This is the new zine by Marissa Falco, formerly of "Red Hooded Sweatshirt." Super-cute comic stories about tattoo dreams, walks to work, swimming, and her unwitting murder of Bea Arthur. It's been a long time since Marissa's made a zine, and this is an excellent re-entry into the zine world. Quarter-sized, 20 pages.
$2.35 US/$2.75 International
Maria's comic features tales of nasal spleunkers, a girl (and her horse) who visits a hex remover, and eyeballs in the rocks. Half-sized, 28 pages.
$2.35 US/$2.75 International
Chelsea's zine kicks off with a piece on moving from Pittsburgh (represent!) to Providence, the cities' two differences illustrated by a disagreement over what constitutes black coffee (hint: we're right), and continues on with tales of living as a morning person, urban exploring, and positive thinking, all tied up with a classic cut-and-paste layout. I was especially affected by a long piece about losing a cat to a chronic illness, having experienced two pet deaths of my own this year. A perfect little perzine, reminiscent of the perzines I started out reading in 2000. Nostalgia! Quarter-sized, 24 pages.
$2.35 US/$2.75 International
Powerful mini about writing and inspiration by Shae ("Tragikotatos"). One of the most intensely personal zines I've read, an essential read for anyone in love with the craft of writing or needing some inspiration. Scrapbook paper covers. Eighth-sized, 28 pages.
$1.35 US/$1.75 International
This compilation of single-page comics by writers and artists in and around the Iowa City area includes mythological creature chess matches, sinister squirrels, video game playing cats, and more. Half-sized, 20 pages.
$2.35 US/$2.75 International $1.35 US/$1.75 International
Roots of Hope is a chronicle of Korinna's (Rock Star With Words, The Remainder of Zero) past two years working as an academic mentor to high-risk high school students through the Americorps program. She uses zines as a way to get students to tell their stories, and while the resulting classroom comp zine wasn't what many personal/political zine readers would expect, it achieves the goal of getting kids involved with school and with each other. Korinna also writes about being a bitch, and connects her experiences standing up for her principles in her political community with a girl she mentored. After her volunteering is over, Korinna volunteers on farms in Ireland and Spain, and is torn between her two very different volunteering experiences. Korinna was afraid that this zine channels Dangerous Minds, but I don't think so: there's way too much self-awareness and self-doubt for that. Recommended for anyone with an interest in teaching, volunteering, or using zines as a way to foster creativity. 1/8 legal-sized, 48 pages.
$1.35 US/$1.75 International
Rum Lad is an awesome illustrated zine from England. Written and drawn by Steve Larder, this issue covers a non-lucrative but exciting visit to the Mullheim Zine Fest, adulthood disaffection, and more. There is a very long interview with Marv of the punk zine Gadgie--normally I don't like interviews at all, but it was actually an engrossing discussion about being a "stealth punk" with a day job, as well as how to nurture a small-town scene. The zine is illustrated with delicate, incredibly detailed line art, which alone makes this zine worth checking out. Half-size, 40 pages.
$3.70 US/$4.50 International
This interestingly split minicomic is one story done on alternating pages by two writer-artists, Steve of Rum Lad and Isy of Morgenmuffel. Switching perspectives and art styles throughout, it follows Isy as she meets up with Steve to do some winter hiking (in tennis shoes...), then on to a DIY fest in Edinburgh. The zine concludes with an info section on sustainable food and Scottish mountain ranges. This punk rock comic book may be short, but it's got a lot of spirit. Half-size, 20 pages.
$2.35 US/$2.75 International