Dog-Ear - Issue 9

Dog-Ear - Issue 9

6cm x 21cm (A4 folded into 5 panels)

Free where stocked / £1.50 if bought online

Dog-Ear is a great example of a publication in which content, form, and distribution, all coalesce into a unique, perfect zine. 

The zine is formatted from a single A4 sheet concertina folded into a bookmark. The size means each page is perfect for poems, short short-stories, and provides an elongated blank canvas for original illustrations. 

The contents of issue 9 include witty pieces from Neil Laurenson, Olivia Spidel, Nathan Fidler, Rebecca Field, and Mansour Chow; an excellent visual interpretation of Day of the Triffids by Vicki Johnson; and an experimental crossword by Charlie Methven in which the answers are each a different single letter of the alphabet (its a concept George Perec - member of the Oulipo and crossword composer - would definitely approve).

Dog-Ear is primarily distributed free at selected independent bookshops at locations around the world, but it is also available to buy either as a year subscription (£7 for 4 issues), or individually at £1.50 an issue. 

Dog-Ear is also open for submission - check their website for details: dog-ear.co/submit

Review by Nathan Penlington

Rising #66

Rising #66 (Summer 2016)

Edited by Tim Wells

A5, 24 pages. 

Free

Rising consistently puts its money where its mouth is (Yes, I know, it's a free zine. Free to you, means someone else, somewhere, is paying for your pleasure): a poetry zine with an emphasis on quality writing - poetry that doesn't submit to the usual elitist claims to the art form.

Once again the mix is part ranting old guard, part performance circuit, and part new voices - the thing that unites them being the attitude that comes from having a need to write, not just the desire to be a writer. 

This issue includes top work from Salena Godden, Porky the Poet (comedian Phill Jupitus' alter ego), Emily Harrison, Phoebe Stuckes, Fiona Curran, The Bro's Grim, Sophie Parkin, Melissa Lee-Houghton, Paul Birtill, Hannah Lowe, and Tim Turnbull. 

What are you waiting for tweet Tim here to haggle for a copy. Can I suggest bribes, favours, or a beer or two, are likely to be successful. Please tell him Nathan sent you.

Click here to visit Tim's Stand up & spit project which is dedicated to chronicling the history and influence of Ranting poetry. 

Review by Nathan Penlington

bio auto graphic: edition 24 - Another Month of Sundays

bio auto graphic: edition 24 - Another Month of Sundays

Michael C. Nicholson / ensixteen editions

A5, 16 pages, cardboard cover, stapled.

£4

Continuing Michael's graphic autobiographic bio auto graphic series of zines (see the previous review of Issue 21 On The Margins). This issue takes its name from the idiom 'a month of Sundays' - meaning never, forever, hugely unlikely - and makes it an actuality, recording the thoughts and events of every Sunday in February. 

'I'm building this edition from the incrementals, threading needles of word and picture, stitching Sundays together'

bio auto graphic is a literary and visual exploration of the everyday. The dynamic movement through every page of word and image confronts the act of reading, of complacency, forces you into another perspective. It is a personal zine of the very best kind. 

To buy a copy visit the Ensixteen blog: ensixteeneditions.blogspot.com

Or email Michael directly: ladnicholson(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)uk

Review by Nathan Penlington

Radvocate # 13

The Radvocate # 13
79 pages, digest
$10 US

They grow up so fast. It seems like just yesterday we watched Matt's baby take it's first wobbly steps into the world. You blink, and suddenly they're all grown up. Not only is The Radvocate no longer a baby, I'm not sure we can even call it a zine anymore. Professionally bound with high octane prose, a slick cover, and complete with an ISNB number and bar code, this falls more into the literary journal category.

Gone are the little bits of combustible art filling the nooks and crannies. No more throw everything including the kitchen sink at it and see what sticks. Alas, we are left with a single pristine type font throughout it's entirety, a $10 price tag, and it's available on Amazon. I'd venture to guess he's not taking trades on this one.

( I stand corrected. Matt says, "I'd still be up for trades, anytime." For that you can use the contact form on their blog: http://www.theradvocatemagazine.bigcartel.com/contact )

There are 34 pages of poetry. I don't do poetry. The 20 or so pages of micro-fiction are great. Really great. You don't usually see this caliber of writing in a $10 publication, zine or otherwise. The non-fiction piece is great. The 20 questions type interview with Henry Rollins is okay. The cover art is awesome.

If I spent $10 on this I wouldn't feel ripped off, and that's having not even looked at the poetry.


order:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/182-7300032-9145350?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=the+radvocate


Web sites:
http://www.theradvocateisamagazine.com/
http://www.sosayweallonline.com/

Wonderlust Literary Zine #2

Wonderlust is the name of the zine and also the theme of each issue (the desire to be in a constant state of wonder), it contains poetry, short stories and has a fantastic comic strip to close the show as well. It makes me really proud to say that PAPER AND INK partially inspired the creation of this zine. Even if the zine sucked, it's a huge compliment. However, this zine does not suck, far from it. I was massively impressed with the first issue and this second one blows it out of the water. I can't wait to see what editor Sonya Cheney comes up with for the third issue.

Wonderlust Literary Zine #2




Review by Martin Appleby
reprinted with permission from
http://www.inpursuitofexpression.com/