Zines from the LJ Mailbag

Reviews of Xerography Debt, Izzy, Skin Deep, and more

Edited by Jenna Freedman -- Library Journal, 09/02/2009

An integral part of zine culture is letter writing, so it seems especially appropriate to devote one zine reviews column to zines sent to us in the mail, usually accompanied by a short, handwritten note. Adherents of zine etiquette invariably include something personal in a package. For example, I nearly always scrawl something on a catalog card and sometimes cute it up with a sticker or two that I received with a recent zine collection gift.

When you order a zine from an individual or distro, it's good manners to be friendly and give some background about yourself or your library. Zine writers appreciate it even more if you let them know the zines arrived safely and especially if you give them a little feedback on their carefully wrought creations. So, if you like anything you see reviewed here, please order it, and when you do, tell them Library Journal says "Hi."—Jenna Freedman

Baker, Mike. Lazy Boy. 2008. 36p. ¼ legal. $2. gomek@comcast.net
Baker’s perzine is an episodic record of a homosexual life in development, presented via a series of memories: those of Baker’s love affairs (or fantasy affairs) and of particular moments of self-realization. Many of the recollections, which are not always pretty, are marked by feelings of loneliness, alienation, self-loathing, and a sense of, as Baker puts it, "lost opportunity." This melancholy zine is truly poignant as the numerous secrecies and compromises inherent in Baker’s early gay life are dramatically recounted. Although the often graphic descriptions of sexual encounters may make this seem inappropriate for some age levels, teens suffering alone in the closet or from a confused understanding of their own sexual identities might find bits of their particular emotional and psychological struggles in Baker's stories.—Jeremy Brett, Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City

Brager, Jenna. Sassyfrass Circus. Issues 1 & 2. 2008. 60p. ½ size. $2. Distro: free pdf from QZAP | Red Emma's | Things You Say
A mix of hand- and typewritten music and reading recommendations, thoughts about and experiences of polyamorous relationships, and recipes, Sassyfrass Circus is an informational as well as a confessional zine. Actually, it’s two zines: Brager splits issues 1 and 2 so that they're upside down and back-to-front to each other. Discussions on gender and sexuality, travelogs, and musings on queerness make this zine perfect for those with a short attention span. Several contributors helped with the "Debut" issue, lending different viewpoints and experiences. On the "Sophomore" side, most of the content is delivered in comics form inspired by R. Crumb, with some prose pieces interspersed. Sassyfrass Circus is recommended for readers who want a mixed bag of the fun and the serious.—Lacey Prpiæ Hedtke, MLIS, St. Paul

Breier, Davida Gypsy. Leeking Ink. #31. Leeking Inc. 2008. 32p. ½ size. $2. Distro: Atomic | Quimby's
Breier, Davida Gypsy. Xerography Debt. #25. Leeking Inc. 2009. 60p. ½ size. $3. Distro: Microcosm 
Tandy, William P. Skin Deep. Eight-Stone Press. 2008. 56p. ½ size. $3. Distro: Atomic | Microcosm | Quimby's 
Although they're tidy, with clear mastheads and clean layouts, these zines by partners Breier and Tandy have a lot of life in them. In her personal zine, Leeking Ink, Breier writes with passion and humor about having her baby—comparing her pregnancy to a Bad Brains song, a health crisis, and a rollicking Baltimore flea market. Tandy's Skin Deep, a kind of literary journal for tattoo enthusiasts, is a generous collection of photos (some in color) and gritty-sexy prose, poetry, and interviews about getting ink done. This issue of Breier's Xerography Debt, the ten-year-old "review zine with perzine tendencies," features a two-color sf–meets–graffiti–meets–tattoo art cover drawing by artist Bojan. As billed, the reviews are buoyed by the reviewers' personal narratives.—Katie Haegele, Philadelphia

Winter, J.B. Izzy Challenge. #5. 2008. 12p. ½ size. $1. Distro: Etsy | Quimby's | MU
This zine is laid out like a scrapbook showing Izzy the mouse visiting all 50 states, each trip rendered by a different artist. Winter, who coordinated the project, drew Izzy in different poses and sent them out to artists in each state, who were given a month to fill in the caption and scenery. They had a few guidelines—selective erasing of Izzy was okay and keep it appropriate for all ages. This minicomics zine is a rich example of a project that uses the Internet to coordinate a print product. This Izzy Challenge is the fifth in a series in which the challenge is an artistic one and the results, a fun read.—LP Smith, Ohlone Coll. Lib., Fremont, CA

Yang-Kelly, Sugene. All This Is Mine. #12. 2007. 40p. ½ size. $5. Distro: Quimby's
For Bay Area crafter Yang-Kelly, generating the old-school letter is a pleasure and a necessity. Excerpts from Emily Post’s 1922 etiquette book and Jane Austen’s Emma wittily contextualize the letter-writing process in history. Given that this zine is on a single subject—with diversions into subtopics like note passing—the content is pleasantly eclectic, e.g., a guest writer contributes an essay on choosing a good fountain pen. It is also visually rich, with a Western Union telegram form on the opening page and other pages embellished with clip art and graphics from sources including vintage penmanship manuals and ads—appropriate because ATIM is a gentle and charming advertisement for writing letters by hand.—Julie Turley, MLS, New York

Note: You can usually buy the zine directly from the creator

Send your zine in for review:
Anna Katterjohn
Library Journal
360 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010

Born analog (i.e., print) zines only!