AIRMID'S JOURNAL #5

TITLE - AIRMID'S JOURNAL #5 - SUMMER SOLSTICE 2022 

EDITED BY - LUCY O'HAGAN & SEAN FITZGERALD 

GENRE - CELTIC LEGENDS | FOLKLORE | IRISH MYTHOLOGY | FORAGING |  MAGIC | REMEDIES | REWILDING 

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - IRELAND 

A5/30 PAGES/COLOUR-BLACK & WHITE/PAMPHLET

PRICE - £9.00 + SHIPPING FROM  WILD AWAKE | 10% OF PROFITS WILL GO TO MASI - THE MOVEMENT OF ASYLUM SEEKERS IN IRELAND

It’s always a pleasure to return to the world of “Airmid’s Journal”, one of the most authentic folklore zines on the market: it has quickly become one of my favourite zines. Having just published their fifth issue, the first to have a colour cover, (you can read my review of issue 4 here) the editorial team of Lucy O’Hagan and Sean Fitzgerald take the Journal to new heights.

Starting with the themes of community and of “lifting the flagstone” to see what lies underneath our normal world, the content, as always, is of a very high standard. Lead article “The Hare in the Irish Tradition” by Sorcha Ní Chionaoith explores the history and mythology of the Irish hare, a creature that permeates that country’s folklore in many ways, and also graces the zine’s striking front and back covers.

"The Sea is the Tether” by Sharon Arnold is a deep and emotive search for a common ground between the varied indigenous peoples of the world, especially those of the many diasporas. Andrew Clarke’s Tanistry project seeks to make Irish history more accessible and takes its name from the often complex succession process of the Kings of Ireland in the early mediaeval period. His extremely interesting article gives an overview of his project and the difficulties in disentangling the knotty bits of early history.  Students of early Irish history should give the Tanistry blog a browse. Other articles include “Sowing the Seed” by Edwina Guckian, a celebration of the “Strawboys” mummering tradition, and in “Rescuing our Sealskins”, Jen Murphy looks at the mythical sea creatures “Selkies”.

FLORENCE "GOODY" NEWTON BY SEAN FITZGERALD

Sean Fitzgerald illustrates the zine with his excellent folky art and has created the striking centre-spread which features a tribute to Florence “Goody” Newton who was accused of witchcraft in 17th century Cork. Fitzgerald also contributes the essay “Coracle of the Nine Waves”, a study of that simple yet sturdy fisherman’s boat. This was particularly interesting to me as a Welshman, as we’ve been using them for centuries!

“Airmid’s Journal” continues to go from strength to strength with diverse content from knowledgeable contributors and a strong, coherent style. Never a quick or throwaway read, this is a zine to be treasured. 

THE DARK DOOR #1

TITLE - THE DARK DOOR #1 

EDITED BY - CHRIS COTE

GENRE - PULP HORROR & WEIRD FICTION | ART | MUSIC 

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - CANADA 

A5//78 PAGES/BLACK & WHITE/PAMPHLET 

PRICE - £10.60 + SHIPPING FROM IllAdvisedRecords

Created very much in tribute to the old pulp horror fanzines of old, musician Chris Cote presents "The Dark Door" issue 1, a creepy Canadian collection of terrifying tales, poetry, artwork and playlists. Selling mainly cassettes on his Etsy page, IllAdvisedRecords, this is his first foray into zines, with two issues published so far. 

The stories are all of a high standard, putting many mainstream horror anthologies to shame. The tales are accompanied by vivid, disturbing artwork which adds a whole other dimension of horror thrills. Some of the writing flirts with Lovecraftian themes, others have a touch of dark humour, (especially "Ten-Legged Spider" by Austin Thomas) though most of the stories are of the shock ending variety; the long poem "Voices in the Hall" by Thomas Stewart evokes the hinted terrors of Edgar Allen Poe, but there is plenty of body horror elsewhere for fans of that genre, too.

Threaded throughout the zine are a couple of entries from "The Dark Dictionary" which explain the concept of "Exploding Casket Syndrome" (when the gasses in corpses cause the body to swell up and the coffin to explode) and the "Ifugao Death Chair" ritual of the Philippines. They supply a short, squirmy thrill and I assume it will be a regular ongoing feature. As an added bonus, playlists of music, just right for musical accompaniment whilst reading the zine, are available via printed QR codes, with short bios of the creators, on the IllAdvisedRecords YouTube channel. The first two issues are currently in stock at the Etsy store, plus a four-issue subscription option is also available. Crisply printed and produced, "The Dark Door" is highly recommended for horror fans looking for sophisticated, disturbing fiction. 

CVSTOMERSERVICE VOLUME V | FOLKLORE OF THE ISLANDS

TITLE - CVSTOMERSERVICE VOLUME V

EDITED & CREATED BY - VARIOUS CONTRIBUTORS

GENRE - FOLKLORE OF ISLANDS | FICTION | ARTWORK | DARK HISTORY

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - UNITED KINGDOM 

A5/56 PAGES/FULL-COLOUR/PERFECT-BOUND

PRICE - £6.00 + FREE SHIPPING FROM CVSTOMERSERVICE

Although it belongs on the general folk zine shelf, "Cvstomerservice" takes a deeper and more specific look at the subject by focussing on the folklore of four islands: two in Italy, one in France and one in the UK. 

Taking as its starting point the concept of islands being an unique space in and of themselves, (due to their being surrounded by water and thus cut off from the mainland, becoming havens for minority groups and beliefs), the zine explores the death shamans of Corsica, the folk-horror legends of Osea in relation to the TV show "The Third Day", the flying witches of Alicudi and the search for Arcadia on the island of Capri. 

The essays are intelligent and well-researched, fully referenced and illustrated with archive photography and drawings. There is also a short ghost story and original artwork throughout. The zine is glossy and well-printed, produced in the same style as zines such as Hellebore, and the content is original and informative, covering subjects I personally was not familiar with. The deep-dive into one particular theme works well and I hope "Cvstomerservice" continues producing quality zines in this format.

BECOMING THE FOREST IV

TITLE - BECOMING THE FOREST IV

EDITED BY - UNA HAMILTON HELLE & LOTTE BROWN 

GENRE -  BLACK METAL | NORSE MYTHOLOGY | NATURE | PLACE

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - NORWAY (SHIPPED FROM THE UK)

8" X 5"/128 PAGES/BLACK & WHITE WITH SOME COLOUR/PERFECT-BOUND 

PRICE - £15.00 + SHIPPING FROM BECOMING THE FOREST

“Treading the arboreal pathway through the backwoods of black metal”.

“Becoming the Forest”, edited by Una Hamilton Helle & Lotte Brown, is a zine who’s aim, to quote the disclaimer, is to “pose questions around place, nature, spirituality and nature”. The fourth issue has just been released, to a fair amount of acclaim, which speaks to the high regard in which the title is held.

Any discussion of black metal, sadly, has to encompass the ideology of the far-right which has co-opted much of the genre’s themes, namely nationalism, cultural identity, racial purity etc. The creators state that the zine distances itself entirely from this, as do the artists featured: the black metal scene is currently one of the most progressive musical genres. “Becoming the Forest” is a safe-space for learning and growth. As with many other folklore zines at the moment, there is a strong shamanistic vibe running though “Becoming the Forest”, voicing a clarion call for re-wilding and reconnection with the land and nature.

The zine is primarily made up of long-form interviews with artists, creatives and various black metal bands, such as Feral Season and Necrofier, and musicians in other genres including the “darkfolk” artist By The Spirits, whom I enjoyed listening to on Bandcamp. The longest interview is with artist Rune Hjarno Rasmussen, creator of the Nordic Animism project which aims to rediscover the polytheistic roots of the Nordic countries. The article is richly Illustrated with the art of Edvard Munch, and is a very deep-dive into the themes of lost knowledge and culture.

Helge Kaasin’s perceptive article “Through the Dark and Evil Forest” explores how the roots of Norwegian black metal are grounded in the country’s history. This piece is steeped in Norse mythology, as much a history of Norway as it is an analysis of the musical influences of black metal bands, with footnotes, song lyrics and art, and is a hallmark of the quality of the writing that is normal for this zine.

“Becoming the Forest” is a zine that requires and demands close study. Black metal has never been my thing, but when it’s discussed in such an intelligent way I can’t help but be captivated by the subject and the artists who create it. I am unfamiliar with the bands featured but the people involved are all extremely intelligent and it is very interesting to read what they have to say.

Lush production values make “Becoming the Forest” so much more than a zine: its a scholarly journal with erudite and fully annotated articles, full credits for the artwork used, photographs and engaging original content. It is a really wonderful, tactile object to hold, with a soft cover and beautifully printed pages. Students of Norse mythology will get a lot out of it, as will fans of black metal. It is more expensive than most zines of its kind, but when you read it, you will know where that extra money went.

THE SOUTH DOWNS WAY #1 - 4 & A FOOLISH JOURNEY

TITLE - THE SOUTH DOWNS WAY #1 - 4 & A FOOLISH JOURNEY 

CREATED BY - JAMES BURT

GENRE - FLASH FICTION SET IN THE SOUTH DOWNS, ENGLAND | FOLKLORE | GHOST STORIES 

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - UNITED KINGDOM 

A5/28 PAGES/BLACK & WHITE/PAMPHLET 

PRICE - £2.00 + FREE SHIPPING FROM THE ORBIFIC ETSY STORE

Started in March 2020, “The South Downs Way” is a series of zines collecting short flash-fiction written by James Burt, set along the South Downs Way, with the fourth issue released in January 2022. The stories cover a range of genres and are generally standalone tales, but there are some recurring characters across the zine’s run creating a longer narrative. According to creator James Burt, the stories are “written to have the feeling of a walk, of stories from other travellers and the sense of places passing. Memories combine with history and folklore to give a unique view of the Sussex Landscape”. The tales are annotated with the map references of where precisely they take place along the Way, and can often be dark and contain adult themes, inspired by the landscape and folklore of the South Downs, while others are based on real events.

The South Downs Way is an area dotted with remains of ancient settlements and famous landmarks such as the Long Man of Wilmington and Chanctonbury Ring. This sense of timelessness comes across strongly in the fiction, which can be very moving, with tales of lost people (and their lost dreams) walking the route, and the people they meet along the way.

The Devil himself appears in the second issue, a collection of tales which recount the Devil’s life, told in chronological order, in relation to the Sussex countryside. We see Old Nick land on Earth, tempt Jesus and join him in his last days. There are also some stories related to the longer narrative. The third issue, subtitled “Crossing Paths”, is a dark collection of stories about fateful meetings with diverse beings, from fortune tellers to robot poets, while part four, “Weird Tales”, is the darkest yet, featuring phantom hitchhikers, a vengeful black dog, walking corpses and an auction of ghosts, amongst other grisly frights.

James Burt is an excellent writer, there’s no doubt about that. The stories aren’t long, with some being a couple of paragraphs, but they’re always just the right length. Reading the first four issues, it is a joy to recognise recurring themes and characters, including “Sam”, “Gary” and “The Walker (who can be many people), as their narrative is steadily built over the course of the stories. These are affecting tales, well-written and honest, and well worth setting time aside to read. 

All issues are currently in stock, with issues 1-3 available as a bundle priced at £5.00 with free shipping. James Burt's website can be found at ORBIFIC.COM.

 

James Burt also produces a standalone companion title linked to “The South Downs Way” entitled “A Foolish Journey”, featuring twelve new stories about the life of a fortune-teller called Sam who featured in the main zines, alongside a reprint of a few earlier stories for context. Being about a fortune-teller, the Tarot features prominently and the Devil makes a reappearance; this is a dark trip but it ends on a positive note.

"A Foolish Journey" is also available from the Etsy store, priced at £3.00 with free shipping.

THE UNFAMILIAR HOUR - REAWAKENING EDITION

TITLE -THE UNFAMILIAR HOUR | REAWKENING EDITION 

EDITED BY - NAOIMI SMYTH 

GENRE - MAGICK | WITCHCRAFT | SPELLS | TAROT | ASTROLOGY 

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - UNITED KINGDOM 

A5/FULL-COLOUR/24 PAGES/PAMPHLET

PRICE - £5.00 + SHIPPING FROM THE UNFAMILIAR HOUR

"Unearth Your Magick" 

So reads the statement of intent of the "Reawakening" edition of "The Unfamiliar Hour", which arrives almost a year after the first issue, "Lithia" (a PDF of this edition can be viewed on the Unfamiliar Hour website). A magickal instruction guide for "witchlings, wyrdos and wanderers of the world", the zine invites the reader on a mystical journey of magical learning. There is a strong vibe of rebirth and renewal throughout.

Subjects cover the gamut of aspects of the magickal world, from runes to Tarot and astrology to herbalism. There are five short articles and a poem by Alicia entitled "Cast The Cataclysm" (aptly named as it is very vivid and powerful) in the "Reawakening Edition", beginning with a guide to harnessing the power of the ever-confident The Fool in the Tarot. Chelsey Pippin, founder of "Pip Cards Tarot", is interviewed about her online Tarot workshops, with full details included. Elsewhere, there is a short piece on the runic symbol of renewal, named "Berkano" or "Berkanan", a deep-dive into the power of Pluto in astrology and how this can be potential can be tapped, an essay on the Norse goddess of rejuvenation, Idunn,  and notes on planting seeds, making a charm bag and brewing an "equinox elixir".

In keeping with other zines in this genre, "The Unfamiliar Hour" is a completely safe-space for everyone, beautifully illustrated with original art, glossy and well-printed, and written with love and learning. 

GHOST PALS #1 & #2

TITLE - GHOST PALS 

EDITED BY - THE GHOST PALS! 

GENRE - GHOST STORIES & LEGENDS FROM LONDON AND BRITAIN 

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - UNITED KINGDOM 

A5/30-37 PAGES/COLOUR/PAMPHLET

PRICE - £5.00 + FREE SHIPPING FROM THE GHOST PALS ETSY STORE

First published in 2021, "Ghost Pals" is a relative newcomer on the zine block, but it has already established a reputation as an eagerly sought-after title, with several reprints of its two issues. It consists of ghost stories and legends from the UK, with a focus on the notoriously ghost-filled city of London, and the theme of the first issue is Sleep (and what happens when it is disturbed), while the second issue's theme is body horror. "Ghost Pals" was put together by a group of friends with a shared interest in the spooky legends of their native London.

The ghostly legends featured across the first two issues include, among many others, the London home of composer Frideric Handel, where 200 years later Jimi Hendrix would have a spectral encounter; the London Underground's infamous Kennington Loop; famous 18th century clown Joseph Grimaldi, who is said to help the actors at Drury Lane theatre to this day; the restless spooks of St. Bartholomew's Hospital and the spirit of Margaret Pole, said to haunt the Tower of London (mind you, who doesn't?). Unsurprisingly, the Kings and Queens of England often take centre stage in these tales.

The stories are all related in a clear and concise style, accessible to all, and generally not too scary, although there are some very gruesome bits in issue 2!  All stories are enhanced by the inclusion of transport links, e.g. the nearest London Underground station to the locations, if you want to explore them for yourself; "Ghost Pals" is the perfect gazetteer for an alternative tourist jaunt around London, and it also includes a bibliography for further reading. The zine is illustrated with drawings and evocative photographs of the locations, the printing is crisp and clear throughout and the zine is an easy and informative read. Can't wait for the next one!

CREATOR SPOTLIGHT #1 | CLUMSYKISSES PART 1 | DERRY GIRLS/BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN/LONDON CALLING

"clumsykisses" is Rebecca McCormick, who is steadily producing highly personal and insightful zines on various subjects including her favourite songs, bands and television programmes, as well as perzines about her own life. The zines are stapled photocopies, usually in mini-zine format but occasionally A5, and full of content which is always interesting. I am highlighting three titles here while I wait for the others I have ordered to arrive. The clumsykisses Etsy store can be found here, with all three titles currently available. 

TITLE - LONDON CALLING - A 40TH ANNIVERSARY ZINE 

6" X 4" MINI-ZINE/38 PAGES/BLACK & WHITE/STAPLED PHOTOCOPY

PRICE - £1.00 + SHIPPING/LINK

This mini-zine is a perzine about the classic double album, "London Calling" by The Clash. Citing it as one of her favourite albums, Rebecca goes through the LP track by track offering her personal insight on her favourite (and not so favourite songs). The zine also features opinions from her friends and mother. Rebecca is an excellent writer and her love for the music comes over strongly. These are her personal views, and she invites us to disagree with her on her twitter, but you will rarely see such perceptive and enjoyable music criticism. The zine is written as if Rebecca is listening to the album while jotting down notes and this is probably the best way to experience it. The style is warm, funny and easy-going and we get to know Rebecca as well as "London Calling" while reading - her favourite song of all time is "Lost in the Supermarket", so kudos there. She's also not afraid to drop in a bit of politics. Highly recommended for Clash fans. 

TITLE - YOU AIN'T A BEAUTY BUT HEY YOU'RE ALRIGHT | A ZINE ABOUT BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 

6" X 4" MINI-ZINE/27 PAGES/BLACK & WHITE/STAPLED PHOTOCOPY 

PRICE - £1.50 + SHIPPING/LINK

Possibly even more personal than "London Calling", this mini-zine is a very affecting read as it opens with Rebecca relating the circumstances of her renewed interest in Bruce Springsteen following the death of her father. Rebecca lists her favourite songs, albums, documentaries and Bruce-moments in her usual warm and personal style. The text touches on queer identity (of which Bruce has always been something of a pioneer) and the feelings of small-town isolation which Springsteen has always highlighted in his music. A very inspiring and moving read. 

TITLE - DERRY GIRLS | A ZINE ABOUT THE GIRLS (AND THE WEE ENGLISH FELLA)

A5/44 PAGES/COLOUR, BLACK & WHITE/STAPLED PHOTOCOPY

PRICE - £2.00 + SHIPPING/LINK 

I've grown to love Rebecca McCormick's take on the world and freely admit to becoming slightly addicted to her zines, wonky formatting and hand-numbered pages and all, so I had to get this, a zine all about one of the best British comedy shows ever - "Derry Girls". Rebecca covers the series in some depth, through character sketches, sections on the families, an episode guide to the first two series, the music and a wealth of behind the scenes information. Her off-the-cuff impressions are original and captivating throughout and made me look at certain aspects of the show in a different way. Even at five times the price this zine would offer much better value than some official books do. If you love the girls (and the wee English fella), go buy this zine (and binge on the other titles) now - it's absolutely cracker!

Coming in Part 2 - "Just Cheap Tarnished Glitter -  A Zine About the Manic Street Preachers", "Shy Punk 2", "Opinionated Nobody #15" and "The Tracks of My Years - A zine about some songs I love".

CONTEMPORARY VISUAL ARTS ZINE #9 - GLITCH

 

TITLE - CONTEMPORARY VISUAL ARTS ZINE #9 - GLITCH 

EDITED BY - JAMIE F. SIMPSON

GENRE - GLITCH ART / MODERN ART

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - UNITED KINGDOM 

A5/22 PAGES/FULL COLOUR/PAMPHLET 

PRICE - £5.00 + FREE SHIPPING FROM THE CVA ETSY STORE

"CVA zine" is a non-profit publication by the Contemporary Visual Arts Collective, founded by Jamie F. Simpson, dedicated to giving a platform for emerging artists to share their work. Issue 9 is a "glitch" special, while previous issues have covered identity, memory and more general art themes. 

The issue devotes one page each to over twenty artists' work on the glitch and collage theme, providing full biographies and details of their social media accounts etc. The art throughout is striking and noisy - the product of faulty scanners and glitchy printers creating interference on the art as if it were a message from the future transmitted back through time via a 100 year-old VHS tape. This zine is classy, glossy and highly recommended for fans of modern art. 

THE STROLLER'S TALE #17

TITLE - THE STROLLER'S TALE #17 

CREATED BY - THE MAGPIE'S FEATHER

GENRE - FOLKTALES, FOLKLORE & LOCAL LEGENDS FROM PEOPLE AROUND THE UK

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - UNITED KINGDOM 

A5/32 PAGES/COLOUR + B&W/PAMPHLET

PRICE - £2.50 + SHIPPING FROM THE MAGPIES FEATHER ETSY STORE

A welcome new issue of one my favourite zines, the diverse, fun and always surprising “The Stroller’s Tale” from The Magpie’s Feather.

The longest piece in the zine is “The Long Walk to Glastonbury”, which reprints the 40 year old diary of three “intrepid hippies” - Squash, Madhead and Roger - on a walking trip to Glasto for the summer solstice. The extracts are fun and honest, with the trio sleeping under the stars, giving piggybacks to local kids and enjoying tea and scones at a vicarage (which ends with them in a giggling fit). The accompanying photos of the tea party evoke an idyllic, carefree time. Adam Skerrett, AKA “Mythwalker”, talks of his pilgrimage to “beat the bounds” of the ancient Celtic kingdom of Dumnonia, and shares details of his new venture offering Mythwalker Experiences: guided walks around the ancient sites of West Cornwall.

We also meet Fergal the Mergal, one of many aliases for a chap on a 50 day & night pseudo pilgrimage along the Cornwall coastal path. Something of a local celebrity, he even has his own merch in the form of postcards, and dispenses survival tips against unleashed dogs and muggers! The issue is rounded off with a walk in the larger-than-life footsteps of The Reverend Stephen Robert Hawker of Morwenstow, who once excommunicated a cat and pretended to be a mermaid to play a trick on superstitious locals. We are also treated to vivid poetry from Vikki Yeates’ with accompanying art featuring evocative and earthy drawings of foxes and hares; and there is also a poem by Nyssa Ebert entitled “Ode To Midsummer’s Eve”.

Reading “The Stroller’s Tale” is like being a silent participant on the best ramble ever. Every person you meet is interesting and decent, and you can be sure of getting a hint of the land's hidden powers and learning some arcane knowledge. The stories have a gentle rhythm and easy vibe which make for a pleasant, non-scary read. And, if you're lucky, you'll meet Fergal the Mergal! 

MYTH & LORE #2 - FUNGUS AMONG US

TITLE - MYTH & LORE #2 - FUNGUS AMONG US 

EDITED BY - GEIST

GENRE - FOLKLORE / WITHCRAFT / MUSHROOMS / FORAGING / ART & POETRY

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - UNITED KINGDOM 

A5/100 PAGES/BLACK & WHITE/PERFECT-BOUND 

PRICE - £8.00 + SHIPPING [SOLD OUT AT TIME OF WRITING] FROM GEIST ART

Darwin's Fungus may sound like the best prog band ever, but it is in fact, along with stinkhorns and shaggy caps, one of the myriad of mushroom varieties explored in the 'shroom-tastic second issue of "Myth & Lore". Subtitled "Fungus Among Us", it is a celebration of the mysterious mushroom and all of its often misunderstood properties and powers. If you've read issue 1, which was a "Cryptids of the United Kingdom" special, then issue 2 offers more of the same - vivid poetry and art, spooky stories and interviews with folky creatives.

KNOW YOUR SHROOMS

"Fungus Among Us" is a veritably stuffed offering - the contributor list runs for six pages!. Over approximately 100 pages, there are full-page guides to several varieties of mushroom with a short caption and a knowing wink to the often unpleasant characteristics of fungi, from scents like rotting flesh to red alien tentacles! If this gets you feeling a bit peckish, you can have a go at making Philippa Tomlin's recipe for oven-baked mushroom risotto. Fiction fans can enjoy the highly original short stories in the fantasy/horror genre with a fungi feel, and among the articles, Andrew Purvis introduces us to the mind-expanding musical work of artist Heidi Kenyon, who has created a piece of music that aims to harmonise with the natural world using field recordings and sounds extracted from mushrooms themselves. You can hear the piece via the QR code included in the zine. there's also an interview with the mushroom-based band The Octopus Project. A special mention must be made of the poetry featured in issue 2, which is earthy, visceral and stunning throughout, including a poem by notable zine editor Terra Silvanus of "Grimoire Silvanus" fame. My favourite is "Fungus Friends" by Ami Clement which tells of the jolly consequences of leaving button mushrooms in the fridge for too long.

Production values are high with tightly-bound, glossy black pages and crisp printing. There is original art and some photography and a positive, fun vibe throughout. Issue 2 also comes with a free A5  print. Contributions come from a diverse arena and the whole zine promotes a safe space for everyone to have folky fun. Although a relatively new title, "Myth & Lore" is fast becoming a zine that needs to be snapped up as soon as it's available, because both issues are out of print as I write this - "don't sleep on this one", as the trendy people say!