press, PO Box 764, College Park, MD 20740 / http://redroachpress.com /

The Die is the equivalent of a college newspaper, although 90% of the material is compiled by Joe Smith, the editor. This issue begins with a number of short news blurbs (a la AP news) and then goes into the crux of the magazine relatively fast – the interview with a Socrates scholar takes up two and a half of the zines 16 pages. The tie to Socrates is the dominating force in this issue, as the later book reviews give a good amount of text space to different works concerning the master philosopher. The other major work that is covered in the book review section is an American classic – A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, and the reviewer ties the piece to the eternal problem that concerns those in power – corruption. The zine ends with a number of different reviews and letters – The Die is one of the few zines that only focuses on zine reviews instead of the disproportionate focus that most zines have on music (oftentimes at the expense of completely excising the zine reviews from print). Finishing up this issue with a number of re-printed letters, The Die is a zine that really maintains a philosophy that is open-ended and open for debate, the positive style that is lauded so much in the earlier pages of this issue. There is really no reason that people shouldn’t try o search out a copy of this magazine, as it is well-written, open-minded, and best of all completely and utterly free!

Rating: 7.0/10

 

Bowlcut : postmodern scissors cutting your hairdo of oppression

Bowlcut : postmodern scissors cutting your hairdo of oppression

via NeuFutur Magazine by admin on 12/25/07

Bowlcut : postmodern scissors cutting your hairdo of oppression / $1/Trade/Half Sized / 24 Pages / bowlcut_zine@yahoo.com

The zine doesn’t disappoint with the content foretold by its title. Postmodernism is followed to an absurd degree, including the most random quotes and instructions : for example, “Imagine Your Favourite Celebrity taking a DUMP.” and “Got PENIS?” For someone like me who loves anything absurdist and or postmodern, this zine is a godsend. While I can’t say that there is that much text-based content, a picture, they say, can speak a thousand words, and does in bowlcut. With a fascination with boobies, the zine is largely fueled by pieces commenting on the silliness of having a double standard between men and women’s breasts and also with the breasts with and without nipples. While some individuals may not see bowlcut as being political in the least or infused with any message, the sharp wit of articles like “Korporate Kitchen”, showing exactly how a cookbook that seems innocuous can be a minion of multinational corporations. If you are a fan of absurdist works or are into visually-driven magazines, please take a look at this. However, if you are easily angered or not a fan of randomness in your magazines, bowlcut may not be your cup of tea.

Rating : 9.2/10

Die Trying #2

 

 

Die Trying #2

via NeuFutur Magazine by admin on 12/25/07

This is a book of pictures that has a little bit of commentary by the editor of the magazine. The editor used to work at a photo lab, and was able to take some of the trash photos home, and this is the product of that scavenging. Each page has a picture, and a little bit of writing, continuing a narrative that, in its brevity, is still able to explore the editors psyche by using other people’s pictures. Personally, something small really gets me with this magazine, and that is the editor’s use of a rubber stamp to show important ideas, as the rest of the text is placed out in a clean writing style. I do have a little bit of a problem with the fact that the editor does not have an opening page with a little bit of their information. If you’ve noticed my use of non-gender specific pronouns, it is because I have no inkling what sex that the editor is. I have an idea, but I really need to stop assigning values to genders. An extremely personal touch is noticed on the cover, as the editor goes and pastes a different picture on each cover. Think about that… every single issue the editor places out for sale is unique, different…and I like that. Send some money to Second Period Industries, PO Box 948, Athens, Georgia 30603-0948.

Rating : 6.6/10.

 

 

Breaking Open My Head #2

 

 

Breaking Open My Head #2

via NeuFutur Magazine by admin on 12/26/07

Breaking Open My Head #2 / .50 / :15 / 32M / Box 5138, 222 Church St, Middletown, CT, 06459-5138 / 

This magazine goes pretty much everywhere, as it is a personal zine with a very political subtext that is run all through this issue. This is done by an individual still in high school, and there seems to be a lack of smoothed-out philosophy here. For example, there are quotes strewn throughout this issue of the magazine from the French leftist movement of the sixties, even as there are comics present that joke around about pedophilia and anal rape. The zine may be 32 pages, but there is just not that much information to reed; a number of the pages are just pictures with a quotation or blurb underneath of them. The aforementioned French quotations are interesting to go over, even if it means that individuals have to flip around each page of the issue to make them readable. The gold in this issue (besides the color of the cover) has to be in Brendan’s description of being in the same protests as the Black Bloc, as well as one small bit of resistance that ey did in the French subway This is only issue two, so I am confident that Brendan will be able to continually refine and make sharper ey philosophy and overall tone of Breaking Open My Head. The cost cannot be argued with, and there is a genuine sense that Brendan is trying eir heart out here. Give a buck or two (even though it says fifty cents) to the address listed, and try to get the latest issue of Breaking Open My Head from Brendan.

Rating: 5.8/10

 

 

 

The Juniper #9

via The Sixth Minky by Maaike on 12/10/07

The Juniper #9 is out! Daniel's zine about the importance of guerrilla gardening is a rant worth reading!

He says, "I believe in small, independent, sustainable, local, organic farming because it makes more sense to me. But also because it is one big step in a series of large steps that I feel we need to take in order to free ourselves from our power-hungry addictions & habitual over-consumption."

And he's a guy who lives what he says...works for an organic farm, has his own small garden and lives a simple life. If you're tired of listening to people who have "good ideas" but don't live the life, then give The Juniper a try and find hope in those that practice what they preach. The cost is one stamp! To order:

Dan Murphy
PO BOX 3154
Moscow, ID 83843
USA

Farming Uncle #108

Indistinguishable from the previous issue.

Dream Whip #14

Dream Whip #14
344 Pages, Pocket Paperback
$10.00 $8.00

Bill Brown is fast becoming one of my favorite writers slash artists. His writing is modest; on the surface monotone, but the imagery is intimate, mesmerizing, and at times compelling. He wavers between his observations of the world around him, and the commentary of his inner voice, which retains a childlike perspective that is fresh, gentle and poetic even when looking at things that are not. This "zine" is a 344 page pocket-sized paperback, full of tiny, handwritten chapters, many titled after the places he travels. In Wendover Utah he builds a bike that glides over abandoned railroad tracks. In Border #2 he travels with volunteers who leave water caches and look for people in trouble in the desert. In Eureka CA he observes an attempt to barter some Humboldt export for a corn dog. The dozens of ultra-short chapters make it easy and convenient to enjoy as many or as few as suites you in a sitting. Although it's all grown up into a book, this is still a wonderful little perzine that's as intimate and creative as anything out there.

Available through Microcosm
Order it Here

My Life in a Jugular Vein: Three More Years of Snakepit Comics

My Life in a Jugular Vein: Three More Years of Snakepit Comics

via Feminist Review by Feminist Review on 11/30/07

By Ben Snakepit
Microcosm Publishing

Is it wrong to call a punk underground comic strip "charming?" My Life in a Jugular Vein, the new collection of three years worth of Snakepit Comics could also be described as exuberant, funny, and profane, but overall I was charmed by the simple, clever artistic style and the honesty of one mad-drinking, band-forming, crazy-cursing guy sharing his life.

A hand-drawn diary of its author, each strip covers one day in the life of Ben Snakepit. And just like real life, some days are action-packed, while some are more "watching TV with friends and drinking beer." This makes for occasional slow points between story arcs (which usually take the form of romances or concert tours), but I think that this book works best if you don't try to charge through it all at once. If you're willing to soak up the flavor of Ben's life, you'll be treated to a unique take on both the cosmic and the mundane.

My Life in a Jugular Vein is the second collection of strips, and, although the book starts in media res, it's easy enough to pick up on the cast of characters and locales: a cavalcade of musicians, slackers, punk nightclubs (Emo's!), parties, and living rooms where you could crash on the floor. The book is best when it's experimental: the distorted drawings of other guests at drunken parties, and the weird squiggle-filled portraits of joy at riding a bike or smoking from a bong. It's also chock-full of cultural and geographical references, from punk clubs all over the U.S. to a hysterical rendering of the opening scene of Lost in Translation. Lots of the book has a strong Austin, TX flavor, but Ben travels enough that the cast of characters and locales vary to keep it interesting.

Another point: the heading of each day's strip is the title and artist of Ben's "Daily Listening," so if you enjoy the vibe of the strip, you can fill your iPod with songs to accompanying it, ranging from the classic to the kooky. One paperback edition also comes with a CD of 18 songs featured in the strips. If you love punk, and you love zines, or you're curious about the world of underground comics, My Life in a Jugular Vein would be an excellent place to start reading.

Review by Dominae Petrosini

Click here to buy:

My Life in a Jugular Vein

Check out more reviews at http://www.feministreview.org

Figure 8 (Issue #3)

Figure 8 (Issue #3)

via Feminist Review by Feminist Review on 12/1/07

By Krissy Durden
Pony Boy Press

I thoroughly enjoyed this zine about fat liberation and body acceptance! I read it cover to cover in one sitting.

After an introduction explaining how overwhelming it was for Krissy to do another issue of this zine and a brief but positive letters section, the reader is treated to an interview with Marilyn Wann. Wann, who is probably most widely recognized as the mover and shaker behind the zine Fat!So? discusses what she has been doing since her book was published in 1999 and offers her ideas for ending fat oppression.

Next Krissy writes about her experiences taking a yoga class especially for people with big bodies. At the end of the essay, she includes tips for "fat girls" who want to practice yoga and a list of yoga resources helpful for people with large bodies.

The yoga section is followed by interviews with four women who participated in FATASS pdx, a Portland, OR cheerleading troupe for fat women. I especially enjoyed the three cheers that were part of the squad's performances, with words of inspiration such as, "Hey, Hey You/Watch what you say/Cuz your self-worth/ain't about what you weigh" and "My derriere is double-duty!/Wigglin', Jiggling, somethin' vicious/MY BIG FAT ASS IS FLESHALICIOUS!" I wish I could have seen FATASS pdx perform! Unfortunately the group is now in hiatus, but there is hope that it will be revived, maybe with new cheerleaders. Krissy tells us, "Anyone can start up a FATASS in their own town and we highly recommend it. Besides the absolute fun, chub love and awesome fat positive lyrics you get to shout at people—you get Pom Pons!"

Also in this issue are "Lessons in Fat History" (featuring the Fat Liberation Manifesto), "Hope among the Horrid" (a report on the myths of the obesity epidemic and the health at every size movement), "Inspiration Is Everywhere" (more about fat liberation from Marilyn Wann), a resource list for learning more about being fat positive in a fat negative world.

Unfortunately, Figure 8 is published sporadically. Two years went by between the publication of issue #2 and issue #3, and issue #3 seems to have been published in 2005. I'd really like to see Krissy put out Figure 8 more often. The world needs her sassy and well-written rants against fat oppression and body hatred; the world needs her ideas on how to stop such nonsense.

Review by Chantel C. Guidry

Check out more reviews at http://www.feministreview.org