I AM a fucking slow writer at the best of times, but when the late, lamented Zine World sadly closed down earlier this year, my enthusiasm for writing zine reviews plummeted. Thankfully, I’ve finally snapped out of my lethargy and written some very long-overdue reviews. I apologise to the various creators listed for my tardiness.
P.S. I’ve continued to write my reviews in the Zine World style because (a) It’s a good style that covers all the bases succinctly, so why change it?, AND (b) I’m lazy and can’t be bothered doing it in another format.
- Dann
Exploitation Retrospect #51: After far too long an absence, I recently received the newest ER and it was like 1992 had never gone away. Dan “Hangover Gourmet” Taylor has pulled together another love letter to classic exploitation flicks, including articles on Barbara Steele, Klaus Kinski, Bruno Mattei’s The Jail, Ozploitation and the surprising connection between porn and wrestling. And I’m only scratching the surface here. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait a bunch of years for issue #52. Dan Taylor, PO Box 5531, Lutherville, MD, 21094-5531, USA; editor@dantenet.com; www.dantenet.com[US$4 or trade, 56S, :60+]
The Life Of Rodney Year 64 #2 & #3: Grumpy, smart, lumberjack, mentor…these are the many tags I can apply to Rod Leighton, the man who inspired me to get into zining nearly 25 years ago. The Canadian is still plugging away today, occasionally producing this review newsletter. It’s as basic as a zine gets: several pages stapled in one corner, typed on an electric typewriter, no illos and photocopied. Rod reviews EVERYTHING: TV shows, fanzines, books, DVDs, restaurants… You may disagree with some of the things he says – personally, I thought the Bruce Hart autobiography was shit – but he writes with a brutal honesty that’s refreshing. Send Rod ANYTHING and not only will he probably review it, but he may even send you a copy of the issue it appears in. Rodney Leighton, #11 Branch Rd, R.R.#3, Tatamagouche, NS, B0K 1V0, CANADA (trade, 10M, :20]
Grunted Warning #17: Where does MX find these stories? I know SOME of them are real, but SOME read like they’ve come straight out of the too-bizarre-to-publish drawer at Weekly World News! Doesn’t make them any less entertaining but I question their veracity. Anyway, Stratu’s collected the best of ’em in his latest issue. A great toilet read. Stratu, PO Box 35, Marrickville, NSW, 2204, AUSTRALIA; sstratu@gmail.com; blackguard23.livejournal.com [AUD$1/stamps/trade/cool letter or postcard, 12S, :15]
Wrestling Observer Newsletter, May 13, 2013: Not every issue of Dave Meltzer’s long-running wrestling newsletter can be a winner. This week is a dull affair, detailing the WWE’s quarterly business details. Yawn. Elsewhere, he gives a brief overview of the career of Shane Carwin, the former UFC heavyweight champ, who’s retired due to injuries. Frankly, I don’t bother ordering hard-copy versions of this zine now. I just subscribe to the website and download each week’s edition. It’s way cheaper and more timely. Still a very valuable resource for all serious pro wrestling fans. Wrestling Observer Newsletter, PO Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228,USA;dave@wrestlingobserver.com; www.f4wonline.com[check online for prices, 16M, :90]
Fil Barlow’s Zooniverse #1: They’re sold out now, but Aussie comic legend Fil Barlow has already announced he’s doing a second printing of these delightful little collections. After many years in the States working as an animator, Fil’s returned to Oz and his first love: the Zooniverse (which had its own Eclipse miniseries in the mid-80s). Before launching into new material, he’s reprinted a bunch of classic strips that were first published 30-odd years ago in various local publications like Inkspots. I can’t wait to read his new work, but for now, these blasts from the past will do nicely. MY HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION. To learn more about what Fil’s up to and to order stuff from him, head to zooniversecomic.blogspot.com.au[contact Fil for prices, 44S, :30]
Kamuke #4: This isn’t so much a zine as a labour of love for editor and serious ukulele enthusiast Cameron Murray. This issue features interviews with Benny Chong, Victoria Vox and places Arthur Godfrey into the Kamuke Hall Of Fame. What can I say? Uke can’t do without it. editor@kamuke.com, www.kamuke.com[email for prices, 36S, :30]
Biblio-Curiosa #3: The fiction of the obscure and bizarre are again analysed in entertaining fashion. This time round, Jeff Goodman writes a follow-up article on his good friend “Froggy”, aka eccentric sci-fi writer F. Gwynplaine MacIntyre. Elsewhere, editor Chris discusses the oddball short story collection The Ferocious Fern (1943), which he unearthed in a hotel library on the Greek island of Rhodes, and Swastika Night, an alternative history tale of a Nazi-dominated world written BEFORE World War 2. He also gives us an overview of the amazing literary career of Tod Robbins, who wrote the yarns that inspired classic horror films The Unholy Three and Freaks. Finally, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini’s outrageous novel The Cardinal’s Mistress is examined in great detail. This zine is an essential addition to the library of any fan of the weird and wonderful in the literary world. Chris Mikul, PO Box K546, Haymarket, NSW, 1240, AUSTRALIA, cathob@zip.com.au[AUD$5/email for overseas prices, 48S, :60]
Bizarrism #12: If you dig Chris’s writing style, then you need to get your hands on his original – and arguably best – zine. His much anticipated twelfth issue covers such strange subjects as celebrity stigmatic Padre Pio, the decidedly weird Percy Grainger Museum in Melbourne, notorious literary thief Raymond Scott, the insane history of the Hare Krishnas in America, and Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad world and I’m glad Chris is there to compile the very best of it for us in this incredible zine, possibly the finest out there today. Chris Mikul, PO Box K546, Haymarket, NSW, 1240, AUSTRALIA, cathob@zip.com.au[AUD$5/email for overseas prices, 48S, :60]
Pee #48: Modern punk and hardcore are front and centre in this long-running, classy Australian publication. This ish comes with free stickers, postcards and a free CD (which is pretty standard now with Pee). Articles focus on bands like Pennywise, Polar Bear Club, The Decline and more. Pete Pee, PO Box 238, Marden, SA, 5070, AUSTRALIA, zine@peerecords.com, www.peerecords.com[AUD$6.50/email for overseas prices, 60M, :60+ depending on your interest in punk]
One Thousand Feathers #1: Late last year, I contributed to a Kickstarter campaign so redneck poet, thinker, rapper and all-round great writer Raven Mack could launch his zine project, One Thousand Feathers, and get the first six issues published. The first two issues –densely packed with text – landed on my front verandah in January and they were as brilliant as I had hoped. Issue one, subtitled “The Primordial Traditionalist” explains Raven’s aims and the pros and cons of using high beam on his vehicle at night. Issue two, subtitled “Recession Proof”, only features one yarn: an absorbing, at-times sinister short story about rural folk doing the best they can to survive in these hard times. I found issue two far superior to issue one, but both are pretty damn good and worth your time and money. For the full story on what Raven wants to do with this project, read his manifesto at www.kickstarter.com/projects/ravenmack/one-thousand-feathers-zine-funding-one-through-fiv?ref=live. Raven Mack, PO Box 270, Scottsville, VA, 24590, USA. Seek him out on Facebook or on Google by typing in “Rojonekku”. [email for prices, 4M, :20]
Kapreles Artmailer, September 2012: A two-page thingy filled to overflowing with toons by talented Belgian underground artist Kapreles. Lovely “sick” artwork. Kapreles promised that his next issue might have more pages, plus B-grade film reviews. Y. Albrects, Postbus 100, 2000 Antwerpen 1, Groenplaats, BELGIUM; k8pr3l35.blogspot.com.au [trade, 2M, :02]
