Zines

Runnin Down the Back Streets
#9 40 pages Full size
Comparisons of this zine and Amercan Upstart have been running rampant. So we swapped to investigate the truth. This zine is chuck full of Great interviews, record reviews and the creme of the toilet reading crop: Riotous Event Coverage. True tales from news clippings and first hand stories of Football (soccer to us yanks) violence and riots. The zine has more interviews than anything else, the interviews are well done and of good length. Featuring MENACE, RAISE A FLAG, GUITAR GANGSTERS and more. Plus a history of the American oi scene.
R.D.T.B.S. 13 The Croft, Badsworth, Pontefract, W. Yorks, WF9 1AS England

Out Of Order
#2 60 pages 1/2 size
A thick zine out of the Netherlands featuring interviews from bands around the world. Full of opinionated record reviews. Featuring interviews with Retaliator, Super Yob, Portes and more. The zine goes hand in hand with the record lable Sickmind. A good read.
Out Of Order Fanzine P.O. Box 1245, 8900 CE Leeuwarden, the Netherlands

Trouble Bound
#9 32 pages Full Size
The only other zine in the Midwest worth reading. TBPhil is a mac daddy.
TB C/O Phil Kellum 8334 Alden Road, Lenexa Kansas 66215

H.A.G.L
#28 pages ?? 1/2 size
Great zine with a real punk rock feel to it. Featuring interviews and stories, a bit differnt that yer average zine. A damn good read.
Trev, 57 Briardene, Burnopfield, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE16 6LJ, England

Common Sense
#6 30 pages 1/2 size
A skinhead zine out of Conneticut. Short interviews with the Cuffs and Agnostic Front, plus the Asshole Report (my favorite), letters and opinion. Common Sense has crammed a lot into a small space. This is a one sitter.
Common Sense C/O Win Vitkowsky 20 Highland Rd, Byram, CT 06830

Backlash
Letters sent in by our admirers.
Rants
Opinions... everyone's got one.
Features
Factoid rich HTML.
War Of Words
With today's best and worst.
Rogue Gallery
Yer ugly mug posted here!
Toilet Reading
Somethings can never change.
Judgements
CDs, LPs, EP's and MP3s
Ad Rates
For the zine... not the site.

On the Streets
The latest news, rumors, releases, and other info to fill
your brain and pass the time.
Shows
Got bands?
Links
Labels, Bands, and best the
web has to offer, not to mention some of the worst.
Guest Book
Nice to meet ya.
Classifieds
Sell, buy, trade. It ain't ebay but it's sumptin

We've all done it, made the mad dash into the store, thumbed though the lightwieght pages, saturated our fingers in cheap ink and been glared at by the know-it-all behind the counter. I'm not talking about a dateless 3am porn run on a pathetic Friday night. No I'm talking about the shrine of our youth, before we discovered music, we had comic books. Many say they have out grown them, that comics are for kids and geeks. But can you out grow good writing, story telling and mind blowing art. I didn't think so. Then again Horny Biker Sluts has none of the above, but I digress.

American Upstart Tim

Review By Kate Koehn

Deadenders: Vertigo (DC comics)
This is the best comic book of the last Five years in my opinion. This is Quadraphenia meets Bladrunner and there is never a dull minute. It includes Scooters, Gangs, Music, Love triangles, amp, and all the other things you would expect from mods mixed with post apocalyptic meltdowns and brainwashing. This story take place after the world has a cataclysm that no one knows the source of or what all the effects are as of yet. The main characters name is Beezer and most of the comics revolve about him just finding out he was adopted and him trying to find out where he really comes from and why he has these visions. Out of all the comics I review, I would highly recommend this one. Alas, if you haven't read this yet, you will probably have to have your local comic shop order it for you. For DC comics has pulled the plug on this comic, I have heard from an inside source at DC that the reason why was no one was buying it and they were losing money on it. But if you love the way it is written (written by Ed Brubaker), I can recommend some other of his work to you. Also, you can buy a collected version (trade paperback) of the first for issues together, which also has an Archie rip off in it, which was hilarious and ingenious.

SKIN: Tundra Publishing
The only skinhead comic book I have ever found in all my years of collecting. Actually, I didn't find it; my father found it in a dollar bin outside a comic shop one day and gave it to me. This story is about a deformed skinhead in the 1970's in England. Main Character, Martin `atchet, is what they had refer to as a " thalidomide skinhead", his mother took a pill available in the UK while pregnant with him to help with morning sickness that deformed him. He had been born with deformed arms that made him have flippers. I think the most interesting part is that this character is based loosely on "thalidomide skinheads" that both the artist and the writer saw as growing up. I am not a big fan of the artwork in this book, kind of looks like someone threw up in a pattern on the pages. But because I know it is a must for skinheads who like comic books, I have included the publishing companies address, so you can write to them and see if it is still being printed. Tundra Publishings 2nd Floor, Broadwall House 21 Broadwall, London, SE1 9PL.

Hell Eternal: Vertigo (DC comics)
I think one of the hardest things in doing reviews, is reviewing something that was torture to read. Hell Eternal was Hell to read for me. Possible because the subject matter just doesn't interest me in the least. I find that if a comic doesn't spark my interest by the first couple pages, it's going to stink. Hell Eternal didn't get a spark of interest in me until page 14. This comic was mostly about Anne and Rugger (her gun that she talks to). Anne was a Goth turned Nazi by her lover, Sarah. Sarah had fallen for a man named David and had introduced them into the white pride scene. They escape England after a robbery gone bad, they find themselves splitting up between the Midwest states of America going from militia to militia looking for protection. Other than the subject matter being incredibly boring, the artwork is horrible and everyone looks like 50-year-old junkies. I can't stand the story either because it goes nowhere, really a waste of money in my opinion. The only part I enjoyed was the end, I'm sure you can guess what happens.

Cap: A Universe X Special: Marvel Comics
Now I know Captain America is not an "underground comic", but he is the American Patriot. And this story was amazingly done. I find myself being much more of a DC fan, but this story had me gasping in awe. If you don't follow all the Marvel Universes, you will be really lost. So, if you read this and don't understand what's going on, you might want to pick up Universe X, which is great comic. This Comic has to do with Steve (Capt. America) protecting and caring for little Mar-vell, and them transporting from Marvel universe to universe and every time they travel through the transporting cape, Steve gets flashbacks that are completely astounding and shocking. I don't want to ruin the comic for anyone but literally, at one point; I couldn't believe what I was reading and dropped the comic. If you think of yourself as a patriot, do your country a favor and read this.

Highway 13: SLG Comics
Oh yes!! I think we have a new genre of comics popping up, "Phsychobilly" comics. Brought to you by SLG comics, who have been made famous for there Goth comic books, Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, I Feel Sick, and Lenore to name a few. Say what you want about Goth kids (because I know I do), but the comics are great. Zombies, Haunted hotrods, and other monsters, this comic was fun. This is the first issue out on this title, so I assume they are going to be traveling from town to town in the issues and have different enemies they meet up with.Kind of like "Scooby Doo", but in a rockabilly, greaser flavor.

Blue Monday: Oni Press & Sticks And Stones: ONI Press
Well, this is not quite a review since I have only read about this comic and have never read it myself yet, but sue sounds fun to me. You can buy a trade book, or I read about Blue Monday: Absolute Beginners #2 in the preview order catalog where this is what it says "... Its Ska, lies, and videotape! Alan and Victor have an illicit tape Of Blue In the Bath That has made its way around school." Sure sounds like some kookiness to me! I have read a short story by this the artist (Chynna Clugston-Major) called Sticks and Stones written by Jen Van Meter. Sticks and Stones are available in "ONI Press Summer Vacation Super color Fun Special" and is worth the 6 bucks just for the one story. It's about punk rock Family, mom and dad in bands and the kids getting sent home from school for fighting.

Last Kiss: Shanda Fantasy Arts
This was a great idea! When I read the cover I had to buy it. It had the guy saying, "Honey, I'm not angry! Really I'm not! But please... next time you bury me in the sand...don't put me in a casket!" when I read that I said to myself "Kate old girl, this is going to be a good one!" now that you know my theory on comics having to grab your attention by the first couple pages, you understand why I had to buy this one for its cover. What this comic did was just brilliant in my mind, they took old romance comics (called First Kiss) and took out all the text and wrote Hilarity in it instead. They do a parody on how Martha Stewart became what she is today that is to die for (even if you are a fan of Martha like me). This Is available through the Diamond distributor which is where all comic stores in the US get there, so they should have no problem ordering it for you if they donÕt have it in stock. Also, a big plus with this one is that they have a contest where you can send in a script to one of the blank strips that is in it! Your's truly has sent one in already.

Transmetropolitan: Vertigo (DC Comics)
Another good one for Warren Ellis to put under his belt. HE is one of the most talented writers in the comic scene nowadays. Transmet. Is one of my favorite titles out nowadays and I have all of the books. This Comic Is about Spider Jerusalem who is how do I say... MY IDOL, and I am sure if Saint Tim read it, he would agree Spider Jerulisilum a journalist trying to tell the world the truth and put integrity back into the media. This book also takes place in a city in the not too far away future and Spider tries to show the world what is going on. He finds dirt on politicians, shows how people eats dogs and anything else they can get their hands on. One of my favorite stories was one where he starts to interview children living on the streets and find out why they prostitute themselves. It was brutal and almost hard to read for the sheer imagery that the stories put in your mind. Yes, another good one of course, I guess it tells the tale of a man that I wish I could be and that is why I like it so much. I think a lot of people would like to make a difference in the world and I know that even though Spider Jerusalem isn't real, he made a difference in mine.

That is all for now, upcoming reviews will include Òtorso: a true crime graphic novel based on an Eliot Ness tale, Heavy Liquid: a story about a new drug and how it hits the streets and how the governments wants it, The Invisibles: a truly wonderful yet somewhat confusing story. If anyone has a comic they would like me to review or know of a good title I have left out, please email me.

Archived Reviews