Month: February 2022

Thicker than Water
Frank Candiloro
44 pages
https://australiancomics.fandom.com/wiki/Frank_Candiloro
https://frankencomics.bigcartel.com

Thicker than Water is an A5 size, black and white mature readers horror comic zine about whether we can truly break free from so-called family.

This one definitely is for mature readers – not in language but in content.

Thicker than Water opens with a nice and clear information page (though I did note most of the links aren’t working, and I found the above links by searching). From there, we begin with once upon a time through the dark woods and the ungodly sight of the Kraven residence…

The Kravens are made up by Mother Kraven and her dear sons Hansen and Gunnar. Their typical diet isn’t exactly polite or friendly, and obtaining the food they eat sets Gunnar on a path that ultimately has him questioning his life, identity, and whether blood is thicker than water.

Frank’s art style really draws me in – no pun intended. On one level, it reminds me somewhat of the show Samurai Jack, but there is more of a horror element to it. Frank truly makes it their own, distinguished style. The panels are nice and big so you can see what’s happening, and there is plenty to pay attention to. The content can be gruesome at times, but I couldn’t help but take a closer look at each panel.

I tried not to tell too much of the story because, even though it is told in a horror genre way, it leaves the reader a lot to ponder. Sure, you could pick this up, enjoy it, and put it down. But you could also pick it up, read it, and be urged to think about the meaning of family, blood, breaking free, and what’s necessary to truly to that – if being truly free is actually possible.

Perhaps it’s because I personally cut off ties with my ‘blood’ a long time ago that this really hit me, but I think others may feel the same way.

All up, Thicker than Water is a great adult horror comic with some interesting themes if you care to think deeply about them. Everything about this comic wants me to read more of Frank’s creations, more comics in general, and more horror. A win for certain.

Why Does Society Care So Much About My Body Hair?
Crash Reynolds & Edd Castillo
8 pages
https://utopiabycrash.wixsite.com/hello
https://www.instagram.com/indeliblecrash
https://www.instagram.com/ozzyugi/

Why Does Society Care So Much About My Body Hair? is an 11cm x 14cm black text on coloured paper zine about feelings around body hair and body hair expectations.

Razors, waxing, societal expectations… Never the makings of a good thing.

This mini opens with Crash writing about body hair embarrassment when they were younger. Crash was prevented from shaving and required to wax if they wanted to remove body hair. Crash writes briefly about the shame around body hair and how that goes against the traits that we’re trained to believe society expects. After this, in the middle of the zine on neon orange paper, Edd shares their body hair experiences from youth in comic form. From there we go back to Crash who struggles with their feelings around their leg hair but is starting to face it.

As a person with PCOS, I am well-acquainted with the trials and horrors around body hair, so I already empathised with Crash and Edd on the subject. Crash’s writing is thoughtful and to the point whereas Edd features a setting I’ve never been in: the boys locker room for the opposite kind of experience I have faced.

I loved that Crash and Edd teamed up to share both of these experiences though because it makes it oh so clear that so many people experience this kind of pressure. Two sides of a coin, if you will. I think it was a great way to handle a big picture with only two authors.

Why Does Society Care So Much About My Body Hair? left me feeling a bit sad about why humanity continues to demand things of each other that don’t really matter in the end. (Your body, your choice.) But I am glad to see zines like this because body hair is still very much a discussion in media for various reasons. This is definitely worth picking up, reading, and pondering. And, perhaps, making your own zine on the topic.

A Zine-Zine Proposition
Billy McCall
8 pages
https://www.patreon.com/iknowbilly
https://www.youtube.com/user/iknowbilly

A Zine-Zine Proposition is a US-sized, half-fold, black and white, primarily text zine collection of the best/worst lines from Winner Takes All to create an out-of-context text…

This zine probably wasn’t intended for serious examination by any means, but I needed a laugh today, and this zine certainly provided. Also, not really suitable for younger readers.

Out of habit, I looked at the cover and then looked at the back – something I recommend doing with this zine. Billy gives his own take on the synopsis of Sebastian and Missy’s ‘love’ story, which had me chuckling straight away and feeling prepared for what I would find inside. Well, as prepared as I could be.

Inside Billy launches right into his featured bits and pieces of Winner Takes All. Through these chosen bits of text, we are introduced to Sebastian and Missy – neither of which quite get to any sort of positive light. They’re in Vegas, and they’re tempted to some adult activities with each other. All of which you picked up from Billy’s synopsis.

While these look like complete sentences and paragraphs taken out, some are actually just phrases and snippets. They are more than enough, however, as the reader moves back and forth between wondering what in the world is going on and what in the world kind of sentence is “He wasn’t undisturbed by her nearness”.

On the back, Billy asks if any of this makes sense taken out of context like this. Sort of… but then again, it doesn’t really matter. If you’ve read these sorts of books, you can fill in the blank spots. If you haven’t, I hope the confusion you feel is an amused sort of confusion.

A Zine-Zine Proposition is exactly the sort of zine I wanted to read today: something a bit ridiculous that made me laugh out loud. On one hand, I feel bad for the writer. But I have also enjoyed many a cheesy romance novel in my time as well, so I know just how high the cheese gets piled at times and can laugh along with my guilty pleasure. If you’re like a chuckle, pick this one up.

Really though, what about Tim and all his anime?!

Moon
Edited by Joseph Carlough
16 Authors
20 pages
https://www.displacedsnail.com
https://www.instagram.com/displacedsnail/

Moon is a 9cm x 14cm black and white, primarily text zine with short pieces from sixteen different authors on the theme of ‘moon’.

I am all about moon and stars aesthetics lately, so I got right into this one.

Moon opens to a title page before going into the first short story: a funny consideration from Carolyn Busa about why it’s probably best that we aren’t going to the moon. (Not what I expected in this zine, let alone for the first piece, but that just gave me an even bigger smile because of it.) There are more contemplative stories, myths, and even comics as well. The role of the moon during the Civil War in the piece by Heather Butts touched me as it mentions Harriet Tubman – someone who has been an inspiration to me since I wrote a report about her in third fourth grade.

The layout of this zine is lovely. The slightly marble blue paper of the title page is a nice touch an carries the colour in from the cover. The type is clear and easy to read, and each author/artist’s details are even easier to read.

I’m impressed by the writers given their rather dramatic limitations on word count, but I have to tip my hat to the comic artists for packing so much into such a small space.

Some of the pieces really hit it for me, and some didn’t. This is the nature of a collaborative zine and one of the reasons I love this type of zine. These are all new-to-me names, and it’s nice to have details for following up with people whose creations really struck me.

If you’d like to try something new with a mixture of new voices, then this is definitely a zine for you to check out.