I’ve been excitedly awaiting Mamaphonic’s next gem. And they don’t disappoint. These are tough, smart, sexy, crafty, political zine-making mamas. The kind you want to call your own. The kind I have been dreaming of starting a gang with since I became a mom seven years ago. Issue two is all about cutting the cord. And it’s a bit of a tearjerker. The great cover art by Heather Cushman-Dowdee illustrates this well. She shows a mom and her lil one dancing together throughout their years, starting from newborn and new mom up to, you know it, the pre-teen years. When we get to the teen drawing it’s just the mom holding her hand out into the air, her dance partner is gone. For some of these moms the cord gets cut even sooner: giving your baby up for adoption at 16, weaning your babe to fly to San Fran and play with your old punk band for a week, or just realizing it’s not about your agenda anymore (see hilarious cartoon “Another portrait that Norman Rockwell forgot to paint”). Although I’m tempted to list all the highlights, and quote ’till I’m blue in the face, there’s not enough room. This zine compilation is a must have for all parents and parents-to-be. Heck, even my childless friends dig it! (heze douglas)
issue 2, zine, $4 (no cheques, +$2 if outside U.S.), P.O. Box 4803, Baltimore, MD, 21211, U.S.A., [email protected]