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[The Screwtape Letters]A Yuba City zine, for once. You see, I personally have a thing for said orchard-spawned city which is quickly going strip mall; it's where a gaggle of my cousins, aunts and uncles live, one of which was personally involved in this here project (not to mention Chocolate Honey Monkey). Mr. "Sexwell" (my cousin Allen - oops, anonymity destroyed!) and crew have created an above average, layout standard yet graphically enhanced product with a humorous edge and musical slant. The main attraction - besides the cool drawings, Allen's story and the ample text in general - is the long LGS (Little Guilt Shrine) interview. If you haven't heard of that fine Sacramento-based band, then you will, OK? Especially if you send your buck and support this neato project. 2 issues exist, more are expected, and everyone's having a fun time in Yuba City, either in person or vicariously.
The Screwtape Letters
Allen Maxwell
1268 Willow Creek Dr.
Yuba City, CA 95991[rating] - [5] [5] [6] [5] [4]
[talent]
[attitude]
[innovation]
[Secret Nicole]I really like this. You got Hot Dog on a Stick working women, a rad comic about the Fish Market Guy, book reviews, an interesting insert, full 8.5" by 11" sizing, clear design, readable text, nicely xeroxed photos, expected things, surprising things, and Secret Nicole cutouts on the back cover. The best first issue I've come across in a while, that didn't kick my ass but still gave a good wrestle. They seemed like a nice bunch of energetic folks when I met them briefly at the Alternative Press Expo, and while I don't know if more issues have hit the world yet, this one shouldn't be kept a secret. Cover says $2.50, and they even have the audacity to offer subscriptions ($10 for 3, to "Nicole Martensen") so you know they want to be your friend. Heck, I want to be your friend, too, but that's another story altogether. Uh, a solid piece of work, OK?
Secret Nicole
1425 Laurel St.
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
boutagrrl@aol.com[rating] - [6] [5] [6] [5] [5]
[Sidney Suppey's Quarterly and Confused Pet Monthly]Since 1979. That's how long Candi Strecker has been making her literate, intelligent, and surprisingly entertaining zine-thing. Not that I knew this until a few months ago, when she stopped at the JM/Halo table at the Alternative Press Expo in San Jose, CA, and traded me a fine collection of excerpts from her body of work. 23 issues of textually advanced and graphically solid stuff, none of which I've seen save for what's collected in Vol 6, #1, but what I have come across made me think and smile, and put me in my historical place. Zines are "important" and multiplying like bacteria, but it boggles the mind to think of all the people doing such self-published work before there were "zines" (in name and actuality). Get the point? This is the real deal, that tells a tale stretching from the "old-school zine years" before Factsheet (when copy machines were a big thing), to the first mainstream exposure in the early 80's. $2 is not too much to ask for these 20 pages, even though it's just stapled in the corner (graphic design is super-solid, though). Come on - if you want a good historical perspective of the rise of self-publishing, written by someone who knows, then get this. If you want a good read, then get this. If you don't care, then get this anyway, and send me your complaints.
Sidney Suppey's Quarterly and Confused Pet Monthly
Candi Strecker
PO Box 515
Brisbane, CA 94005-0515
strecker@sirius.com[rating] - [6] [5] [5] [6] [7]
[innovation]
[Some Kind Of Creative Drought]A good amount of reading, almost all personal. Graphically above-average, and actually communicates something. $1
Jason Willoughby
for Chay Tower
Box 2905
I College St.
Holy Cross College
Worcester, MA 01610[rating] - [5] [4] [5] [4] [3]
[innovation]
[Suburbia]Better than that. Ceci is honest, talented, puts lot of time and effort into her work, and takes more risks than most people deserve. Which means that she's principled, omnivorous when it comes to her interests (but not her food) and knows how to make a good, solid, personal product. Every issue is an improvement over the last (5 exist so far), and perhaps I'm a tad too biased to review her stuff properly, but empirically her issues are thick, edgy-cute, jam-packed, well-written, and worth far more than the $1 asking price. Lots of zine reviews and ads, plus the occasional interview (Jeanette from the Chubbies the most recent one), and an ample supply of found graphics and Sanrio critters. Get the point? It's better than that. Send money or stuff to trade, and then it'll be your turn to spread the word.
Suburbia
Ceci Moss
521 Golden Gate Ave.
Point Richmond, CA 94801[rating] - [6] [7] [6] [6] [5]
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