King-Cat No. 68

King-Cat Comics and Stories No. 68
by John Porcellino

In these hard economic times, anything that can bring a simple smile to my face without a price tag is very much appreciated. With that in mind, I have been smiling all week whenever I think about John Porcellino’s King-Cat comics. Like traditional Japanese haiku, Porcellino’s Zen influenced comics are firmly rooted in nature and the peace he sometimes feels when present in the moment. Likewise, his ultra-simple line drawings and understated narrative only begin to tell the story. Along the way, the reader is reminded of his or her own experiences and invited to observe life in a more mindful way, bringing the story into the real world. But hey, this is Zine of the Week so I better pick just one. Issue 68 contains several comic strips about moving, observing nature and a very brief biography of Greek philosopher Diogenes. Also be sure to read the Nature Notes and the Top 40 section. Luckily, the Zine Collection has a few other issues so the joy doesn’t have to end… at least not right away.

Broken Hipster

If I hadn’t been cataloging this zine for the collection, I may well have never have read it. (I usually avoid things with the word “hipster” in the title.) I’m glad I didn’t miss out on this one. Broken Hipster is a comic perzine from Emiko Badillo, and details her struggles with kidney disease via anecdotal offramps on traveling, the travails of a younger boyfriend, partying too hard, and pets.  What makes this zine stand out from a sea of similar perzines is it’s actually a valuable resource for people with kidney disease, their friends or family, or anyone who wants to know more about the human cost of this illness.

In matter-of-fact, plainspoken language and carefully rendered illustrations (and a glossary of terms), Badiko walks us through her daily dialysis ritual and all of the attendant side effects, and it’s strong stuff. She discusses all of the physical issues with an optimistic frankness, pulling no punches. The potential for self-pity in a situation like this is no doubt huge, but Badiko soldiers on, and a glimmer of hope is offered at the end when her brother offers his kidney for a transplant.

Heart Star

Heart Star: Ghosts of Gohio Book 1
by Christoph Meyer

Heart Star is a gorgeously sad one-off zine from Christoph Meyer, who you should also know from Twenty-Eight Pages Lovingly Bound With Twine. It epitomizes what’s good about mini-comics of this nature; the diminutive size inversely proportional to the quality of personal storytelling and individual art within – something that would never get a chance under a larger comics imprint.  Heart Star tells a simple story of a girl who committed suicide and her ghost’s quest to find peace for her restless, burning heart, and tells it in the style of a children’s fable or poem. The art reminds me of my attempts to draw ghosts in the first grade; all bedsheets, sad, sad, eyes, and skull faces drawn in thick pen-and-ink lines. This style lends it an air of Charlie Brown-esque whimsy and melancholy (Charles Schulz keyed into this same primal visual language) and is all the better for it.

The only occasional splashes of color are for a blood-red heart or red tongues of flame from a funeral pyre. Despite the deliberately rudimentary art, the layouts are creative and little touches like a hole-punched heart very literally communicates a feeling of loss. The story is rich and imaginative, the tone is meditative and elegiac, and the ending will definitely get you misty-eyed. Right before you flip back to the beginning to start all over again.

November Zine Release

Here is a list of the newest items to be added to the Zine Collection. You may recognize a few titles as we have other issues in the system already but there are several new series on this list as well. Search JAXCat for more details on these or other zines.

We expect to release new zines on a regular basis so remember to stop back here for updates, reviews and announcements about the Jacksonville Public Library Zine Collection.

$6.99/lb
13 Years of Goodluck
Applicant
Assassin and the Whiner v.15
Atmospheres by ehype
Big Hands v. 2
Biodiesel Smarter v.9
Blurt! v.6
Burn Collector v.10
The CIA Makes Science Fiction Unexciting v.4
Clamor Communique v.28
Duplex Planet v.175
Feedback v.1
Feedback v.2
Food Geek v.1
Food Geek v.2
Food Geek v.3
Food Geek v.4
Food Geek v.5
Gentrification Reader
Give Me Back v. 4
Greenzine v.14
The Heart Star
Heartattack v.39
Heartattack v.42
Heartattack v.43
I am a Camera v.1
I am a Camera v.2
I am a Camera v.3
I am a Camera v.7
I am a Camera v.9
Journal Song v.6
List v.11
Mayorga v.44
Mindless Mutant v.3
Natural Disaster v.1
Off the Map
Razorcake v.44
Razorcake v.49
Resist v.46
Socratic v.1
Rad Dad v.11
What a Whopper
Witches, Midwives and Nurses

Comic Zines

I prefer to read words accompanied by pictures and so I naturally gravitate toward the comic zines in the Zine Collection.  Of all the comic zines I have read, I recommend that you check out You Ain’t No Dancer Vol. 3.  This solid anthology has bunches of comics from 30 creators.   As in past volumes of YAND, there’s more than a few creepy comics, funny comics and weird comics to wet your appetite and (fortunately) there are no super-hero comics.  Well, there may be one super-villain comic, but I’ll let you figure out which one that is.  Overall, the artwork and writing are great but a few stand out.  Jason Turner’s romantic “The Day of the Builders” is one of the best in this anthology.  You can also see his work in the True Love series right here in our own Zine Collection.  Another bright spot is “War of the Acorns” by Lars Brown.  I love the image of the woman with the acorn in her teeth.  That image alone makes this book worth checking out.

Also check out issues of Phase 7 and Papercutter for more comic zine goodness.

More Coverage From Zine Opening!

In case you missed the event and are wondering if your best friend showed up without you, here are some pictures from the Zine Collection opening during October’s Artwalk.  All taken from JaxScene’s flickr account.  Thanks to Tom and Jenny for documenting the event.

Click the link at the bottom to view all the pictures.

Patrons checking out the new collection before the band plays.

Tuffy, setting up for the show.

Tuffy performing.

Patrons watching the band.

Click here for the rest of the JaxScene photoset from this event. http://www.flickr.com/photos/reaxmagazine/sets/72157622550790292/

Relaxation?

I am so relieved that everything went as planned. We had so many people come and check out the collection and Tuffy.  I’ll admit I was a little nervous waiting around while people trickled in. Tuffy did an amazing job, this was the first time I have seen them play with more than two people so I was eager to hear them and I smiled each time I heard a whistle or a hand clap. Those little things make bands stand out.

Okay, so now onto the zine part. People loved it! I heard tons of people talking about being in the process of making their own zine (I’m also in the process of getting things together for mine) and I’m glad people are still inspired to do things that express themselves.  This will give us all a chance to let people know there is a way to get your thoughts heard and your words seen without having to go through a publisher, you merely just do it yourself.

I tried to post a blog earlier this month about my new favorite zines but alas I wasn’t able to BUT now I am and I have more favorites then before. It’s been interesting to sit down at my desk and pull these zines out to catalog them because once I open them I get totally caught up in these authors’  lives. I’m more into the perzines so they usually all hit hard to the gut. Being the only female in this committee I really tried hard to pick out certain zines that I thought would benefit other women in our community and speak truth, which is what we all need to hear sometimes. Lots of zines on sexual assault and being a survivor, feminism, metal health, woman’s rights and situations involving women in other countries- and yes, some fun zines also in knitting, bike information, gardening and the like.

One zine that particularly caught my eye and my attention (which is usually hard to do), was “Walking the Insanity-clamor communique #28 by Sascha Scatter, I don’t know if it was the lyrics to “Animal” by the Subhumans on the cover that did it for me or what, but as soon as I started reading it I couldn’t put it down. It dives deep and takes you on a journey through the mind of someone who is dealing with a mental illness. The author goes into detail about his numerous stays at psych wards after being found wandering the streets and also after attempting suicide. He brings you into the situation. He lets you sit there with him while the doctors are issuing him his meds. If you’re dealing with a mental illness this zine will really make you feel that “thank goodness I’m not the only one” feeling. If you’re not dealing with these problems then it will give you insight and facts about coping with the madness.

Also check out-

List  (tons and tons of things that were found)

Re:production (climb into the minds of females)

Pound the Pavement  (awesome street art)

Can’t wait to see where this collection takes us!

Maximum Rock AND Roll!

So the zine collection is officially open, you checked it out. You thought Burn Collector was neat, and liked that cute zine with drawings about coffee. You think “and that’s that” – right? No way!

In the past two days we added over 20 more issues of Maximum Rock N Roll, and the new issue of Give Me Back!  Let me tell you about them a little bit.

Maximum Rock N Roll is a monthly not-for-profit fanzine based in San Francisco, USA. Each issue features interviews, columns, and reviews from international contributors. As far as punk music, the publication has wide ranging coverage and is a stable of ideological influence within the punk community for over two decades.

With over 20 issues on our shelves, I’m not going over each one. Some highlights though, indeed. They are really loaded with great stuff to say the least.  Lots of great reviews of records, zines, books, movies.  They have a news section that typically focuses on leftist topics and activism news.  Most of them have scene reports such as; #284 Syracuse, NY and San Diego, California, #314 Toronto, #315 London, #292 Poland, #289 Timisoara, Romania and Copenhagen, Denmark, #225 Belarus and the Philippines.  Some have special topics – such as #310 is mostly about health, as well as a listing of the year end top tens.  Issue #308 is mostly about punks and film.

On the whole, Felix Havoc has an excellent column. Our shared background of record label and music distribution may be one reason I like it so much, especially since he discuses that often – how it changes through styles, economics and whatnot.

As far as some awesome band interviews go… No Hope for the Kids and Dropdead get interviewed well in #254.  Dropdead is fast thrash punk has been around since 1991. The lyrics typically have a hardline vegan and animal rights stance.  I’ve been a longtime fan, but when my band played with them at Richmond, Virginia’s Best Friends Day Festival it really sealed the deal!  Issue #225 has a good interview with Martin from Los Crudos about his label Lengua Armada.

Issue #284 has a really nice piece on the twenty year history of 254 Gilman Street Project.  It’s a community space and show space owned and operated by punks.  Issue #314 has a thorough history of Italian squats.

The new issue of Give Me Back is full to the brim with goodies!  First of all, Florida is represented TWICE on the cover – an interview with Gainesville’s band Dead Friends and an interview with local Jacksonville artist Sean Mahan. It also features great columns and some interviews with Pygmy Lush, Kimya Dawson and Next Victim. And over 20 pages of record, zine and book reviews!

Something for everyone is these zines! Don’t be intimidated or feel weird about how you may not know the bands. If you like punk music / community / culture – this is your free ticket to more if it!

Up and Running

Bruce, an aspiring young zinester.

Last nights event was fantastic! Over 200 people came in to listen to Tuffy and check out the zine collection.    Thank you to everyone who came to the opening.

If you missed the big event last night, please be sure to stop by soon.  A good deal of zines have been checked out, but we promise to help you find something great to take home with you!  If not, you can also put items on hold through the library website.

Visit http://jpl.coj.net.  And search for “zines.”  After logging in with your library card number and password you can put items on hold and have them sent to whichever library you frequent.  Although coming down to the Main Library and seeing the collection in person is well worth the trip!

We’ll be linking up local blog coverage of the event soon.  Until then, here are some more photos from the evening. Thanks again for everyone hat came out, and of course Tuffy who played an amazing set.

Straightening the shelves before the opening.

Enjoying the band...

Tuffy performing.

Grand Opening and Collection Developments

The Event.

So this is it – and we’re very excited.  Over 150 zines are added and ready for the opening, with more added daily.  So by the time this happens, who knows how many we’ll have ready.   This event is in the Main Library’s Popular department.  Tuffy plays music, you get to watch them and browse the zines.  Pick out some you already love or something new to you, and check it on your library card.

Collection Developments.

I just got back from a few out of town shows with my band.  While away, I was able to pick up some more zines for the collection.   Shopping for your local library while on tour? What a sense of purpose!  Thank you Wayward Council in Gainesville for having a great selection to choose from, and whomever put out the ‘free zines’ box at the Tampa show.

Also, thank you very much to Maximum Rock n Roll.  They are donating to us nearly every back issue they have.   Have a look at the Maximum Rock n Roll website’s listing of available back issues here and start planning which one’s you’ll read first – http://maximumrocknroll.com/back-issues/. The issue with MDC or Vitamin X tour diary?  Interviews with Florida’s Cult Ritual or Fiya? Interviews with Los Crudos or Soophie Nun Squad?  Information about Romanian D-beat or a Mexico punk scene report?

In the next week I’ll be posting a few more words on some of my more favorite titles.