Zap!!omania #4

Zap!!omania #4
18 pages, 8 ½ x 11
$?

James is a long-time and prolific zinester who has apparently become disheartened by today’s internet dominated zine scene. Yes, zines have gone digital just like everything else, and if you knew a life of zines before the world wide web, you may indeed find yourself increasingly disillusioned by the amount of online traffic that zines are participating in these days, especially when it seems to come at the cost of content and regularly filled PO Boxes. James is so disturbed by this trend that he wrote a rambling, 18-page zine about it, and while reading it I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the guy and his desperate attempts to cling to the past. Nostalgic over days when thick, text-heavy zines would fill his mailbox on a regular basis, and long, engaging letters to and from zine friends were the foundation of deep, personal connections; James is now steeped in frustration as he attempts to communicate with fellow zinesters through online forums and social networking sites. Sadly, he is left feeling unfulfilled and out of the loop. More frustrations abound in his endeavors to print out online zines and blog postings at his local, college library. “Why doesn’t anyone post or publish their physical address anymore?” he inquires. James’ rant, despite the moodiness and general nit-pickiness, is worth some consideration. If nothing else, send James a letter and let him know that indeed there are still people out there who value networking the old-fashioned way.

James N. Dawson
PO Box 292
Malden WA 99149 

Review by Dan Murphy, publisher of The Juniper, and Elephant Mess. PO Box 363, Edwardsville IL 62025, http://juniperbug.blogspot.com