zine, [zeen] noun. 1. abbr. of fanzine; 2. any amateurly-published periodical. Oxford Reference

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Monday, September 28, 2015

The Cock Tavern Paintings - Part I



The Cock Tavern Paintings - Part I

Ben Westley Clarke / Ladette Space


A5, 24 photocopied pages on green paper. Hand stitched binding. Edition of 50.

£3.00


Another zine produced by the prolific Ladette Space - continuing their gallery in the home experiment. This was published to coincide with an exhibition of Ben Westley Clarke's observational paintings made in the Cock Tavern in Somerstown (You can see a few of those paintings here). The pub is a stone's throw from the haunting weight of the artistic and literary history stored in the British Library. You can feel that creative struggle, familiar to most writers and artists, in The Cock Tavern Paintings.

Faithful to his choice of location Clarke focusses his attention on the regulars: the perpetual loners; the elderly who have passed their years in the same seat night after night; the ever friendly, ever vigilant landlady. He captures well the threat of violence, and the slip (sip) into alcohol dependence.

All in all it is an interesting little zine - buy a copy, shove it in your pocket, and read it down your local over a pint. Then share it with someone sat on their own. That's what zines are for of course. 




Review by Nathan Penlington

Friday, September 25, 2015

Infinite beatitude of existence!




Infinite beatitude of existence!
Rebecca Jagoe / Ladette Space

A5, 16 colour photocopied pages with an a3 b&W photocopied text piece. Presented in a transparent polybag. Edition of 50

£2.50


This zine is produced by Ladette Space, who kindly send me a package of publications a couple of months ago, they are making some very intriguing work (See previous reviews of Crow Town, The Belfie Annual, and Gorge). Their mission statement, or manifesto of sorts, is this:
Ladette Space is an experiment in making a gallery in your home and a home in your gallery
Ladette Space is a solution to a problem
Ladette Space is an invitation to our party
Ladette Space is open to suggestion
The Ladette Space experiment has me hooked. I'm interesting in the intersections of the personal and the public, where 'real life' ends and the 'maker/artist/performer/writer' begins - that intersection forms a huge part of my own work. And it is that which really interests me about zine makers - what you show and tell, and what you hide and reveal. Making your living space into a gallery is a brave move. 

The Infinite beatitude of existence! was produced to accompany Rebecca Jagoe's solo exhibition in June 2014. Sadly I missed the exhibition, but thankfully we have this - the zine. As with some other work I've reviewed I don't want to reveal too much. The joy is in discovery. I am willing to say it is a mediation on flies, thought, existence, Buffy the vampire slayer, Edwin A Abbott's Flatland, and the consequences of having a Tinder account.



Review by Nathan Penlington

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

bio auto graphic: edition 26 – A 3rd Month of Sundays






bio auto graphic: edition 26 – A 3rd Month of Sundays


Michael C. Nicholson / ensixteen editions

A5, 16 pages, cardboard cover, stapled.

£4


Michael Nicholson continues to chart his life through this stunningly visual series of zines. A 3rd month of Sundays records 'February through the lens of a quartet of Sundays' and in the process becomes 'notes on the properties of a state of change'. 

Once again it is powerful and deeply engaging stuff: unexpected waves of grief; the parting of a 'terribly sweet, terribly sad' young couple; how it feels to have the privilege of teaching; the power of self-mythologising. That makes it all sound grand and imposing, it is not, bio auto graphic is firmly rooted in the everyday - texts from a lover, TV detective dramas, simple risottos. 



bio auto graphic is a warm, open-armed zine, unafraid of being emotionally resonant. 

Jump in. Buy a copy. 


To get your copy visit the Ensixteen blog: ensixteeneditions.blogspot.com

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


Previous issues are reviewed here: On the Margins, Another month of Sundays, The Power of Small



Review by Nathan Penlington

Saturday, September 19, 2015

bio auto graphic: edition 25 - The Power of Small






bio auto graphic: edition 25 - The Power of Small

Michael C. Nicholson / ensixteen editions

A5, 16 pages, cardboard cover, stapled.

£4


Issue 25 of Michael Nicholson's continuing series bio auto graphic is another exploration of the personal, the metaphorical and the universal. The power of small centres around the loss of phone - a small moment that has unexpected emotional consequences, leading to temporary insanity and Kafkaesque absurdity. (an extra bonus was the unexpected cameo reference to Jeremy Brett - the best TV Sherlock Holmes ever*). 


bio auto graphic is a series that keeps giving - there is depth here that is surprising for its short form, and its honesty is beguiling. My advice is to jump into the series anywhere - you don't need to begin at the beginning, or with the latest issue. Email Michael - he won't bite - and say hi. It is a small world after all. 

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

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

Previous issues are reviewed here: On the Margins and Another month of Sundays




*A side diversion - Jeremy Brett played Sherlock Holmes in a made for TV series in the mid 1980s. He was perfect for the role, embodying the eccentricity and complexity of Holmes' character. Sadly the emotional and mental life of Holmes, the mania, was mirrored in real life - Brett suffered terribly from bipolar mood swings. His Holmes seems all too real for it. Unfortunately, Brett died from heart complications before he could film the full set of Conan Doyle's stories, leaving us 18 of the 60 stories still to be filmed. 
         A little while ago (I really don't know how. That is not an excuse to evade the truth, I really don't know!) I ended up in a corner of YouTube I'd never been before: fan videos for Jeremy Brett. They are a head f**k: for example this joyous, absurdist, fan made mash up of clips from his TV and film appearances set to Whigfield's 'Sexy Eyes' - click here. I warn you though, you'll need to wash your eyes afterwards.



Review by Nathan Penlington

Thursday, September 17, 2015

10 Mini Comics by Alex Nall



10 Mini Comics by Alex Nall
80 page / panels
$9.50 delivered


Each page is a single panel. Eight pages per comic. Cute and quirky, I didn't see anything in these that wasn't kid friendly.

Alex is part of the Chicago comic / zine community and works with young artists and writers. He has and online store. The shipping cost comes down if you're ordering more than one item. You can contact him through tumblr to see if he's interested in trades.

order:

contact:


review by Jack Cheiky

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

NEW ORLEANS COMICS AND ZINE FEST 2015


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

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

bio auto graphic: edition 21 - On the margins








bio auto graphic: edition 21 - On the margins
Michael C. Nicholson / ensixteen editions


A5, 16 pages, cardboard cover, stapled. 

£4

As the title indicates bio auto graphic is a self penned, self drawn series of autobiographical zines that form an ongoing series of reminiscences, observations, musings around varying themes. It sounds like a simple formula, but the simplicity belies the power of Michael's work. 

This issue is a graphic meditation around what it means to be on the margins - dissecting the phrase through altering angles and shifting perspectives, not only of the visual, but also thought. 

bio auto graphic has a distinctive approach to line and space. This isn't just a comic in a shorter form, or a graphic novella in a conventional sense - bounding lines are broken, played with, and turned on their head. The visually dynamic approach to layouts combined with with author's personal revelations, philosophical musings and disarming honesty, makes for an engaging and compelling zine.

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

Friday, September 11, 2015

Organ Grinder #5


Organ Grinder #5
28 pages, full size, slick, glossy, thicker than regular paper
$7 delivered

Organ Grinder is exceptional in every way.. content, production, art, layout, and price.

Remember reading Highlights at the doctor's office when you were a kid? Organ Grinder is the adult (but family friendly) version of the puzzle magazine. Packed with every kind of puzzle you can imagine. Page after page of delightful art and layout. Content is silly, interesting, educational, and ranges from easy to difficult. Each puzzle has a point value, so you can keep score and play against your friends. There are 333 total points possible.

 


Just a few examples.. Match the rap stars with their real names. Identify items inserted in the rectum by looking at the E. R. X-ray. Match famous people with their cult affiliations. Name the graffiti defaced movie poster. You get the idea. Crosswords puzzles, word searches, and sudoku. There's even a centerfold collage of famous Daves, how many can you name?



I think this is destined to become a collectors item. My only dislike is I want to keep it pristine and don't want to write in it, which makes it hard to complete many of the puzzles, especially on the bus, etc. I'm keeping a small notebook with me while working on it so I don't have to mark it up.

I'll post my score when I get through the whole thing.

Would make a great gift.

Probably not taking trades, but you can always inquire


Order: 

Contact: 
kungfujimmy ... gmail.com


review by Jack Cheiky.

Thursday, September 10, 2015

http://www.inpursuitofexpression.com/2015/09/i-read-zines-10.html

http://www.inpursuitofexpression.com/2015/09/i-read-zines-10.html

Friday, 4 September 2015


I READ ZINES [#10]



Negative Assets is a literary zine with a punk ethos produced by students at California State University. Any time I come across a lit zine with a punk aesthetic I am drawn to it like a fly to shit. When I discovered this zine during some boredom induced Googling I immediately emailed the editor and got him to send me a copy. It arrived a week later and I dove straight in. I was not disappointed. It is full of excellent writing; entertaining stories, a smattering of poetry and some punk and metal album reviews as well. The stand out pieces for me were a story by editor Taylor Farner called 'Big Red Roger' about a killer Octopus and two stories by Harmony Hertzog, both of which are tales are urban exploration with ghostly twists. I await the second issue with bated breath.
UP THE LIT ZINES!



Shelf Life zine documents the adventures of its creators Tim & Annie in their quest for used books. These two intrepid lit fiends will travel high and low in search of books and their dedication to the printed word is nothing short of inspiring. This particular issue largely focuses on their experiences with library sales. Now these library sales are not something that happen in the UK (not to the best of my knowledge, and if they do, they are certainly not to same scale as in the US) so they were very interesting to read about. Their experience of 'scanners' (people who scan bar codes to assess a book's resale value) was a particularly frustrating phenomenon to learn about. My only gripe with this zine was Tim & Annie's predilection for non-fiction books. Being an avid fiction reader myself I found myself begging them to tell me about their fiction loves. Next issue, maybe?! 



I don't know whether this is fiction or memoir or an intricate weaving of both. The writing feels too raw, too tangible to be entirely fiction, but the best writing always does, doesn't it? This zine is truly beautiful; a handmade masterpiece. A common trope of zines is that they are robust, thrown together and rough around the edges. A High Degree of Spring Fever is entirely the opposite, and refreshingly so. It is delicate and precious. A myriad of different paper stocks and textures. You don't read this zine so much as experience it. It is a collection of vignettes of spring, of heartbreak and regret, of what ifs and whys, of hope and the future. It is layered and precise and wonderful and I loved it. I wanted to breath it in and hold on to it forever. I also want to give it away. To give it to everybody I know and implore them to read it. That is the worst part about great zines; you want to share them with everyone but also want to keep them for yourself. There are only fifty copies of this in existence, don't waste any more of your life, buy one now.


Reviews by Martin Appleby


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