Publishing No More

According to the most recent catalog mailing -- the Best Book Catalog in the World -- from Loompanics Unlimited, the publisher and distributor of way independent books is going out of business. As outlined in a three-page comic strip illustrated by Bob Crabb, Mike Hoy is hanging up his hat after 30 years of promoting left-of-center and forward-thinking books and ideas.

Despite the 50% Going out of Business Sale, this news makes me sad. Outside of ye olde Blacklist Mailorder and the still-important Maximum Rock'n'Roll, the ever-in-limbo Factsheet 5, V. Vale's RE/Search Publications, and the absolutely mind-blowing Amok Dispatch series, few independent media enterprises have held my heart as closely as Loompanics.

By way of mourning, do take advantage of the half-off sale, but please... PLEASE... someone consider picking up where Mike and his partners in crime -- formerly including the wonderful Steve O'Keefe -- left off.

Loompanics was Big Stuff. I'm sad it's going to be gone. Don't be gone long, please.

Update: I just ordered 20 copies of the Principia Discordia. Buy bulk of you see fit! Let's keep these books alive.