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Xerography Debt is a review zine for zine readers by zine writers (and readers). It is a hybrid of review zine and personal zine (the ancestor to many blogs). The paper version has been around since 1999. This blog thing is are attempt to bridge the gap between Web 2.0 and Paper 1.0. Print is not dead, but it is becoming more pixelated.

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Sex Without Roles: Transcending Gender

Sex Without Roles: Transcending Gender
Eli Sachse
34 pages, 5.5. x 8.5 inches, B&W, $4
via Microcosm Publishing
https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/8082

"I'm writing this zine for gender explorers, and for those who love us" the author writes in the preface and that seems like a pretty good way to start this review. "This zine is meant to expand all of our vocabularies. In no way is this meant to be a 'how-to' or a guide to sex and dating." This zine is an interesting read for many reasons; it's written in an approachable first-person writing style, but it's also packed with lots of non-judgmental information for the reader to consider as they themselves think about gender, gender roles, and gender norms. As I was reading, the author's voice is really clear and personable; it's a direct writing style and makes important points; it's valuable reading and I highly recommend it. Though it seems like it's most closely matched for queer folks who are beginning to transition or think about transitioning, the fact is that there's a lot of good information included regarding self-exploration, consent, knowing what you want, and other things that are bigger-picture important when thinking about exploring gender and sex and desire.

BDSM FAQ: Your Antidote to Fifty Shades of Grey

BDSM FAQ: Your Antidote to Fifty Shades of Grey
Faith G. Harper, PhD, LPC-S.
30 pages, 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches, $4 via Microcosm:
https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/6590

The author is a counselor who writes about how "I started getting more and more younger couples coming to my office with questions and concerns about BDSM." She links this happening to the larger popularity of 50 Shades of Gray, people trying our that roleplay and "feeling..well...skeeved out." So after answering questions, Dr. Harper starting thinking more about those questions, and then teaching classes at a local & woman-owned toy store in San Antonio, and then using that varied material to react this zine. It goes from the basics ("Ok, then. What is BDSM?"), includes some terms & lingo (switch, safe words, and more), as well as some important information. It's a guide that covers her most frequently asked questions in more of an information-imparting way, not a manifesto or a exact how to, and it includes an anonymous BDSM story as well from someone who "wanted to share some of what she saw as a warning to other to make sure they are safe and protected in the community." Clear, crisp composition; factual and straightforward writing. The reader is never lost in this zine.

BEARQUEFT COMIX #1 (Spring 2017)

BEARQUEFT COMIX #1 (Spring 2017)
Charlie Haggard
120 Gallagher Street, Unit A
Huntington, WV 25705
smelldog@gmail.com, comix@bearqueft.com
chaggard.com, comix.bearqueft.com
30 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 inches, B&W (color paper cover), $5 US / $6 Can/Mex $10 world, trades yes

Described by the author & creator as a "collection of original comics, illustrations, and fake adverts" this is a pretty crisply designed and printed book with comics (Planet Man, who smells terrible), sketches I thiiiiink the artist did as a child (it's not totally clear who drew then and when, but there's a lot of "Jerry" who looks a lot like Fred Flintstone, and these hilarious 'art critics' who provide some commentary on the pieces), and some other artwork. Some cussing; not for kids; there's a mighty lot of bodily functions references in here (and some random naked folks) but there's also this great little bit at the end where you get to fill in the blanks and add your own dialogue, which I thought was pretty fun. Overall, it is pretty much a random collection of comics and illustrations, as well as a few fake ads thrown in there for reasons I'm not as sure about, but for a first issue it's generally well composed and designed. Let's see what #2 brings!

Sunday, October 29, 2017

2 one-offs from Allison Leonard

2 one-offs from Allison Leonard

Choo-choo Charli: The Cat With The Train-Track Back
4 pages, 8 1/2 x 5 1/2, $2 US $3 Can/Mex/World, trades yes

5 Stages of Recovery: My Bipolar Odyssey
4 pages, 8 1/2 x 5 1/2, $2 US $3 Can/Mex/World, trades yes

33 Oaklawn Street
Hutchins, TX 75141
Kiss5Tigers@gmail.com
Kiss5Tigers.wordpress.com

So these two zines are both pretty straightforward in their descriptions; 5 Stages is "a version of coming to grips with having bipolar disorder" and Choo-choo Charli is "2 stories about my cat Charli, with quotes and pictures." Both of the zines are black & white and have crisp, open layout; readers don't get lost while they're reading through the material or get sucked into irrelevant details. The pages don't feel crammed with information or with type too small to read. They're both fairly short; at just 4 pages each, you'll likely be left wanting a little more like I was. I'll be interested to see future writing from this author; we'll see what other topics she takes on in the future!

Fracking Can Be Fun (one-shot 2017)

Fracking Can Be Fun (one-shot 2017)
Dr. Milton Godswill, Director of the Federal Association of Knowledge and Experimentation (F.A.K.E.)
frackingcanbefun@yahoo.com
8 pages, 5 1/2 x 4 1/4,FREE--US ONLY; email your snail mail to the yahoo email above for a free copy, trades yes

The publisher's description is: "A satirical science experiment that teaches the principles and pleasures of fracking." This is a short, small satirical zine about fracking using one's digestive system as a model for what happens with fracking -- think baked beans, cabbage, brussels sprouts; you get the idea. The zine's layout is crisp and clear, using the 1950's style Dick-and-Jane illustrations from old manuals.  (Note: remember! satire! don't do what they say in the zine!)

A WHOLE MESS OF BROOKLYN (94, 96, 97, 98)

BROOKLYN! (#94, #96, #97, and #98)
24 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 $10 for a 4 issue subscription
(PAYMENT IN CASH! Fred adds: US currency please!)
Fred Argoff
Penthouse L
1170 Ocean Parkway
Brooklyn NY 11230

If you're new to BROOKLYN, here's the details:  “The name of this zine is BROOKLYN and that's also what the zine is about, Fred's beloved borough of Brooklyn." Issues generally tend to be more photography based, which gives you a real sense of a lot of hidden or off-the-beaten-path Brooklyn. If you dig history, architecture, urban spaces, etc. you'll absolutely want to check out this series. BROOKLYN is a long-standing series that's an intersting read even if you're never been to Brooklyn and maybe never will. It's all about Brooklyn (no surprise there), but it's always a combination of history, photography, and other Brooklyn related things, including Brooklyn-related zazzle.com stamps. Fred obviously spends a lot of time sweating the details, and the overall effect is very cool.

I've been a longtime reader, and I dig it. The layout -- every issue! -- is clear and crisp, and you're never lost while you're reading. #96 is all about graffiti in Brooklyn, and is very picture-heavy. It's very cool. #97 includes stops on the Brooklyn World Tour (pictures of Brooklyn-related things throughout the world). There's architecture, interesting pictures (especially ones from the Brooklyn of years past), art on the street (including Beriah Wall's ceramic coins made in Red Hook and then left throughout Brooklyn for anyone to find), and the much-loved Brooklyn Lexicon &; Pronunciation Guide #77. I'm not sure how I missed #94 from earlier reviews, but it's great: all about Brooklyn and subways (a reprise of a much-earlier theme, but still pretty grand) and #98 literally arrived just as I was finishing reviews and trying to meet deadlines! #98 is another Brooklyn History special issue and it's "so saturated with history, you wonder how it doesn't burst at the seams." There's a book review of Gay Talise's The Bridge (about the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, lots and lots of pictures, and some really fascinating Brooklyn history.

Brooklyn's fun to read, and always interesting; it's worth your time to check it out! I hope at this point folks get the idea that getting a subscription is really the way to go, since there's special issues, theme issues, photography and so on. I always feel like I've learned something new every time I read an issue!

STRATU'S DIARY COMIX (Feb 2017)

STRATU'S DIARY COMIX
review from Anne: STRATU'S DIARY COMIX (Feb 2017)

10 pages,  11 inches x 8 inches, 4 (B&W) $8 (color) /same Can/ same Mex / same World. Trades: "yes but only comix"
color cover (I think it's hand-drawn!)
Stuart Stratu
PO BOX 35 Marrickville NSW 2204 AUSTRALIA
sstratu@gmail.com

This is a diary comic in "about my real life" writes the author & artist. "Just like a diary, but with drawings!" Since I last read Stratu's Diary Comix, they're now in color; apparently there's an option where you can get them in B&W or in color, depending on your preference. This issue is mostly about -- as the cover says -- Instagram mysteries! Seoul trip! Kakao friends! Strategy meetings! I've reviewed it before and it's fun if you like diary comics; each strip has three panels that detail stuff that happens during the day; mostly about instagram this issue but also going out for food, travel to Seoul (which is a super-fun sequence), and other random odds & ends. I really like the color version more than the B&W one, but it's still entertaining if you like diary comics. It's mostly portraits / talking heads, especially with drawing different instagrammers, but it's neat. I like it and it's worth checking out. I dig quirky color work, and the colors in here provide some interesting contrast and detail that makes the images pop.

Sunday, April 23, 2017

INDESTRUCTIBLE: Growing up queer, Cuban, and punk in Miami (3rd edition)

written and illustrated by Cristy C. Road

96 pages, 5.5 x 8.5, $9.95, March 2017
Microcosm Publishing Distributed by Legato / PGW
2752 N Williams Ave
Portland OR 97227
microcosmpublishing.com
taylor@microcosmpublishing.com


This is the 3rd edition of Cristy C. Road's novel, described as a "testimony of survival" and "bursting with wild life, true heartache, sassy insight, righteous mouthing-off, desperate crushes, and more gasping laughter than a slumber party." The description sent along with the book covers it well: "In her Miami high school, Cristy Road valiantly tried to figure out and defense her queer gender identity, Cuban cultural roots, punk-rock nature, and mortality. Through her writing and illustration, Cristy reminds us of the strength and ability of punk youth to address realities like rape, homophobia, and misogyny. This book is no exception. Road's headlong story of growingup gives a voice to every frustrated 15-year-old girl under fire from her peers for being queer, butch, punk, or different." I loved reading this book; the illustrations are compelling and visually captivating, and the writing real and raw and fresh; I can totally see why this book is in the 3rd edition of printing. It's worth getting; it's beautifully designed and is a compelling read. Highly recommended.

Saturday, April 22, 2017

COPY THIS #32 (Oct 2016)


32 pages, 4 x 5.5 inches, cost?, trades ?

D. Blake Wertz
12339 Chesley Drive
Charlotte, NC 28277
bwertz@vnet.net

COPY THIS is an info/new zines assembled by and for mini-comics fans; #32 is almost entirely an interview with Larry Blake, which is really interesting to read. Be warned -- it's a tiny zine so the print is pretty small (the composition and visual flow are both very clear, so there's no confusion -- it's just printed small because of the size of the zine). There's also an upcoming all-art issue (which I think was due to come out in January), which I'd love to see. There's also a little bit of news in the back sent in by other minicomics folks including Andrew Goldfarb, Rob Imes, and a whole lot of others, including cover pictures of new projects. It's a good read and worth tracking down.

Three Acts of Wayne Countryman

(a collaboration by Eight-Stone Press and Leeking Inc.)
Dec 2016

68 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 inches $free (donations to cover printing and mailing costs are appreciated)

Davida and Patrick
PO Box 347
Glen Arm, MD 21057
davida@leekinginc.com


This tribute zine is a collection of pieces that Wayne Countryman, who passed away in September 2016, published in the storytelling zine Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore! over the years. The three acts of the title include these pieces; the acts are divided into Writer, Photographer, and Friend. The photos are ones that were found after his death; they're compelling and evocative all on their own even without the context. This is a really moving tribute to someone who was clearly well-loved by those who knew him, and it's also a fine collection -- if you didn't know him (I didn't), you will really get a sense of how good a human he was and how much his sudden death shocked those people -- it is a profound loss that is evident in the Friend act, with all these tributes from friends and those who knew him.  Because it's Davida and Patrick, you know that this zine is going to achieve a level of quality and visual composition that is flawless; but because of the content, it really resonates as a beautiful tribute to a friend taken far too soon. Highly recommended; it's free, so send a few bucks to cover mailing & printing, but don't miss it.

Friday, April 21, 2017

Christian New Age Quarterly: A Bridge Supporting Dialogue

(Vol 22, Number 4, Summer/Autumn 2016)


28 pages, 7 x 8.5 inches $12.50 US (4-issue subscription), CAN/MEX / WORLD $18.50 (US funds only), trades ??

PO Box 276
Clifton, NJ 070015-0276
info@christiannewage.com
www.christiannewage.com


This issue is a double-issue ($7 for US, $10 outside of US, US funds only; usually a sample issue is $3.50 for US and $5 outside the US, same for back issues), and the masthead says that "Our intent is to foster communication between Christians and New Agers. To this end, a diversity of viewpoints is featured. Publication does not imply the publisher concurs with the content." There is a little bit of advertising in the back, and this issue seems mostly to be one long essay called "Proto-Mark: A Conjectural Reconstruction." There are footnotes, and if religion is your thing, this publication will likely be of interest to you. 

CRONES

review from Anne: CRONES


CRONES was made for GirlFrenzy to CroneFrenzy Supernormal 2016.
rachaelhouse@me.com
http://rachaelhouse.com/index.php

So, this is a tiny little minizine (1/8 size, so 2.75 x 4 inches) and it's awesome. This appeared along with a black rubber bracelet stamped with silver that says FEMINISTS COME IN WAVES  (brilliant, btw) in my pack of zines and I have no idea how much it costs or how you can get one, but I love it. It unfolds out to include drawn portraits of many important crones (there's a short poem explaining a little as the first page), including Jayne Country, Yoko Ono, Maya Angelou, Vi Subversa, and many, many others. It's lovely and I'm so glad it was part of my review packet -- I'd email Rachael House and ask for details to see how you can get one as well. Well worth tracking down.

SPACE WHALES TAKE ON CHAOS

review from Anne: SPACE WHALES TAKE ON CHAOS: Chaos is Our Queen #2 (#2 / July 2016)


16 pages, 5.5 x 8.5, $3 US, $?? CAN/MEX / $? world / trades: maybe

Eva Gonzalez
402 South Coronado Street
LA, CA 90057
eva.marie.gr@gmail.com
instagram: @chaosandfreegrit

The description sent along with this issue  -- "Chaos is Our Queen is a feminist response to our patriarchal society's demands to define, and thus limit, the female experience. This zine is created by two queer women, best friends separated by 3,000 miles in Hawaii and LA. It features original photography, art, poetry, and comics!" -- is really accurate. The issue has a full-color cover (front and back) and is mostly comics, which I dig, and it's def feminist, which I also dig. I haven't seen issue #1 yet and since this was from July of last year, there may well be more issues produced since then as well. The concept is neat, though; it's a zine produced by two folks who are far away from one another but share similar sensibilities. I'm looking forward to seeing other issues as well!

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Stovetop Girl: She's On Fire #5 

"Ballin' on a Budget" (January 2017)
4 pages, digest pages (5.5 x 8.5 inches), $1 US (not sure about CAN/MEX)
Kari Tervo
POB 7831
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
beehate2013@gmail.com
trades? "ask first"
www.etsy.com/shop/SweetMayhemZinery

"Wanna live the luxe life but you don't have a ton of cash to throw around? In Stovetop Girl #5, I clue you in on some ways to score cool party stuff for cheap, save money for expensive items and events, and get incredible discounts on fancy items and experiences. Stovetop Girl #5 is just a measly buck, so you're already spending smart!" This is part of a longer series that also includes the lottery, 90s relics, and so forth; the description is pretty accurate -- it's tips and tricks and photos of things scored on the cheap. Coupons are good! Thrift stores are awesome!  This issue includes pictures of things the author scored on the cheap as well. 

Friday, April 14, 2017

aw yeah BROOKLYN! (#95 and 95.5)

review from Anne: BROOKLYN: (#95 and 95.5)

24 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 $10 for a 4 issue subscription
(PAYMENT IN CASH! Fred adds: US currency please!)
Fred Argoff
Penthouse L
1170 Ocean Parkway
Brooklyn NY 11230

If you're new to BROOKLYN, here's the details:  
“The name of this zine is BROOKLYN and that's also what the zine is about, Fred's beloved borough of Brooklyn." Issues generally tend to be more photography based, which gives you a real sense of a lot of hidden or off-the-beaten-path Brooklyn. If you dig history, architecture, urban spaces, etc. you'll absolutely want to check out this series. BROOKLYN is a long-standing series that's an intersting read even if you're never been to Brooklyn and maybe never will. It's all about Brooklyn (no surprise there), but it's always a combination of history, photography, and other Brooklyn related things, including Brooklyn-related zazzle.com stamps. Fred obviously spends a lot of time sweating the details, and the overall effect is very cool. 

Overall, it's a fun read (whether you're from Brooklyn or not), and there are subscriber perks (like the special issues, which 95.5 is, including a Brooklyn 13 tour, Brooklyn trolleys, and Brooklyn baseball.).  Issue #95 is entirely devoted to Red Hook, and includes my favorite feature (the Brooklyn Lexicon) as well as an excursion on the Brooklyn World Tour. I'm always a little amazed that there's SO MUCH to write about with Brooklyn, but it's all interesting. The layout is crisp and easy to follow, and it's delightful to read about Brooklyn from someone who obviously loves the place. Always, always a fun read worth your time. So, whaddya waitin' for? Read some Brooklyn already!