The Ravens Way Review
Part review zine, part first-person account of life in a place I call Ravens Way, with a little commentary thrown in for good measure, The Ravens Way Review is sure to delight the most discerning zine reader! Each well-crafted issue is at least 40 (half-size legal) pages, features a bunch of in-depth zine reviews, and is created to be worth your time and money. What are you waiting for? Order yours now!
Contents:
- What's Going On? - What the connection between leaf blowers and A.I.?
- Commentary: Just what ... or who is the Singularity?
- True Stories - Room and Board (or Why I Gave Up My Mattress for Henry David Thoreau) and Interview with a Doorknocker
- Zine Reviews (lots and lots of zine reviews)
- Reader letters. Finally! (Four pages of 'em)
- Notes on the issue - My customary section filled with commentary, factoids, and miscellany about the contents of this issue
Back Issues ($4 each)
- What's Going On? - Do you really see the world?
- Commentary: Wondering what's the point? Look to Fred
- True Stories - The Final Chapter: The Community Library Closes Its Doors
- An absolute shit ton of Zine Reviews
- Notes on the issue - An additional section filled with commentary, factoids, and miscellany about the contents of this issue
- What's Going On? - The customary introduction
- Following Up ... additional information on items from issue #1
- Unsolicited Rants - Commentary that reminds you "you're going to feel like hell if you wake up some day and realize you never did the thing that's tugging at the sleeves of your heart."
- True Stories - "Why I Didn't Open for Lydia Lunch" and "(Not Quite) A Year of Something New"
- Tons of Zine Reviews - 12 pages in all!
- Notes on the issue - An additional section filled with commentary, factoids, and miscellany about the contents of this issue
- What's Going On? (An Introduction)
- Unsolicited Rants about hanging out in parking lots to avoid people, the concept of evolutionary mismatch and how it might mess with our heads, and a lawsuit about pasta
- Longer pieces on the "derelict vessels" of Ravens Way and why my first concert was infinitely better than "Becky's"
- A whole lot of zine reviews
- Notes on the issue - An additional section filled with commentary, factoids, and miscellany about the contents of this issue
REVIEWS of The RAVENS WAY REVIEW
"Made up of three essays and a fantastic zine review section, this is a top-notch personal zine." – A. Iwasa Trial and Error Collective (on issue #3)
"Joe3 ... writes about some things going on in his life. This includes the weird stuff left around his neighborhood, which leads him to some great insights into why we create zines (I won’t spoil it for you). There’s also a reflection on the death of zinester Fred Argoff and the closing of a community library Joe3 created many years ago. This last piece was especially interesting, as a fair amount of drama occurred, and it covers something—a community library—about which I have no experience, but was written in an engaging manner. The zines reviewed covers Subjects like radio, travel, libraries, and more, so there’s something for everyone. There are fewer zines reviewing zines, so much appreciation to Joe3 for taking on the mantle and including info about his life, too." – Kurt Morris, Razorcake
"Ravens Way Review is one of my favorite current zines, in part because the zine reviews have real depth, insight, and generosity. I often send off for zines I discover in its pages, and I am not disappointed". – Rev. Jamez, Instagram
"An all-around great zine. Honest, intentional, and a joy to read cover-to-cover! The Ravens Way Review by Joe3, offers slice-of-life stories from the author as well as zine reviews, all set in Ravens Way, a magical realism amalgam of common, everyday places with a tone similar to Paul Baribeau’s Beach Grass Seasonal Newsletter zine, Garrison Keillor’s Lake Wobegon setting, or Welcome to the Night Vale, but in the suburbs. The writing is clean, engaging, and especially touching where Joe3 honors the zinester Fred Argoff after his recent passing. This is the zine I would give to people who want solid examples of personal zines and are just starting to dip their toes in the medium." – Cameron Tepper, Razorkcake
"This issue (#1) of The Ravens Way Review does have some zine reviews (including an issue of Razorcake) but also includes much more. The first section is a commentary about what’s going on in Joe’s life, including an update about people abandoning boats along the roads in Maryland. There’s an inspiring essay about the importance of writing no matter what, which I highly identified with.
The second issue (#2) of the zine includes two “true stories,” as Joe calls them. The first is about his truck breaking down on his way for his band to open for Lydia Lunch last year. To say Joe was upset about Ford’s customer service would be putting it lightly. His behavior made me wince, as I don’t believe there’s ever a need to yell or cuss out customer service folks. The second story is about Joe’s attempt at trying something new for a year (and only making it less than two months). He recounts some of those experiences here. I enjoy a good perzine, and the layout is crisp and clean, which I appreciate, too. I’d be interested in checking out future issues." – Kurt Morris, Razorcake
"As always, the design and editing [of The Ravens Way Review] make for an enjoyable reading experience. He starts off with an unusual experience in the woods as a segue into why he publishes and the gap between issues. In the essay “Good Help Is Hard to Find (Or why I didn’t open for Lydia Lunch in Buffalo),” we’re treated to a road trip gone wrong and related customer service woes, with some trivia about Breezeway, Pa. thrown in for good measure. Joe also attempts a year (becomes a month) of something new every day. There’s a robust zine review section, including a tribute to Fred Argoff. Enjoyable." – Davida G. Breier, Razorcake
Joe is well-known through some of his previous zines, including ALTERNATIVE INCITE, which are still available in case you'd like to read some back issues. This one is black & white and contains some great full-page photos, and is similar in structure to his previous works.
I especially enjoyed the numerous short stories which appear to be autobiographical in nature although Joe changes place and street names to mask the true locations of the events. In one, Joe talks about some foxes in his area that he identifies with: people who are searching for a meaning to their existence: and lawsuits against companies whose advertising is deceiving. There's a humorous piece about an abandoned boat and a look back at Joe's early days of attending music concerts with punk rock group Dag Nasty. This issue closes out with some in-depth reviews of books and zines. I'm glad to see Joe reinventing his zine-making aspirations as new ideas course through his head. This one is well worth the price of admission and highly recommended. -- Ken Bausert, Xerography Debt #55
[Ravens Way Review #1 offers] several pages of Unsolicited Rants (because there are always things to rant about that someone else may not have suggested) This is followed by the Raven's Way Scrapbook [with] features on abandoned boats (I’m always fascinated by abandonment) and first concerts. Then there are zines and books read recently The proceedings conclude with notes on this issue. I'm just following protocol here, using words to explain that this is, at heart, a zine of words. Words make up language, and that's how we communicate. So facilitate some communication here, OK? Get a copy of the zine. - Fred Argoff , Xerography Debt #55
This is the new project from Joe3, publisher of two of my favorite zines of the past five years, ALTERNATIVE INCITE and THE BUTTER LAMB NEWS. Issues are always packed with interesting articles, letters, and zine reviews and l appreciate his dedication to the half-legal page format, even though it's more expensive to print and mail.
The first thing you need to understand is that "Ravens Way" is everywhere and nowhere. "Ravens Way" is, as he explains: "As a single entity. Ravens Way does not exist and thus cannot be found on any map. Rather, it is an amalgam of real places you can visit and experience for yourself." Going from there, read about boats abandoned in odd places (i.e., not in water); Joe3's first concert experience (Dag Nasty, Buffalo NY, 1988]; detailed and thoughtful zine reviews [the best outside of XD, honestly): and more discoveries. Nice photography, too. THE RAVENS WAY REVIEW ends with something I hope Joe3 continues with: endnotes! Not just citation endnotes, but lovely rambling observational endnotes. Zines such as this, with lots of words, both send me back to the golden zine age of the late 80s/early 90s and give me hope for the future of zines. -- AJ Michel, Xerography Debt 55
A new zine from Joe3! Joe is one of those prolific zine publishers that, despite all those pesky real-life obligations, is always blasting out a new project. I was sad when Joe announced he was ceasing publication of ALTERNATIVE INCITE, but before l even had time to blink there was an envelope in my mailbox containing the inaugural issue of THE RAVENS WAY REVIEW.
Of course, this doesn't feel like a first issue because Joe's an old pro who's been in the business for several years. (I have issues of his zine THE DIE that are twenty years old.) The contents are fairly similar to what Joe writes about in his other publications: commentary on the state of the world inspired by news articles, unsolicited rants, recent reading, etc. The article chronicling the unsolved mystery of who keeps abandoning boats (yes, boats. full-sized boats) in and around Joe's neighborhood is especially good, as well as Joe's punk rock nostalgia piece about attending his first punk show many, many moons ago. There are also ten pages of lengthy, thoughtful zine reviews in here so send Joe your stuff to be reviewed in a future issue. And back issues of ALTERNATIVE INCITE are still available and well worth a look. -- Kris Mininger, Xerography Debt # 55
No comments:
Post a Comment