Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Sparkplug Highlight: Rum Lad #4 by Steve Larder

When I was a young'n, my favorite zine was Cometbus. I read each issue with fervent punk pride, seeking new knowledge of bands, rad places to go and general silliness. Reading Rum Lad gave me a similar feeling - but I realized right after finishing it, that Steve Larder was the same age as me (24) when he wrote this. He also started making zines because he spent days reading punk journals and comics, and it shows through his interview with classic zinester Marv Gadgie. This entire issue revels in the spirit of traditional punk values, as well as nostalgia for being driven by them. 
In this issue, Steve attends a far-off zine festival in Germany and meets a lot of new people. While things don't always work out, he makes it home and wonders about the purpose of wandering off the beaten path in life and what it means to be afraid of embracing change. Alongside all these thoughts, there are very precise and detailed drawings of places and people Steve sees along the way.
Anyone who enjoys a traditional zine style with handwritten words, as well as black and white drawings should check out Rum Lad - it's a long and good read!



(36 interior pgs, 5.5" x 8.5 ", black and white)
You can visit Steve Larder's website here!
Rum Lad #4 is available here!

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