Tart’s red and pink cover is an explosion of kitsch daring us to “Blast the Printed Word.” Who wouldn’t pick up a free copy of Tart Magazine? The cover article, by Phil Koch, refers to Marshall McLuhan’s teachings that the “ordered page” is the root of our society’s problems – that words are potent and need to be released from constraints such as conservative typographic form. However, I think the best part about this little magazine is the window it provides into the thriving Winnipeg cultural scene. Plus, it’s hip! There’s a back-to-school fashion spread, George Toles’ Off-The-Beaten-Track Film List, political commentary by local personality Ed Janzen, book reviews, and the band Duotang’s back to school play list. Oh yeah, I can’t forget to mention the “Trash Trailer” section nestled trashily at the very back. It was a great find: a Q&A column on how to furnish your apartment with garbage, a “garbage goddess” choc. chip cookie recipe, and a “trash lifestyles” article on Xena The Warrior Princess. The writing is strong, the graphics are good, the layout is impressive. My one criticism is that on some pages, the ads seem to be the most important information and the actual content gets lost. Tart has made a very strong debut–don’t know how much it costs for non-Winnipegers, but it’s worth finding out. (EPW)