Doctor Who: Empire of the Wolf #1 (Titan, December 2021)

Doctor Who fen also have a plethora of transmedia options available to them. Regardless of whether it's the ongoing television show -- with Jodie Whittaker's stint as the 13th Doctor coming to an end this year -- earlier series streaming on Pluto TV, the monthly magazine, Big Finish's audio dramas, media tie-in novels, or the comic books published by Titan Comics, Doctor Who fen have plenty of outlets to choose from. DOCTOR WHO: EMPIRE OF THE WOLF is a fine recent example of non-TV approaches to the Doctor Who franchise. DOCTOR WHO: EMPIRE OF THE WOLF #1 (Titan, December 2021) features the Eighth Doctor (modeled after Paul McGann) and Eleventh Doctor (modeled after Matt Smith, who recently starred in the excellent LAST NIGHT IN SOHO), Rose Tyler, and a human regeneration of the Tenth Doctor (modeled after David Tennant). So it's a bit of a mash up -- written by Jody Houser and drawn by Roberta Ingranata -- sure to please fen of multiple Doctors and seasons. The gambit of the series is that Tyler is stuck in an alternate timeline, happily married to a human regeneration of the Tenth Doctor (named John Smith) -- and a mother. After having an intense vision, she disappears and wakes up on an unknown shore. Meanwhile, Empress Rose, "glorified as the Bad Wolf Empress" in an alternate timeline and in need of assistance, sends D'Pau to find the Doctor. The Eighth Doctor arrives in the Tardis in 20th century London, where he encounters a group of Sontarans. "That's not right," he says, before leaving and meeting Tyler, whom he doesn't remember because "things in my life can happen in an odd sort of order." The Eleventh Doctor, then, is on holiday, where he also sees a group of Sontarans about to engage in battle -- and is found by D'Pau, to be brought to Empress Rose. There's a lot going on, and it's all setting up the storyline, but there's plenty to work with: a case of mistaken identity, disappearing armies, old friends meeting anew, and a world in danger. To be honest, DOCTOR WHO: EMPIRE OF THE WOLF would be a bit of a mess of a read if the characters weren't so familiar and the new pairings -- a human regeneration of the Tenth Doctor, father to Tyler's child? -- so much fun. It'll be even more of a hoot when the two Doctors come together, as portrayed on David Buisan's cover. The issue ends with a Reader's Guide offering thumbnails of collections featuring the Ninth through Thirteenth Doctors. There's plenty to dive in to; why not start with DOCTOR WHO: EMPIRE OF THE WOLF?

Dejah Thoris Versus John Carter #5 (Dynamite, November 2021)

Fen of the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs have been able to enjoy quite a number of ERB-related comic book series and titles thanks to Dynamite Entertainment in recent years. The recent DEJAH THORIS VERUS JOHN CARTER series that publishing company's penchant for tie-in series that build on and expand ERB's writing. DEJAH THORIS VERUS JOHN CARTER #5 (Dynamite, November 2021) is no exception. Written by skilled tie-in scribe Dan Abnett and drawn by Alessandro Miracolo, the series pairs Carter and Thoris rather than positions them against each other. The issue opens with a bang, "sociopathic mastermind" Rotak Gall conferring with "primordial entities from outside time known as the Longhorn" via ancient arcanotech. The two-page spread featuring the sheer scale of the Longborn reminded this reader of Jack Kirby character design, even if not artwork. The gist of the story is that the Longhorn seek to colonize Barsoom and are manipulating Gall, an expert in cloning, to procure host bodies. Meanwhile, Carter and Thoris are searching for Gall in his palace -- a veritable maze in time, with each chamber located in a different age of the locale -- to obtain the key needed to get out. They encounter what might be a Tyrannosaurus Rex, portrayed on a delightful full page, as Gall embodies the Longhorn in two of his standard clone bodies, which begin to decay more quickly than expected, rather than Carter's hardier body (due to his superhuman genetics). Carter and Thoris battle the dinosaur over the course of several pages before encountering a new clone of Gall, who wants vengeance after his betrayal at the hands of the Longborn. Carter presses the attack to the Longborn, and the issue ends with him realizing that he, himself has also been cloned -- setting up the events of the next edition. Abnett's writing doesn't quite capture the tenor and tone of ERB's original stories, but that's not the point here: Continued adventures of much-loved characters. Miracolo's artwork is well done, and the issue is worth getting for the two-page spread of the Longborn in their original form, as well as the dinosaur. This issue of DEJAH THORIS VERUS JOHN CARTER also includes house ads for Dynamite's VAMPIRELLA/DRACULA: UNHOLY, EVIL ERNIE, and SHEENA: QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE series, giving the reader a sense of what else the publisher has in the works. Recommended for ERB fans.

Deep Beyond #10 (Image, November 2021)

If you enjoy aquatic and kaiju-adjacent stories such as THE SHAPE OF WATER and CLOVERFIELD, be sure to check out the Image comics series DEEP BEYOND. I recently read DEEP BEYOND #10 (Image, November 2021), and the storyline -- even though it's near the end of its 12-issue run -- is quite promising. Written by Mirka Andolfo and David Goy, and drawn by Andrea Broccardo, DEEP BEYOND details a world in which there's a deadly contagion, monsters, various factions and autonomous groups as people try to reconstitute a working society, an underwater element (though much of the tale takes place on terra firma), and perhaps even clandestine aliens. The primary conflict is between the Trans-Colonial Council, the newly reformed government, and the Defeatists -- deemed by some terrorists -- who don't want to live underneath protective domes. (But whose politics are otherwise unclear.) The issue largely focuses on a character named Clover, ex-girlfriend of Trent, who now leads the rebel forces and is infected, his life sustained by machines. With a group of friends, rescued by an older man in a submarine, she intends to locate the mysterious B-34 Colony, determine whether the Council is hiding amphibious aliens and a gateway to another world, and rescue her friend Paul -- as well as one of the aliens. Highlights of DEEP BEYOND include the threat of monstrous creatures -- of which the reader sees only glimpses in this ish -- the contagion, which was probably explained in previous issues; and the high technology, some of it alien. But this late in the series, those aspects mostly serve as window dressing as the storyline comes near its conclusion. The writing is impressive -- the comic book is chock full of ideas -- and Broccardo's artwork ably captures the utopian and dystopian aspects of the emergent society. DEEP BEYOND is a good read. The first six issues were collected in a trade paperback last September, and the second volume is expected in March 2022. I'd expect it's a great read all in a row, if not just in longer spans.

Nostalgia

(Digest, 52pp, $6)

This wonderfully thoughtful and intense fanzine was published in 2018 by Orange, Calif., native Adrian H. (@asphaltpearls, perhaps) to focus on his intense My Chemical Romance fandom a decade prior in 2008. 

A handy "Nutrition Facts" panel on the back cover suggests that the contents address the band's cultural impact and what made them special, plus leather jackets and boas, fan forums and masculinity—and that the zine includes discussion of poetry... and revenge.

It's all true. 

Xerography Debt #24

Davida Gypsy Breier, P.O. Box 11064, Baltimore, MD 21212
($2 16M)

The first issue of a new approach to Xerography Debt, this issue largely contains a lettercol-driven discussion of the intersection between zine culture and the Web. Breier and her team are moving the review aspect of XD to a new blog and will devote the pages of the print -- and PDF -- version to other matters. Contributors to the discussion include yours truly, James Dawson, Jeff Somers, Christopher Robin, and others. Somers also contributes items on post office etiquette, how to mail a zine "properly," and the longevity of online zine reviews. Sinasi Gunes's piece "Zines and Contemporary Art in Turkey" is a brief survey of zine culture in that country, and there are a couple of pages of calls for submissions. I might be most intrigued by the calls for submissions. Even if zine culture is being supplanted in some ways by the Web, there's still a place for the papernet, and this is a healthy expression of the Eternal Network. Oddly, this is the first issue of XD I've ever read, and I feel like I've been missing out -- but joined the party at an interesting point in time. To the future!

Wakeup Call

A review I wrote of Kevin Prufer's poetry collection, National Anthem, was published in the July-August 2008 edition of Small Press Review. Here's the review draft I sent editor Len Fulton:

National Anthem
By Kevin Prufer
2008; 82pp; Pa; Four Way Books, P.O. Box 535, Village Station, New
York, NY 10014. $15.95

"There is nothing so lonely as an empire detached from its people," writes Prufer in his poem "What We Did with the Empire." If anything, that line could well serve as the thesis statement for this collection of more than 40 poems by the English professor at the University of Central Missouri and editor of Pleiades: A Journal of New Writing. In two sections, the slim book collects poems that consider the failings and foibles of politics and government, urban life and consumerism -- belated wakeup calls for citizens of a police state that's constantly at war with other nations (and itself). The tenor and tone is largely one of careful but unavoidable and perhaps understandable neutrality and distance -- reminding me slightly of the prose of Ben Marcus and the comic books of Peter Milligan -- and Prufer's imagery is strong but subtle: birds and boats, coins and coffins, snow and soot. This is a poetry of decay and decline, and there's little hope in the book outside of the occasional lines like, "and the office towers bending down to us as if they'd cup us in their hands and warm us, / as if they'd lift us from the streets before we froze." ("We Wanted to Find America") Too little, too late, for now, and for that, I am thankful.

If you'd like me to consider any small-press poetry or prose books for review in SPR, please email me.

From the Reading Pile XXXV

Some reviews submitted recently to Zine World:

Blurt! #5: Lew's all over the place in this well-designed, verbose perzine. Past and present. Memory and diary. New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Texas. He shares stories about his childhood, school-age friendships, discovering punk rock, the dangers of tribute bands, student journalism, relationships on the wax and wane, making zines, couch surfing, being in a band, and other aspects of the punk-rock life. There's not a lot that's new here, but Lew's got a friendly perspective, and his use of adverbs without the "ly" at the end can be fun. The "Livin' on an Island" section makes me want to check out City Island in New York. A great zine for waiting rooms and bus stations. Lew Houston, 135 Wapwallopen Road, Nescopeck, PA 18535, email [$2 108XS 1:21]

Dwelling Portably (May 2008): Regardless of your living situation -- rural or urban -- reading this zine will inspire you to go back to the land -- and will give you the tools and ideas you need to do so inexpensively. Material in this issue covers Chinese-style wheelbarrows, peak forces on backpacks, grain storage, infected food and clean water, vehicle repair, and temporary housing. Wonderfully homespun, Dwelling Portably mixes personal experience and reader contributions. A must read. P.O. Box 190-D, Philomath, OR 97370 [ $1 16S :19]

Farming Uncle #109 (Spring 2008): Editor Louis Toro started an experimental "farmette" and homestead in Greenfield Park, NY, 41 years ago. His zine is a hodgepodge of agricultural clip art, personal and pen pal ads, get-rich-quick working from home schemes, all-caps moralizing, rural living how tos, nonviolent politics, and Native American activism. It's a cluttered cabinet, but it's fascinating -- and makes for an interesting parallel read to Dwelling Portably. My new favorite zine. Louis Toro, Box 427, Bronx, NY 10458 [$3 24S :23]

Local Comics #55: It's been awhile since I've seen one of Michael's comics, and it's great to see he's still stirring the pot. Over the years, his artwork, though simple, has gotten a little tighter. But his sense of humor -- boner jokes, visual gags, puns -- hasn't changed much at all. His use of partial puns, in which he puns off of a syllable or a part of a word versus the entire term, has increased somewhat. That just goes to show that you can find amusement anywhere -- and that puns might be finite. Basic, clever, funny. Michael Goetz, 1340 Brandywine Dr., Rockford, IL 61108 [Two stamps/trade 16XS :02]

Musea #160 (January-February 2008): If this issue is any indication, Tom Hendricks publishes a Christmas-themed short story at the end of the year. Even though the holiday story might be better read at holiday time -- it's July as I write this -- I did enjoy the piece. It's a story about injury, memory, music, and love -- and while it's somewhat predictable, it's gentle and caring. The issue even includes photographs and sheet music to add to the experience. Happy belated holidays, Tom! Tom Hendricks, 4000 Hawthorne #5, Dallas, TX 75219, email, Web [Free 13S :06]

Opuntia #64A-64B (October-November 2007): Given that these issues of Dale Speirs's zines have a whole number, they contain what's termed "sercon," or serious and constructive criticism. Other issues might be reviewzines, APAs, or perzines. These two editions, then, contain an actively footnoted two-part essay on the origin of life, in which Speirs addresses the various theories behind the origin of life and provides a good starter survey of the literature. Speirs also addresses his other interests, including science fiction, postal history, geoscience, and other topics. The Seen in the Literature items are useful synopses of scholarly articles. Worth checking out. Dale Speirs, Box 6830, Calgary, AB Canada T2P 2E7 [$3 16S :23]

The Out Orb Tribute to Carl Sagan: Combining his interests in the work of Carl Sagan, the TV Show Space: 1999, and Esperanto, long-time comics maker Tolbert created this mini sharing a story about Sagan going to Moonbase Alpha to oversee the construction of SETI antennas. I don't always "get" Yul's comics, but I sure am consistently impressed. His controlled use of hash-mark shading is interesting, and his stylized characters, while somewhat stiff, do resonate. Worth it for the drawings of spacecraft, the moonbase, and antennas alone. The Princess Di joke at the end is a pleasant touch. Yul Tolbert, P.O. Box 02222, Detroit, MI 48202, email, Web [Free 16XS :03]

Popular Reality Special Report Vol. 786 #2: Fans of old-school mail art and zinemakers such as Bob Black and Al Ackerman will get a kick out of this intriguing read. Along with cover model Mykel Board, readers are offered pieces on the military and mind control, a faux brochure on human-gorilla in-vitro fertilization, suicide, child abuse, and Cher. Equal parts parody and polittical commentary, it's not always easy to identify what's a joke and what's art. Highlights include the Christopher Robin poem, Suzy Crowbar's textual poaching, and the detourned Yuran Ass comic on the last page. Confusing and fascinating -- a wonderful combination. Poe-Pular Reality, P.O. Box 66426, Albany, NY 12206 [$3 24S :15]

Publick Occurrances #10: This excellently handmade comic -- a limited edition of 500 with what appear to be woodcut covers -- collects drawings done of students from the class of 1925 at the Manual Training High School in Peoria, Ill. Artist Danny Martin's ink work may itself be inspired by woodcuts and lends a sinister air to his recreations of the student portraits. About 50 students and faculty members are featured in this edition. Danny Martin, 746 E. 5th St. #23, Tucson, AZ 85719 [$2 or trade 20XS :01]

Show Me the Money! #26 (Fall, Winter, Spring 2007-2008): Even though I'd like to see more citations and footnotes for a lot of the facts, I was quite impressed by this well-researched zine. Hunnicutt strives to show the realities of our economic and political system and leans pretty far to the left while doing so. Highlights of this edition include his contention that America isn't a democracy but a kleptocratic plutocracy (the Anti-Renter movement of the 19th century bears further research), the comparison of 1929 and 2008, a look at friendly societies and other mutual aid groupss (this might be the best article in the issue), and the two poems near the back. The zine could use more variation in its content (kinds of articles) and design but offers tons of food for thought -- if not tools for activism. Tony Hunnicutt, P.O. Box 48161, Minneapolis, MN 55448 [Free 44S :31]

Tenacious: Art and Writings from Women in Prison #13 (Fall 2007): This zine collects writing and artwork by women in prison, so there are some common threads running throughout the stories. Pieces touch on gender relations between prisoners and guards, health concerns with HIV and Hepatitis C, separation from loved ones, illogical elements of the legal and prison systems, the will to improve one's life or situation in and out of prison, and children. Rachel Vickers's "Ode to Sole Mates" might be the most creative item, told from the perspective of a pair of tennis shoes. A mixed bag, but promising for people interested in women's and prison issues. V. Law, Black Star Publishing, P.O. Box 20388, New York, NY 10009, email [$2 32S :12]

Urban Spook #1: Originally issued in 2006, this is a self-published comic book that's accompanied by a CD featuring six tracks of music and narration, also by Monk. Titled "The Cash-for-Pussy Primer," the piece -- best read while listening to the CD -- details the experiences of a gourmet cheese seller who goes to Span to see an old female friend. The two solicit a prostitute, which leads to some introspection. The artwork is somewhat rough and hurried, but the overall combination more than makes up for the limitations of any of the individual parts. An excellent DIY multimedia project. If you're aware of others like this, please write the reviewer c/o Zine World. Augusto Monk, 305A Brockley Road, London, England SE4 2QZ, email, Web [$10 12S+CD :17]

Worn Fashion Journal #4: Not quite Harper's Bazaar with its portrayal of impractical spectacular runway fashion and not quite Readymade with its DIY thriftiness, Worn is a relatively new semiannual magazine that blends the inventiveness of punk rock and the aesthetics of high fashion. The zine itself is well designed and published on a heavier stock of paper to better present its full-color contents. Highlights include an appreciation of The Image Makers: Sixty Years of Hollywood Glamour, and introduction to log cabin quilt making, Sonya Topolnisky's article on simultaneous color,a piece on the aesthetics of psychobilly, a reminiscence by an auction house intern, and an outline of the chemistry behind dry cleaning. This isn't a world I'm familiar with, but I appreciate the entry point. Well done. Serah-Marie McMahon, 4903 De Grand Pre, Montreal, QC H2T 2H9 Canada, email, Web [$7.50 48M :17]

Reviewing the Neo-Beat Novel

A review I wrote of Ray Reece's novel, Abigail in Gangland, was published in the March-April 2008 edition of Small Press Review. It's my first publication in one of my favorite long-running small press magazines, and it's an honor to share a page with Richard Kostelanetz, whom I respect mightily. Here's the review draft I sent editor Len Fulton:

Abigail in Gangland
By Ray Reece
2008; 374pp; Pa; La Ventana Budapest in collaboration with Synergy
Books, P.O. Box 80107, Austin, TX 78758. $12.95.

Published in Hungary in 2005 as Szórakozz a nénikéddel!, this is the first English printing of the third novel by Ray Reece, currently a columnist for The Budapest Sun. Packaged as "neo-beat" street lit, the novel features a down-at-his-heels artist who moves from New York City to a gang-ridden neighborhood in an urban area similar to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex in order to care for his elderly and violently racist aunt -- and have a shot at her inheritance. Facing challenges such as warring youth gangs, adult diapers, and his misadventures in the personal ads, the protagonist rediscovers the value of family, his art, and true love. The ending leaves some plot threads loose, but while I didn't find the street lit and neo-beat positioning persuasive -- the book's like neither Eldorado Red nor On the Road -- the book's an engaging read that's extremely well written and surprisingly satisfying.

The review is one of what I hope will be many that I contribute to SPR, and the book is worth checking out. If you'd like me to consider any small-press poetry or prose books for review in SPR, please email me.

Burn to Shine: Seattle

I can think of few better ways to spend a welcome, sunny but cold Saturday afternoon than watching the fifth DVD in the Burn to Shine series. Produced by Brendan Canty and Christoph Green, the series is impressive on multiple levels. One, each edition meets the needs of the best mix tape or compilation record: They turn you on to great new music, while including and introducing some elements you might not seek out on your own. Two, it's a fun concept: Gather a bunch of local musicians who represent a given scene in a certain state in time, and film them in a house that's about to be destroyed; then film the demolition. And three, visually and musically, the DVDs show a love and care for music that's not precious or protective; they're pure celebration.

Thanks to Deb, who turned me on to a previous edition, I ordered the Seattle DVD, which was recorded on Jan. 27, 2007. There's nothing on here that's bad, and what's good is great. I especially appreciated the performances by Harvey Danger, Dave Bazan, Benjamin Gibbard (who organized the musicians who performed), and the Long Winters. I was a little surprised by how much I enjoyed the Eddie Vedder selection, and it was really Gibbard who emerged as my favorite. He's a songwriter and performer to follow.

This is a wonderful project -- elegant in its simplicity and beautiful in its execution... if not sheer existence.

Can't Help But Pop

Katy Perry might not have been destined to hit it big, but I bet she does. She kinda can't not, you know? Even though her debut album doesn't drop until this spring, based on a CD EP released in November and some live performances, including a New Year's Eve gig in San Francisco, Perry's got a resume that just says superstar.

Even though she's yet to release an album, Perry's appeared in music videos for Gym Class Heroes, POD, and Carbon Leaf. She's had a song on The Hills. She's got a song opening the Oxygen show Fight Girls. She had a song on the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants soundtrack. And she was on the ABC Family program Wildfire.

That's an impressive resume leading up to your first full-length release! She's even attracted the attention of Perez Hilton, whose mention in his blog last March earned him promo package placement. Blurbed! Perry's been working with some pretty impressive people: Glen Ballard (producer of Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill), Dr. Luke (who produced Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend"), and Greg Wells, who co-wrote Perry's breakout single "Ur So Gay." And she's sung for the Matrix, the songwriting powerhouse behind hits by Lavigne, Hilary Duff, and Britney Spears. All by the age of 23.

The record's been three years in the making, according to press materials, and earier this month, I got a copy of the EP courtesy of Jules Di Cesaris. For the last couple of days, I've been giving it a listen.

The single, "Ur So Gay," is a slow-paced giggle-fit slam on an emo boy who might have broken Perry's heart. While the repetitive melody is somewhat infectious, the song doesn't have a lot of lasting power. In addition to the SMS-text slang in the title, the song has a homophobic undercurrent that's as conflicting as it is "funny." While I'm no fan of using "gay" as a derogatory term, I can imagine the remix getting turntable time at gay dance clubs -- as well as straight ones.

You might get tired of the song by EP's end, because it's on it five times. There's the edit -- as opposed to the actual song? -- the remix, an instrumental, an instrumental remix, and an a cappella version. It's the a cappella version that's my favorite. Stripping the song of everything but Perry's voice let's you focus on her and her alone. Can she sing? Kinda. But just see if you make it through the scat singing without taking her even less seriously than she's taking herself.

It would've been nice if she'd taken her cover of the Outfield's 1986 hit "Use Your Love" (which peaked at No. 6 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart) a little more -- or less -- seriously. From the initial guitar riff, the cover's just a little too close to true, despite its distorted, synth-driven vocals. Similar to the Ataris's cover of "Boys of Summer," the song just begs an original approach rather than a dead-on copy.

But the inclusion of the cover might telegraph Perry's goal. She's not aiming for high-minded new-school jazz like Nellie McKay. She's not working out her blues like Amy Winehouse. She's not pop tarting up punk rock like Avril Lavigne. And she's not trying to reinvent herself like Alanis Morissette. She's going for camp. "Ur So Gay" will get the jocks giggling. The remix will get folks of all persuasions out on the dancefloor. "Use Your Love" will tug the heart strings of the '80s reminiscence set.

And "Lost," the outlier on the EP, will keep us guessing. Can she really sing? Does she really want to? Or is Katy Perry so tightly packaged and promoted that she can't help but pop?

From the Reading Pile XXXIV

Another batch for Zine World:

Dance of the Skeletons #4: This excellent zine about class struggle and labor issues focuses on the realities of unionism from an IWW and anarchist perspective in this issue. There are three pieces: A story about unionizing student film projectionists at Carleton University in Ottawa, an email interview with organizer Floyd Peterson, and the details of a direct action at Carlingwood Mall. The writing touches on the challenges of organizing, the need to connect with workers, ongoing union activity, and other topics. I'd pick up this zine again, if it's this good consistently. Johnny Aztec/Braden Cannon, 6020 Cherry St., Halifax, NS, B3H 2K3 Canada; Web; email [$2 or trade 52XS :11]

Dinotaur: In the summer of 2005, Lindsey and Virgil set out on a three-month search for dinosaurs. Inspired by the Nova Scotia Anti-Tourism project, they hitchhiked, snuck into museums and zoos, and otherwise tried to learn as much as they could for as little as possible. This zine collects writing, correspondence, and photocopy collages inspired by their travels. While I would have liked more of a trip diary -- Where did they go? What did they do? -- this is still a fun read. I particularly enjoyed the ideas behind the project, the love letter to paleontologist Dr. Philip J. Currie, and the literary email exchange. Makes me want to organize a trip of my own. Dinosaurs are where you find them. Lindsey and Virgil, 3-3627 Notre Dame O., Montreal, Quebec, Canada H4C 1P6 [$1 32S :11]

Small Press Review Vol. 38, Nos. 7-8 (Issues 402-403)/Small Magazine Review Issues 154-155 (July/August 2006): Before the Internet and Web, with its infinite cacophany of blogs, online journals, and discussion forums, there was the small press. Zinemaking and being a small-press writer are labors of love, and every issue, the Small Press Review and its sister publication the Small Magazine Review hold that fact up to the cold light of day. So it's somewhat ironic that contributing editor Bob Grumman writes in this issue, "If (serious) poetry is to be saved, it will be computers that save it." True, the Web and print-on-demand publishing houses can help writers find their audiences more easily, but it is the writers who will save writing. The reviews and commentary in this long-running publication are celebrations of the people who make the chapbooks and little magazines -- who write the words -- we love to read. Thank you. Special thanks to Kaye Bache-Snyder for her accounting of money spent on participating in the small press. It's a worthwhile investment! Dustbooks, P.O. Box 100, Paradise, CA 95967; Web [$25/year 24M :20]

Smiling Disease: A Guide to Public Stickering: While it might seem silly to write a how to on stickering, Scott's friendly little pamphlet is actually quite useful. After discussing the logistics of making stickers, he offers some pretty decent advice: large stickers tend to be removed faster, don't patronize a printer who might be offended to see stickers they've made all over the place if you want to do business with them again, stickers put on straight can look like they're supposed to be there, don't sticker a mom-and-pop shop or people's private property, and clean the surface first. A quick and practical read. Scott, P.O. Box 18233, Portland, OR 97218; Web [$? 16S+five stickers :07]

Zine Show: In June 2006, this was the Irish zine event to participate in! Anto, who started the Early Irish Fanzines project, helped organize an evening of zine readings and performances at Anthology Books, which also hosted an exhibition. This exhibition catalog of sorts is a who's who of Irish zinemaking, dating back to the '70s. Several notable zines and related projects are described, including the Forgotten Zine Archive maintained by Ciaran. A wonderful introduction to the world of Irish zines. Anto, 3 Crestfield, Youghal, County Cork, Ireland; email [Free 8S :05]

From the Reading Pile XXXIII

I just submitted these reviews to Zine World, to which I haven't contributed for awhile. Lest they be too old to publish, I'm also posting them here.

5 Speed: Klyd Watkins, proprietor of the poetry Web site the Time Garden, has lived near Radnor Lake and Nashville for many years. His poetry, compared by Stephen Thomas to the work of A.R. Ammons and Charles Potts, touches on two primary themes in this collection of 24 poems: the fleeting glimpses of truth witnessed in the natural environs of Radnor Lake and the passing of time shared by people. I appreciate Watkins's inclusion of references to comments from his Web site in his work, particularly the pieces "Poam" and "I Asked for It." To quote "Chelsea's Softball Game at Whitfield Park -- 6/16/01," "As surely as civilization is neurally transmitted in little packets, there's no place right now I'd rather be." A poet to return to. The Temple Bookstore, 40 S. Colville, P.O. Box 1773, Walla Walla, WA 99362; Web [$5 56S :27]

Batteries Not Included Vol. 8 #9 (September 2006): Other than the slightly more political EIDOS, there are few sex zines as smart and intriguing as Batteries Not Included. In this issue, editor Richard Freeman jams more content in its teensy-typefaced pages than an average issue of Adult Video News. Richard Pacheco remembers his long career while watching a talk show featuring aging starlets he worked with; Cindi Loftus interviews porntrepreneur Kelly Madison; Freeman collects a number of news items about breast ironing, abuse in Liberia, and DontDateHimGirl.com; Kate Keene reviews a new (at the time) Jonathan Morgan movie; and Jean Roberta reviews a book by Jalaja Bonheim. There's a lot here. Bring your own batteries. 513 N. Central Ave., Fairborn, OH 45324; email [$3 12M :25]

First Class #26 (February 2006): Like most small-press litzines, First Class is a mixed bag. There's no unifying theme, and it's difficult to get a sense of what editor Christopher M. is going for in terms of tone and content. But there are highlights worth mentioning. Ed Galing's poem "Day Care" sheds some light on the internal monologues possible to an Alzheimer's patient. Richard Harvell's short story "Headhunter" is an intriguing consideration of the costs of fighting crime. And spiel's story "Soda Crackers," while not fully satisfying, makes for a good companion read to Galing's piece. Lastly, I was impressed by Larry Rapant's poem "A Matter of Faith," although I was disappointed by how quickly it ended -- and how. I'm not sure First Class is a need to read, but it has potential. Keep up the good work! Four-Sep Publications, P.O. Box 86, Friendship, IN 47021; Web; email [$6 56S :43]

The F-Word (Spring 2006): I don't always like feminist zines -- too strident, too exclusive, too stereotypical -- but I absolutely adore the F-Word. It's smart, wide-ranging, and very well written. Melody seems to be in New York City now, but when this issue went to press she was going to move to California and intern at Bitch magazine. The layout is slightly haphazard -- what's up with all the house ads? -- but the writing is lively. There's a profile of sex education activist Shelby Knox; interviews with poet Alix Olson, comedian Margaret Cho, feminist icon Gloria Steinem, musician Pamela Means, and journalist Maria Raha; and other articles worth reading. Gwendolyn Beetham's piece on "gender mainstreaming" in global politics is especially interesting. Melody Berger, Web; email [$3 52M :36]

The Mystery & Adventure Book Series Review #39 (Summer 2006): Even if you're not interested in children's series books, this zine is a wonderful read for anyone interested in self-publishing and the small press. Fred Woodworth has been publishing this for more than 25 years, and over time, he's really honed his skills as an editor and printer. This issue includes features about trying to track down the person who inspired a character in John Blaine's "100 Fathoms Under," the series book artist E.H. Kuhlhoff, the history of justified text, Norvin Pallas's Ted Wilford Books, and the burial of a time capsule containing 25 zines. The letter column shows there's an active community of other series book readers, and their discussions are in depth and insightful. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this wonderful zine. It's a piece of art. Fred Woodworth, P.O. Box 3012, Tucson, AZ 85702 [Free 52M :58]