“This little zine collects comix I’ve made sporadically since 2005about my struggles with depression, PTSD, marriage and fatherhood,” says Redguard (aka Greg Butterfield) on the first page of Mentally Ill. “It’s not fun stuff.” He’s right, it’s not–the five pages of comics that follow are simple little frenzied line drawings detailing the most difficult parts of his life: abusive relationships, thoughts of suicide, concerns about whether or not he can be a good parent. This zine was clearly a personal venture rather than an effort to entertain anyone, and since I didn’t identify with much of it, I can’t do much more than tell you what’s inside. At the end of his introduction Red-guard says he wants to hear from others, “especially if you have been or are going through similar experiences,” and that, my friends, is why there’s contact information up there. Zines are a great way to make connections with people you would never have met otherwise, and I hope he finds the support he’s looking for. (Emma Healey)
Perzine, Redguard, G. Butterfield, 754 Washington Ave., 4R, Brooklyn NY, 11238, [email protected], $1 plus stamp or trade