We’re printing a zine review a day as part of International Zine Month. Today’s review was originally published in Issue 26 of Broken Pencil.
comic, #7, 14 pgs, 1 Euro + shipping, Maia Machen, The Crap Factory, Poeldonkweg 5, 5216 JX ‘S-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, [email protected]
Maia Machen is a Toronto ex-pat currently living it up in the Netherlands. One item she obviously remembered to pack in her move was her absurdist wit and it’s out in full force in her seventh issue of Crap, her weirdo comic celebration. Alongside contributors such as Marijka and Jaap, Machen bends the lines of reality with some pretty hilarious drawings and some downright bizarre ones too. There’s a limp-wrist send-up of reality TV, some erotic Japanese-style porno, a nasty little “puzzy cat” named Flipje and pretty creepy centerfolds to boot. Production-wise, it’s got a crisp, clean look, which is awesome because judging by the content, you mightn’t think that quality control is a priority at The Crap Factory. The cover is full-colour and has a really cool retro feel. And better yet, the rest of the zine manages a real consistency in spite of the varying levels of contribution. So if you’re in the mood to check out some cute drawings and sharp dialogue, why not dive headlong into Crap today? (Cameron Gordon)