Subliminal White Trash: Neglected Writings
Litzine, Kevin C. Pearce, 3 pgs, subliminalwhitetrash.blogspot.com, price not listed
Pearce attacks these three copy-sized pages with surprising variety: “Neglected writings” contains three pieces of flash-fiction, 21 proverbs, and seven scenes of dialogue — which he calls “comedy skits.” The zine throws everything at the wall, no matter how absurd or abrasive, and hopes something will stick. Unfortunately, not much does.
The problem lies not only in an approach which crams as much unrelated content as possible into an already confined space, but in the modus-operandi of its author. When the narrative voice is not waxing unnecessarily caustic (see: “Massage my fuckin stupid guts. Stress whores gone. In the zone. Fuckin holy fuck. Shit is BUTTER.”), it is condescending. The short story “BORED,” for instance, begins “You don’t eat meat. Don’t tell me why. I will most definitely get bored. Yes, I forgot to notice that you’re eccentric. Very, very eccentric. Frightening.” It is unfortunate that such a sentiment is not the exception to the rule, here; Pearce’s literary approach to this zine might be summed up in his own proverb: “Don’t get too close to me. My bullshit filter is strong.”
This kind of “bullshit filter” cannot help but feel just as holier-than-thou as the yuppies it seeks to diminish. It makes for edgy narrative, but little else. (Joel W. Vaughan)