Oh...my...god...

IT'S Christina Ricci in Black Snake Moan.

Can't wait to see this fillum.

REVIEW: Nestle Green Tea KitKat

ALL the way from Japan!

THIS was Helen's first reaction when I told her AW had handed me this Oriental variation of the classic four fingers of chocolate wafer: "That sounds...truly revolting."

But ohhhhhhhh...how wrong she was (and she'll be the first to admit it).

This bar is delicious! To me, it had a smooth, subtle flavour - with an almost apple-like hint of flavour infused in the white chocolate.

Sublime! :)

Our hats are off to you, clever Japanese confectioners.

Some really overdue zines and small-press comix reviews

The Little Crash Book Of Revolutionary Capitalism – I’m still unsure what the hell this is about. Cut’n’paste artwork and street art collide with some kinda anti-capitalism rant. Is it art? Is it a joke? Is it meant to be taken seriously? I don’t get it – but maybe that’s ’cos I’m a piece-of-shit cog in the capitalist system. What the fuck, I’m happy – and still richer than YOU. Chris Tamm, c/o graphic art mount, 9 may lane (rear), st peters, NSW, 2044, AUSTRALIA konsumterra@hotmail.com [AUD$3 or e-mail for details if from overseas… happy to send bulk to stores 32M :05] – Dann

Wrestling Observer Newsletter (June 4, 2007) – An intelligent wrestling/MMA zine? It’s enough to make your head spin. This week, WON provides in-depth coverage of the UFC 71 PPV (ouch…poor Chuck Liddell), another WWE push of the “reset” button with the recent wrestler draft on RAW, Smackdown and ECW. Plus detailed backstage news from around the world. Comprehensive, well-written, badly subbed. Essential reading. Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer, PO Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228, Dave@wrestlingobserver.com, www.wrestlingobserver.com/wo [$11 for 4 issues, $28 for 12, $54 for 24, $90 for 40 or e-mail for details if from overseas 12-18M 1:30] – Dann

Wham Glam Thank You Ma’m – Subtitled “A geekboy’s journey thru the 70s and puberty, 1975-76”, Kami explores the music of his childhood through a series of “top 10” lists of songs he compiled at the time (which he recently unearthed). It’s simple, heartfelt, warm and goes a long way to explaining the writer’s at-times inexplicable love for glam music. Tons of David Bowie, Suzie Quatro and their Aussie equivalents here. A second issue is eagerly anticipated. Kami, A Jazz From Hell Production, PO Box 278, Edwardstown, SA, 5039, AUSTRALIA cammy@arcom.com.au myspace.com/tappingthesauce [FREE, but send a few bux for postage and handling 24S :20] – Dann

Lumpen Proletariat – High-quality comic (Hey, full colour covers and insert!) with a bent Aussie sense of humour and a few poo gags to offend the easily offended. And it’s all nicely drawn using several distinctive art styles. Pat Grant, 3 Fifth St, Scarborough, NSW, 2515, AUSTRALIA butteredmidgets@yahoo.com.au [AUD$4 or e-mail for details if from overseas 44S 0:20] – Dann

Stool – Pat Grant and a few mates are back for some more well-drawn, amusing cartoon strips. There’s some real talent on show here. Pat Grant, 3 Fifth St, Scarborough, NSW, 2515, AUSTRALIA butteredmidgets@yahoo.com.au [AUD$4 or e-mail for details if from overseas 36S 0:15] – Dann

Long Gone Loser #13 – Unlucky for some, but not for Damo who’s produced another professional-looking helping of rawk’n’roll, with just a smidge of T&A thrown in to keep us real men entertained. This ish is chokkas full of interviews with the likes of The Bellrays, Alabama Thunderpussy and, The Stooges. But the highlight for me was “The Long Gone Loser’s Guide To Japan”, Damo’s report on everything pop-culturally great about his most recent trip to the Orient. Gotta love the man’s enthusiasm. Long Gone Loser Magazine, PO Box 18, Modbury North, SA, 5092, AUSTRALIA damo@longgoneloser.com www.longgoneloser.com [AUD$7 or e-mail for details if from overseas 60M 0:45] – Dann

PEE #39 – Editor Pete has outdone himself with this issue. Sure, there’s exquisite cover art by UK artist Dan Mumford, oodles of stickers and a cool CD, but the real strength of PEE continues to be its writing. I may not be into modern punk rock – which means I skim most issues – but I can still tell this is good shit. Besides, there was also a fun Neil Hamburger interview, so I lingered longer than usual. PEE, Pete Pee, PO Box 238, Marden, SA, 5070 AUSTRALIA zine@peerecords.com www.peerecords.com [AUD$6.50 or e-mail for details if from overseas 60M :20] – Dann

You’re An Angel You Li’l Devil #3: More horny girl action from rollicking Randy. There are several short articles and plenty of clip art on the likes of Satan’s Cheerleaders, Marvel Comics’ Satana and the deliciously devilish art of Scrojo. Brief-but-sinful fun. You’re An Angel You Li’l Devil, Randy Robbins, PO Box 17131, Anaheim, CA, 92817-7131 [$1 24S :10] – Dann

Mr Destructo And Destructo Jr: Tanner Robbins’ delightful collection of short cartoon strips tells the story of Destructo Jr, a lad who’s actively encouraged by his dad to destroy things. There’s some strange-but-loveable bonding going on as father and son smash toys, play vaseball (far more entertaining than ordinary baseball) and don safety glasses before entering the House Of Mirrors while wielding mallets. This is inventive, funny stuff – Tanner’s one talented young man. Tanner Robbins, PO Box 17131, Anaheim, CA, 92817-7131 [$1 16S :10] – Dann

These reviews will appear in Zine World #25 (hopefully)...out soon. Head to http://www.undergroundpress.org/ for ordering details.

REVIEW: Phatsville Comix #11

OFFBEAT, sometimes very nasty anthology comix that takes over where the late lamented Sick Puppy left off. A bunch of dudes you never heard of have produced some very weird strips, the strangest being “Big Phat Day Out”: about a team of crappy superheroes who wind up inside the anus of one of their fallen comrades and discover a mysterious lost city. Bizarre.
I bought Phatsville Comix at Kings Comics in Pitt Street, Sydney. Or you can e-mail
phatsville@hotmail.com. [AUD$5 or e-mail for details if from overseas 72S 0:30]

This review (and the above reviews) will appear in Zine World #25 (hopefully)...out soon. Head to http://www.undergroundpress.org/ for ordering details.

Jack Kirby Appreciation Night

I'VE been getting back into Jack Kirby recently.

A few months back, I picked up this 1998 B&W collection of the first 11 issues of his sci-fi DC series from the early 1970s, New Gods, from Elizabeth's Bookshops in Pitt Street, Sydney for my 40th birthday.

Some years back, I'd bought a six-issue miniseries - full colour, deluxe Baxter paper - that DC published in 1984. It even featured Kirby's all-new "conclusion" to the New Gods saga. Of course, like a moron, I chucked them out a long time ago.

But this graphic novel was the next best thing (and cheap, too), so I grabbed it without hesitation...even though it didn't feature that final concluding chapter (as compensation, the GN includes some never-before-reprinted "Young Gods Of Supertown" back-up stories) and a bunch of covers from the original series and the 1984 reprints.

Anyway, I reacquainted myself with the saga of Orion, Darkseid, Lightray and mates on the train to and from work in a coupla days and, let me say, the work still holds up pretty well, despite Kirby's overblown dialogue (he was no Stan Lee, let me tell you. Not even Gerry Conway standard, if you get my drift...).

Let's face it, when you bought a Kirby comic you bought it for the fuckin' art, man. And he really delivered in New Gods.

In the weeks and months to come, I'll be putting up more posts on other "King" Jack stuff that I'm slowly adding to my collection.

Feel free to add your comments and thoughts on Kirby's artwork, his writing style, the man himself, ANYTHING...

Hey, it's Willow...

Alyson Hannigan on a beach. This is why God invented bikinis.

Below, for no real reason, two more gratuitous shots of Buffy's No. 1 lesbian witch.

APPROVED: dork geek nerd

A GREAT writer. A thoughtful, always-interesting blog.

You can't go wrong giving it a try at http://dorkgeeknerd.blogspot.com/.

More MONKEY business

I love Monkeywoman.

And I also love MONKEY magazine, the best online "lads mag" in the world today. Loadsa great pix and videos: film previews, legendary comedy skits, bizarro violence. This mag offers the very best of the Net to its readers.

And the coolest thing of all is it's FREE. Go to the link and sign up now - MONKEY comes straight to your inbox as an e-mail link every Wednesday.

MONKEY - you know it makes sense.

I love you, Monkeywoman

I want her.
I want her SO BAD.
I want to give her my banana.
No.....I want to mash my banana between her pineapples.
But I can't 'cos I'm married and she lives halfway round the world and doesn't even know I exist.
So the next best thing is to buy a shitload of the Who Wants To Be A Superhero? also-ran's merchandise from her offical web site at www.monkeywoman.com/.

Then...I'm going to masturbate all over it.

........

........Don't judge me. :}

REVIEW: Spaghetti Western/Checkmate Wordsworth

DOUG HOLGATE is one of Australia’s finest unsung comic book creators, as evidenced by this 2006 offering. Gorgeous art enhances Spaghetti Western, the first lightweight but entertaining yarn about a giant chupacabra terrorising a Wild West town.
The flipside, Checkmate Wordsworth, is a bizarre Lovecraft pisstake.
Doug’s comic is part of the SureShot Presents series published by Mark Selan.
To get your copy, write to: Mark Selan, 47 Willora Rd, Eden Hills, SA, 5050, AUSTRALIA or e-mail mark_selan@hotmail.com or head to saveded.blogspot.com/.