Raw Deal #13
Joey Alone

The stories that make up the autobiographical adventure Raw Deal are the kind that are acquired through life experience, personal education, self-motivation, living off-the-grid, passion, failure, and observing with questioning eyes the world and the community called home. It is packed with numerous noteworthy punch lines only a witty linguistics railroader could muddle out. These are stories of solidarity and growing pains as a student brakeman on the railroad, historical and educational references of Bay Area history, and most of all, love for ecology with well-researched, insightful perspectives that will likely reconnect you, even just for a brief moment, with nature. Obtaining one of these gems may be difficult; a chance encounter with Joey along the tracks may be your only opportunity.
-A.McManus

847, Do You Have Your Radio Off?
Bill Daniel

Between 1988-1994, Bill Daniel worked as a bike messenger, observing and recording a significant creative time in the streets of San Francisco. This creativity, or “new style vandalism” as I choose to call it, was popping up and spreading through the city’s landscape. Every single piece of artwork on these pages no longer exists and I’m assuming that most of it went unnoticed. Luckily for us, Bill took notice and took photographs. It’s a small body of work, a reminder of how overly documented things can be now. Not to say this is always a negative, but it makes that time that much more special. Two pages show a Soapbox Derby race held down the side of Bernal Hill. Last year’s annual event, 14 years later, was sponsored and promoted excessively by Red Bull. I will say it again: that much more special. www.hamburgereyes.com
-A.McManus

Lindzine
The Wormholes

Without ever viewing the contents and based on the title alone, Lindzine was a guaranteed hit in my own mind. From the age of 3, Lindsay‘s personal life has been an obsessive focus of the media and absurdly overly documented. How convenient this makes image searching the Internet for classic photos to compile! Scanning through the pages I am reminded of two things: When Lindsay is at her best, she’s angelic, and the camera is unfailingly complimentary. When she’s not, she looks like that easy, readily available drunk girl you went to high school with. After sharing this zine with a few friends, I realized that women have a very different view of Lindsay than men. Let’s just say that men universally look at the positive, while women focus on the alternative. A warning: leaving this zine for a girlfriend to stumble on could likely ensue in an awkward, interrogating conversation where you will be playing cautious defense. Side note: as I write this today, October 19, 2011, our beloved Lindsay just posted bail, again, for $100,000. Lindsay, Lindsay, Lindzine. www.thewormholes.org
-A.McManus

Label 228
Reader

It seems appropriate that a person or group of people who autograph the names Read, Read More, Read Up, Reader, Read Books, and Booker, among others, would eventually produce a form of printed media. Far from being a textbook or novel, Label 228 is an ambitious, visual collection of esoteric messages, photographs, text-based collages and illustrations. The influence of traditional graphic design and lettering are apparent. Resembling a diary, this zine reflects the mystery behind the author; appealing and still uncertain. “So many words for the sake of words alone.” www.operationmadman.com
-A.McManus

Racical Mcycology
SLF (Spore Liberation Front)

Radical Mycology aims to build awareness of the damaged earth by educating around the topic of mushrooms and informing about changes that need to be made. Stated gracefully, “The complex life cycle of mushrooms provides a profound and novel example (to civilized humans) of networking between different species and environments not exhibited by most other life forms. These actions show a concern for not just the mushroom involved but for the surrounding environment as well.” Rich in information, topics include lifestyle, implications, types of fungi, identification, preservation, cooking recipes, and cultivation, as well as alternative paper making methods utilizing mushrooms and creating dyes.
Mushroom hair dye anyone? www.radicalmycology.wordpress.com
-A.McManus

And Heart 101 3d Popup Book & Sara Thustra Art Lybrary
Sara Thustra

I have never taken an interest in anything 3D; immediate symptoms of disorientation and brain irritation always develop. “What’s the fucking point?” comes to mind. Paying a premium for a movie solely because it is 3D seems foolish to me; I consider it a cheap gimmick with the false appearance of added excitement. This 3D zine may be the only exception. By folding pages you create new images. Interaction is the key and as simple as this sounds, this is complex for any zine. Brilliant! The idea is not purely original, but who cares? www.needles-pens.com
-A.McManus

Them Thangs / The New Dark Age
William Eadon, Erik Brunetti, SCRMN, Mark Maggiori, Château-vacant, Corey Smith,
Felicity Byrne, Todd Tourso, Jacob Rolfe, Harper Smith, Miktor & Molf, Bob Tark, and Bill McRight

The Internet’s wide variety of blogging platforms has opened the doors for people to share or “curate” their interests, whether found images, visual inspiration, videos, links, famous quotes, or what they just ate. The amount of content is overwhelming and continually growing. You could spend the rest of your life investigating the labyrinth of information. When I stumbled on Them Thangs, it was apparent that creator Justin Blyth has spent an immense amount of time scouring the Internet and compiling a Greatest Hits of images from across the globe. Using his site as an inspiration platform, it’s nice to see a printed version of his collection. A compilation of thirteen artists’s work, The New Dark Age is a visual assault of dark, noir, and cultish imagery, curated by someone who has immersed himself in the genre. www.them-thangs.com
-A.McManus

If You Don’t Know Where You’re Going, You’ll Probably End Up Somewhere Else
Brandon Chuesy

While most zine editions are scarce, some can even be as modest as 1/1. Similar to a scrapbook or diary, the contents between this hand-painted and collaged cover are personally intimate: original Polaroids, collages, paintings, illustrations, hand-written letters, stickers, and found objects. Knowing that only a handful of people will lay eyes on such a well-crafted piece of work, I feel obligated to share its existence. Securing a spot on the mantle display, I am grateful to have been the recipient of such a rare zine.
-A.McManus

D.F.W.
Isaac T Lin w/ Barry McGee, Andrew Jeffrey Wright, Alex Lukas, Jason Silen and Henry Lin

Not so surprising, a recent trip to the bookstore revealed the vast amount of humorous animal books on the market, the subject of cats being the most published genre, with such titles as Wet Cats, Glamourpuss, Stuff on My Cat, Bad Cat, Cat Gone Bad, and more. So why not dedicate a large portion of an illustration/photography zine to similar found photographs of cats? It’s obvious that Isaac T. Lin has a soft spot for the furry feline but is equally fond of Man’s Best Friend. Cats and dogs grace the pages spray painting, flashing the peace sign and wearing shades. Extra bonus: a nicely screen printed collaboration with Barry McGee on the inside. www.flickr.com/people/icesack
-A.McManus

The Meandering of Death Row Inmate (California San Quentin, East Block, Yard 3)
Bob R Williams Jr

“In 1996 I entered a strange land of concrete and steel a condemned man, 20 years old, scared, lonely, curious, and lost.” Bob R. Williams, San Quentin State Prison. I could only imagine that if my path through life ever resulted in any length of incarceration I, too, would be creating zines to communicate to the outside world. The cover of The Meanderings of a Death Row Inmate is striking and reminiscent of soap scribbles on a jail cell wall. I couldn’t imagine another cover that could be more fitting. The writing and illustration are honest, short, and enlightening. Revisiting this zine I wonder what Bob R. Williams was convicted of. Not that it matters. I just feel lucky to have found him through his work.
-A.McManus

The Young Adult’s Pocket Guide to Ritual Sacrifice
Josh Freydkis

Ever wonder what materials are appropriate for building an altar? What tools would be suitable for a ritual sacrifice? Need to research the name of a demon, deity, god or spirit? Well, The Young Adult’s Pocket Guide to Ritual Sacrifice can answer all these pesky questions. A personal favorite from the zine: “School Bully: Tired of getting pushed around by jock meatheads? Why not solve your bully problem with words? The ritual incantations of a sacrificial ceremony, that is.” Need I say more? WWW.FLICKR.COM/JOSHFREYDKIS
-A.McManus

Passions in the Sand, a Terrorist Romance Novel
Arien Valizadeh

You might assume that a terrorist would have little time for love, being consumed with strategizing fear tactics for religious, political or ideological goals. Knowing no terrorists personally, I can’t speak from experience on the subject. Illustrator Arien Valizadeh says, “All contemporary art must comment on the socio-political climate we all experience in one way or another.” I think that finding humor in the taboo topic of terrorism is courageous. I could see conservative America banning this zine and launching it into the media spotlight for a drawn-out debate on inappropriate subject matter. I hope Arien’s artistic talent some day propels him into an audience large enough for that to happen. www.arienvalizadeh.com
-A.McManus

Junk Pirate #13
Peter Glover

The first time I encountered Junk Pirate I remember saying to myself, “This costs only $1? How can this person even begin to cover costs and labor at that retail price?” I started thinking about other things I could purchase for $1 and came up with nothing that looked as interesting and engaging as this zine. You can’t even get on the bus for $1. Zines like this remind me of why I started making them in the first place. This project by Peter Glover is obviously a labor of love and for about $15.00 you can own the whole lot. To make it that much easier for you, Peter recently compiled the first 12 issues into a book. www.junkpirate.com
-A.McManus

Dash I Miss You
Dave Schubert

Photographer Dash Snow was an enigma in the New York art scene. There’s been a lot of discussion and debate about his work and its significance in the Art World. In the Real World, I know he was adored by many people. Dash I Miss You by Dave Schubert is a testament filled with candid, intimate, and adventurous moments that only a close friend would have access to. After looking at this zine you can tell Dash (who passed away at 27) was someone who lived life on his own terms and by his own rules. You have to respect that. An added bonus: this zine comes with an original photo of Dash with gold fronts. The only way you can get your hands on one of these is by running into Dave himself. Good luck. www.seemsbooks.com
-A.McManus

Vag Mage Stoned Babes
Aaron Anderson, Eric T. Carlson, and Crystal Quinn

I encountered this little gem digging through piles of zines at a friend’s house. To be honest, I know nothing about the artists involved. I do know that out of a pile of 50 zines this one jumped out, screaming to be held and fondled. Its binding was so slick and its overall presentation was very inviting. Even after opening it over and over again, I still don’t have a grasp on exactly what these artists are trying to convey. Maybe it’s nothing more than a collection of photos, drawings, collages, and writing. Sometimes a concept can go right over your head. I’m fine in not knowing. I do know that this zine is very aesthetically appealing. There’s an interesting group of people putting out this kind of work. www.thereisawe.com
-A.McManus

#4
Restitution Press

Based in Los Angeles, Restitution Press is a collective zine with guest artists, curated and executed by Ryan Graeff. Each issue’s content is hand silk-screened by Ryan himself using trial and error processes that create random results. The first thing you’ll notice is that pages will indeed stick together. These have a unique feel unlike any zine I’ve encountered before. Find out about the latest series of zines at: www.therestitutionpress.com
-A.McManus

Organelles
Brendan Monroe

If American education editors integrated the illustrations of Brendan Monoroe into their science textbooks we would have a new hyper-breed of scientists and artists. Organisms, blobs, oozing bacteria, foaming cells, spores, amoebas micro environments. Lost yet? Handbound with string, a small poster inside, and the nicest quality paper offered. Game over. Brendan has a new zine available at his website: www.brendanmonroe.com/
-A.McManus

Will Travel
Travis Conner

Days, weeks, months can go by and suddenly you realize you’ve been caught in the comfortable routine of life. Traveling has always been on the top of my priority list. So, when receiving Travis Conner’s series of 3 zines entitled Will Travel a few years back I was reminded, again, to get out of my comfort zone and pioneer a new adventure. These zines are personal photographic diaries of traveling by whatever means necessary, but most preferably by train. A simple message: get out there and find your own adventure while documenting the process. Travis Conner also went by the moniker Conrail Twitty, which can be seen while stumbling along many train tracks across Northern America. RIP, Travis. www.blurb.com
-A.McManus