We’re printing a zine review a day as part of International Zine Month. Today’s review was originally published in Issue 44 of Broken Pencil.
comic zine Billups Allen 2244 E. 17th Street Tucson Arizona 85719 USA, [email protected]
I liked this zine right away. Take a look at the detail in the background of the comic panels and you’ll see what I mean. It’s subtle, reflective and reminded me a bit of early Kiss Machine in terms of layout and packaging. “Frank is often Impossible To Live With” is deadpan slack bliss. He drinks too much coffee and is always upset. He leaves his favourite CD in a rental car and the highjinks continues in astute personal discovery. “What the hell is wrong with me?” Frank ponders. He’s afraid to call the rental place then his girlfriend gets his CD back and I won’t spoil the end but it’s funny for a pretty unlikeable protagonist. The computer-generated cartoons are not as funny or readable as the hand-written stuff, but there are some good soundbites, especially in “Who Hasn’t Had At Least Thirteen Fucking Jobs.” In this cartoon someone’s boss at a grocery store drives him nuts with boo jokes and questions like “Does this bread look fresh to you?” (Nathaniel G. Moore)