Rum Lad - Issue #12

Rum Lad - Issue #12

by Steve Larder

A5, 28 pages, black and white on grey paper.

£3 (plus postage)

Rum Lad #12 is a funny & heartbreaking tribute to Steve's grandparents. His Gran died in 2013, followed by his Grandad in 2017. As Steve says in the introduction: 

"Grief can do all sorts of cruel things to your brain...the jarring lapse where you forget they're gone"

He goes on to point out that the hurt of grief is caused by love and affection. Steve has captured his love for his grandparents in this collection of short stories, and comic strip vignettes, that reflect the absurdity of everyday life and the unexpected moments that we store as tender memories: his Gran wearing a Tesco carrier bag as a substitute hood, and hanging sweary punk t-shirts on the washing line; his Grandad's relationship with Paxo, and a catalogue of his tattoos.

Rum Lad #12 is also an unflinching chronicle of his grandparents' decline - the failing bodies, and reversing of roles, that we all have to face as we age. 

Rum Lad has a trademark style of art - a combination of breathtakingly detailed line drawings that sit alongside more comic book style illustration. The writing in this issue reminds me most of Simon Moreton's Minor Leagues, not just the themes of memory and loss, they are both told with a similar warmth and humour. 

It's a no-brainer. Not only is it just £3, it's one of the best things you'll read this year.

Buy via Etsy: etsy.com/uk/listing/644672935/rum-lad-zine-12-comic-perzine

And visit Steve's site for more of his incredible illustrations: SteveLarder.co.uk

Review by Nathan Penlington

Random Notes 2

Random Notes 2: Pages of Blank Metal & Noise
by Matthew Rooney

36 pages, 11.5cm x 15cm. B&W print, cardboard cover. 


$4 (Canadian dollars)

Random Notes 2 is a follow up to the zine produced by Matthew Rooney in 2017 (read the review here). It's a hand bound collection of comics, illustrations, and collages, loving put together with a punk aesthetic. I say lovingly, because not only does gaffer tape look great as a spine, it also protects your fingers from those b@*t@rd staples. 

Taken together random notes form a satire on the state of American politics:

"No One Cares About Politics Unless There Is A Meme"

With side forays into sex, and the idiocy of human violence.

If you're into interesting little zines that fully embrace alternative diy culture Random Notes 2 is for you. You can see more images over on mjrzines.tumblr.com

To buy a copy email: mjjrooney {at} gmail {dot} com

Please say Syndicated Zine Reviews sent you.



Review by Nathan Penlington

Headwinds - Issue #2

A4, 24 pages (23 black and white pages, colour front cover).

£1.50 (+80p p&p)

Headwinds is a relic made in modern times. The second issue promises more of what was delivered by the first; reviews, interviews, columns and comics.

One of my favourite parts of this issue was the interviews with two ageing punk bands, because the parallels between the them are too delicious to ignore (and perhaps intentional). Culture Shock is a punk/ska outfit from Wiltshire who split in 1990 after an eleven-year run, before reforming in 2010 to put out a new LP, Attention Span. The Proletariat is an American band, originally part of the Boston hardcore scene before they split in 1985 and then reformed in 2016 to play a few shows and put out a vinyl reissue of their debut album, Soma Holiday.

Culture Shock and The Proletariat had their heydays at least thirty years ago, and both have a lot of thoughts about how returning to band life in the age of the millennials is a bit of a culture shock (you’re welcome). For all their similarities, the two bands have somewhat opposing views on the evolution of the musical landscape over the last few decades. Both interviews are an interesting read, even more so when read one after the other.

Another highlight was Mike G’s column detailing his stint as a homeless youth. The column doesn’t quite fit alongside the album reviews, band interviews and comics in the zine, but that scarcely matters. It’s an honest account of a difficult time – even though most readers won’t relate to the panic of not having a home, they will relate to him as a fellow human.

If pressed to find a fault with Headwinds, I would perhaps shoot a side-eye over to the comics. The art style is endearing, but the stories do seem to meander and then cut off somewhat abruptly. I do feel it’s worth remembering, however, that comics are more mainstream than they have ever been before, which means that the bar for them as an art form is staggeringly high.

Much like its first issue, the best part of the second issue of Headwinds is its sense of nostalgia for a time passed. Generations X and Y collide in these pages, and the two fit together wonderfully.

To keep up with Headwinds’ latest updates, you can follow @tblastzine on Twitter. You can get a copy of your own through PayPal by emailing HeadwindsZine@gmail.com.

Review by J.L. Corbett.

Headwinds - Issue #1

A4, 24 pages (23 black and white pages, colour front cover).

 £1.50 (+£1 p&p)

“Headwinds… refers to things blowing in the opposite direction to the one you’re moving in,” explains Mike G in the introduction to his fanzine of the same name. This theme of pushing through mainstream culture persists throughout the first issue, which contains comics, band interviews and reviews.

The layout of Headwinds is immaculate; it looks less like a zine and more like something you’d find in your local newsagents nestled between NME and Mojo. The time invested in its quality makes it a pleasant read – there’s no text disappearing into the centre crease or dodgy photocopying going on here.

Whilst aesthetic appeal is important, it means nothing without compelling content. Luckily, Headwinds is as interesting as it is pretty. Given that the zine only costs £1.50 (£2.50 online), I was surprised by just how much content there was – a couple of lengthy interviews, comics, articles, and tons of underground gig reviews – and how decidedly different the items were from those typically seen in mass-produced magazines.   

I particularly enjoyed the interview with Emma, lead singer of The Natterers, which covered topics such as world environmental issues, the perks and dangers of living in a digital age and the declining bat population in the UK. It was weird, and I liked it.

Stranger still was Mike G’s retrospective account of the Treeworgery Tree Festival, which he attended in the summer of 1989. Waiting 28 years after the fact to write about an obscure festival in Cornwall doesn’t make sense. It just doesn’t. But it was so well-written that I found myself filled with nostalgia for a place I’d never been, and for a time in which I hadn’t existed. I found myself feeling increasingly wistful for hitch-hiking, serendipitous friendships and weekend tickets for £20.

Headwinds feels like a relic from the past, but it doesn't come across as dated. Perhaps it’s Mike G’s unabashed enthusiasm for the stuff he’s writing about that gives the zine a fresh, current feel, or maybe it’s down to its overall polished appearance. Who knows? The one thing that’s clear is that it’s very tricky to write about underground culture in an accessible way, and Headwinds is an excellent example of how to do it correctly.

To keep up with Headwinds’ latest updates, you can follow @tblastzine on Twitter. You can get a copy of your own through PayPal by emailing tblastzine@gmail.com.

Review by JL Corbett. 

BEARQUEFT Comix #2

BEARQUEFT Comix #2
Charlie Haggard and other artists

40 Pages
Size: Digest
Cardstock - bound with staples
$5.00 + Shipping

Charlie Haggard comes back with a punch with the second issue in the BEARQUEFT series.

Digest size and bound with cardstock and staples, Haggard manages to bring back his darkly humored (in a good way!) comics while also showcasing some new artists to look out for!

While this is a more collaborative work than the first, Haggard does an amazing job at finding artwork that strongly fits in with the overall theme that this comic strives for.

The phony ads and original characters of the first did not disappoint, and added some light to where the series is going.

That being said, I am looking for to seeing other collaborative works in this series and trust Haggard will do an amazing job at reeling it all together.

Purchase a copy here!

Also, check out the review of the first issue here!

Review by Daniel Peralta
Complete on 09/15/2017; 2:45 PM EST

Flies on the wall

Flies on the wall

by Zeppelinmoon

A5 - 40 pages, b&w and colour, perfect bound. 

£2.50 plus postage

This debut zine by zeppelinmoon consists of a series of comic exchanges between flies observing the emotionally tragic lives of the human family whose walls they rest on. A couple of appearances by sloths, dogs, and seals aside, the flies on the wall operate as a minimalist comic in which each page works as an individual panel - but also helps build an implied larger narrative. 

Flies on the wall is a well produced zine in full colour - the pages that aren't flies on a white wall, obvs. It's smart, it's slick, it's crude, it's funny, and there is swearing. What's not to like? 

Check out  Zeppelinmoon on instagram for a look at current artwork, and then head over to Etsy to buy a copy.  

etsy.com/uk/listing/531688936/flies-on-the-wall-a-comic-cartoon-zine

For more artwork, and Zepplinmoon's shop full of original t-shirts, totes, pins, cards and more, visit: 
Zeppelinmoon.com


Review by Nathan Penlington

Teenage Serial Killer

Teenage Serial Killer - an horrible story
C x Rudler

A4, 52 B&W pages, colour cover. (Please note photos show review copy only, not finished print)

€6 - French & English versions

Teenage Serial Killer is a satirical comic that follows Albert, at the start of school holidays, as he embarks on a killing spree. His dreams of infamy are short lived though, as the constant one-upmanship of arch rival Jordy - the Prepubescent Serial Killer - quickly take their effect on Albert's life. 

What follows is a downwards spiral of Islamic radicalisation via the internet, and interment in a terrorist bootcamp. I won't reveal what follows, I'll let you experience it yourself.

Teenage Serial Killer is reminiscent in style and tone to the genuinely infamous British comic Viz, minus the relentless swearing, and to the anarchic Oink! It succeeds in pushing extreme absurdity but played straight, as if the scenarios were a logical and inevitable outcome. The result of that is pretty graphic at times. It's not going to be for everyone. If you think certain subjects - religion, politics, terrorism - should not be satirised you should avoid this comic. For everyone else, Teenage Serial Killer will make you feel uncomfortable and queasy in parts, but if satire fails to achieve that it isn't doing its job. 

This arrived for review during the weeks the UK suffered two horrific terrorist attacks, and an equally horrific terrorist retaliation. We live in frightening times, but can't let that stop us from laughing.

Both French and English versions of Teenage Serial Killer are available to buy here: harshdiscountcomics.bigcartel.com



Review by Nathan Penlington

non-binary zine

non-binary zine - a beginner's guide to understanding non-binary folk
by only two comics / Lee-Anne

A5, 12 pages.

£3

This zine is an informative and friendly guide that explains the terms, concepts, and issues around non-binary gender. Crucially, the zine presents those concepts to people who might find them potentially confusing, in an easy to understand way. It covers the gender spectrum; the meaning of the term trans; gender expectations; pronouns; and the dos and do-nots of supporting non-binary people.

Lee-Anne says:

After coming out, I found I was explaining the very basics of what it means being non-binary over and over again. So I created this resource which I use as a tool to inform friends, family and acquaintances so I can save time and energy. I've found it so useful that I realised others might need a similar tool.

Particularly helpful is the My 'need to knows' page - designed to either inform friends and family of terms to use and who knows what, or to help a non-binary friend better inform you.


The zine is available from the Only Two Comics Etsy shop: etsy.com/shop/onlytwocomics

And they will also be at the Weirdo Zine Fest in London on 15th July.

For more comics visit only-two.tumblr.com



Review by Nathan Penlington

It's All Downhill From Fear by Gerard Ashworth [September 2016]

 

20 pages, $3.00, by Gerard Ashworth [Contact [???] Gerard is hard to contact, being as he is out of the loop, technologically. If you want a copy, contact sstratu [at] gmail [dot] com and I'll make sure he gets your message.]

It took a while to get around to reading this [could be my quote of 2016] - Gerard gave this to me when we shared a table at the Manly Zine Fair back in September. Historically, I go into a new Ashworth production with a sick sense of dread. They can be so dense and inscrutable! Really hard to understand! And to add insult to psychological trauma/injury, he makes fun of the reader constantly for his or her limited intelligence! *Blub!* But this one is easy to read! ...Or maybe I've gotten smarter? No, impossible! In short, I could say not only do I not remember the last time I enjoyed an Ashworth comic so much, but I do not remember the last time I enjoyed an Ashworth comic. ... Amongst the really great autobiographical stuff where he exposes his 'quirks and idiosyncrasies', there are also terrific comic stripped versions of a Godley & Creme song, 'I Pity Inanimate Objects'; and Gerard's 'girlfriend' Sabrina reciting "the greatest Beat poem of them all", 'Tomorrow Is A Drag', from the 1958 movie 'High School Confidential'.

Max Powers is the Atomic-Man! #1 [Fall 2015]

   

8 pages, 8.5" x 5.5", Alan Peters, PO Box 24276, Ventura CA 93001, USA

I wrote to Alan after seeing his great comics in a recent issue of Steve "The Dith Dood" Anderson's Dithering Doodles. I sent one of my diary comics hoping he was up for a trade, and my answer arrived a few months later [we operate on Small Press Time, you understand] in the form of three comics - this one [...Atomic-Man!]; The Future-Nauts [Summer 2014]; and The Incredibly Unstable Tromp [November 2013]

Political Correctoids are not invited to Alan's show, since one of his signature scenes [which I've seen appear three times already in the handful of comics I've seen of his] involves the heroine taking a shower.

One thing disturbs me and that is the dates on these comics - the most recent being from 2015. So unless I don't have the complete picture, the only recent work of his that can be seen is that appearing in Dithering Doodles. Hopefully we will see more new work from him soon!

Hash Brown Comix #1

  

24 pages, 10" x 7", $? email Editors Dan or Oli for ordering info >>> danieljhayer at gmail dot com or olihastings9 at gmail dot com 

It's thanks to Glenno that I finally got a copy of this new Sydney comix anthology. [Long story deleted, but available here.] ...

 We all know how much comix anthologies can SUCK - it's usually only a question of how much? So it is impossible to overstate how surprised and relieved I was to find that Hash Brown Comix is really great! It is absolutely imbued, suffused, and steeped in the raw and deranged spirit of the finest Underground Comix 'spirit'. One strip [by co-editor Oli Hastings] is about the real life tragedy of Sydney's Luna Park Ghost Train fire in 1979. This strip is so great, and part of its greatness for me is that I don't know how much of the detail within is historical fact, and how much is the product of the artist's imagination. ... Other strips I really liked were Dominic Proust's tale of unrequited love with a tall girl; co-editor Dan Heyer's very strange school teacher; Kaylene Milner's Soviet record collectors; and another Oli strip about his veneration of Rowland S. Howard.

Berserkotron #1 [2016]

 

76 pages, 9" x 6", by David Robertson [Fred Egg Comics],email: d1robertson [at] hotmail [dot] com and check out www.fredeggcomics.com

I found out about David and his comics from a letter I received from "The Dith Dood", Steve Anderson [Dithering Doodles]. He mentioned he had just finished writing a letter to David Robertson, another comics dude, so naturally I followed this 'lead' and we ended up trading comics.

Berserkotron is about two high school kids, Bert and Ronnie. Ronnie builds fighting robots. Bert is into chemistry. When Ronnie shows Bert his latest fighting robot, he asks him to paint it. Bert agrees, kind of reluctantly, but it will give him a chance to test the "magic paint" he recently created.

What I really loved about Berserkotron was the great dialogue between Bert and Ronnie, revealing the complex dynamics of their friendship. You really get the impression that although these guys are friends, like many high school friendships [or even friendships in general], the clock is ticking on how long it will be before a major falling out. To add to the mix is another robot builder, Henry, who comes across as a snotty, spiky-haired jerk who for some reason has it in for Ronnie, and thus Ronnie's robot, which he aims to annihilate in an upcoming 'Robot Wars' competition.

One final thing I wanna mention - something rarely found in comics but so great and welcome when an artist takes the time to do it - is at the end of this issue is a ten-page section of sketches, doodles, scribbles, and the background story of how Berserkotron came to be. Great stuff!

BEARQUEFT COMIX #1

BEARQUEFT COMIX #1
Charlie Haggard

30 Pages
Size: Digest
Printer Paper and Card-stock
$5.00 + Shipping

BEARQUEFT COMIX #1 is the first in a series being created by Charlie Haggard. Bound in an all orange, card-stock cover and printed on printer paper in black and white, this comedic zine takes you through several brief adventures involving originally created characters.

This comic zine has two main stories with several interludes.

The main stories - Planet Man and Slumcat - were both very comedic. The type of comedy Haggard is going at pairs extremely well with this almost grunge-type atmosphere. While I would sometimes consider the black and white printing a downfall in some comics, I felt it worked extremely well for this; in this case, it made it feel like reading the comics in the weekly newspaper (which is fantastic).

My favorite part about this comic are the interludes found in-between the larger comics. These little gems made for great breaks between the stories and made for an overall, well-rounded comic zine. The pokes at modern society and art-work made for great chuckles - which is usually a hit or miss with that subject. And the fake ads were golden


All in all, the ideas Haggard has going here work very well together, creating a balance that makes for a well-rounded zine. I'm very glad this little zine found its way to my doorstep. I'm very interested to see what Haggard has to offer next.

Purchase: Here

Charlie Haggard's Social Media as Follows: Instagram

Review by Daniel Peralta
Completed 04/08/2017; 4:01 P.M. CST

SZR Official Instagram

Chauncey #14

Chauncey # 14 by Josh Sullivan

$3

20 pages, A5 (ish). 

This was another find during my recent brief trip around the lower half of Florida. This zine was picked up in St Petes, a town with a surprisingly friendly mix of cool bars and laid back vintage stores. If I'd had more time I would have definitely investigated for longer. Luckily, even though time was tight, I discovered an actual bricks and mortar record store called Daddy Kool Records - that good kind of music shop, independent, diverse, and in it for the music. Also, the rare kind of music shop that makes room on its shelves for a small selection of zines. 

The zines were all US made, but one was particularly local - made and created in town. I couldn't not buy a copy.

Chauncey is a an odd looking thing half dog - half pig, with little bird-like feet, who hates his 'dumb ass job', who likes drinking, and detests idiots and bureaucracy. 

Chauncey #14 catalogues his exploits while renewing his driving license, taking his lunch break, and facing the mandatory work meeting. I'll say this, he is an unlucky lucky creature, but he is not afraid to say the things we all have thought at times - "Where did all these idiots come from?". 

If you like your comics rough around the edges and straight from the pen you'll love this. 

I can't find an online link - but if you email Josh through his website I'm sure he can help sort you out. 

joshcomics.com

Review by Nathan Penlington

Megaskank Mansion : Megacon

36 pages, 8.5" x 6", by Curt Sibling, Biesuiss, Relhok, Wicked-at-Heart, and Corelle Vairel --- No contact info whatsoever [fuck you]

for ordering info try contacting >>> kurtzibling at yahoo dot co dot uk

"When super-spoiled zombie queen Foxxxy decides to host a huge comic convention at her Megaskank Mansion, every troll, brony and freak in town soon attends! Chaos erupts as Feminazis try to close down the event. Can the fandoms unite for once to save Megacon?"

Here at long last is the second issue of MM [I reviewed the first here] - and the wait has certainly been worth it.

Sure, one can enjoy the skilfully-executed drawings of "kickass cosplay queens ... dropping more sex bombs than ISIS", and I do love those, but what I love most about this series are the many references which I don't get, but since it's a word I've never come across, of course I must immediately look it up. [Example: the first issue's 'Weeaboo' - see review]

With this issue, it was a name. Tom Preston. Who the hell is Tom Preston? I didn't know, but I sure as shit had to find out right away! And then finding out who Tom Preston was led to my learning about the phenomenon of 'inflation artwork' - a fetish in which characters are artificially pumped full of air so that they expand.

Tom Preston

My only gripe is the complete absence of contact info. For a printed comic, that doesn't make any sense. How do I let people know how to get their own copy? There's not even a friggin' email address in here! There's nothing! No postal address, no email address, no URL... even that Art Zine I received the other day had a Tumblr address. Well, maybe you're supposed to Google it. But that's bullshit! If you make a printed work, put a goddamn physical address in there so people who live in the hard copy world and not the fucking e-cloud can enjoy your creation, too. Cuuuntz!!


review by Stuart / Blackguard

Worker Justice Illustrated #2

Worker Justice Illustrated #2
52 pages, 3/4 size
Slick, full color, saddle stapled
$2.99 + postage

Very cool socialist propaganda comics from the good people at Interfaith Worker Justice. First half is in English, flip it over and the second half is in Spanish. Worker rights comics cover a range of topics like minimum wage, wage theft, injuries sustained from meat manufacturing jobs, and debit card paycheck scams. On the positive side is a series of personal stories from cleaning crews who won wage and benefit increases from Target after banding together, and a brief history of the workers solidarity movement.

Heavy hitting leftist fanfare for adults and budding young revolutionaries.

For postage rates and bulk order quotes contact:

Interfaith Worker Justice
1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.
Chicago, IL 60660
(773) 728-8400

http://www.iwj.org/contact-us

BB Bluesbird

8 pages, digest

black & white on off-white card stock

$1.00 each

BB Bluesbird is a creation of artist Ron Hill, and is now a collaboration between him and Gary Dumm, (of Harvey Pekar's American Splendor.)

Bluesbird has a vintage feel to it, both in style and subject. It pays homage to the old blues players and the early rock and rollers who where trying so hard to be like them, Clapton, The Stones, etc. BB Bluesbird is a hustler with a guitar on the road trying to bet paid.

I have two small volumes I picked up at the MOCA Cleveland Zine Exhibit in August 2015. One (Rock, Paper, Scissors,) is an actual comic, the other (Moleskin,) a collection of 2 to 4 frame stand alone pieces. These are early works of Ron Hill's. Pictured above.

For the early black and white issues email Ron for his address and postage.

ron@ronhillartist.com

Also, the collaborated 28 page, mainly full color, full size comics Ron Hill and Gary Dumm collaborated on are available for $6 + postage.

http://dummart.com/giftshop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=29

http://dummart.com/giftshop/index.php?main_page=contact_us

Stratu's Diary Comix, May 2015

Stratu's Diary Comix, May 2015

8 pages, (not counting cover,) full size, side stapled

$3.50 per issue in Australia

$5.00 per issue World Wide

accepts trades

Stuart Stratu is our friend and Australian correspondent. He is also the man behind the Blackguard Comix series. Every day in 2015,Stuart is chronicling his life with a three frame comic.

This issue covers his adversarial relationship with the local schlock radio station, his daily crosswords, Witcher III, his mental check list of to dos that he hasn't done, Rocco's 3rd birthday with Gumby cake, Dean Martin, and more shitty FM radio and crosswords. Not so much beer in this issue. One of my favorite things about these comics is the way he depicts his parents and his relationship with them. His father has dementia, and he's getting worse. Stu tries to keep things light, and he succeeds for the most part, but you cannot avoid witnessing the slow incremental loss that comes with Altheimer's. His painting himself as clownish does not hide his pain, nor the sweetness of his devotion to his parents.

Well done Stuart. Definitely one of the coolest and most welcome things I receive in the mail.

Stratu

PO Box 35

Marrickville NSW 2204

AUSTRALIA

http://blackguard23.livejournal.com/

Review by Jack Cheiky

Goiter #1

Goiter #1

20 pages, digest

$7 US (delivered)

Very strange. Decent art. Most are single page and unrelated, except a couple that may be semi autobiographical. Darkish. More ironic than funny, but there is at least one attempt at humor. Some have a coherent thread throughout, some don't.

Interesting, unique, memorable, adictive, and strange.

order:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/231829291/goiter-issue-one

tumblr:

http://goitercomics.tumblr.com/

Review by Jack Cheiky

Morrissey: Misery in Bitesize Chunks

  

Morrissey: Misery in Bitesize Chunks - Raechel Leigh Carter

6 x 9 inches. 46 pages. 
Edition of 100, published by Tinynoggin. 
£5. 

Morrissey - everyone knows who Morrissey is right? Miserable. Daffodils. The Smiths. Songs like This charming man and Heaven knows I'm miserable now. But that’s where my knowledge of him ends, and I guess it does for the majority of people who know him only through his music. 

In 2013 Morrisey published his autobiography, matter of factly titled Autobiography. Unfortunately the book is more of a hinder than a help to a greater understanding of his life. Thankfully, Rachel Leigh Carter has stepped in to bridge that knowledge gap. Morrissey: Misery in Bitesize Chunks is an adaptation of a blog that was started to help people who were struggling through the 480 pages of his life story. 

“Anyone who has read (or tried to read) Autobiography by Morrisey knows it’s not the easiest of reads. It took me well over a week to read 130 pages and I knew other people who struggled with it too. So I thought I should do the world a service and read it on behalf of those who couldn’t manage it but wanted to get the nub and the gist of the whole brouhaha”. 

Illustrated by nicely drawn pen and ink images of Morrissey through the years. It is perfect for fans of Morrissey or the favourite miserablist in your life. 

Visit the Tinynoggin shop: Etsy.com/uk/shop/tinynoggin

For more Tinynoggin: tinynoggin.wordpress.com 

Review by Nathan Penlington