This is the first of a new magazine edited by Austin English full of comics, artwork and a nice long interview with Andrice Arp. More than half the magazine is Austin’s work- episodes of “life of Francis” and “My Earliest Memory” which I think is the best part. I have been waiting for him to come out with something since Christina and Charles. I love his playful crayon drawing style and his funny random stories that often have no punctuation. They really sound like the way a child might speak with complete run-on sentences. The type is handwritten and the word bubbles seem to be drawn second because they completely hug the words. Some places he’s gotten a bit too messy- sentences are painted over and little pieces of collage are pasted over mistakes but this again adds to the loose youthful feel. I’m not crazy about the rest of the work in the magazine but Austin’s was enough to make this ten dollar magazine well worth the money. Pick up a copy right here.

© Julia Rothman 2007