Review

"Nah, he's just being friendly, Bro, I think I'm going to love it here." - Hoe-Tap

For some reason best known to the religious fundos out there Mr Slime and his gang of depraved alternative types have avoided all manner of hell fire and brimstone in such an unrepentant fashion that they present for y\our gratification Issue #5 of the infamous Yuck. As the cover says "Adults Only", suck it up if easily offended. While arguably this book isn't coming at you from the dark genre night, it does operate as a sort of the Australian grindhouse of comics, need you know more? Alternative is alternative, get ready to test your ability to cope with all manner of degrading thoughts about the common man, society, and modern day monsters. Let's break it down and turn it around yo!

I was right at home with the editorial that kicks off Issue 5, speculative fiction is faltering with the corporate dollar buying in "boy wizards, CGI Elves, and fuckin' sparkling Vampires", where is the alternative subversive genres we all know and love, Mr Slime nails the modern move to tone things down for a brain dead audience that wants everything homogenous and safe. The alternative is out there, just not from the majors, Yuck being at the forefront in maning the trenches against the incursion of the plastic age.

[Editor's Note: I happen to like Harry Potter, but point taken]

J Marc Schmidt gets festivities underway with a two pager asking "who flung dung", okay this one is more your toilet humour than building barricades in the street, but it's nice and gross and so outrageously perverse that you'll find that frown turned upside down. And if that's not enough to throw you into alternative hog heaven then Those Unspeakable Rogues In Blind Man's Muff sees Michael Aushenker pointing out the dangers of meeting people via the net and falling for whatever line they are spinning. You could be talking to a Yeti or even worse … okay avoiding spoilers here, read the book to have your worse fears confirmed.

Talking about subversion and speculative fiction's working at chipping away social acceptance, it wasn't restricted to the modern age, hell no folks, a lot of faery tales and the like warned of the dangers of accepting the status quo. David Degrand's Toddler Soda Lake presents a modern update to the sort of tale that warned of old ladies, children, and ginger bread houses. Madame Tinkerton's Fresh Toddler Streaks, got to love how subversive that is, a seemingly innocuously line till you double take what it's actually saying. While on the subject of the modern faery tale and it's warnings about what might lurk just below the thin veneer of civilisation, Customs Patrol Oz sees Lark confirming all our fears about Airport Custom Officers and just what happens to the shite they confiscate for dubious reasons. See that would be your subversive message confirming a half formed urban legend.

And just in case you think it's all amoral meanderings through fields best left unvisited by National Party members Ben Hutchings throws down more puns than you can poke a stick at with Thinking About String, an exercise in the absurd that should have everyone smiling. Naturally that's just the calm before the storm as Dexter Cockburn, excellent name, unleashes one of the best strips I've read for a while, The Beast With 1,000 C**ts Part 1. Think B movie meets those Freak Brothers from last century; a script that revisits a central Sci-Fi trope and gives it a well needed face lift as Aliens once again find Earth isn't a place you want to visit anytime soon.

[Editor's Note: Surprisingly it's taken about 600 reviews for the word filter to kick in!]

Mady 'Simee' G drops a phobic tale on us in Black Acid, a story that may have a messaged that escapes me currently. Anyways it's nice and sick, which should appeal to the readers of Yuck. Naturally since this is Yuck we get a Millennial Monsters tale from the highly talented Frank Candiloro. For anyone who hasn't been exposed to this ongoing script, classic monsters from the Universal vault thrust into the rigours of the modern world where even monsters have to pay taxes and have jobs. In this outing Hoe-Tap finds monsters come in all shapes and sizes, and sometimes living at home is for the best.

Don't worry almost through the script round up, deep breath, final straight.

One of the strengths of Yuck has always been the decision to throw almost surreal scripts onto the table without apology. Tom Motley with Coexistence certainly hits that nail somewhere on the head with one of the fears of commuting on public transport. Sometimes the eye is dragged kicking and screaming to where you really don't want it to go. And finally Ben Hutchings goes Dr Suez on us in Tell Me, O Father, a ditty that sums up the modern tertiary education system for me, all about questioning but then no one is really interested when you do unless you have a wad of cash in your hands. Both federal parties have pretty much sold off our educational heritage in full Judas mode.

And if you think that's a lot of content I haven't even touched on the single panels, oddities, and other assorted pieces of mayhem Issue #5 of Yuck sends out way. At $4.99 it's excellent value for money people, your Country expects you to do the right thing here and support our local Artists and Writers.

I'm always up for an issue of Yuck and I really dug number 5 due to the Pirates of the Caribbean theme going down on the insides covers, oh and the content of course. The book is nicely sized so you can read it on the train or bus, word of warning however, your fellow commuters might just wonder what sort of depraved individual they are in the vicinity of, guaranteed reading space yo! There's something disturbing compulsive about reading Yuck, give yourself plenty of time to devour Issue #5, and don't blame me if you end up running late for your shift at the pickle factory. Recommended book to those who don't mind a bit of subversion mixed in with non-culturally acceptable content, I wouldn't be leaving this Issue where your maiden Aunt might pick it up! Oh and if you are from the PC brigade, then piss off to the local wine bar where your sort are appreciated

Yuck #5 is available from Milk Shadow Books and yes International postal services are offered. While on site check out the whole collection of Yuck magazines and a range of other offerings to whet the appetite for damage.