Review of 3 “Perzines”

Perzine- A zine about the life of an individual person.

Idle Tuesday
Issue 1, 38 pages 6/03
PO Box 694
Fortuna, CA 95540
idlezine@bust.com

Violet is 16 and angry about a few things and is trying to understand herself. She’s a self titled “punk girl” who writes out of love, frustration and insecurity. She wants to be understood by someone, anyone, maybe even you. I liked this zine right off because it begins with the non-sequitor, “Thanks to the dead lady for leaving me all of her office supplies”.

Idle Tuesday is a collection of writings by Violet on various topics that arise in a teen-age girl’s life. She hates Father’s Day, but realizes it’s meaning when her and her father get in an arguement. She’s pissed because one of her male friends said, “girls shouldn’t cuss”, she’s worried you won’t like her zine and she laments that she missed the punk rock era. Violet is a good writer and she’s aware of what’s going on. She’s angry about the way things, the way other girls her age act and wants to change them. Her writing doesn’t offer any real solutions because I don’t think she cares to solve any of the problems. At least not yet, but she’s starting with herself and that’s the best place. I think Violet is just now understanding there is a problem and even though she can come across as whiny, it’s obvious she’s intelligent. I think this zine is her realizing there’s a problem, that she’s got something to say and people should hear it. This is issue 1 of Idle Tuesday and the introduction to Violet’s thoughts and experiences. I think it’s a great start and she’s promised more. I look forward to the next issue to see how Violet’s ideas and questions develop into bigger things, trite confrontations and the pursuit of love. All of this sewn thru a unique and beautiful voice that screams for her generation.

TC

The Pleiades
Issue 10, 38pages, 2004
PO Box 1800
Spokane, WA 99210
mirandaceleste@burningtheletters.com

I checked my mail Saturday nite and found this in my mailbox. I offered a zine trade to Miranda and she sent 2 copies of The Pleiades, some flyers and a button. I was on my way to a show so I put the pin on my jacket and issue 10 in my pocket (It’s pocket sized), caught the bus and started reading the faded type. A forewarning caught my attention, “Please read with caution.” and I’m usually disappointed by such disclaimers, but this one held true. So I read it and 38 pages later I was walking down the street wondering what had happened. I couldn’t quit thinking about this person. Really, I didn’t want to stop because all sorts of things in my head started churning. I mean, it made me smile. It was refreshing. I was impressed by her honesty, saddened by her misfortunes and enlightened by her observations. I wanted to go back and get the other issue.

Issue 10 of The Pleiades takes you on an emotional journey with someone who’s realizing themself. Taking the good and bad parts of our persona and becoming comfortable with what’s there instead of persuing things that aren’t. It addresses mental illness, womanhood, relationships and the flakey nature of approval. There’s so much more. For instance, the shy, but sincere style of writing, the tunneling questions and her obvious admiration of Sylvia Plath. The insight to our author couldn’t be more revealing. She bares all without a whince and that’s what makes this zine special. Even at the end she continues with the books she’s been reading and the music she’s been listening to.

Now, I don’t know this person, but it felt like she burst into my apartment, sat down on the couch and proceeded to tell me her entire life story in the span of 30 minutes. This is a good thing… I promise. We should be so lucky if everyone we encountered were so thoughtful, caring and worked so hard to be the person they truly, truly are. Start reading this zine.

TC

Going to California
By Ben Snakepit
33pages, Snakepit Comix, 4/03
threeinverted9s@hotmail.com

“Going to California” is the story of Ben leaving Richmond, VA for Oakland, CA after a divorce leaves Ben too depressed to stick around any longer. The story is seemingly routine and nothing truly exciting happens, but the story encumbers a sincere and honest tone that is at once attractive and endearing. As always, the drawings are nice and consistent, easy to digest and creative in depiction. A unique thing about this particular comic are the vinyl albums Ben decides to copy and place throughout the book. It seems to give a tone to the environment and enlightens the mood. I think that’s a great way to imply sound to a story.

Since most of the story takes place on a train, a bus or a bike you get the feeling of being in transit for the duration of the comic. It allows a fast read towards the end where Ben is suddenly overwhelmed with a feeling of homesickness. With this he takes out a coin and gives himself the ultimatum of, “Heads I’ll stay and tough it here [Oakland]. Tails I’ll go back to Richmond.”

But in all honestly, heads or tails, this comic ends up being a great, quick read.

-Travis Catsull