COMICS CULTURE SHRAPNEL from CBEM 331

Print and Paper

I spent the majority of my weekend in Baltimore either trying to find a place to eat, trying to find my friends (eventually I gave up on this), or hanging out in the Artist's Alley. Not that I'm an art aficionado or aspiring for artistic glory. Some friends of mine happen to publish a 'zine called Tsunami - and so were stuck there in the pursuit of financial solvency. It generally was a good way to kill time and meet people. People I knew -- the friends I was looking for; and lots of interesting people I didn't know.

One friend managed to run into a professor she will probably have this coming semester. I actually had a conversation with Carl Horn. You might know him from the writing he did for Wizard, or his articles in Japan Edge. Or maybe you know him as responsible for editing and the English adaptation for Eagle: The Making of an Asian-American President. I just bought the third collected volume of that BTW, and continue to recommend it highly. Our conversation wasn't ground-shattering, just some commenting on the state of anime on American television, and him commenting on how it was nice to see that people still published fanzines.

As in, actual publication of them on paper. The realm of 'zines has largely moved to the 'net, as evidenced by the fact that you're reading these words on a screen right now. It's cheaper, and distribution is wider. Archives are readily accessible. Opinions are more easily exchanged. E-zines appear to have all the advantages.

Then why this nostalgia for the print 'zine? It's not just Carl Horn who feels this way, though he did buy two issues from the table. A lot of people bought copies, even though the majority of them have 'net access and could receive news and reviews online. The staff broke even and then some.

For many, it might have been curiosity, that old standby. One of the articles was about the sex lives of otaku, however lurid a subject it be. On Sunday a line formed to the art show as bidders came to pick up their auction pieces, and we sold many a copy to them, on the premise that it would give them something to do. Maybe some people wanted them as souvenirs, since Tsunami is sold only at conventions. So the attraction would appear to be largely that of the physical. No matter how much the 'net takes over our lives, we still need to experience things that are "real."

On some occasions I've printed out this entire e-mag, usually ending up with a large stack of paper that makes a rather loud "thunk" when I eventually plop it into a recycling bin. Of course I don't hold on to it -- another unfortunate side-effect of print is that it takes up space and degrades, eventually necessitating that it be thrown out. But it sure is fun while it lasts.